Business Booms Out West: Sun

There’s a lot of activity in the plains, out in the desert, and in the mountain towns of the West. For Michigan-based Sun Communities, those western states provide open land and promising relationships with municipal leaders who want to solve the problem of housing availability and affordability.

Tom Mirande is a senior vice president in the western United States for Sun Communities, overseeing 68 properties in nine states.

“There are a number of new communities developed from the ground up in the this region,” Mirande said. “I actually have fewer communities than my counterparts in other areas of the country because of that dynamic. It takes more time and attention to build from the ground up than it does to operate or even expand existing communities.”

And Sun Communities is making a name for itself not in, but near large metro areas.

“You have to be able to show these municipalities who you are, that you’re in for the long haul, and be a committed partner in what the property will be for the city,” Sun Communities Associate Vice President and Marketing Director Ian Frank said.

Mirande said the team from a new community in Texas recently was invited to participate in a city parade.

“They got a lot of good feedback, and had a really great time, too,” Mirande said.

A New Community in Central Texas

That community, Creeks Crossing, had just opened in Uhland, Texas, positioned between Austin and San Antonio, near San Marcos. It’s an all-ages community with new homes for under $200,000 that have open floor plans, new appliances, and private yards. »

“I have plenty of inventory and good, qualified buyers to get in these homes,” Mirande said. “It’s about the stake in homeownership, what we offer can be half or a third of what apartment |rents are in certain markets.”

There will be more than 500 homes when complete. In the first two phases about 200 homes have been placed.

“We have a good business model there, a lot of inventory on the ground,” Mirande said. “It’s been a fairly easy place to build with the support we’ve received from the city.”

Mirande said the number of calls, requests for information, and pending projects in his area have been on the increase, with three calls that day alone to provide information for elected officials and municipal staff.

“Those types of conversation go on, they’re happening everywhere,” he said.

What Residents Get at Creeks Crossing

Community amenities at Creeks Crossing include a splash pad that transitions into a full swimming pool, open year round. There also is a turfed soccer area, playground, basketball courts, and a clubhouse in progress that will have a great room and fitness center when it’s completed in the spring.

General and specialty shopping sprees are a short drive away in nearby San Antonio and Austin. Nearby are Austin’s McKinney Falls State Park and the beauty of the Texas Hill Country. Other nearby attractions include Wonder World Cave & Adventure Park, and Schlitterbahn, a world-renowned water park and activity destination 30 minutes away in New Braunfels. Most of the homes at Creeks Crossing are three- or four-bedroom, a majority of which come from Skyline Champion with other builders mixed in. Square footage varies from home to home, but the largest floorplan comes in at 1,680 square feet.

The community offers rental homes, as well. Part of that is working with what the economy is, Mirande said. With inflation and higher interest rates there is some degree of added emphasis on renting.

“The goal is always ownership, but part of the sales process for us is renting first and seeing that our renters love community living and end up buying within a year or two,” Mirande said. MHV