About Savannah
One of my favorite subdivisions to work in is the community of Savannah, Texas. Savannah is a master planned community, developed by Huffines. The community spans about 575 acres, with approximately 2,500 homes, parks, and top notch amenities. It is located on 380 (also known as University Drive throughout Denton county), about 5 miles west of the Dallas North Tollway in un-incorporated Denton county. It shares a border with Prosper to the east and Little Elm to the south and north. While Savannah is not currently in any city's limits, it is likely to be annexed by one of these neighboring cities at some point far in the future. The residents will also have the option to incorporate and become their own small city, as nearby Providence Village has done. Instead of city property taxes, Savannah residents pay taxes to a municipal utility district in exchange for water, sewage, trash, and typical city services like police and fire protection. Since Savannah is not located within the city limits of any city, no city taxes or codes apply. The total property tax rate is 2.814914%.
The Amenities
Savannah's resort style amenities are often the first thing that home shoppers notice about the community. The signature amenity center appears like an oasis in between the homes and businesses on 380, with lush landscaping, water slides, and a 3 story coastal style clubhouse that instantly makes you feel as if you're on vacation.
When you enter the clubhouse, you're greeted by one of the community's full time staff members. Just beyond their desk, you enter a soaring ballroom, where meetings and homeowner events are hosted. Homeowners have also rented this space out for private parties and weddings. To the right of the ballroom is a library and theater. To the left, you'll find a kitchen for catering during these events, and a café that's open during the summer season, serving burgers and nachos, and other snacks poolside. Beyond the kitchen are the locker and restrooms for women and men, complete with their own saunas. To the right of the locker rooms, you can see a covered hot tub just outside the windows.
If you continue, you'll enter the weight room on the bottom floor of the big round tower. The second floor houses a cardio room with treadmills, stationary bikes, and elliptical machines. Each faces a window, so you can workout with a view of the pool or community. Some have mounted TVs with cable, in case the views aren't enough to inspire (or distract) you during your workout. The top floor of the tower is a studio room, used for dance, martial arts, and various fitness classes. When not in use, residents may check out a key and use this room for their own purposes. The second floor of the clubhouse also features a meeting room, used mostly by HOA boards and clubs, but is available for homeowner use outside of those meeting times. After clubhouse hours, the gym tower is accessible to residents via access cards.
Behind the clubhouse, you'll find the water park- the main draw! Homeowners enter behind the clubhouse, after checking in with pool monitors at the small gazebo and swiping their access card. As you enter and ascend the walkway, you'll encounter several tables covered with umbrellas and then the main pool. The main pool begins with a beach entry and splash area, perfect for the communities' littlest residents, and those who want to soak up some sun, while staying cool in the water. In the center is an island, accessible by a bridge, where you can sit and relax on lounge chairs. This is also where the HOA sets up a giant inflatable screen for dive-in movies from time to time. On the other side of the island is a junior Olympic lap pool, anchored by a rock grotto. You can swim under water falls to enter, or walk through from outside of the pool.
Behind the water slide pool and lifeguard tower is a party pavilion with a pool table and 2 rooms that can be rented for pool parties, or used for seating on sunny days. Back toward the beach entrance and splash pad side of the main pool, you'll find a covered sand box and a few fountains that are activated by a button. Finally, behind the pool is a restroom with changing areas and showers.
In the pool complex, you'll find a separate pool, separated by a fence, for adults only. This pool is deeper and has a rock structure that adults can climb on and use as a diving board, to stay young at heart. If you complete the circle around the pool area, you'll come to the porch area, behind the clubhouse ballroom. Here you'll find lounge chairs, and tables, as well as the serving window for the summer café.
After leaving the pool area, you can cross a big bridge across the pond area to access the parking lot, where a resident family has their snow cone stand setup, named Ice Ice Baby. This is definitely a popular place to visit on hot summer days! From the bridge, you'll see one of many playgrounds to the right of the parking lot, followed by a wide-open field, often used for little league soccer and baseball fields. To the left of the lot is a covered basketball court, sand volleyball court, and tennis courts, with a restroom building in between. Between the sports courts and pool is a stocked lake area, where residents may enjoy catch-and-release fishing. However, at the end of the season, there is usually a fishing tournament during which homeowners get to keep their catches.
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| Savannah's Continental Congress soccer field became a fun place to slide around during the December 2013 ice storm. |
The community contains several other playgrounds, parks, dog parks, sports fields, and pond areas, with ducks, scattered throughout. In addition, lush landscaping with palm trees, magnolias, and flowers line all of the main roads and bronze sculptures were installed in several places. This community is simply beautiful.
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Aside from these luxurious amenities, homeowners also enjoy HOA sponsored events throughout the year. Big events are held for Independence Day (yes, with fireworks!), Halloween/Harvest, and Christmas. Smaller events include Super Bowl parties, Mardi Gras celebrations, Poker nights, Movies in the Park, Dive-In Movies, and a Pet-Palooza for Savannah's 4-legged residents.
The Homeowner's Association
Savannah has a lot to offer, it's clear. While the HOA is managed off-site, there are full time staff members during office hours in the clubhouse and out in the community, maintaining the grounds. The HOA is on the stricter side when it comes to appearance, which is part of why Savannah's charm remains. The HOA is currently still under developer control, but will soon be transferred to the homeowners, as the community is nearing build-out.
There are several committees made up of community volunteers. These committees include a social, hospitality, safety, sports, landscape, and teen committee. Each has their own purpose and budget.
HOA dues are approximately $825/ year, paid bi-annually, and membership is mandatory. This equals about $68.75 per month, which isn't bad considering all of the amenities that come with it. New homeowners will also see a "Proud Fund" contribution on their closing statements, regardless of whether they're purchasing a new or existing home. This contribution has been about $150, but is subject to change.
Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs) can be found online here: http://static1.squarespace.com/static/532261fbe4b0214c49756f0b/t/5344389fe4b0cfd4b5764e8a/1396979871287/Savannah_Declatation-of-CC%26Rs.pdf
The Homes
The amenities may initially draw people in, but once inside, many home shoppers fall in love the unique curb appeal of the community. Savannah homes are a mix of colorful siding, brick, and stone homes with porches, balconies, and a style reminiscent of it's namesake Savannah, Georgia. Many of the lots are smaller to encourage neighborly interaction. There are some larger lots in the community, however. And several with greenbelt or water views.
With amenities rivaling a country club, you might expect to pay a lot for a home in Savannah. Not exactly. Homes range from about the mid $100's on up to the mid $400's, depending on the builder and size of the home. Home sizes range just as much, from just a hair over 1,000 square feet to about 4,200. The oldest homes in the community are about 10 years old, and builders are still building new ones. Previous home builders included Vision Supreme and Bowen, both now out of business, and DR Horton. Current builders are Lions Gate, History Maker, Grand Homes, and Bloomfield. Chesmar and Castle Rock are going to be offering homes in the neighborhood soon. Nathan Carlisle, a division of Dunhill, is building homes in the community's active adult section for seniors aged 55 and up. With such a wide variety of existing homes and new builder plans available, there really is something for everyone and every budget.
The Community
Huffines designed the community to be tight-knit, and they were successful. Some residents describe Savannah as the community that time forgot, because neighbors exhibit a closeness that is rarely seen anymore. Neighbors appear to know each other well and socialize often over barbecue or drinks on a porch. If you drive through on a mild afternoon, you'll see kids out playing, people walking, full parks, and homeowners hard at work on their lawns.
When an emergency or illness occurs, neighbors are quick to pitch in and help. Calendars are set up to co-ordinate meals, and neighbors help with childcare and errands. Lost dogs and cats are cared for until their owners are located, and there is always someone with an eye on the kids in the parks or sidewalks.
Several homeowners have small or home-based businesses, which are strongly supported by the community. Ask for a hair dresser, spa services, pest control company, baker, childcare, or even a Realtor, and you're likely to be referred to a neighbor (like me)! Lots of homeowners sell catalog items and homemade creations, too.
A couple of youth sports leagues use the fields for practices and games. These leagues include Game Time Youth Sports and 380 Sports, in addition to the school sponsored athletics and activities. Kids can participate in dance classes and martial arts in the clubhouse, and some residents offer additional classes in music or arts in their homes.
The teen committee was created to keep teenagers involved in their community and out of trouble. Participants enjoy planned activities, such as outings to watch movies or professional sports games, lock-ins, and pool parties. But it's not just fun, they also volunteer to help with the HOA events, hold fundraisers, and participate in cleaning up trash in common areas.
The Schools
Savannah is on the far eastern edge of Denton Independent School District. Savannah Elementary is nestled within the community, and Navo Middle School is less than a mile down the road. Current high school students are divided between Denton High School, and international baccalaureate school, and Ryan High School for now. Construction is underway for the upcoming Braswell High School, located on the corner of Navo Road and 380, just a stone's throw from the middle school. Braswell was recently named for a former superindent of the district and is planned to be a large, high-tech campus. It is currently scheduled to open for the 2016-2017 school year.
As you might imagine after reading about the community interaction, Savannah Elementary has a very high rate of parental involvement. Parent volunteers make a tremendous contribution to a child's education, and help make the school a fun environment.
For more information about the district, visit: www.dentonisd.org, and for school ratings, visit: http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2013/srch.html?srch=C
In addition to the schools, Savannah has an on-site daycare facility named The Kid's Corral, offering care for infants through elementary school age and preschool classes. http://www.thekidscorral.com/
Ready to Move In?
Visit my dedicated Savannah page to view homes for sale: http://www.keytofrisco.com/savannah-texas-real-estate-and-homes.html
I love working with home buyers in this area. I always hate to see a great homeowner move away, but understand that they need to do what works best for their own families and situations, when the need arises.
Related Links
- Savannah's developer marketing website, with builder plans and more community photos: http://savannahdfw.com/ (Be sure to have a Realtor represent you when building a home! There is no cost to you and having a Realtor will help you negotiate the best prices and terms; serve as a liason between the builder, lender, and title company; and will keep things moving along smoothly.)
- HOA Website: http://www.savannahca.com/
- Denton County Fresh Water Supply District (Municipal Utility District): http://www.dcfwsd10.org/fire.php
- Mustang Water (Water and Sewage service): http://www.mustangwater.com/savannah.php
- Coserv Gas and Electricity Co-Op: http://www.coserv.com/
- Summers Pest Control: http://summerspestcontrol.com/services.html
- Ice Ice Baby Snow Cones: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ice-Ice-Baby/700792949966335
Written by Maggie Hernandez with Group Watson- Keller Williams Realty
(214) 682-7002 www.GroupWatson.com
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