405 House & Home


Quail Creek 4th of July Parade 2011 by simonshingleton

If you are looking for something for the whole family, come out and take part in this annual tradition.  All the kids and grown-ups alike gather by 9:00 in the parking lot of the Quail Creek Golf & Country Club parking lot for judging of decorations and costumes.  The parade takes off at 9:30 and heads south to Quail Creek Park where refreshments, live music and loads of fun will be waiting.

See all the details here:  www.Facebook.com/QuailCreekHOA

Hope to see you there!



Oktoberfest Concert in Quail Creek Park this Sunday by simonshingleton

All residents of Quail Creek are invited to the 2nd Annual Oktoberfest

When: Sunday, September 26th

Where: Quail Creek Park

Time: 4:00 – 6:00

Drinks and brats will be provided.  Bring your lawnchairs and blankets to sit back and relax.  Enjoy the a free concert with Bohemian Knights.

The weather looksgreat, so come out and enjoy getting to know your neighbors at the FREE Event sponsored by the Quail Creek Homeowners Association.

Brought to you By:

We’ll be there, stop by and say hi.




10900 Maple Grove, www.QuailCreekOKC.com Open Sunday 2:00 to 4:00 by simonshingleton

As a resident and newly elected board member to the Quail Creek Homeowners Association,  I couldn’t be more proud to help find the new owner for this home.  With sponsored events like the 4th of July Parade, Holiday Sleigh Rides and private neighborhood security Quail Creek is a great place to call home, and I think you’ll agree.  I can honestly say I love living in the area, the neighbors are friendly and represent a wide age range.  Kids still play in the streets and adults are out exercising or gardening.  It’s easy to feel the sense of community and pride here.  The board of the homeowners association work tirelessly as a team to keep up the top-notch reputation Quail Creek has earned over the years.  Recent projects include new entrances and landscaping throughout the addition.  You can find out more about the neighborhood and becoming a voluntary member of the association at www.QuailCreek.org

10900 Maple Grove is conveniently located on a corner lot off May & Hefner in South Quail withing walking distance to Quail Creek Park.  Open Sunday from 2:00 to 4:00.

One of the most charming and warm homes I’ve seen.  The custom paint and trim work with gleaming wood floors, and updated kitchen are just the beginning of the long list of things you’ll fall in love with in this home.

Feature List

2765 Sq. Ft. MOL

5 Bed

2.5 Bath

2 living

2  dining

Craft Room

Dual Zone A/C

Updated fixtures, knobs & pulls

Ample Storage

New Vinyl Low E Double Pane windows on north side

New Roof July 2010

Solid surface countertops

Corner Lot with rear facing garage

Huge back yard, mature trees, well-maintained landscape

5 large bedrooms + craft/play room,  2 living, 2 Dining & loads of storage.  Updated Kitchen w/ custom paint & trim throughout this charming & cherry home boasting hardwood floor, plush carpet, new vinyl low E windows across north side w/ new roof ’10.  Corner lot with mature trees provides shade & privacy & a huge backyard. The spa-like master bath is a show stopper! In sought after Quail Creek priced at $248,000

Sit back, relax and watch the virtual tour here:

10900 Maple Grove

Call me to set up a private showing of this home or any others in the Quail Creek area, 405.633.3611



Quail Creek 4th of July Parade, err 3rd of July Parade by simonshingleton

We can’t wait to for this Saturday’s annual Quail Creek Parade.  Last year was the first year to participate and Jude took 1st place in the stroller division, granted he might have been the only one in the category,  but as a dad I was still pretty proud.  Our experience last year was just one of the many reasons we are so happy to be part of Quail Creek and also why I chose to become more involved.  A couple of months ago I got a call that I had been nominated by John Beaty a fellow neighbor who helped get our sprinkler system in the island in our cul-de-sac fixed.  John is a great guy and his can-do attitude.  As a sidenote John owns a business called Aqualine, sprinkler irrigation and repair.  I have him out to diagnose and fix some major issues with our system just today.  If you are looking for an honest company with a proven track record, I can personally vouch for John.

Anyway, back the call I got a couple of months back.  I had been volunteering my time with Quail Creek Commandos, we do a voluntary patrol of the neighborhood during the day to fill in the time that the Securitas Guards are off duty.  Another great benefit of being a member of the Quail  Creek Home Owners Association, while out-of-town the Securitas guards will do a nightly drive-by of your house inspecting the backyard and even offering to pick up you paper while away, talk about having a watchful eye on your place while away.  It gives me great peace of mind being a resident of the neighborhood.  The voicemail I received said I had been nominated to become the newest board member the Quail Creek Homeowners Association.  I was flattered and a little surprised!  Of the couple of meetings I have attended I am honored to represent the neighborhood and join with the others who strive to keep Quail Creek the great place it has always been.

We can’t wait to see you there!


If you are a resident of Quail Creek and would like to stay up to date on all news, happenings, and safety tips, please sign up for our Constant Contact Email List.  Rest assured you will not be bombarded with sales pitches, unwanted spam, and your information will be kept confidential.  And if you would like to join the Quail Creek Homeowners Association and enjoy all the other benefits we have to offer, please send me a message and I will be glad to answer any questions you may have.  Your nominal investment which includes a tax-deductible donation will help us to continue to provide the services and activities we all enjoy.



Quail Creek OKC Beautiful Trash Clean Up Day by simonshingleton

Quail Creek Home Owners Association

April 10, 2010

Quail Creek – OKC Beautiful Trash Clean Up Day

Quail Creek Residents,

Calling all volunteers! The Quail Creek Homeowners Association will be partnering with OKC Beautiful on Saturday, April 24, 2010 for a “Trash Clean Up Day”. We will meet in the Quail Creek Country Club east parking lot at 9:30 a.m. We hope that you will join us!

Volunteers should wear light/bright clothing, long sleeves and long pants, bring your own work gloves, eye protection, hat, pick stick, and small rake. We will be working at the corner of 122nd and May which is a very high traffic area; therefore, children under the age of 18 will not be allowed to participate in the Clean Up.

Donuts, water, gloves, and trash bags will be available for the volunteers. There will be assigned areas to be covered by each person and the clean up project takes about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Last year we collected over 30 bags of trash before noon! Let’s see if we can double that number this year and help make Quail Creek a more beautiful place to live!

This year we are currently working on a monthly project to clean up the area and we just need some volunteers like you to join in our efforts to improve the Quail Creek area.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Landscape Chairman, Mr. Scott Georgi, at (405) 755-7566. We look forward to seeing you April 24, 2010!

Quail Creek Homeowners Association Board

If you haven’t already, please consider joining the Quail Creek Homeowners Association.  You can fill out the information online and use Paypal to make the payment of dues.  At just under $23 per month, think of the all the great things you love about living in this neighborhood and how your investment will continue to keep all those great things in motion!

Click Here to make your annual dues payment or become a member



21 Burglar Tactics- How to protect your home & family by simonshingleton

The following was taken from an email sent through the Quail Creek Homeowners Association.  Good information for anyone to consider when trying to secure your home against a break-in.  If you are a resident of Quail Creek and would like to be added to the email list of useful information, click here to sign up.

Twenty One Things Your Burglar Won’t Tell You:

1.  Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste … and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it.

5. If it snows while you’re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.

6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don’t let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it’s set. That makes it too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom-and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.

8. It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door-understandable. But understand this: I don’t take a day off because of bad weather.

9. I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don’t take me up on it.)

10. Do you really think I won’t look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Helpful hint: I almost never go into kids’ rooms.

12. You’re right: I won’t have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you’re reluctant to leave your TV on while you’re out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at faketv.com.)

14. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.

15. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.

16. I’ll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he’ll stop what he’s doing and wait to hear it again. If he doesn’t hear it again, he’ll just go back to what he was doing. It’s human nature.

17. I’m not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?

18. I love looking in your windows. I’m looking for signs that you’re home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I’d like. I’ll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.

19. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It’s easier than you think to look up your address.

20. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it’s an invitation.

21. If you don’t answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.
Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina, Oregon, California,  Kentucky, security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs crimedoctor.com; and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job.

Protection for you and your home:

If you don’t have a gun, here’s a more humane way to wreck someone’s evil plans for you.

Wasp Spray

When asked by a concerned person about using pepper spray, the local police department recommended that she get a can of wasp spray instead.

The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to twenty feet away and is more accurate, while with the pepper spray, they have to get too close and could overpower you.  The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote.
Wasp And Hornet Spray

On the heels of a break in and beating in Toledo, self defense experts have a tip that could save your life.
A teacher in the art of self-defense has told his students for decades to keep a can of wasp and hornet spray near their door or bed.  “This is better than anything I can teach them.”  It is inexpensive, easy to find, and more effective than mace or pepper spray.  The cans typically shoot 20 to 30 feet; so if someone tries to break into your home, “spray the culprit in the eyes”.

“That’s going to give you a chance to call the police; maybe get out.”  Maybe even save your life.  Please share this with all the people in your life.



Quail Creek Sleigh Rides- Reserve your spot today by simonshingleton
November 29, 2009, 5:33 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , ,

(taken from email sent to all Quail Creek HOA members)
The annual Quail Creek Christmas sleigh ride will be on Thursday, December 17th from 6 pm to 9 pm. The ride starts at the Quail Creek Golf and Country Club. Hot chocolate and cookies will be served by the Club to all riders.

To make a reservation for the sleigh ride, please call the homeowner’s office at 751-5661 and leave a message. Your message should include your name, phone number and the number of adults and children. The rides leave every half hour and if you specify your preferred time we will try to schedule you at that time.

The cost for members of the QC Homeowner’s Association is $7.50 for adults and $5.00 for children. Rides for non-members of the Association are $10.00 for adults and $7.50 for children. Payment for the rides is required in advance of the event.

Come join the fun.



Wrap-up from Quail Creek HOA Annual Meeting by simonshingleton

After attending my first meeting for the Quail Creek Homeowners Association and I can now say that I know that the very minimal .75 cents per day it costs to be a member is well worth it.  The board is quite organized and passionate about their purpose of promoting and enhancing the quality of life, safety, and property values in our community!

Captain Billy Walls from the Hefner Division of the Oklahoma City Police Department was happy to report that because of the HOA involvement, Quail Creek has the lowest crime rate of any neighborhood in his entire district.  Members of the board along with Captain Walls cited the three major actions that would invite burglary or mischief are:

  1. Leaving the garage door open overnight
  2. Forgetting to set the alarms on our homes
  3. Not calling the police when we see something suspicious (assuming someone else will do something about it)

Try to be mindful of these things and make friends with your neighbors to keep a watchful eye out for each-other.  An added benefit to being a member of the HOA is that Securitas, our roving security guards, will, at the request of the homeowner conduct a daily checkup on your home while you are on vacation.

The Quail Creek Golf & Country Club is no doubt the greatest asset our neighborhood has to offer and club manager, Bob Philbrook, talked about the renovations to the pool, which will include a 150 water slide, the only one of it’s kind anywhere in OKC, which will be ready for summer 2010.  The club is also offering a rather generous discount on social memberships for Members of the HOA

There are multiple ways to get involved, I encourage you to check out Quail Creek’s Website through my website to find even more information about our community.



Homeowners Association Adds Value by simonshingleton
November 10, 2009, 8:30 am
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , ,

As homeowners we are all concerned with what for most is the largest investment we will ever make.  In the most recent economic times we’ve all been a little more concerned with the value of our homes and are more acutely aware of the areas around us.  A well-run Homeowners Association can help to promote increased values by maintaining the standards set for the neighborhood as well as promoting safety and encouraging community.

I thought I would take this time to explain a bit more about the workings of a typical HOA and their importance to creating a community that protects the values and safety for each and every homeowner in a subdivision.  In my previous position with a residential developer I would get to talk to lots of folks who said they didn’t want anything to do with an HOA because of the horror stories they had heard from others about how many rules there were to follow.

While the HOA does take over control of the enforcement of the restrictive covenants for any addition, the original rules for building, fencing, setbacks, parking, types of pets allowed, and many other uses are determined by the approved local zoning ordinance as well as the developer. Sometimes called deed restrictions or declaration of restrictive covenants, each owner who purchases property in a given addition is agreeing to abide by the rules from day one the date they take ownership of the property.  The HOA is also responsible for the security, maintenance of the entryways, and neighborhood planned events.  In Quail Creek, the two major events put on every year are the 4th of July Parade, and Santa’s Sleigh Rides.  Both are great events that bring out lots of families the join in the community spirit.

The dues that are assessed to each owner go directly to pay for the expenses the neighborhood incurs including landscaping and mowing of entryways, irrigation, power for street lighting, pool and clubhouse maintenance, and even private roads (should you live in a gated subdivision).  Quail Creek even provides security patrols through the neighborhood to keep a stronger presence of a watchful eye.

Our association is voluntary because it was created after many of the homes were already built in the addition and there was no way to legally require those already here to participate.  Nowadays, any subdivision developed in the Oklahoma City Limits is required to have  Homeowners Association established and membership is mandatory for all owners within in the subdivision.

Tonight is the Quail Creek Homeowners Association’s annual meeting and election of officers.  It is being held at 7 p.m. at the Quail Creek Country Club in Oklahoma City where members who have paid dues to  join for the upcoming year to be part of this voluntary homeowners association will vote the 2010 Board into office.




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