texas homefront magazine

Finding The

Perfect Home pg 6 Randy Summers of Remax offers you three

simple ideas to finding the perfect home

The ABC’s of Water

Conservation pg 24 Clark Gullette of LawnTech shares some

interesting insight on how to conserve our

most precious natural resource

The Dreaded Texas

Chigger Season pg 28 Greg Dyer of Green Pest Guys gives you the

real facts about chiggers and how to

how to keep yourself chigger-free

Homefront

Highlight pg 12 Adriatica Village is a shining beacon of light in

McKinney and to the rest of the world

The Church Street

Church Experience pg 22 Pastor Mike Connaway of VLife Church in

Adriatica talks about how the ministry is

coming together to revive one of McKinney’s

oldest church facilities

On the Cover A luxury home in the Riva Villa District

of Adriatica Village in McKinney, Texas

It’s hard to believe that

it is June already, and time

for another summer break

from school for the kids!

2012 is moving at a rapid

pace, and before the

sweltering heat of summer is

upon us, get out and enjoy

the OUTDOOR LIVING that

Prosper and McKinney offer

to us! There are multiple

parks, playgrounds, athletic

facilities and neighborhoods

to enjoy/so go take part in

them! The Texas climate in

June is not only great for

enjoying the outdoors, but it

allows you to strengthen

your presence in the

community, with friends and

with your neighbors. That is

what Texas Homefront is all

about!

If you haven’t had the

pleasure of visiting the

Adriatica Village in

McKinney, you owe it to

yourself to experience it.

Building a village to look

centuries old in today’s time

is no easy task. But with the

efforts and experience of

three of the area’s most

reputable and respected

custom home builders in

McKinney, Adriatica Village

is primed for lasting growth.

Over Memorial Day

weekend, we had the

opportunity to volunteer our

time during the Smiles

Charity Concert at Adriatica,

and were reminded of how

blessed and proud we are to

be Americans! Our military

provides us the freedoms

that we sometimes take for

granted. And it was

wonderful to see so many of

our friends and colleagues

supporting their efforts and

personal sacrifices. Thank

you to all of the volunteers,

sponsors and supporters of

Smiles Charity – and thank

you Dr. Jennifer Buchanan

for your time and support! It

was a great evening,

everyone had a wonderful

time, and we enjoyed the

music. Great performances

by Lantic, David Nail, and as

always, The Maylee Thomas

Band rocked the house!

Last month, we

witnessed hundreds of

volunteers who gave

unselfishly of their time and

resources at the Windmill

Playground in Prosper – and

our entire community is

benefiting from that! What a

wonderful experience we

shared with all of the

hardworking volunteers!

The look in our children’s

eyes during the Ribbon

Cutting Ceremony made it

worth the effort for us! Not

only did we construct a

playground that our children

will enjoy for years to come,

but the sense of community

and the pride we feel for our

town was evident and a

most humbling experience.

Welcome Home!

Jason & Heather Reynolds

Executive Publishers

EXECUTIVE PUBLISHERS

Jason & Heather Reynolds

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Heather Reynolds

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Jason Reynolds

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

JD Lee

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Deb Goss

Randy Summers of Remax

Clark Gullette of LawnTech

Greg Dyer of Green Pest Guys

PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTORS

Jonathon English

Jed Rollins

Jennifer Willard

Michaela Connaway

Jeremy Woodhouse

Various

PRODUCTION / DESIGN

FIFTHKING MEDIA

www.fifthking.com

ADVERTISING / MARKETING

The Homefront Team

www.txhomefront.com

© 2012

TEXAS HOMEFRONT MAGAZINE

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED WORLDWIDE The title and all material within are

protected by international copyright laws

and are reserved. No part of this magazine

may be reproduced without the publisher’s

permission. Although the greatest care has

been taken to ensure the accuracy of the

information contained in this magazine at

the time of going to press, neither Texas

Homefront Magazine nor FIFTHKING

MEDIA can be held liable for omissions,

inexactness or errors.

FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT:

Texas Homefront Magazine PO Box 405

Prosper, Texas 75078

Ph: 469.481.2935 www.TXHomefront.com facebook.com/txhomefront [email protected]

www.TXhomefront.com | 5

6 | Texas Homefront Magazine

In the

search for

a pre-owned

home

you need to

“Think

simple, yet

in-depth.” In

real estate

there is a pro

and a con to

everything!


rom an overall real estate market

standpoint, I must say that we should be

extremely excited about calling the

North Dallas area home. According to a

national resource, Dallas is ranked number

two in America’s Fastest-Growing Cities for

projected economic growth in 2011-2016.

With a population growth of 2.26%, our

northern suburbs are leading the way.

Dallas is still known for low taxes and

economical real estate, which continues to

draw jobs and economic activity from other

parts of the country. So far this year, buyers

are snapping up houses. For example, on a

recent listing in McKinney, I received multiple

offers in just 5 days after having this home

on the market! As a local realtor, I am eager

to continue to grow right here in the North

Texas Homefront.

As you begin the quest to find your

home, I am sure you will research and

navigate through some of the industry’s most

popular websites to find that perfect pre-

owned home. While searching these sites,

you may want to consider taking a step back

and refining your search by keeping 3 simple

theories in mind.

The 5 Mile Radius Search – what is

going on within a 5 mile radius of this

property? After you find a great home in a

desired area, drive 5 miles outward and

begin your research. Take a look at current

and future traffic flow, future infra-structure

zoning, proximity to shopping and eating

establishments, as well as how the school

district fares. These are just a few of what

you should consider when it comes to your “5

Mile Radius Search”. These characteristics

could have a direct impact on the resale

value of your home.

I refer to this as macro to micro. Once

you find that special home, branch out and

then zero back in to the property to confirm

your protected value. Make sure that your

area supports your home and your home

supports your area. I am all about keeping it

simple. So start with the end in mind.

The live-ability of a home layout

design – I mentioned in last month’s issue

that a home is a feeling. The layout, design

and features need to give you that “feel

good” feeling that you deserve every day.

However, in a close second place is the

functionality of the layout and ensuring that it

meets your lifestyle. When I speak of

lifestyle, I’m referring to what you do when

you’re not at work and how your family lives

in your home. I even break it down to how

you live in your home during the week verses

how you live in your home on the weekends.

For example, if you office out of your

home, you obviously need a functional space

with privacy from living areas and all

bedrooms. On the weekends, your

household may be a bit busier, warranting

the need for an open game room that

accommodates your kids, neighbors and/or

your family for a board game or a movie.

One way I like to assist my clients is to

determine how many living spaces they need

– by breaking them into “kid spaces” and

“adult spaces”. This helps to determine how

many spaces are needed, and ideally where

they should be placed. The placement of

these living spaces is vital in ensuring daily

peace in your household. And there is

nothing like peaceful and happy home!

Features that fascinate – I could go

on and on about features. Which ones are

“must-haves”, which are non-negotiable, and

which are just plain trendy. Over the years I

have assisted more than 700 families in

looking for and selecting certain features in

their homes. There are only two reasons

why home buyers choose to consider, or not

consider, a feature. The first is so they can

enjoy it, and because it will enhance their

resale value. The other reason is that they

simply must have it and cannot live without it.

F


Randy Summers ReMax Real Estate Agent

The advice I give to my clients when

creating their must-have list, is to choose

features that have a benefit. For instance,

granite countertops in the kitchen not only

look incredible, but they perform well too.

They are durable, easy to maintain, and add

beauty and elegance to the kitchen. Another

great feature is adequate storage. If you find

a kitchen with your desired layout and the

kitchen has tons of storage with 42 doors

and drawers, this is a huge benefit.

All in all, I believe if you think it though

and get some feedback from friends, family

or a realtor you will be fine. In real estate

there is a pro and a con to everything/I

MEAN EVERYTHING! This is why a second

opinion and feedback can help you solidify a

wise decision. I am a sincere believer that if

you do the proper research, you cannot go

wrong buying a home in Dallas. I will be

more than delighted to answer any questions

you may have in regards to real estate,

benefits of homeownership and the market in

general. I am not just a realtor, but a real

friend. Randy Summers 214-498-0083 or

email me at [email protected].

driatica, a gift of light

and flowers in the heart

of burgeoning McKinney,

offers a lifestyle like no

other community in North Texas.

Inspired by the splendor of the

old-world city of Supetar, Croatia

on the shore of the Adriatic

Ocean, it was envisioned by

international real estate

developer Jeffory D. Blackard. It

currently is being brought to life

by David R. Brooks and the

Independent Bank Group with

the creative skills of award-

winning builder and developer

George C. Fuller. Adriatica is

history in the remaking. This

village-based community,

steeped in old-world charm and

age-old values, invites you to

step through the past into the

future and imagine what life

could be like for you and your

family on the water’s edge of

Lake Stonebridge.

Adriatica, while providing all

of the conveniences of modern

urban centers, has been

designed to function as an old-

world European working village.

Riva Harbor, the retail and

commercial district, is

strategically located in the town

center and masterfully engrafts

the marketplace into the very

heart of village life. As part of the

village center, the business

district will become a committed

and caring part of the

community, engaging with

residents on a daily basis. The

new use of this old-world

concept, called Neoretroism, will

truly integrate business owners

and operators with the lives of

the families around them.

A


Luxury condominiums will

be located above the retail

spaces and luxury apartments

will be connected to Riva Harbor

by a sky bridge. Riva Harbor will

also include a floating concert

stage and host local musicians

and artists, as well as festivals

throughout the year.

Encircling Riva Harbor are

residential neighborhoods, which

display the dazzling,

Romanesque architecture of

European heritage and

traditions. The Villa District

blends the talents of home

building visionaries George

Fuller, Mike Brown and G. G.

Cain, a diverse yet quality

consistent team of builders to

serve the residential clientele.

These gorgeous communities

are linked together by miles of

exquisitely landscaped

cobblestone paths, not only

connecting members of the

Adriatica community, but

extending to connect Adriatica to

Stonebridge Ranch and all of its

amenities that are available to

Adriatica residents. There is also a walkway across

the dam to the Stonebridge

Ranch beach club and tennis

courts and a walking tunnel

under Virginia Parkway that

connects Adriatica to the

convenient retail establishments

across the street. You will never

need to cross a busy street while

walking in Adriatica!

When complete, the Riva Harbor

district will comprise of a central, multi-level parking

facility encircled by unique, retail boutique shops,

restaurants on the water and small to large office spaces.



Common areas have been

artfully designed as gathering

places, bringing together

residents, retail owners, and

others from the greater

Stonebridge community to

socialize and relax together. In

addition to the many cobblestone

paths available throughout the

village for walking and biking,

Adriatica has included a fully-

stocked lake for fishing, a

greenway, and a soccer field,

which is host to hot air

ballooning on occasion.

In addition, Adriatica is

home to neighborhood bistros,

coffee houses, and restaurants

offering a wide array of cuisine,

atmosphere, and music just a

short walk from home. As public

gathering places of early

America encouraged new

thought, invention, and

revolutionary ideas, these

establishments provide the

perfect venue for relaxing

evenings or stimulating, lively

debate that could give birth to

creative ideas that just might

change the world!

Ovid the Roman Poet (BC

43-AD 180) eloquently stated, “In

our leisure we reveal the kind of

people we are.” The villagers of

Adriatica are truly a blessed

people, gifted with unsurpassed

natural and architectural beauty

all around them and abundant

space and opportunity to relax

and create in the company of

neighbors and friends.

Henry David Thoreau

(1817-1862), American

naturalist, poet, and philosopher

stated, “He enjoys true leisure

who has time to improve his

soul's estate.” The vision, which

is Adriatica, has not left spiritual

growth out of the master plan. A

prayer chapel is available to

villagers for prayer and

inspiration and the serene

lakeside Bella Donna Chapel is

available for weddings, special

services, and spiritual events by

reservation.

Adriatica is also home to

VLife Church, the newest church

in Stonebridge, McKinney. VLife

is a growing, vibrant, and

contemporary body of Christian

believers who have a passion for

life, love for their community, and

divine vision and purpose to

reach out to those around them

with the love and transforming

power of Jesus Christ. The solid

biblical foundation and visionary

inspiration of VLife will stimulate

your faith, encourage your

spiritual growth, and foster a

deeper, more personal

relationship with your father in

heaven. VLife meets in the upper

room of the Adriatic Women’s

Health Center on Virginia

Parkway and is led by pastor

Mike Connaway every Sunday

morning at 10:30 a.m. and

Wednesday nights at 7:00 p.m.


VLife Church is a growing,

vibrant, and contemporary body

of Christian believers who have

a passion for life, love, and

divine purpose to reach the

world with the love and

transforming power of Jesus

Christ. Recently, we have

embarked on a mission to revive

one of the oldest, and most

notable church buildings in the

City of McKinney. It is a place

where people from all genres of

life will be able to worship and

enjoy the presence of God. It is

also an endeavor that you can

participate in by sharing a

financial gift. Visit us online at:

www.vlifechurch.com to learn

about VLife Church. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Mike Connaway

Senior Pastor

Advertisement

Advertisement

Across Greenspoint Lane are

approximately half-acre meadow

home sites. This creek side

community features large custom

lots for sale to home builders and

also individuals.

Fewer than forty homes will

ultimately be built here, with home

sites spacious enough to

accommodate magnificent legacy

estates and extensive outdoor living

areas. Meadow home sites from the

low $100’s, and creek side acreage

home sites from the low $200’s.

FOR MORE INFO VISIT www.greenspointTX.com or contact Trang Dang-Le at:

214.563.2438

Residents are welcomed at

the private entrance by an

elegant stone horse trough

befitting of a Texas estate.

Ranch style gates swing open to

luxurious estate home sites that

preserve the rural character of the

unique setting.

The Estates at Greenspoint

boasts beautiful stone privacy walls,

ornamental street lighting, and a

private street. Home sites are fully

improved with city water and sewer,

underground electric and the

conveniences you expect such as

Atmos gas and ATT high-speed

bundled –content fiber to the home.

Creek side home sites are situated

high along a wooded limestone

bluff, and range in size from 1.0 –

1.6 acres. These sites enjoy

spectacular views overlooking a

tributary to Wilson Creek, which

feeds Town Lake on the east border

of the community.

For those seeking an elegant

residence in a refined country setting,

look no further than The Estates at

Greenspoint. Located in the rolling

hills of east Prosper, an area dubbed

the “Country Club District”,

generously sized custom home sites

await your dream home.

This thoughtfully designed

community incorporates your

personal architecture set in rugged

harmony with the pristine Texas

countryside. Outdoor enthusiasts will

enjoy the adjacent equestrian

facilities, golf amenities and adjacent

27-acre Town Lake.

Remember the good times

growing up when you

went to your favorite local

watering hole, went

fishing, or took the boat out

for some

family fun?



remember those times fondly and still try to

relive them as often in my older age as

possible. But yet lately, I have found the

weather to be less than accommodating and

curtailing my fun at every turn. When going to the

lake in this region, I must prepare for the worst,

check lake water levels before departing, worry

about stumps, severe sunburn, sand bars, and

deadly algae.

As of late, times have changed. We can no

longer look at weather patterns in this region with

idle apprehension. It appears drought conditions

are here to stay and we have to change our

mindset towards conserving water. After the

hottest early spring on record, we can assume

we are in for another hot, dry year. This drought

pattern we are in has caused a mass movement

towards educating us, and rightfully so. We must

learn from our past mistakes.

Conserving water is nothing new. It’s a

precious resource that must be monitored,

controlled and respected. Learning the ABC’s of

water conservation seems almost cliché,

however, you would be surprised how little we

understand about our most precious resource we

take for granted. Water is a vital resource we

must have, without it we cannot survive. Pretty

dramatic statement, yet painfully true.

Learning about conservation is as easy as

going online, gathering pamphlets at your local

water department, or stopping by your local

library. The educational resources are there for

us, we must simply take the initiative to use

them. All too often we use up resources without

taking time to understand how they are provided

to us, how much we actually have or how our

footprint affects available resources.

There is not enough space in this article to

breach the topic of water conservation in a way

that would educate you effectively.

Consequently, I will try to touch briefly on few of

the most common misconceptions about our

region’s water supply. First, the most common

misconception; “The little bit I use cannot

possibly make a difference.” Or secondly, “The

earth is covered with about seventy-percent

water, why should we concern ourselves, it never

goes away.”

I

These two common notions seem to

obscure the importance of respecting valuable

resources. Begin to learn from your mistakes

and change your frame of mind. Your water

consumption does make a difference, and water

conservation starts with YOU! Yes, it is true the

earth is mostly water however; differing weather

patterns can wreak havoc on any particular

region’s water supply for hundreds of years,

depleting even the most plentiful water resource

down to drips and drabs. So, if you enjoy where

you live, care about your neighbor and respect

mother earth, then you owe it to yourself to learn

the ABC’s of water conservation.

Please take

time to visit texaswatermatters.org

/conservation.htm and gain more

knowledge about our

world’s most precious

resource.


Summer in Texas

means an influx

of annoying

pests, especially

during a year like this one where there

was a lack of an extended

freeze the previous

winter.

ot surprisingly, this

condition directly correlates

with the increased numbers

of hatching pests. One of

the most feared summer insects

in Texas is the Chigger mite,

also called "jiggers" and

"redbugs." Texas hosts many

chigger species, only a few of

which are annoying to humans.

More closely related to spiders

than to insects, chiggers belong

to the same class as scorpions

and ticks.

Adult chiggers spend the

winter in protected sites such as

cracks in the soil and leaf litter

on the ground. In the spring, they

lay eggs that hatch into the

parasitic larval or "chigger"

stage. This is the stage that

attaches to humans or animals.

Chigger populations most

commonly develop in fields and

weedy areas, particularly in

areas with tall grasses and wild

berry patches.

Preventative Actions

The question everybody

asks is “How do I prevent

chigger bites?” The best

defense against chiggers is to

avoid them! If you absolutely

have to venture into chigger

habitats, wear protective

clothing. Loose-fitting, tightly

woven fabrics provide the best

protection, because such fabrics

minimize the movement of

chiggers through clothing.

In Summary

In summary, we all know

that living in Texas includes

living with unwanted bugs and

pests that can sometimes cause

us severe irritation. By following

the steps above, my hope is that

we can all avoid becoming a

chigger host this summer.

Greg Dyer is a Prosper resident and also a Texas licensed pest control operator, who owns and operates Prosper’s own Green Pest Guys.

To keep chiggers on the

outside of your clothing, tuck

pants legs inside boots, and

button your cuffs and collar.

Avoid sitting or lying directly on

the ground. For optimal defense

against chiggers, apply products

containing permethrin (such as

Permanone® Tick Repellent) to

your clothing.

Home / Yard Environment

Most entomologists agree

that the best first step toward

reducing the chances of chigger

bites around your yard is to keep

the entire yard environment

trimmed neat and short, thereby

making it an unwelcome

environment. Keeping grass cut

short and vegetation well-

trimmed will raise soil

temperatures and lower humidity

enough to make lawns less

hospitable to chiggers. For kids

who just have to play outside this

summer, commercially available

insect repellents containing

DEET offer protection from

chiggers and insects. Apply

repellents per label directions.

Pesticides

There are some pesticides,

both organic and synthetic,

which can offer temporary relief

during the hot summer season,

however these incredibly hardy

and resilient bugs will almost

always resurface after some time

has passed.

Remedies for Bites

The general consensus is

that taking a warm, soapy

shower or bath within a few

hours after exposure to chiggers

will reduce the number and

severity of bites. Scrub your skin

vigorously with a washcloth to

dislodge any mites that may

have settled there recently.

N

The mission of Cornerstone

Assistance Network of North

Central Texas is to unite with

others to demonstrate Christ’s

compassion by serving our

neighbors in need. This is accomplished by sharing the

Gospel and helping family units escape the

cycle of poverty for good by providing

resources, tools, and education.

So far in 2012, Cornerstone has:

• Provided financial assistance to 14 new

neighbors.

• Provided financial assistance to 7

returning neighbors.

• Given away $8,006.19 in financial

assistance.

• Supplied over 730 articles of clothing in

addition to various household items,

appliances, etc.

• Received $1,032.81 in profit from its

resale store, The Attic on Main, to

directly provide for our neighbors.

• Received a donation of 1,757 hours from

its volunteers, a gift worth $38,495.87

according to the Independent Sector.

Thanks to Prosper and the surrounding

communities, we are making a lasting

change in the lives of local families!

To partner with us in meeting the needs

of our neighbors, text 'Cornerstonenct' to

90210. After each bi-monthly intake, you will

receive a text about specific needs with the

opportunity to help through prayer and

financial support.

To learn more about Cornerstone,

visit us online at: cornerstonenct.org.

texas homefront magazine

Documents

wonderful time

perfect home pg

wonderful experience

todays time

luxury home

welcome home

texas homefront

humbling experience