
John Burns Real Estate Consulting is an independent research provider and consulting firm focused on the housing industry. The company compiles and analyzes an unprecedented volume of housing market information and just released its 2011 list of the 50 top-selling master-planned communities in the US. Castle Hills ranked number 28 of the 50! To read more about the communities and how the information was compiled, read the entire report here.

Lewisville ISD received some good news about the 2011 Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS). The news highlighted that LISD had received a Recognized rating from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for the third year in a row. The top rating a district can get is Exemplary, followed closely by Recognized. Among news about individual schools, Castle Hills Elementary was rated as an Exemplary campus again! Way to go, Dragons!
Outstanding schools are just a few of the reasons that Castle Hills is a great place to live!

Bright Realty announced the addition of 108 new home sites in Castle Hills located off Hwy. 121 and Standridge Drive. Bright Realty is the developer of Castle Hills, and the new single-family home lots are 50- and 55-foot wide and offered in a new phase of the Castle Hills North neighborhood with homes built by American Legend Homes and David Weekley Homes.
"The success of Castle Hills is reflected in its growth," said Eric Stanley, Bright Realty. "We have created a community with outstanding amenities, charm and a small town feel. We are pleased to add even more opportunities for families to be a part of Castle Hills with the addition of these 108 additional home sites."
Read more about Castle Hills builders and Castle Hills North on this website's "Discover" and "Living" sections.

Know someone who would be a perfect resident in Castle Hills' The Retreat Luxury Villas neighborhood? Refer that friend and, at contract signing, not only will they get $1,000 in upgrades, but you will get a $100 Nordstrom gift card as a thank you! Please contact The Retreat Sales Director Lois Keith for full details and restrictions at 972-899-1923 or lois.keith@brightco.com. A Retreat Luxury Villa referral means not only another friendly face in Castle Hills, but a gift for you, too!

Thanks to everyone who braved the cold weather to attend Holiday in the Plaza. Despite the two postponements and frigid temperatures, several of you braved the elements to enjoy the tree-lighting and all sorts of holiday events and entertainment.
"So delightful!" Thanks again!

Bright and Co. Marketing (BCM) has been recognized by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) with six Silver Awards for "superior marketing achievements" from the NAHB's National Sales & Marketing Council. As Silver Award winners for their region, BCM is eligible for the National Sales and Marketing Council's prestigious national Gold Awards at the NAHB's upcoming 31st annual national sales and marketing awards ceremony.
BCM earned the six Silver Awards for projects completed in 2011 for clients Bright Realty, Castle Hills and American Legend Homes.
BCM received three Silver Awards for "Cooper & the Castle Hills Gang": Best Special Promotion; Best Social Marketing Program; and Best Overall Advertising Campaign. BCM also garnered Silver Awards for Best Website for a Community and Community of the Year for Castle Hills and Best Direct Mail for client American Legend Homes, which builds in Castle Hills.
Gold Awards are announced in February. We'll keep you updated!

The Holiday in the Plaza Event has been rescheduled due to inclement weather for Tuesday Dec. 6th. More details will be available Moday Dec. 5th.

Check out Mercedes Homes' model in Castle Hills North on this weekend's HotOn! Homes. HotOn! airs at 10:30 a.m. Sunday on WFAA Channel 8.

Castle Hills Elementary will be celebrating its 10th anniversary with a very special event in April 2012. If you are interested in being a sponsor or making a donation to the celebration, please contact Christina Schnell at Cschnell2@gmail.com. For general information about the event, please contact Brenda Shulka at brendesign@yahoo.com. We look forward to a magical celebration!

The newly renovated Lakes at Castle Hills golf course and club was recognized in five categories for outstanding performance among DFW golf facilities in AVIDGOLFER Magazine's annual North Texas survey.
Among the five commendations, most notable is the "Best Renovations" nod which recognizes the extensive course improvements completed at The Lakes at Castle Hills over the summer months. The Lakes at Castle Hills was also recognized as having the "Best Practice Facilities" which now feature the Hank Haney Golf Academy and the world headquarters for the Hank Haney Golf Schools. Also cited were the outstanding food offerings with recognitions for "Best Catered Food" and "Best All-inclusive Breakfast Buffet." In addition, the club was recognized for "Best GPS system" which is available on all golf carts and features an interactive program to enhance the golfing experience.
"The Lakes at Castle Hills significantly upgraded everything about the golf club - the Jay Morrish layout, the greens, the driving range, the service on and off the course, the food, etc." states the AVIDGOLFER article. "Golfers will recognize most aspects of The Lakes at Castle Hills, but will be enthralled by the changes," it states. AVIDGOLFER praised everything about the new Lakes at Castle Hills from the course and amenities to the food and top-notch service.
More than 70 North Texas courses were considered in the AVIDGOLFER survey released in the November issue. Pick it up at a newsstand near you or online!

Bright Realty, the developer of Castle Hills, and Cinetopia theaters have executed a letter of intent to bring Cinetopia to our community! Cinetopia will be an anchor for The Bridges at Castle Hills, a premier retail, dining and entertainment destination to be built at Hwy 121 and Castle Hills Drive, about five miles west of the Dallas North Tollway. Cinetopia’s estimated opening date is 2014.
Cinetopia at The Bridges at Castle Hills will be approximately 70,000 - 80,000 square feet with 16 to 18 planned screens showing first run movies and special screenings. Cinetopia theaters have superior seating, Digital Super High Definition projection and exclusive 7.1 Digital surround sound systems. Plans for the Castle Hills Cinetopia include a restaurant and wine bar with indoor and outdoor seating, as well as cinemas with both large capacities and those for smaller, more intimate screenings. The complex will also offer state-of-the-art business conferencing and meeting facilities for private events. The Castle Hills Cinetopia will be the first in Texas and joins locations currently in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington.

Thanks to everyone who visited the Castle Hills Kiwanis Haunted House! Not only was the Haunted House fun, but it supported a great local cause. Kiwanis Suburban Northwest works to improve quality of life directly through activities promoting health and education, as well as encourage leadership and service among youth. The funds raised by the Castle Hills Haunted House will serve deserving children of Carrollton, Plano, Farmers Branch and Addison. Thanks again!

Please note that the pet costume contest Friday evening is cancelled and the "Cover Down" concert will be at Crepe and Creme.

that more than 1,000 people attended the Fall Festival events this past weekend in the Castle Hills Village Shops & Plaza? What a great turnout! Check the events page on this site for this weekend's fall festivities and thanks for supporting the Kiwanis Haunted House and our Village Shops tenants!

Homebuyers seeking the ultimate custom home lifestyle may now choose from nine builders in Enchanted Hill, the guard-gated enclave of estate home sites overlooking the golf course. Enchanted Hill's preferred custom home builders include Avanti Custom Homes, BellaVita Custom Homes, Garvey Homes, The Holmes Builders, Lewis & Earley Custom Homes, Shelley Malone Custom Builder, McCowen-Sainton, Tatum Brown Custom Homes and Ventura Custom Homes. Visit the Enchanted Hill website for more information on The Hill's luxurious custom homes and its builders.
Thanks to all of you who visit the Castle Hills Village Shops and Plaza for community events! More than 300 guests came out this weekend to see the Critterman, AKA David Kleven (pictured left), wow the crowd with his critters. The plaza was crawling with a Burmese python and an alligator! He also brought his turkey vulture, opossum and more! Make sure and check the events page on this site for all of our regularly scheduled events.

The great news keeps coming for Cooper! The movie has been officially listed on the Prescott Film Festival calendar of events (click "Events" and "Independent Kids").
And read this great article about Penny (ooops...Hayley Orrantia) in this week's Dallas Morning News (subscription required).

Visit "The Hacienda" at an open house this Sunday, October 16, 1:00 - 4:00 pm. See an exquisite home, inspired by the traditional Spanish hacienda, which captures the gracefulness of mission style architecture without sacrificing the modern luxury of today's custom home. For questions about Enchanted Hill, contact Lois Keith at 972-899-1923 or LoisKeith@brightco.com. Visit the new Enchanted Hill website for information on The Hill's luxurious custom homes, available home sites, a complete list of amenities as well as preferred builder background. (All guests will be required to register at the guard gate for entry.)

Wow! Check out our very own Hayley Orrantia, "Penny" from "Cooper & the Castle Hills Gang," on the
X Factor here!

Click "Cooper's Take" (see icon on the left) and watch Cooper's very own home movies!
Cooper and his gang tell all there is to know about Castle Hills: Cooper tells us about the vision of the community; Mrs. Wilson talks about the great schools; Billy boasts about the parks; Cole raves about the countless community events; and Penny even chimes in (begrudgingly!) about outdoor amenities like the sports fields, pools, hike and bike trails and the tennis courts!
Pop some popcorn and check it out!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Enchanted Hill Open House Tour this past Sunday. Approximately 200 people toured four luxury homes on The Hill, checking out the neighborhood's long list of amenities and each home's custom finishes.
A tip of the (cowboy) hat also goes to the City of Lewisville for putting on the wonderful Western Days Festival, attended by more than 20,000 guests. Castle Hills was an event sponsor and saw lots of traffic at its booth, where "Cooper & the Castle Hills Gang" DVDs and posters were available for the takin'! The special screenings of the movie were also well attended!
Thanks to everyone for a great weekend!

Check out two new websites with loads of community information! The new Enchanted Hill website features information on The Hill's luxurious custom homes, available home sites, a complete list of amenities as well as preferred builder background and pertinent contact information. The Lakes at Castle Hills unveiled a new website to coincide with the course's renovation and grand opening, with a course overview and information on memberships, amenities, the Hank Haney Golf Academy, special events and more. We invite you to visit both sites!

Visit four gorgeous homes on The Hill! This Sunday, 2pm - 4pm, you are invited to tour four homes in the exclusive Enchanted Hill neighborhood. See the lavish amenities in each of the luxurious homes as well as The Hill's glorious, private gardens and park. Guests who tour all four homes are eligible for a $100 gift card drawing.*
(*Some restrictions apply. All guests will be required to register at the gate.)

Don't forget to check out Lewisville's Western Days Festival this weekend! Castle Hills is a proud sponsor of the fun-filled event, which features special screenings of "Cooper and the Castle Hills Gang" and lots of cool Cooper stuff! Read more here...and see ya there!

The community of Castle Hills is proud to be a sponsor of Lewisville's Western Days Festival this weekend. The event features two days' worth of fun activities and entertainment for families, as well as two screenings of our very own "Cooper & the Castle Hills Gang." See the full schedule of events and activities here.

Don't forget about the great events in your own backyard! September's movie night featuring "Gnomeo and Juliet" drew a crowd of more than 200! Coming up this weekend is the hilarious Comedy Improv Group and next weekend features a live music event with The Blue Royals. Remember to check the events page on this site to take advantage of all of our great community events! See you there!

The Lakes at Castle Hills (formerly The Golf Club at Castle Hills) announced it will re-open on Saturday, September 24. The re-opening comes after an extensive renovation that was completed over the summer months. The September 24th grand opening festivities will showcase the club and course via various events that are open to the public. For more information, please visit the website.

Contract on a new home at The Retreat in Castle Hills and receive a "His and Her" spa package to the Castle Hills Day Spa*. The Retreat features "lock and leave" luxury attached homes in Castle Hills, including a gated entrance, spacious designs for entertaining, a private park and high end finish outs. Contact Lois Keith for more information at lois.keith@brightco.com or 972-899-8090. (*Restrictions apply.)

Set your DVR to WFAA Ch. 8 for a Hot on Homes segment spotlighting Mercedes Homes in Castle Hills. The show airs Sunday, July 17, at 10:30 a.m. Viewers can learn all about the great community amenities available in Castle Hills, as well as high performance homes that are both well-designed and environmentally friendly.

Just listed on "The Hill" is the stunning Hilltop Hacienda at 1117 Long Isles Lane. The Hacienda is a beautifully designed custom home with four bedrooms and five living areas. Enter through the stunning double iron gate into the front courtyard, complete with lush landscape, fountain and outdoor fireplace. Inside, a gourmet kitchen, wine room, mud room, study and media room with full bar are just some of the outstanding amenities. The 5,700 sf home is listed for $1.8 million. Contact Lois Keith for a showing at 972-899-1923 or lois.keith@brightco.com

It's tough to stay cool in this record-breaking heat but if you live in Castle Hills, you have access to several community pools, splash areas and the interactive fountain at the Village Shops!
The pools are open seven days a week and the fountain is the perfect stopping place to cool off when you're running errands with the kids! If you have questions about pool access and rules, call or visit the Community Center at 2501 Queen Margaret Ln. Don't forget your sunscreen!

Cooper is still going strong! "Cooper & the Castle Hills Gang" was recognized yet again in the media! Inman News, a national source for information on real estate trends and technology, mentioned Cooper in their "Real Estate Roundabout," a summary of intriguing marketing projects across the country. Of course, Cooper topped the list! Read more here.

Since it's too hot to be outside, stay cool this weekend with an episode of HotOn! Homes featuring Castle Hills West. The American Legend homes in Castle Hills West are priced from the $300s and start at 2,500 square feet on 60 and 70 foot homesites. The beautiful one and two-story homes feature versatile floorplans with exceptional use of space, luxury baths, first floor master suites, outdoor entertainment areas, swimming pool options, media rooms, game rooms and more! Castle Hills West also has multiple parks, greenbelts and a private amenity center with a pool and fitness facility for residents to enjoy! Tune in at 10:30 this Sunday morning on WFAA Channel 8. And stay cool!

A festive July 4th weekend drew more than 5,000 people to the Castle Hills Village Shops and Plaza over the holiday weekend, the largest Independence Day crowd since the annual Freedom Festival tradition began over 10 years ago. The three-day celebration included a neighborhood parade, live concert, and outdoor showing of "Cooper & the Castle Hills Gang," a family-friendly adventure movie filmed entirely on location in Castle Hills.
On July 4th, families from all over enjoyed carnival games, face painting, caricature artists, a cowboy stilt walker and euro bungee. Kids decorated their own flags and everyone beat the heat with free snow cones from Castle Hills Chiropractic. The evening ended with a BANG with the return of the annual spectacular fireworks show.

Bright Realty is pleased to announce that the Castle Hills Village Shops and Plaza Phases I and II are 90 percent leased. The leasing success of Phases I and II will be marked with the planned groundbreaking for Phase III, located within the same site.
Read more in the Dallas Morning News!

Who needs to get out of town for the 4th when you have everything you need for a great holiday weekend in your own backyard?
In addition to this weekend's parade, live music and fireworks extravaganza (see the events page), there is a long list of fun 4th activities for families here in the neighborhood. Cool off in one of the many Castle Hills pools and splash areas; chill out in the interactive fountain at the Plaza; grab breakfast from Escape and enjoy it in one of the parks; grab some snacks from the convenience store for a late night picnic at Lake Avalon; or treat yourself to a date night at The Twisted Spoon!
It's all right here!
