Stop Dreaming and Start Living…

I recently saw some interesting poll numbers from Dallas/Fort Worth that indicated that over 40% of all people want to someday live in a country setting away from the city.  That really doesn’t surprise me at all.  Sure, there are those who thrive on the city way of living and enjoy being surrounded by the constant motion and non-stop activity; but there are a lot of us who enjoy much more the peaceful serenity that only rural living can provide.  If you were not interested in living in the country you probably wouldn’t be on our website to begin with so I will assume that right now you are trying to figure out how, when and where you will make your escape from the city.

The reality is that just taking the time to look into your options puts you ahead of most people with your same dream.  The sad reality is that most people choose to ONLY dream in life rather than take action and follow their hearts.  They feel the tug, but they ignore it.  They instead remain tied to a city lifestyle that they are not happy with.  They do it because, for one, they are afraid to follow their dreams; and two, because they assume that they don’t have any options.  Good for you just for taking the time to explore following your dream!  That’s really your first step in creating the lifestyle that you dream about having for yourself.

Next up, you need to come out and take a tour of our community.  If you do this you will be able to really investigate what 7-R Ranch would be like for you and your family.  You can fully explore the amenity package and see if our community seems a good fit for you.  I want to assure you that your tour of our community will be a pleasant experience and there won’t be any high pressure tactics employed.  Our primary concern is helping you to evaluate our community and see with your own eyes what we have going on.  It’s our belief that 7-R Ranch sells itself so we stick to that philosophy all the way through.  Your personal visitation is one of the most important steps you can take.  If our community fits your desires and your dream then you can make the obvious next step of investigating specific property within our community to build your dream home on.

Right now we have the most spectacular variety of types, styles, sizes and price ranges of property we have ever had in our history.  We have some of the best land in Texas with acreage homesites situated right along the edge of the vista providing stunning 20 mile views.  We have oversized acreage estates suitable for keeping your horses on your own property.  We have serene conservation view properties where your rear property line attaches to conservation lands that will never be developed meaning your back porch view will be protected forever.  Purely from the standpoint of variety, there has never been a better time to investigate our community.

You’re at a crossroads really and you may not even know it.  You can be like most people and ONLY dream…or you can take the next step to investigate following your dreams and having the lifestyle you wish for.  It’s all right in front of you, but you have to take the next step.  If you never have that home in the country you have dreamed of you won’t be different from the crowd.  That poll I mentioned earlier also indicated another statistic…Less than 10% of those same people will ever realize their dream and actually have the home in the country they long for.  Most of the time it won’t be because they couldn’t realize their dream…it will usually be because they chose not to follow their heart and they put off making their move until life had passed them by.  It’s the path less traveled to follow your heart and have that place in the country your dreaming of.  What’s your next move?

3rd Annual Christmas Under the Stars The Biggest Yet!

On Saturday, December 5, 2009 we hosted our 3rd Annual Christmas Under the Stars event at 7-R Ranch.  The attendance at the party this year was indicative of the growth and increase that has taken place at the ranch over the 12 months.  More than 600 property owners and guests attended this years all day party and it seemed like a great time was had by all!

The day began with lunch served by Hard Eight Barbeque of Stephenville, Texas and included Chopped Sandwiches, Chips and the trimmings.  After lunch we had many family and kids activities going on with face painters, balloonists, a huge bounce house, horseback rides, Christmas movies, and even a visit from and pictures with Santa Clause!

Dinner was served at 6pm with Smoked Ham and Turkey, Sweet Potatoes, Cornbread Dressing, Macaroni & Cheese, Green Beans, Rolls and Cobbler.  As with lunch, dinner was served by Hard Eight Barbeque.

The Brad Stinson Band put on a great show after dinner during an awesome 3 hour performance.  They have a great sound and cover a broad spectrum of styles from Classic Rock to Texas Country.  Brad and his band always do a great job and this year was no exception as they had the folks dancing the night away once again!

The Annual Christmas Under the Stars event is always the years biggest event at 7-R Ranch.  We enjoy having the opportunity to say thank you to our land owners and residents for making this the most amazing community found anyplace in Texas.  We are all truly blessed to have such an awesome community spirit here.  I find that guests quickly recognize that this place is different than anyplace else they have ever visited.  We have the best land in Texas, the best views in Texas, the best amenities in Texas and also, very clearly the best residents in Texas!  The spirit and camaraderie of our community was clearly on proud display on Saturday night!

Merry Christmas to you and your family from all of the 7-R Ranch staff and may you have a blessed New Year in 2010!

Joel Taylor

The Fall Colors Are Popping at 7-R Ranch!

If you haven’t made it out of the city lately you are really missing out.  At 7-R Ranch we have always had some of the most beautiful land for sale in Texas but right now that land is absolutely loaded with magnificent fall colors.  We are blessed, because of our location in the Cross Timbers region, with an overwhelming volume of post oak and black jack oak trees.  Each fall these trees turn brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow before dropping their leaves for the winter.  With all the rain we have benefited from lately the fall colors this year are especially marvelous this year!

There is no place in Texas that makes a more ideal weekend getaway location for the busy north Texas family.  Likewise if you are looking for an active living or retirement location you will be hard pressed to find a location with a better quality of life that you will find here.  There is something for everyone here.  With walking and hiking trails through our more than 1,000 acres of private nature preserve, 6 major private lakes, a lakefront clubhouse, a 12,000 square foot fitness and recreation center, a staffed riding stables with complimentary riding horses available and so much more its safe to say that you will run out of energy before you run out of things to do!

If relaxing is more your game then you can rest easy on your back porch overlooking 20+ mile views from our magnificent vistas.  There is something very spiritual about being right at the edge of a Clayton Mountain vista with a several hundred foot elevation change below you and views that seem to go on forever!  You will have a hard time believing that the city is only 30 minutes away in Weatherford!

This is a once in a lifetime community available only to a select few.  If you dream of escaping from the city and having your own place in the country someday you owe it to yourself to come out for a visit this week.  Our low pressure approach will make you feel welcome and at ease.  We’re open 7 days per week and always available for a personal tour.  Just give us a call to set up your own priority appointment.  We hope to see you soon!

Joel

Summer Fun at 7-R Ranch

Summertime is one of the best times at 7-R Ranch.  This year is no different as families come out for the day and enjoy the many recreational activities found around the ranch and makes plans for the day that they will build their weekend home or even move here full time.  Home construction continues to boom as more and more property owners continue to make the decision to start their new life at 7-R Ranch.  It seems even more noticeable today than ever that people are making conscience efforts to establish a lifestyle that they are passionate about.

I guess as the economy has struggled the last year there has been a shift in the way people think.  It seems folks are paying attention more to the things that matter most to them.  Time with family and enjoying everyday living are things a lot of people used to put off for another day…things that could wait.  I guess it stands to reason that this shift is the primary reason we have been so fortunate to stay so busy here.

Nobody who visits the ranch ever leaves it without wishing that they could stay forever.  It’s a special place with the most beautiful views found anywhere in Texas.  We have a community that is filled with an amazing array of amenities which truly add to the quality of life found here.  It also helps that we are blessed with some of the most passionate and friendly people you could ever imagine having for neighbors.

Maybe you are reading this and thinking that it would be nice if you were able to live here but it just isn’t practical for you today.  Maybe what really needs to be considered is what the definition of practical really is.  A lot of people who have taken the time to search their own soul have found that they recognize the really important things in their life are found here at 7-R Ranch.  These people have had the courage to take the step to follow their hearts and do what they are passionate about instead of following the crowd.

There is a shift hapenning in our society.  People are leaving the city and heading to more rural areas outside the traditional suburbs.  It’s going to be fun to get to know all the people who choose to make their own move to 7-R Ranch over the next couple years.  One thing is certain, those who buy now and take advantage of the extreme savings that are available now will be the people everyone else is jealous of in just a few years.  It’s a buyers market, so if you feel the tug to find a better lifestyle for you and your family you should give us a call and explore what 7-R Ranch has to offer.  You will be very impressed!

Spring is in the air!

Well, it appears that winter has passed and spring is upon us at 7-R Ranch.  All the beautiful signs of spring have started to emerge over the past week as the early spring rains have really kicked everything into gear!  Things have really started to “green up” and we have even started to see some early Blue Bonnets pop up along the interstate.  This is truly one of the most beautiful times of year at 7-R Ranch.  Property owners, if you haven’t been out in a while you owe it to yourself to make a trip out for a picnic or a day of fishing at the private lakes or horseback riding on the miles of trails in our private conservation preserve.  A breath of fresh air and a dose of peace and quiet will really hit the spot for you and your family.  Come on out and enjoy your investment!

To our online visitors, if you have been thinking of buying property away from the hustle and bustle of the city this is a great time to do so, as we have some amazing incentives available for new buyers!  At 7-R Ranch we offer some of the most beautiful land in Texas with everything from jaw-dropping view properties located right along the bluffs edge to spacious ranchettes up to 12 acres.  This is an acreage community unlike any other found anywhere in Texas.  Give us a call or e-mail to find out more!

I hope to see you at the ranch soon,

Joel

Behind the Scenes with Jay Novacek

This past week we had the pleasure of holding a photo shoot with our friend and former Dallas Cowboy Jay Novacek here at 7-R Ranch.  As you may know Jay is a long time friend of the Ruff family and lived here at 7-R Ranch in his playing days.Jay_Novacek_behind_the_scenes

Jay is a tremendous spokesman for 7-R as he has actually called it home himself and understands the passions that are the driving force behind this tremendous community.  As a longtime friend of the family he has shared many fond memories of 7-R Ranch through the years.

Be on the lookout for some great shots of Jay on the website as well as in other materials related to 7-R Ranch.

All New 7-R Newsletter

I am excited to tell you that we are preparing to launch a community newsletter that will feature stories about the happenings in and around 7-R Ranch!  As we launch this new endeavor I would like to ask all of our property owners and residents to send us your pictures so we can use them in the newsletter.  If there is a great story you know of then send us your suggestion for that as well.  Initially we will publish the newsletter on a quarterly basis and there will be more details to follow about its distribution.

If you are reading this and are not a property owner we encourage you to fill out the form found at this link and we will be sure that you get the newsletter sent to you to enjoy as well.  We think you will find 7-R is absolutely the finest place in north Texas to own an acreage property.  7-R not only has the most beautiful land in Texas and finest amenities but we also have some beautiful homes and great people who make up our community.  Our newsletter will showcase this fact and make clear what a great place 7-R is to call home.

Remember, e-mail your pictures and ideas to me.  The first newsletter is just around the corner!

Joel Taylor

So, What Is An Aoudad Anyway?

When we tell people that we have a large herd of aoudad running around the ranch the most common response is, “What’s that?” The technical definition is that an aoudad is a slang name that the local indigenous people of North Africa use for the African Barbary Sheep that runs wild in the Sahara Desert. They are actually pretty rare in their native North Africa but were introduced in the US many years ago and have done quite well. They are usually 30 to 40 inches tall at the shoulders and can weigh as much as 300 pounds. They have a reddish color to them and all of them have the characteristic curved back horns.

At 7-R we are lucky enough to have a great herd that free ranges around the ranch and have been here for decades. They are elusive and typically freeze in their tracks when they feel the presence of danger so many times they are right around you and you don’t even realize it! I went out a few days ago with a mind to find and photograph some of them to share with you on this website. I was lucky enough to be able to locate and photograph some of them for you to enjoy. All of these shots were taken from the ridge just below some of our newest view properties in the Canyon Ridge area of 7-R. I guess maybe they were thinking about catching a movie or working out at the new recreation center right around the corner!

I guess just like the herd of aoudad shown above, I better head out until next time. By the way, if you click on these pictures you can see a much larger version of these pictures.

I look forward to seeing you around the ranch,

Joel

Home Construction is Booming at 7-R Ranch!

In a short drive around 7-R Ranch one thing that you will definitely notice very quickly is the number of homes that are currently under construction. I took a quick trip around the ranch today and snapped a few pictures of all the construction activity going on and thought I would share those pictures for those of you that have not been out to the ranch in a while. It is a really exciting time at 7-R with the new recreation complex open, Canyon Ridge now open and selling quickly and so much home construction getting started. The word is that there are about 10 more homes about to start very soon. This really is a special community to be in as I believe our residents will testify. These are exciting times at 7-R as all of the construction indicates. There is no better community out there to call home! If you are looking for a place to build a weekend retreat or retirement getaway or you just want to move away from the hustle and bustle of city living you should give us a call to arrange a tour of this world class community. We have some beautiful property available right now and with our utilities in place, all our amenities ready for you to enjoy and so many great people already here building their dream homes there is no community out there with more to offer you and your family.

I’ll see you around the ranch,

Joel

The ALR Center Grand Opening Party A Huge Hit!

I’d like to say thanks to the 400+ property owners and guests who attended the party we threw at the ALR Center. The resounding comment I heard over and over was “WOW!!!”

I think that we can all agree that Mike Ruff has really outdone himself by delivering something so grand to the community. The recreation complex will be a great asset to our community for years to come. It’s just another example of how special that 7-R Ranch really is. We don’t have to dream about what an amenity might someday look like, we can actually enjoy them today!

“Fun, Food and Friends” was the order of the night and I think that the evening lived up to that billing. Lots of great friends who are really passionate about life at 7-R Ranch attended. We had some great food catered by Texas Best Catering that included fajitas with all the trimmings and a great variety of cold beverages.

When everybody gets together we can’t seem to avoid having fun! I already look forward to the next time we have a party!

Thanks again to everyone who attended and if you missed the party then be sure to get out as soon as you can to see this new recreation center because it will absolutely blow you away.

See you around the ranch.

Joel