The main entrance to the Sanctuary: Phase II

FOR A VIRTUAL TOUR, GO TO OUR PHOTO GALLERY

When it comes to lake view neighborhoods there are few getting more buzz right now than The Sanctuary at Lake Ridge on Joe Pool Lake in Cedar Hill, Texas. Just west of the critically praised Tangle Ridge Golf Club you will find this multi-phase gated community with elevated bluff views of both Joe Pool Lake and 600 acres of wooded Federal Conservation land. The layout of the neighborhood is an intimate one, with a single street that winds from the hilltop of Phase I down into Phase II, interlaced with private cul-de-sacs and no cross streets. This intimacy is balanced with spacious lots that range from a half to 1.7 acres, and the location along the south-eastern ridge of Joe Pool Lake, which means a literal haven of peace and quiet that is free from the sounds of cars or motor boats.

One of the available homesites in The Sanctuary offering a backyard walkout to the lake front of Joe Pool and breathtaking panoramic views of the landscape (click to enlarge)

Phase I of The Sanctuary at Lake Ridge was opened several years ago to a welcoming crowd of buyers and over half the inventory is now sold out. It offers panoramic views of 3000 acres of rolling hills and trees to the South which are rivaled only by the highpoint Northern views spanning from Dallas to Fort Worth. Even Dallas Cowboys stadium can be seen from such heights and the nightscape of twinkling city lights and brilliant stars give this small exclusive neighborhood a hallmark status among the many communities of Lake Ridge. It is the most popular place at Lake Ridge to watch the annual 4th of July fireworks over Joe Pool Lake.

Phase II of The Sanctuary at Lake Ridge will officially open in September of 2011 and is lower in elevation but offers more choices in mature hardwood shade trees, flat build sites, and hilltop views. Homesite sizes here will range from half to 1 acre, with options to replat into larger acreage lots. Phase II also offers more homesites with views of Joe Pool Lake than Phase I and will be lower in cost; in fact, compared to other lake view neighborhoods that are centrally located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, The Sanctuary Phase II currently ranks as the #1 consumer best buy for overall price, views, lifestyle, location, and investment potential.

Both phases of The Sanctuary offer a unique amenity unlike any other community in Lake Ridge—permission to camp,

Sanctuary drive winds along the sweeping terrain of large acreage build sites (click to enlarge)

bike, or hike onto the beautiful U.S. Army Corp of Engineers private property that surrounds the neighborhood. Many of the homesite backyards border this property, thus offering permanent views of undeveloped trees and water. Residents can also maintain their own walking/biking path down to a private lagoon area of Joe Pool Lake for camping, fishing, or just relaxation.

The Sanctuary at Lake Ridge is expected to be the showcase neighborhood of Lake Ridge, already attracting the likes of former professional athletes, recording artists, and TV/film actors. Aside from the multi-million dollar luxury homes going in there, more modest-sized/priced homes are also among them, adding a unique flavor of diversity to the atmosphere that has come to be common at Lake Ridge in general. Home to families, empty nesters, and seniors alike—there are few lake view communities in all of North Texas with a better mix of small town Americana and modern ambiance.

FOR A VIRTUAL TOUR, GO TO OUR PHOTO GALLERY

Lake Ridge on Joe Pool Lake in Cedar Hill, Texas is known for its hill country views and West Coast style terrain, so it’s no surprise that recently released inventory showcases just that. What is unique, however, is the  diversity of views each of the individual homesites offer, all of which just became available on Tuesday:

1 acre lake and golf view located in The Preserve

Few properties in The Preserve have offered so many luxuries in one location as this one. A corner homesite just outside The Sanctuary, on a dead end street with a backyard that borders a 600-acre Federal Nature Conservation means a permanent view of hills and trees, complimented by tranquil privacy. No neighbors to the West means both an unobstructed 2-story view of Joe Pool Lake and the large scenic fishing pond of The Sanctuary. As if that wasn’t enough, the same view to the north-east offers a spectacular sight of Tangle Ridge Golf Course. One of the finest homesites in The Preserve, this property was sold but recently traded in for an private pond front elsewhere at Lake Ridge.

[Click on Photos for a Larger View]

The 2-story view of Joe Pool Lake and Dallas Cowboys Stadium from the new property release at The Preserve.

The 2-story view of The Sanctuary pond from the new property release at The Preserve.

The 2-story view of Tangle Ridge Golf Course from the new property release at the Preserve

1.3 acre exclusive lake view in The Sanctuary

Also recently available is this gorgeous cul-de-sac property in the exclusive gated community of The Sanctuary. Offering a front view of the large scenic fishing pond, it also offers a 2-story view of Joe Pool Lake and and expansive backyard that borders the 600-acre Federal Nature Conservation and even has a hiking/biking path behind it that runs all the way down to the waterfront.

[Click on Photos for a Larger View]

The 2-story view of Joe Pool Lake from the new property release at The Sanctuary.

The front view of a newly released property at The Sanctuary shows a scenic pond off a cul-de-sac.

1 acre private pond front in The Sanctuary

This pond front property also lies on a cul-de-sac and backs up to the same 600-acre Federal Nature Conservation. The large scenic pond is stocked with some of the best fishing in Lake Ridge. Quite, private, and secluded, the layout offers an unusual chance to build a standout home near the entrance of this upscale gated neighborhood.

[Click on Photos for a Larger View]

View from the cul-de-sac front of the newly released pond front property at The Sanctuary.

The large scenic fishing pond of a newly released property at The Sanctuary.

These new releases are among the many gated and non-gated homesite properties available at The Preserve and The Sanctuary at Lake Ridge on Joe Pool Lake. For questions or a private tour, give me a call at 800-576-5048 and if you are a realtor, don’t forget we pay 10% commissions on gated sales and 5% on non-gated.

Former Dallas Cowboys player Solomon Page and his wife

Those of us who know Lake Ridge refer to the community as Dallas/Fort Worth’s best kept secret, so I’m always entertained by the initial impressions of those who visit for the first time. Lake Ridge is home to people from all walks of life–celebrity and non-celebrity alike, but when I do tour the celebrities who have heard about us, I’m always curious as to how they think we stack up to the grandiose places they have experience among the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

Being home to many professional sports stars, I was not surprised when former Dallas Cowboy offensive lineman Solomon Page called me up to ask what I had available that would fit the desires he and his wife had in mind for their next home. Solomon played with former teammate Dexter Coakley, a longtime Lake Ridge resident, and was curious as the what all the buzz was about.

When Solomon and his wife arrived for their appointment, I spoke to them about some of the things that make Lake Ridge unique then determined which community they wanted to live in and we headed out to look at the properties I had that matched their taste.

I wasn’t surprised when they chose The Sanctuary as their future community; after all, it happens to be what I think is the future showcase community of Lake Ridge, considering its remote gated location in the farthest southern portion of our 3300 acre community, which offers an unusually quiet tranquility overlooking views of Joe Pool Lake from an elevated bluff that is far from the sounds of any car traffic. From the homesite property they chose, there is also a clear view of Dallas Cowboys stadium in the horizon, a factor that played an obvious role in their decision.

It was a pleasure to serve more clients and play a part in making their dreams come true, but in this case, I also made friends. After we got back from the tour, the three of us sat out on the rear deck overlooking Magic Valley Ranch Lake, the small body of water that is nestled behind our offices. We talked about what their initial reaction was to Lake Ridge and the overall vibe that the place puts out, which got even stronger as the sun set into a dusky ball of fire before us. Like so many others before them, they didn’t appreciate the magic of this place until they experienced it for themselves. I look forward to the life they make here and, like all my clients–celebrity or not–I am honored to have helped them find it.

Having grown up in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, I find it unusual for a community the size of Lake Ridge on Joe Pool Lake to have kept its crime rate so low after all these years, despite its growth and popularity increasing. As far as neighborhood communities go, Lake Ridge on Joe Pool Lake is considered one of Dallas’ best kept secrets, and the unusually safe lifestyle is one of the reasons why; although the word seems to be getting out, since so many new residents mention that as one of the attributes that drew them to visit the resort style lake view development in the first place.

There are four main reasons Lake Ridge on Joe Pool Lake has kept its crime rate to a record low compared to similar communities of this size and growth in Dallas County. One reason is due to the distinctive resort style layout and location of the community. The location itself makes for a blanketed community considering it is at the Cedar Hill/Grand Prairie border along Joe Pool Lake and only a limited number of streets will take you there–not exactly the quick in and out crime spree that most burglars of cars and houses look for.

The layout of the development itself is also not appealing to criminals. There are only two main entries/exits, one at the north end of our large 3300 acre development and the other at the south end, so it is not an accessible community with an abundance of cross-streets that open up to those outside the community. Accessibility is an important factor to criminals looking for neighborhoods to commit crime in; if spotted breaking into a home or car, they want many options to escape. At Lake Ridge, it may take several minutes to reach one of the exits and by then it is likely they would be trapped by police presence, which brings up another reason Lake Ridge has kept its crime so low.

Lake Ridge is patrolled by two different police forces–Cedar Hill and Grand Prairie, so double the police presence is also a factor in deterring criminals from our community. Cedar Hill actually has an officer assigned to Lake Ridge for community crime prevention and neighborhood watch programs. This ensures a stimulated proactive participation from residents and prevents the apathy and complacency that eventually plagues so many neighborhoods in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

This leads to the fourth reason Dallas/Fort Worth’s best kept secret has kept its crime down to almost nothing–the residents themselves. If you ever visit Lake Ridge and spend time with those who live here, you will notice a certain contagious pride throughout the people here. Neighbors really do watch out for each other and it is not uncommon for them to call you if you are away at work and ask you if that strange car is supposed to be parked outside your home. People pay attention here and they have taken measures to discourage crime. The last time a home at Lake Ridge was burglarized, a neighbor noticed the vehicle that was parked outside the home and called police, who arrived in time to make an arrest. Most of my friends live in neighborhoods where people may care about crime prevention, but just don’t pay attention–there is little proactive approach to it. But not at Lake Ridge.

When Mark and Yolanda Sims arrived at Lake Ridge with their son, Mark Jr., they had no idea they would find property that surpassed their expectations and become the homesite of their dream home. Mark, a business analyst and musician at his church, is an aspiring recording artist who needed enough room to build the home they always wanted, while still allowing space enough for a recording studio and spacious yard for a pool and room for their son (and future children) to play.

After spending a few minutes discussing their ideal homesite,  I determined that our Preserve community would be the ideal match for them. I pride myself on usually finding the perfect match within the first 1-2 properties I tour my clients on and this was no exception. I had two homesites side by side that I felt would be ideal if replatted into one large 3.5 acre property. The Preserve is our country style community noted for its rolling hills and dense selection of towering hardwood trees, creeks, and fishing ponds. This particular property faced a scenic 3000 acre ranch land of hilltops and trees.

As we walked the level front of the land where the home would be built, I pointed out a small fishing pond and I could see Mark and Yolanda imagine how they would landscape around it bring out its natural beauty, while still making it a great place to catch some catfish.

The large property was full of appeal, but it wasn’t until we arrived at the back that Mark knew he had found their perfect homesi

te. Nestled behind a tree line, far from the street, was an 10-12 foot bluff overlooking a wide winding creek that formed a small peninsula of large hardwood trees going into a forest. Someone years ago had build steps down from the bluff into a brook area where water flowed over rocks and created a tranquil sound. Mark stood there with his son on his shoulders for quite some time and envision himself dressing up the area and coming here in the future to write music and lyrics for his dream career. It was as though this land had been waiting and picked him, rather than him having the choice. His wife and son both had the same feeling and they bought the properties the same day and have been back several times since to spend time on it.

I meet a lot of people in land consultation and sales; most of the experiences are pleasurable, while others are unforgettably moving. This was one that hit home for me, as I remembered my own Dad first showing me the homesite where I would spend most of my childhood, teenage years, college, and beyond. I, too, rode atop his shoulders due to the overgrown weeds and it is an image I have never forgotten. To not only be a part of such memories for another family, but to also be responsible for them making those memories is what gives me the passion and vision for my job that I believe sets me apart from so many in my field. I challenge others to find that same focus.