Tuscan Lakes - New builders enter Tuscan Lakes

(League City, Texas – February 2010) D.R. Horton, KB Home, Harwood Homes and CastleRock Communities have joined an already impressive slate of homebuilders in Tuscan Lakes, which is introducing new plans, new models and new pricing, starting in the $130,000s.

KB Home, named the “World’s Most Admired Homebuilder” by Fortune magazine in 2009, 2008 and 2006, is offering 11 designs drawn from The Open Series™ in Tuscan Lakes, with prices from the $130,000s. CastleRock Communities has announced 14 designs for the development in two villages, with prices from the $180,000s and the $270,000s. And newly announced Harwood Homes expects prices to begin in the low $300,000s on 13 designs that will be offered in Tuscan Lakes. D.R. Horton, which from 2001 to 2008 delivered more homes to customers than any other homebuilders in the United States, is finalizing pricing in the community.

“This is an incredible opportunity for first-time home buyers and move-up buyers alike,” said Bob Douglas, the community’s general manager. “The range of price levels expands their options in the community. However, buyers should take advantage of this opportunity quickly, as there is a limited supply of homesites and response has been strong.”

The Open Series™ by KB Home features three to six bedrooms and two to four baths with home sizes ranging from 1,377 to 3,578 square feet. Two model homes are open, with one showcasing a KB Disney Dream Room design, offering youngsters the opportunity to live among the Disney characters and stories they love most. Packages include Disney-inspired design elements and decorative touches such as exclusive paint colors, carpet, window treatments, lighting fixtures, closet doors, chair railing, wall graphics and stenciling. In the Tuscan Lakes’ model, the Disney Dream Room theme will be “Cars Revved Up.”

Founded in 1957, KB Home trades under “KBH” and was the first homebuilder listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

“KB Home is a proven national builder with an excellent product and we are pleased to welcome them to Tuscan Lakes,” Douglas said.

D.R. Horton also has a strong national reputation and is one of the nation’s largest builders, offering homes in dozens of states, including eight metropolitan areas in Texas. The company’s equity, as of June 30, 2009, was $2.5 billion, among the highest of all public homebuilders.

Harwood Homes builds in both the Dallas and Houston markets, and is the third largest builder by volume in the Dallas area. Founded in 1985, Harwood Homes built in 13 Houston-area communities last year. In Tuscan Lakes, the builder has dozens of homesites and will soon start seven inventory homes and one model. Plans will range in size from 2,800 to 4,200 square feet.

“Our home designs can be easily customized to suit the needs of individual buyers,” said John Spindle, Houston division president of Harwood Homes. “We readily make changes to better serve a buyer’s lifestyle and, in fact, have actually built more than 50 versions of just one of our plans.”

Homes by CastleRock Communities in Tuscan Lakes will range in size from 2,150 to 4,162 square feet. CastleRock’s management team encompasses more than 50 years of experience in the homebuilding and community development business. That expertise includes construction of thousands of single-family homes, townhomes, custom homes and mid-rise properties across the nation.

Already established in Johnson Development’s Tuscan Lakes are Newmark Homes, Meritage Homes and Coventry Homes.

Located in League City just three miles west of Interstate 45, Tuscan Lakes also has another standout — a lifestyle director. Working in the community, Robin Mitchell keeps residents busy with a full calendar of activities, including fitness programs, family festivals and day excursions.

“Tuscan Lakes is the only master-planned community in the Bay Area with a lifestyle director,” Douglas said. “The Johnson Development Corp. is known not only for its recreational amenities, but also for its commitment to maximizing all that its communities offer residents. And having an on-site lifestyle director is one of the best ways to do that.”

An 870-acre mixed-use development, architectural elements in Tuscan Lakes reminiscent of the Tuscany region of Italy are integrated into amenities and common areas including an aqueduct at its main entrance, parks, resort-style pools, lakes, nature preserves, water features, greenbelts, walkways and jogging trails. Residents enjoy a multi-use swimming pool, a gathering space anchored by a massive stone fireplace, playgrounds and a community trail system.

About Tuscan Lakes
Tuscan Lakes, a project of The Johnson Development Corp. provides an Italian-themed oasis in League City, just minutes from an array of Clear Lake attractions. Fourteen of the area’s top builders offer stylish designs in the 870-acre mixed-use development, with prices from the $130,000s and custom plans from the $600,000s. Architectural and landscaping elements are inspired by the Tuscany region of Italy. Amenities include community parks, resort-style pools, lakes, nature preserves, water features, greenbelts and jogging trails. For more information, visit www.tuscanlakes.com.

About The Johnson Development Corp.
The Johnson Development Corp. is an award-winning residential and commercial land development company involved in premier projects including master-planned communities such as Sienna Plantation, Fall Creek, Riverstone, Woodforest, Tuscan Lakes, Edgewater and Silverlake in Houston, Texas, and Towne Lake, BridgeMill and Lake Arrowhead in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1975, known for innovative master planning and today one of the largest and most successful land developers in both Houston and Atlanta, Johnson Development has cultivated a strong reputation for vibrant, responsible development, with impeccably designed communities. For more information, visit www.johnsondevelopment.com.