Homes For Better Living
Don Terrell Homes, Inc.
Pride of achievement and dedication to excellence by master craftsmen have been a trademark of Don Terrell Homes for over a quarter of a century. Don Terrell is a third generation builder. He started building homes with his father, Dale Terrell, another well known name in Oklahoma building.
Pride of achievement and dedication to excellence by master craftsmen have been a trademark of Don Terrell Homes for over a quarter of a century. Don Terrell is a third generation builder. He started building homes with his father, Dale Terrell, another well known name in Oklahoma building.
In the News:
Edmond father-son team build on years of experience
Don Terrell said he’s been building homes for as long as he can remember — and if you add up how many years his father Dale has been at it, you end up going back just about as long as anyone can remember.
And the pair has no plans to stop building homes, either.
This spring, they announced the opening of Kelly Lakes Estates and the Gardens at Kelly Lakes, two neighborhoods that make up their latest development.
When their previous project, Blue Quail Ridge, maxed out at roughly 450 homes, the Terrells started searching for the next one.
On 127 acres of rolling green hills, trees and ponds at the intersection of Sorghum Mill Road and Kelly Avenue, seven Terrell homes are either completed or under way — two of which already have been sold, said James Acosta, sales manager.
"Another two of our spec properties will be featured in (this fall’s) Parade of Homes,” Acosta said.
About the homes
One, a 3365-square-foot family home in Kelly Lakes Estates, features four bedrooms, formal living and dining rooms, a great room and a bonus media room on the second floor of the structure.
The other home features a 2,500-square-foot, three-bedroom floor plan, including a master suite, custom kitchen and three-car garage, in the gated Gardens at Kelly Lakes.
Other Terrell homes in the development range in size from 2,150 to 2,700 square feet.
Dale Terrell, who in his 70s still oversees home construction and designs the floor plans on his computer, said the developers were ready to open the neighborhood to outside builders.
The Terrells will require all plans for Kelly Lakes to have a minimum area of 1,800 square feet, security systems, sprinklers and other amenities.
Close to school
Kelly Lakes Estates, which Acosta referred to as "our family side,” will feature a playground, a community pool, walking trails, fishing docks on two ponds and a greenbelt.
"Not to mention Cross Timbers Elementary,” Acosta said. Kelly Lakes surrounds the school, which is on Kelly Avenue north of Coffee Creek.
The Terrells purchased the land that has become Kelly Lakes in 2007.
"We were looking for a good place, and we were happy to find this parcel adjacent to Oak Tree,” Don Terrell said.
Indeed, a Kelly Lakes homeowner could hear the roar from the 18th green in future Oak Tree championship events.
Rains bring delays
Of course, no big achievement comes without setbacks.
Kelly Lakes is running months behind the Terrells’ anticipated schedule, thanks to Mother Nature.
"About the time we closed on the property, it started raining,” Don Terrell said, referring to the historically wet summer and fall of 2007.
"We couldn’t get access to build streets and connect services.”
Between waiting for the rains to end and for the permitting process to conclude, 18 months passed before the Terrells’ $2.5 million investment in Kelly Lakes was finally under development. In the meantime, the Terrells built five homes in Covell Village.
"We had to keep ourselves and our crews working till Kelly Lakes was ready,” Dale Terrell said.
His son explained, "We’ve got brick crews, framing crews and landscapers that have been with us for years. We couldn’t let them go just because of the weather.”
The Terrells said they avoid hiring subcontractors on a pick-up basis. Their policy has shown to be good for both employer and employee.
"The consistent quality of (our crews’) work is a big factor in selling houses for us, which just means more work for them,” Don Terrell said.
A canny move?
After years in the building and development business, are the Terrells still learning what makes a successful community?
Dale Terrell said that planning a development of moderate-size homes in an area where gargantuan homes are not unusual has been a canny move.
"Empty nesters looking to downsize, but not necessarily move too far away from where they’ve been living, will be attracted to these homes,” he said.
Don Terrell said that they were banking on those three classic rules of real estate: location, location, location.
"Being close to golf courses is a big draw,” he said.
And the pair has no plans to stop building homes, either.
This spring, they announced the opening of Kelly Lakes Estates and the Gardens at Kelly Lakes, two neighborhoods that make up their latest development.
When their previous project, Blue Quail Ridge, maxed out at roughly 450 homes, the Terrells started searching for the next one.
On 127 acres of rolling green hills, trees and ponds at the intersection of Sorghum Mill Road and Kelly Avenue, seven Terrell homes are either completed or under way — two of which already have been sold, said James Acosta, sales manager.
"Another two of our spec properties will be featured in (this fall’s) Parade of Homes,” Acosta said.
About the homes
One, a 3365-square-foot family home in Kelly Lakes Estates, features four bedrooms, formal living and dining rooms, a great room and a bonus media room on the second floor of the structure.
The other home features a 2,500-square-foot, three-bedroom floor plan, including a master suite, custom kitchen and three-car garage, in the gated Gardens at Kelly Lakes.
Other Terrell homes in the development range in size from 2,150 to 2,700 square feet.
Dale Terrell, who in his 70s still oversees home construction and designs the floor plans on his computer, said the developers were ready to open the neighborhood to outside builders.
The Terrells will require all plans for Kelly Lakes to have a minimum area of 1,800 square feet, security systems, sprinklers and other amenities.
Close to school
Kelly Lakes Estates, which Acosta referred to as "our family side,” will feature a playground, a community pool, walking trails, fishing docks on two ponds and a greenbelt.
"Not to mention Cross Timbers Elementary,” Acosta said. Kelly Lakes surrounds the school, which is on Kelly Avenue north of Coffee Creek.
The Terrells purchased the land that has become Kelly Lakes in 2007.
"We were looking for a good place, and we were happy to find this parcel adjacent to Oak Tree,” Don Terrell said.
Indeed, a Kelly Lakes homeowner could hear the roar from the 18th green in future Oak Tree championship events.
Rains bring delays
Of course, no big achievement comes without setbacks.
Kelly Lakes is running months behind the Terrells’ anticipated schedule, thanks to Mother Nature.
"About the time we closed on the property, it started raining,” Don Terrell said, referring to the historically wet summer and fall of 2007.
"We couldn’t get access to build streets and connect services.”
Between waiting for the rains to end and for the permitting process to conclude, 18 months passed before the Terrells’ $2.5 million investment in Kelly Lakes was finally under development. In the meantime, the Terrells built five homes in Covell Village.
"We had to keep ourselves and our crews working till Kelly Lakes was ready,” Dale Terrell said.
His son explained, "We’ve got brick crews, framing crews and landscapers that have been with us for years. We couldn’t let them go just because of the weather.”
The Terrells said they avoid hiring subcontractors on a pick-up basis. Their policy has shown to be good for both employer and employee.
"The consistent quality of (our crews’) work is a big factor in selling houses for us, which just means more work for them,” Don Terrell said.
A canny move?
After years in the building and development business, are the Terrells still learning what makes a successful community?
Dale Terrell said that planning a development of moderate-size homes in an area where gargantuan homes are not unusual has been a canny move.
"Empty nesters looking to downsize, but not necessarily move too far away from where they’ve been living, will be attracted to these homes,” he said.
Don Terrell said that they were banking on those three classic rules of real estate: location, location, location.
"Being close to golf courses is a big draw,” he said.
Published in The Oklahoman - June 20, 2009 TIM HALL
Longtime builders Dale Terrell and his son, Don, show the clubhouse at Kelly Lakes Estates in their latest development in north Edmond. PHOTO BY DAVID MCDANIEL, THE OKLAHOMAN
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