Everyone’s version of their perfect home varies. Perhaps someone wants to live in a Mayberry-style neighborhood surrounded by friendly faces and bustling playgrounds. Maybe someone wants to be closer to nature and be able to grow their own food in their garden. Another person might have an empty next and is ready to downsize to a quieter street with active amenities.
Through the Pecan Square, Harvest and Robson Ranch communities, each scenario is a reality here in North Texas. Real estate agent Deb Siefkin works with her clients to see what their needs are beyond finding a new home. For those looking for a neighborhood that integrates a certain lifestyle, Siefkin said one of these planned communities provides a home base that extends beyond four walls and a roof.
“The developers discovered that if they have a themed community and put in amenities that fit that development, it draws people in,” said Siefkin. “However, they aren’t huge planned communities. They’re more residential and focus on what interests they want to bring into these neighborhoods.”
For residents who settled into these neighborhoods, instilling a lifestyle change eclipsed just moving to a new home. Each community serves its residents a little differently, allowing new faces to feel out which environment is best for them.
PECAN SQUARE:
Siefkin said Pecan Square procures a small-town feel within a neighborhood. It has a town square, coworking spaces, a game room, two pools, a gym, and a full calendar of events for all ages. From neighbors watching out for each other’s children to multiple green spaces and playgrounds, residents feel comfortable letting their kids run out the door and hang at the communal areas.
“The day that we came to look at this neighborhood, it felt like someone had set up a movie scene,” said Alex Holmes, who is a mom to four teenage boys. “It was an idyllic place. There were families walking their dogs, older kids throwing the football, and we wanted our kids to not have to go anywhere to be entertained and have fun with their friends.”
Pecan Square naturally brings people together through planned events and an inclusive environment. Whether someone wants to pop into a neighborhood potluck, enjoy snacks from a food truck in the town square, or to join a class in the shared residential space, Pecan Square emotes a sense of belonging.
“The community has a lifestyle coordinator dedicated to putting on events, so you do have a reason to interact with your neighbor,” said Sarah Wadley, who moved to Pecan Square with her husband, Michael, three years ago. “Just to be familiar with the people around you, I think that’s comfortable to me.”
The Wadleys appreciate that they don’t feel alone on their street. During the freeze that swept across North Texas in January, Michael used his experience as a plumber to remind people on the neighborhood’s social media pages on how to take care of their pipes.
“There’s a sense of wanting to make a community here,” Michael said. “To see what’s here and to have spent time at other planned communities, there is so much here that other places don’t have.”
HARVEST:
According to Siefkin, Harvest brings the farm to the suburbs with its nature-centric feel. Community gardens run lush in the planned green space of the neighborhood, where residents can work on their own plot.
“The fact that you could grow your own food if you wanted to bring back some of the old values that my generation remembers, but you don’t see anymore,” said Noele Ames, who moved to the area with her daughter eight years ago. “You live and play on your land, but your land will also provide for you.”
The amenities are designed to bring nature to the suburbs. Harvest has orchards, fields of flowers, greenhouses and a barn-style gathering area with picnic tables, basketball courts and outdoor fire pits.
“We support and uplift each other. It’s fewer and farther between that you find close-knit neighborhoods that do things together,” Blair Munger said. “When the weather is nicer, Harvest does a concert series and everyone comes with their kids and blankets and drinks. It’s a fun and easy time for people to gather.”
ROBSON RANCH:
Robson Ranch, which Siefkin said is the inspiration behind many of these communities, is much more than a 55-and-up neighborhood. It’s a resort community designed for people who don’t have children living at home and want a slower pace of life. With a golf course, multiple tennis courts, pools, fitness centers and a packed community calendar, this neighborhood appeals to those who want to maintain an active lifestyle without having to traverse around Dallas-Fort Worth.
“Robson Ranch represents a welcome retreat and a slower pace of life from the daily demands of life and work beyond our gates,” Dennis Constantine said. “I love golf and league play at the 27 holes here. There is a sense of community in a secure development that is difficult to find in most places today.”
To learn more about these lifestyle communities, contact Deb Siefkin at 940-368-1013.
