Legend Homes Takes Home Three Houston’s Best PRISM Awards

The organization received awards for Sales Manager of the Year, Product Design of the Year, and Construction Superintendent of the Year.

Legend Homes' family of companies — which includes builders Legend Homes, Princeton Classic Homes, and Bella Vista Homes, as well as Academy Development — took home three prestigious awards during the Houston's Best Prism Awards ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021. Wins included Product Design of the Year, Sales Manager of the Year, and Construction Superintendent of the Year. The awards are selected and presented by the Greater Houston Builders Association (GHBA) to recognize excellence in sales, marketing and development for the Houston homebuilding industry over the past year.

Each award represents key components of the real estate process, from design to construction to sales. The first of these was represented by Princeton’s Casey floorplan in Rodeo Palms, which won Product Design of the Year. The single-story, 2,283-square-foot floorplan includes must-have features such as a study, flex room, and covered patio. The open floor plan is also perfect for entertaining, offering several conversation areas such as a spacious family room backlit by a wall of windows, an island kitchen with counter seating, and a casual dining area.

This plan won in part thanks to its flexibility. Several customizable options allow homeowners to tailor the floorplan to meet their needs and personal style. For example, the covered patio can be extended as can the two-car garage. And the flex room can be configured as a formal dining room, fourth bedroom, or guest suite. Prospective buyers can also opt to highlight the large primary suite with a bay window or oversized shower.

The Poole II plan in Camillo Lakes, also designed by the company, was a finalist in the category.

Yet the Legend Homes family wasn't just awarded for its floorplans. Both North Area Sales & Marketing Manager Karen Nickell and Construction Manager Sean McQueen were recognized during the event.

Nickell won the award for Sales Manager of the Year. Well-respected in the industry, Nickell leads by example, radiating a positive attitude and fostering a welcoming environment for her sales team. Additionally, Nickell meets individually and weekly with each member of her staff to strategize and set clear goals.

This approach paid off during the pandemic. As models closed for safety precautions, Nickell gave her team the tools they needed to sell both in person and virtually. Preparation was central to their success, as the team exceeded their sales goal by more than 40%.

The organization's other big win was represented by its developing business. Described as Legend Homes’ “Superman,” Sean McQueen won the Construction Superintendent of the Year award after building more than 100 homes a year and closing on 72 in 2020. McQueen's homes are built within budget and on time — and sometimes even earlier than the allotted timeframe. Not to mention that his customer satisfaction ratings are always 90% or higher.

Other Legend Homes family finalists included Onsite Sales Professional of the Year Mauricio Handal, Warranty Professional of the Year Juan Loera. and Mortgage Specialist of the Year Sarah Spadola and Heather Stavinoha, who represent First Choice Lending.

To learn more about the Legend Homes family of brands, go to LegendHomesTexas.com, PrincetonClassicHomes.com, and HomesByBellaVista.com.

Team members from Legend Homes, the engineers and builders of the 2021 HomeAid Project Playhouse, were on hand to present the ceremonial key to the Union Station Playhouse winners on Aug. 25, prior to the Astros vs. the Kansas City Royals game.

Blake Roberts, Legend Homes president and CEO, and Tanya Rizzo, Legend Homes COO, joined James Miller, president of HomeAid, Carole Brady, executive director of HomeAid and Kendall McDermott, HomeAid fund development chair, at the iconic Phillips 66 Pump on the concourse level of Minute Maid Park to present the key on camera to Kelley Jacob — the winning ticket holder — and his wife Nicole during the team’s warm-up period.

Also attending the ceremony was Blake McGregor, senior vice president and CCO Land Services for EHRA Engineering, a Hall of Fame Sponsor; Kortney Nichols, account manager for Rock Materials, a Hall of Fame Sponsor and Dana Rodgers of First American Title Homebuilder Services, a Grand Slam Sponsor.

“This is a proud moment for the entire HomeAid team,” said Miller, “and that includes the Playhouse builder, who spent months designing and building it. The Jacob children will be taking advantage of all the perks the Union Station Playhouse offers. It has been a successful fundraiser for HomeAid. Even with the restrictions COVID created, Project Playhouse raised record funds.”

The Project Playhouse Union Station design was inspired by Minute Maid Park’s iconic Union Station that is reminiscent of the charm and classic look of an actual train station. The playhouse features several amenities, such as air conditioning, a television, a window seat, toy storage, a play table, a rock-climbing wall, and a rooftop deck with a telescope.

The Jacob family ultimately decided to accept Union Station Playhouse but also have committed as a family, to “play it forward,” meaning that although they will be accepting the playhouse, they are planning to pay the notion forward by donating it in the future to a non-profit agency that HomeAid currently has a working relationship with. Long term the structure will eventually land at SEARCH’s House of Tiny Treasures.

SEARCH’s House of Tiny Treasures is Houston’s first nationally accredited early childhood development center dedicated to serving homeless children and families. Their mission is to provide comprehensive early care, education, and therapeutic services to assist homeless children and families in building stable, functional lives.

This is the 15th year for HomeAid Project Playhouse, a partnership with the Houston Astros and the Astros Foundation that has raised more than $1 million that goes toward HomeAid’s mission “to help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, build new lives through construction, community engagement and education.”

Since 2003, HomeAid has completed 77 projects, adding or impacting 1,800-plus beds, that translates into more than 1.3 million nights of sleep and a valued added in housing and improvements of $16-plus million.

For more information on HomeAid Houston, visit www.homeaidhouston.org or call 281-970-8970.

Finding the perfect home is easy when you choose to work with Legend Homes. You don’t have to take our word for it either. In July, 22 of our sales professionals were recognized by the Greater Houston Builders Association for their outstanding ability to help new home buyers.

Twenty-one of our sales professionals and one sales manager were honored at the GHBA’s Sales & Marketing Council’s Million Dollar Circle Awards. The annual event recognizes sales professionals, sales managers and Realtors based on the number of home sales and closings for the previous year.

Sales professionals can receive bronze, silver, gold or platinum citations. We are proud to say that 10 of our representatives took home the gold and 11 of them received platinum citations, including our sales manager, Karen Nickell.

While most of the honorees sell in the Houston area, two of them — Logan Chipman and Doug Webb — are helping Dallas-Fort Worth area buyers find beautiful new homes. Carin Absnaider is assisting buyers in Bryan-College Station.

Houston area award-winners include:

Diane Zamora
Amy Fisher
Mauricio Handal
David Nice
Katherine Biscamp
Stephen Roper
Carmen Da Costa
Geoff Williams
Barbara Humphrey
Ali Goodarzi
Jeffrey Hymanson
Jill Tezsla
Christine Rubies
James Bromley
Mike Jones
Marcus Smith
Michael Blum
Jordan Carter

We are proud of our employees because every home they sold represents a happy family. Congratulations, everyone!

July 12, 2021 -- HomeAid Houston's 15th annual Project Playhouse "Union Station", engineered and built by Legend Homes, is moving full-steam-ahead with stops in July at Minute Maid Park on the Concourse Level in Section 150 where fans will be able to see signage displays that represent the playhouse, and to take photos.  “Union Station” will also have a video on Minute Maid’s Jumbotron during the Astros July home games.  The “Union Station” Playhouse features several first-class amenities, such as air conditioning, a television, a window seat, toy storage, a play table, a rock-climbing wall, and a rooftop deck with a telescope, and is ideal for backyards. HomeAid is on-track to name the winner of the playhouse in a drawing on August 20. 

This annual Project Playhouse fundraiser is a charitable collaboration with the Astros Foundation that has raised over $1 million since its inception in 2006.  

“The “Union Station” design is inspired by Minute Maid Park’s iconic Union Station that is reminiscent of the charm and classic look of an actual train station,” said James Miller, president of HomeAid Houston.  “Union Station” Playhouse with its unique amenities and design, is sure to build the lucky family who wins it, memories for generations.” 

“Legend Homes is honored to have been selected as the builder for the 2021 Project Playhouse in conjunction with HomeAid Houston and the Astros Foundation,” said Legend Homes CEO Blake Roberts. “We’ve looked forward to the opportunity to work alongside both organizations to bring our love of homebuilding to this unique project that will positively impact the Houston community and the lives of Houston’s homeless.”

About Legend Homes

Launched in 1991, Legend Homes has an established tradition of constructing affordable homes in premier communities for 30 years. The builder has built more than 10,000 homes in the Greater Houston area, and now brings its standard of beautiful, comfortable, and affordable homes to the Dallas/Fort Worth and College Station markets. Its luxury brand, Princeton Classic Homes, focuses on affordable move-up homes in master-planned communities.  Additionally, the builder opened its Bella Vista brand in 2005 in the San Antonio market, where it continues to build first-time and step-up homes in the most desired communities in central Texas.

As a sign of the company’s financial strength and belief in the Texas new home market, Legend Homes maintains one of the Houston area’s largest inventories of move-in ready homes and construction-ready homesites. Academy Development, Legend's private development company, have developed over 25,000 lots across multiple Texas markets and focuses on building communities that families are proud to call home.  A commitment to quality, design and exceptional customer service are the centerpiece of the Legend Homes promise.

To learn more about how to win the Project Playhouse “Union Station” visit www.homeaidhouston.org/playhouse

Since 2003, HomeAid has completed 77 projects, adding or impacting over 1800 beds, that translates into over 1.3 million nights of sleep and a valued added in housing and improvements of over $16 million.  For more information on HomeAid Houston, visit www.homeaidhouston.org or call 281-970-8970.

A return to company roots has been a boon for Texas home buyers seeking affordability — and to Legend Homes.

The privately owned business — which launched in 1991 and includes builders Legend Homes, Princeton Classic Homes and Bella Vista Homes, as well as Academy Development — was recently ranked the No. 4 volume homebuilder in the Houston area by housing research firm Zonda (formerly Metrostudy).

As exciting as the near 2,200 homes the company started across all markets last year (nearly 1,500 of those in the Houston metro area), the Legend team is aiming for another year of growth by helping more than 2,500 happy families settle into new homes in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and College Station.

“We’ve had three solid years of growth, helping more and more people move into beautiful new homes at an affordable price,” said CEO Blake Roberts. “This year is going to be even better, and it’s our buyers — many of whom are ready to move into their first or second home right now, but having trouble finding a new home that fits into their budget — that will benefit.”

Roberts credits the success of the past several years to having a talented team around him and a strong focus on the vision the company was founded on — affordability.

“We are a value-oriented homebuilder and we have transitioned back to our roots, doing what we do best,” Roberts said.

In fact, in a housing market of escalating home prices, Legend Homes buyers can find several options with a starting price at or below $200,000 in the greater Houston area.

“We’ve really hit our stride focusing on providing value-oriented homes primarily for first-time and second-time buyers,” Roberts said. “We aim to keep a high volume of inventory homes in production, giving our buyers as many move-in-ready options as possible.”

With the builders’ community openings this year in Houston, College Station, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio areas already breaking internal records, Roberts expects the company to remain one of the leading affordable builders in Texas.

It wasn’t just the company’s construction division gaining notice last year, the land development arm has grown tremendously, as well, delivering more than 4,600 lots in 2020 in value-focused communities.

Behind all the success is a talented team working toward a single goal — helping move people into home ownership.

“We have an excellent team of intelligent people who are great at their jobs,” Roberts said. “They work as a team to accomplish the common goals of breaking down the barriers of home ownership and providing a quality value product.

“It’s gratifying to see our name listed among our respective markets’ biggest homebuilders. It’s acknowledgement of our strength as a team, who can take pride in their accomplishments.”

Waterfront homesites, a Katy location and beautiful homes priced from the $280,000s proved to be an irresistible combination for dozens of homebuyers who snapped up newly released lots in Marcello Lakes the weekend they were released.

Sales professionals Diane Zamora and Amy Fisher arrived at work Jan. 30 to find more than 40 families waiting in line to purchase homes in Marcello Lakes, a quaint community near the Grand Parkway and Interstate 10 that boasts more than 40 acres of lakes. Every homesite in the community backs to water.

Princeton Classic Homes brought out a food truck that morning to serve everyone free breakfast burritos and coffee and the two sales professionals handed out numbers to those in line taking in only two families at a time into the model home because of COVID-19 precautions. Working late into Saturday night, Zamora and Fisher returned Sunday morning to serve the remaining clients who were again brought in by number.

There were so many clients, in fact, that more homesites were made available than previously planned.

“Management opened the remaining lots to make sure everyone who waited in line would have a chance to buy a home,” Zamora said. “I don’t think another builder would have done that.”

A few homesites still remain, giving people the chance to purchase a home in this vacation lifestyle community.

“People are so excited about being on the water,” Zamora said. “We have people fishing from their own private piers and even paddling over on boats to visit neighbors.”

Princeton offers two series of floor plans in Marcello Lakes. The Marquis Series is a collection of 10 floor plans ranging from 1,523 to 3,385 square feet. Base pricing starts in the $280,000s and options allow buyers to add a sixth bedroom, additional garage bays, a wet bar, media room and more.

The Princeton Series offers eight floor plans priced from the $330,000s with 2,095 to 3,434 square feet of space. The series offers an array of customizations from additional bedrooms, garage storage, media room, extended covered patios and changes to the kitchen and primary bath.

Students attend schools in coveted Katy ISD, including the newly opened McElwain Elementary.

“I never thought we’d be able to get a lake view home under $400,000,” said Trang Nguyen, who was first in line. “We want to establish our life here. We needed a home with enough room for our children and guests and we got that — on the water.”

Click here to watch footage from the exciting weekend in Marcello Lakes. 

2019 and 2020 have been vastly different years.

What’s not different? Legend Homes ranking among the Houston area’s top places to work.

For a second consecutive year, Legend Homes has made the annual tally, coming in at No. 18 on a list of the Top 60 Small Workplaces (companies with 50 to 149 employees). The rankings are derived from surveys completed by employees, who rate their companies on leadership, cooperation, communication, work-life balance, training, pay and benefits.

Open communication is a common theme when employees are asked what they like about the company, with employees appreciating how upper management listens to their recommendations and makes clear corporate goals. The healthy relationships across departments give everyone the same growth mindset, one employee said, and allows everyone to work as a team for their customers to build new homes in Houston.

“Everyone is well in tune with what the strategies are between companies/departments and that helps foster good communication and meet goals,” said an employee.

A principle mentioned regularly that makes Legend Homes one of the best places to work in Houston is the feeling of family, something that is a strong motivator for employees.

“With family, you do whatever it takes to make sure it works and you do your part to make it the best it can be,” said an employee in sales. “With family it is the selflessness, compassion, and wanting to see others succeed where you can truly be yourself and embrace the role you need to play.  Legend Homes lets me use my full potential by treating me like family.”

That family atmosphere has been even more apparent during the pandemic.

 “With COVID-19, I think our senior leadership did a great job of making sure our teams were comfortable doing their jobs and have been very flexible in the way we work,” said an employee in sales. “They have gone out of their way to provide our team with supplies to create a safe experience for our customers and our employees.”

The corporate offices are closed until after the new year because of the pandemic and earlier in the year, team members received thoughtful gifts that also supported local businesses.

When it comes to helping team members meet their goals and grow professionally, Legend employees find their supervisors well-schooled.

“My manager is very approachable, knowledgeable, and willing to help me when I have questions or concerns,” said one employee. “My manager is a great leader and someone I can always look to when I have a question.”

Another appreciates the autonomy and accountability.

“I’ve been allowed to grow and find where I best fit within the company.”

At the end of the day, Legend employees say they love their job.

“I work in a beautiful environment where I can help make people’s dreams of homeownership come true,” said a sales employee.

An employee in construction said, “The upper management shows us great gratitude for all the hard work we do for them, which means a lot for me.”

And maybe the most fulfilling for employees is helping people find their new home in Houston.

“I am able to help families find their dream home,” said another sales employee. “This has given my life more purpose and I wake up every day thankful for this job.”