Focus Property Group
Mastering the Master Planned Community
by Aliya Hassan
Focus Property Group has been creating coveted communities in the Las Vegas market for more than 19 years. And while helping make elaborate neighborhoods for Nevada residents looking for a pleasant place to live, over the years Focus has also earned the respect of the top homebuilders in the nation.
Since its foundation in Nevada almost two decades ago, Focus Property Group has had its hand in establishing communities with an interesting architectural perspective, highlighting higher-density community life that maintains the appeal of a friendly, social neighborhood. Succeeding in the master planned community market has helped the company conceive eight locations. The largest, Mountain's Edge, covers nearly 3,500 acres of land in the Las Vegas Valley.
Although a weak level in confidence has plagued many consumers in the housing market for some time, Focus Property Group is known to attract a wide range of home buyers who seek to buy more than a home. Customers of Focus Property Group look to buy a home within a neighborhood, alongside affable neighbors, conveniently close to schools and police and fire stations and with easy access to parks and outdoor activities.
For the thousands who are residents in a Focus Property Group community, the conventional myths that neighbor interaction consists of occasional run-ins, and that the mailbox is the only outdoor spot within walking distance are dispelled by the thoughtfully designed communities.
"Today's more sophisticated home buyer has a whole different set of needs and wants that cannot be satisfied by the sprawling, concrete master planned communities of the past," says Focus Property Group Founder and President John Ritter. "Nevada attracts home buyers from all over the country, and they are searching for that same, open-spaced 'wave-to-your-neighbor' environment they are used to experiencing where they lived before moving to the West."
Connectivity between residents and a creative use of available space has had a major role in establishing Focus Property Group as one of the smarter, more modern developers in Nevada.
Building the Brand
A vital part of becoming a major developer of master planned communities is creating partnerships with the appropriate homebuilders that will correctly carry out the vision. Joining forces with reputable and award-winning homebuilders throughout Nevada, Focus Property Group considers its partnerships one of its most impressive assets.
Beazer Homes, KB Home, Toll Brothers, Pardee Homes, Pulte Homes and DR Horton are just a few of the accomplished homebuilders that have chosen to help Focus create its signature communities. Together, Focus Property Group and its partners in the homebuilding industry have ventured outside the typical design concepts of larger communities and made open, flowing neighborhoods-exactly what home buyers were looking for.
"We as developers thought we were planning highly desirable communities with the tall block walls that gave everyone a sort of anonymity," says Ritter. "However, what we found was that people were buying into the communities because that was all that was available. What the current market is showing us is that people are looking forward to the open backyards where they can visit with their neighbors and watch their children play a game of football. It is quite refreshing to drive down a street where there is more architecture to view than that of the garage door."
Inspirada, a community that features all types of homes from brownstones to estates and contains seven 200- to 250-acre residential villages, features a slew of public parks and gathering places, 22 miles of biking paths, lit walking trails and a thriving city center that has restaurants, shops and offices.
Providence, another master planned community by Focus Property Group, has Ryland Homes, Pulte Homes, Pardee Homes and Lennar as just a few of its contributing builders. After opening in 2006 with a total of 13 well-known homebuilders, over 7,000 residences make up the Providence community and nearly 100 models are currently open.
Recently certified as the No. 5 selling master planned community in the U.S. by Robert Charles Lesser & Co., Providence saw 726 homes sold in 2007 alone. Community parks including old-fashioned ball parks, statues erected in the honor of great American authors and a lush landscape of tree-lined promenades, are all just a taste of the atmosphere that has been created by Focus Property Group. An interesting plus of this community is its attention to being environmentally friendly. The trees, shrubs and flowers that fill the master planned community are all varieties that will flourish under the Nevada desert sun.
A Mountain of Amenities
Mountain's Edge is yet another exciting master planned community for Focus Property Group. Spanning a massive 3,500 acres in the southwest Las Vegas Valley, the multidimensional project has attracted over 21 of the top homebuilders in the state to the community and has more than 181 models homes and more than 240 floor plans available.
Accomplishing 1,740 new home sales in 2007, Mountain's Edge has a network of schools, professional offices, restaurants, shops and a countless number of amenities in the community plans. Upon its near completion, the community will include 14,500 residential units, four elementary schools, two middle schools and a high school. Much like other communities planned by Focus, the conservation of natural resources is a high priority.
The Mountain's Edge Desert Demonstration Garden is an example of this priority, evident by its collection of drought-tolerant plant life. Located in the heart of Mountain's Edge, the garden is a refreshing variation from the common desert scenery throughout Nevada. In the community, more than 500 acres of land have been dedicated to open space, parks and trails, providing the convenient amenities that many home buyers seek.
Another popular feature of the Mountain Edge community is Exploration Park, a park reminiscent of the Old West with picnic areas, walking trails and playgrounds. This community favorite includes replicas of a western town and an Indian village, an archaeology dig site and other entertaining and educational features.
Unmatched in the Las Vegas Valley, Mountain's Edge and its long list of innovative features has clearly been a successful venture for the company. Proving to be an ideal example of the goals behind the developers group, the philosophies of community depth and character are prevalent in the community design.
Through the forward thinking of Focus Property Group, excitement about being a part of these goals has managed to enthuse homebuilders and home buyers alike, bringing both clamoring to be a part of Mountain's Edge and the many other communities the company has and will build over the years.
Looking beyond the necessity of creating an appealing home and tackling the challenge of conceiving a desirable community, Focus Property Group creates neighborhoods that they hope will ensure a lasting value for the builder and the residents.
Aliya Hassan is an editorial intern for HB Magazine.
Builder Facts
Corporate Office: Las Vegas, Nevada
Community: Mountain's Edge in southwest Las Vegas Valley
Models Opened: December 2004
Community Size: 3,500 acres and 14,500 residential homes.
Floor Plans: 181 model homes and over 240 floor plans
What home buyers should know: "Focus Property Group's goal is to create environmentally sensitive communities that provide a high quality of life for the residents."
What homebuilders should know: "Even with the nationwide downturn in the housing market, communities like Mountain's Edge have the capacity to weather the current market conditions."
