A Clever Plan

Julie Keithley, Clever’s city clerk, expects the town to more than double its 600 homes within the next five years, adding 700 to 800 houses in that time frame.

Kings Gate, a 65-acre residential subdivision in Clever being developed by Brad King, will hold 148 of those new homes.

King, who has been a residential builder for three years, purchased the property in October 2004.

“It’s right at the corner of (Highway) 14 and P Highway,” King said. “The new (high) school’s going to be right across the street, right on 14.”

He declined to share the purchase price.

King owns King Built Properties LLC, which he established in December 2003. Jeremy Lofton became his partner two months ago.

King’s father, Mike King, is an investor and silent partner in King Built Development LLC, which was formed in September 2004. “We wanted to branch the business off and diversify and rather than just be residential, we wanted to have two branches,” Brad King said.

His plans for Kings Gate involve residential and commercial development. Infrastructure for Phase I of Kings Gate is under construction with an estimated completion date in March.

Construction of the development’s 148 houses, expected to take up to two years, will then begin, King said. The subdivision will have a park area, a lake with fountains and a walking trail.

King, who grew up in Clever and now lives in Ozark, also plans five commercial lots across the front of the development, each a little more than an acre.

“We’ve been talking to several different businesses on coming in,” he said, adding that no deals have been sealed. “We’d love to see a grocery store, a pharmacy, possibly a sandwich shop. Small businesses.”

City Clerk Keithley anticipates the residential growth will fuel business growth.

“Right now we don’t have a lot of commercial here. I expect within the next two or three years, we’ll have quite a bit of commercial going on,” she said.

Home prices in Kings Gate will range from $130,000 to $200,000.

“It’s a couple steps up for out there in Clever,” King said, adding that the typical home will have three bedrooms, two baths and a three-car garage.

“The lots range anywhere from 85 to 90 feet wide by 140 to 160 feet deep. They’re a pretty good size,” he said.

King plans to build energy-efficient homes. “A lot of people right now, because of the rise in gas prices and heating and air conditioning costs, they’re wanting high-efficient homes to save on their monthly bills. I’m trying to focus on that as far as windows and insulation are concerned. That’s been a focus, green building, but not to the extent of the green code, but just having an awareness of a high-efficient home.”

On average, King said, he builds 10 to 20 homes a year, though that will go up as soon as home construction starts in Kings Gate. “I build homes anywhere between $175,000 up to the $450,000 range,” he said, adding that this is his first subdivision. Ninety percent of the homes he builds are custom homes, and he has built in Ozark, Nixa, Highlandville and Morrisville.

The city of Clever is ready for new residents. “It’s close to Springfield and Nixa, but it’s not right smack-dab in the middle of them,” Keithley said. “I think it’s convenient to Springfield and other places that people go to on a regular basis, but they don’t want to live right in the middle of.”

King’s wife, Lindsey King, a Realtor with Murney Associates’ Ozark office, will market Kings Gate.

[[In-content Ad]]