Twenty-seven-year-old Nick Rhodes, the president of Esperanza Homes, moved to the Rio Grande Valley six years ago.
Two years later, he applied for Leadership McAllen Class 36 and was selected. Throughout the course of the year, Rhodes and his Leadership-McAllen classmates learned about the multi-faceted city from both a historical and present-day perspective while also learning about each other.
“Many in our group, some single and some married with no kids, talked about wanting to buy homes,” Rhodes said. “I realized there was a niche that needed to be filled.”
Rhodes knew this niche also included Baby Boomers looking to downsize. Some of the young professionals in Rhodes’ class liked the concept of townhouses. Others did not like the idea of their homes having attachments to their neighbor’s house.
Bringing a Vision to Life
Rhodes thought about villas, which are popular in Austin and Dallas. He decided to offer an affordable target price range, with amenities like a pool and a gym and low-maintenance living. These were non-negotiables for the subdivision he and his team at Esperanza Homes were envisioning.
Rhodes knows as a developer and president of a construction company when a piece of property fulfills a vision. A beautiful, centrally located property on the north side of Freddy Gonzalez Drive between 10th and 23rd streets in McAllen and in the Edinburg school district fit the vision for Villas on Freddy.
Rhodes and his team developed six floor plans for the two-phase, 192-villa development set to open this month. All models bear the name of Italian wines. They are Antinori, Cortono, Grapa, Nikola, Peppoli and Vinsanto. The one- and two-story plans range in size from 1851 to 2753 square feet. They offer two or three bedrooms, two full baths and a two-car garage.
Residents in the villas with a front-entry garage may park one car on the road. Those who live in villas with a rear-entry garage will use one of the subdivision’s 12 parking areas next to hike-and-bike trails that lead right to the villas. Customization is one of Esperanza’s specialties, allowing buyers to choose different elevations. They may customize their exterior and interior colors, and also add a bathroom.
Smart-Home technology through the Alula app further equips each villa.
“Our Homeowners’ Association provides a bulk-rate technology package that provides high-speed, fiber-to-home internet,” Rhodes said.
Technology Plays Key Role
The app can also control the thermostat and the garage door. Technology plays a significant role in all aspects of the Villas on Freddy. Villa-buyers can choose lots and floor plans, sign contracts, make payments and visit Esperanza’s Design Center from their own device.
Esperanza Homes also has a commitment to energy efficiency, incorporating a 30-year Owens Corning Roof System that keeps the roof cooler. The company also builds with low-E glass, which allows natural light in during the cooler months and reflects heat energy away from the home during the summer. These and other products used by the company reduce monthly energy costs.
Residents of Villas on Freddy, one of McAllen’s newest subdivisions, will have access to a gym, a pool, a dog park, a playground, a basketball court, a pickleball court, and an approximately two-mile trail around their gated subdivision. To make sure residents have even more time to enjoy these amenities, the HOA takes care of both the front and back yards of each villa.
“What excites me most about this project,” Rhodes said, “is it provides a product type for young people and down-sizers for a good price, a product type not currently being offered.”