We are moving to the area. I know this is a real estate question, but I wanted opinions from locals. What are the better quality builders? Any thoughts on castle gate or creek meadows? Any other communities you would suggest? Looking to keep 350k top end and family friendly.
Moving to bcs want local opinions
10,386 Views |
42 Replies |
Last: 8 yr ago by gus1390
Both of the communities mentioned are Stylecraft communities.
I live in Estates of Creek Meadows. I'd be happy to give you my $.02 about the area. My contact can be found by clicking the Maroon Book link below.
Parts of Castlegate and parts of Creek Meadows have Stylecraft homes. But parts don't and parts have more custom builder homes. In your price range, you'd be looking in the parts that don't.
Prominent builders in Estates of Creek Meadows:
Schaefer Custom Homes
Magruder Homes
Pitman Custom Homes
Weber Custom Homes
Flagship Custom Homes
Spirit Design Build
Blackstone Custom Homes
There's more but that's off the top of my head.
Parts of Castlegate and parts of Creek Meadows have Stylecraft homes. But parts don't and parts have more custom builder homes. In your price range, you'd be looking in the parts that don't.
Prominent builders in Estates of Creek Meadows:
Schaefer Custom Homes
Magruder Homes
Pitman Custom Homes
Weber Custom Homes
Flagship Custom Homes
Spirit Design Build
Blackstone Custom Homes
There's more but that's off the top of my head.
Any thoughts on quality of the style craft homes? I have requested a few appts with some of the builders you listed.
The majority of castlegate is not style craft. They have some there, but at least a half dozen other builders have houses there.
quote:
Any thoughts on quality of the style craft homes? I have requested a few appts with some of the builders you listed.
avoid Stylecraft. There's your thought.
Stylecraft has a niche and they're very good in that niche (they're also great folks for what it's worth). However, in your price range of $350k, they are not who you need to speak with.
I cannot comment on builders as we bought a 10 year old home, but I am loving Pebble Creek!
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
Whachutalnbout Willys
Joined:
Aug 17, 2002
Posts:
4,128
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Bought a new Schaeffer home in Pebble Creek earlier this year. Great home with lots of attention to detail. Not sure if they build in the $350k range.
Lobe Pebble Creek as well.
We built with Magruder and were/ are very pleased with the results. Happy to answer questions/ provide reference.
We were introduced to him and 2 other builders after we purchased lot, we lived out of town at time, and felt most comfortable with them. We started construction about 2 months before moving to BCS and short term leased a duplex for 6 months.
So if there is anything I can answer or provide opinion on I am happy tondo so for the experience we had with Magruder Homes.
We were introduced to him and 2 other builders after we purchased lot, we lived out of town at time, and felt most comfortable with them. We started construction about 2 months before moving to BCS and short term leased a duplex for 6 months.
So if there is anything I can answer or provide opinion on I am happy tondo so for the experience we had with Magruder Homes.
Pitcock and Croix. Randall Pitcock is absolutely the best to work with.
quote:
Any thoughts on quality of the style craft homes?
Don't do it!!
quote:Agreedquote:
quote:
Any thoughts on quality of the style craft homes?
Don't do it!!
Avoid Stylecraft like the plague.
Doug Bryan is a honest as they come and a good builder. 979-224-2102
Doug Bryan is a honest as they come and a good builder. 979-224-2102
Stylecraft is terrible--from what I've heard, all the components are delivered via a trailer, so if anything is damaged or goes missing, they'll just steal the stuff they need, so if you have a bunch of lumber in easy reach, beware.
Contact Brian McDonald with Creekview Custom Builders. You will not regret it.
Creekviewcustombuilders.com
Creekviewcustombuilders.com
We went from Stylecraft to Mariott Homes....wow! What a difference! Honestly you get what you pay for and with a budget of 350k, you don't need to go to Stylecraft.
Spirit Design Build
Stylecraft we've seen under construction use cable instead of rebar in the slab.
That's a post-tension slab...not all that different from using steel rebar. Pretty good description of the two methods here: http://www.diamantehomes.com/2012/08/steel-rebar-vs-post-tension-cables
quote:
avoid Stylecraft. There's your thought.
quote:quote:
Any thoughts on quality of the style craft homes?
Don't do it!!
quote:
Agreed
quote:I've seen comments like this in almost every real estate thread for the past year. But rarely are details given that are other than hearsay (I heard that Stylecraft _______ ). For those looking to buy with a more limited budget, could any of you give specific examples from verifiable experiences on why homes by that builder should be avoided like the plague? There are hundreds of Stylecraft homes in BCS that seem to be satisfactory to those who live in them. Will there be a massive collapse of Stylecraft roofs in those neighborhoods over the next decade? Are gas line ruptures common? Do foundations crack with regularity? Is it consistent mold or plumbing issues? Other than aesthetics, such as a lower grade of counter-top material, are there serious livability concerns with those homes?
Avoid Stylecraft like the plague.
quote:At least this is specific. You've said you've "heard" this. Are there police reports demonstrating the company makes a habit of stealing materials?
Stylecraft is terrible--from what I've heard, all the components are delivered via a trailer, so if anything is damaged or goes missing, they'll just steal the stuff they need, so if you have a bunch of lumber in easy reach, beware.
I have no connection to that company and my questions are serious. With the market like it is, options are already limited for the under 200k crowd. Taking this builder's homes out of consideration cuts into those options quite severely. I would appreciate knowledgeable and factually supported feedback on the anti-Stylecraft passion I regularly see posted here!
Edit: Bucketrunner and jmaz,thanks for that info. That is the specific kind of info I'm wondering about. Perhaps I shouldn't hijack this thread with my questions, but have been curious about this for awhile.
Look into Willis custom homes. Clint and his brother do an awesome job, Clint lives in castlegate as well
Unfortunatly both Creek Meadows and Castlegate are involved in College Stations race to the bottom. The P&Z commission voted last week to change the planning category of the land across greens prairie road from Castlegate to high density residential from its currently rural designation and the staff recommendation of estate residential with some high density. Of course the newest areas of Castle Gate that is being built puts 55 homes on 10AC. That is more dense than what I typically call Slum Divisions.
The P&Z will hold a hearing on Dec 3 on a request and initial indication they will recommend zoning the area between creek meadows and 2154 to typical Slum Division standards. Their PC term is more intense than the master plan but my term is craptastic.
Take your money and buy a house in an older established neighborhood in College Station or check out the nicer neighborhoods on both the east and west side of Bryan. The council in CS has all of city hall on task to turn the life style of CS into the built on top of each other subdivisions of Houston and its suburbs. They say the need the rooftops. After hearing a Realestate agent talking about their income lower because of no inventory, they admited to them Rooftops in COCS terms = Commisions in agent terms. They are all in favor of more Commisions oh I ment to say Rooftops.
I have been here fourty years and find it sad to see this degridation. If you are coming here to escape traffic, crime and the hetic pace of life in the big city, I'm sorry to say you are probably coming to the wrong place and will be disappointed.
The P&Z will hold a hearing on Dec 3 on a request and initial indication they will recommend zoning the area between creek meadows and 2154 to typical Slum Division standards. Their PC term is more intense than the master plan but my term is craptastic.
Take your money and buy a house in an older established neighborhood in College Station or check out the nicer neighborhoods on both the east and west side of Bryan. The council in CS has all of city hall on task to turn the life style of CS into the built on top of each other subdivisions of Houston and its suburbs. They say the need the rooftops. After hearing a Realestate agent talking about their income lower because of no inventory, they admited to them Rooftops in COCS terms = Commisions in agent terms. They are all in favor of more Commisions oh I ment to say Rooftops.
I have been here fourty years and find it sad to see this degridation. If you are coming here to escape traffic, crime and the hetic pace of life in the big city, I'm sorry to say you are probably coming to the wrong place and will be disappointed.
A lot of good comments. But I would recommend contacting a realtor to help you learn the area. Try John Hawkinson at REMAX Select @ 979-220-1950. I think he would do a good job for you.
I will skip the rant but I will say, DO NOT USE WILDCAT MOVERS!
Bulldozer business must be rockin'
I wish there was a plan for conservation or re-planting trees. I am afraid CS will look like many parts of Houston or Austin soon.
I wish there was a plan for conservation or re-planting trees. I am afraid CS will look like many parts of Houston or Austin soon.
My first home was a $57k Stylecraft in 1996. Fresh out of college it was great. At the time I knew nothing about homes so when they told me the front to back crack in the slab was ok and could be fixed by epoxy I believed them. I have a friend from that neighborhood that still owns their house because they can't sell it due to a foundation failure that Stylecraft wouldn't own up to and repair. A month after we moved in we had a gas leak. Fortunately it was August so we weren't running the heater which is where the leak was.
http://texags.com/forums/35/topics/2641231
That's a thread from a few months back...
Pitman and JMV would be my votes. If you aren't completely set on CS, look in Austin's Colony (in the burbs of Bryan) - there are a lot of good lots in the newer phases (backing up to greenbelts/woods).
That's a thread from a few months back...
Pitman and JMV would be my votes. If you aren't completely set on CS, look in Austin's Colony (in the burbs of Bryan) - there are a lot of good lots in the newer phases (backing up to greenbelts/woods).
Seriously, YOU really must be kidding. Regardless of how long you have been here, your drivel on what others should do with their property is quite poisonous. This town is growing and lot development land within the city of College Station is in short supply. I guess we should just disregard the need for upper middle income people to have a decent place to live, and make all of what little land we do have left into 30,000+ square foot lots? I've lived in one of your so called slums in College Station since 2001. My family has made great friends and memories in our neighborhood full of shacks on postage stamps. Crime has not risen and it still takes me 10 minutes to get home every evening. Sorry that I along with my fellow second class citizens have ruined your town.
I live in Castlegate 2 and built with Glenn Thomas. Nice guy and has kept in touch whenever needed for the past 2.5 years after closing.
Castlegate 2 has it's ups and downs, but overall we are pretty pleased with it. Feel free to PM me.
Castlegate 2 has it's ups and downs, but overall we are pretty pleased with it. Feel free to PM me.
You're not the only one who finds that guy intolerable. Seems his opinion on everything is just "Well lets do these things that run the cost up, nevermind everyone that's not a millionaire like me."
Not a millionair here. I make less than 6 figures and have three kids in college. I had a nice piece of land and a large simple house I built by saving my money until I could afford to build it. It cost less than the houses In creek meadows because I paid cash for the materials and the labor was at my own hand. I have to pay taxes on a value far above my cost and even what appraisers tell me it's worth. I moved outside the city because I did not want to finance college station irresponsible projects. I was there to vote down wolf pen swamp hole and they built it anyway. Also for convention center building 1-5 to have them lose money on each fiasco. If they want to build non essential projects, save for it instead of borrowing for it. Cocs devalues not only my.property but also that of several dozen neighbors when they rezone for low quality housing and drive traffic through the neighborhood. No one is happy but they are scared to loudly voice their displeasure.
Style Crap.
quote:This is an odd post. All of Stylecraft's components are delivered like every other builder in town - From Ellis on down - on the back of a flatbed truck from one of the local lumberyards. Their framing lumber is delivered in packages, walls and joists, rafters, decking, cornice and so on. This is just like every other builder. Each home is stick built on site - they don't use premade wall panels or trusses.
Stylecraft is terrible--from what I've heard, all the components are delivered via a trailer, so if anything is damaged or goes missing, they'll just steal the stuff they need, so if you have a bunch of lumber in easy reach, beware.
I'm not going to speak to the quality of the trades they use or what kind of fixtures they put in their homes, but I do know for a fact their homes are constructed in the same manner as every other house in our area. They don't make a habit of building homes by stealing scrap lumber from the neighbor's yard.