The following article was featured in Lancaster Newspaper's Lancaster Distinctive Properties:

Home Towne Square is a charming neighborhood of pretty Arts and Crafts-style homes with welcoming front porches and picket fences. But it’s also much more.

It’s a lifestyle choice for those who want to spend less time on home maintenance and more time doing the things they love to do.

The 55-plus Ephrata community by Landmark Homes is designed to make it easy for you to “lock and go” whenever you please at any time of year, with no worries about snow removal in the winter or mowing and mulching in the spring and summer.

Home Towne Square’s convenient location just off Route 322 offers easy access to points beyond, such as New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, as well as many amenities right in Lancaster County.

But for those who want an active lifestyle, there’s plenty to enjoy without ever leaving this friendly village-style neighborhood.

The picturesque streetscape includes a gazebo and a network of biking/walking trails and pocket parks. There’s also an outdoor swimming pool for the warmer months.

The private community clubhouse, or Towne Hall, features fitness equipment, a library, kitchen and plenty of space for all the social activities of the neighborhood, from parties to group meetings.

In addition to many homeowner-organized clubs and events, Home Towne Square now also has a full-time activities coordinator, Laura Leonard, whose goal is to make the community a fun and vibrant place to live.

“I help facilitate activities and events to foster a greater sense of community and camaraderie,” Leonard says. “Just a few of the events added to the 2019 social calendar include yoga classes and Purposeful Lunch, a ladies luncheon with a charitable purpose.”

Leonard also plans informative events, such as a heart seminar, right-sizing your home, AAA European travel and a volunteer fair.

Home Towne Square offers 11 one- and two-story floor plans, ranging in size from about 1,800 square feet to just under 3,200 square feet, so it’s easy to find the right size home to fit your wants and needs. All homes feature first-floor owner’s suites.

You can custom build your home, or you can start enjoying the Home Towne Square lifestyle sooner by taking advantage of several quick move-in homes currently available.

The one-story Winston, at 427 Declaration Ave., Ephrata, features designer details throughout, including 10-foot ceilings; stylish vinyl plank flooring; a study with coffered ceiling; an open kitchen with granite countertops, tile backsplash and attractive cabinetry; and a gas fireplace in the living room with stone surround and shiplap above the mantel.

The owner’s suite includes a tray ceiling, spacious closet, and private bath with tile shower and double-bowl vanity with cultured marble top. The home also has a two-car garage with a mudroom entry that includes built-in lockers. At 1,941 square feet, the Winston is priced at $367,900.

The one-story Plymouth, at 306 Declaration Ave., Ephrata, features hardwood flooring in the living room, dining room and kitchen, as well as lofty 10-foot ceilings. The kitchen includes quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances. A sunny dining area offers sliding-door access to a backyard patio. The home also has a spacious living room featuring a gas fireplace with brick surround and shiplap above the mantel, and an owner’s suite with expansive closet and a private bath with tile shower and double-bowl vanity. There is also a two-car garage. At 2,077 square feet, the Plymouth is priced at $404,900.

The one-and-a-half-story James, at 422 Liberty St., Ephrata, includes a finished bonus room on the second level. The home also features vinyl plank flooring on much of the first floor; a study with coffered ceiling; and an owner’s suite with elegant tray ceiling, oversized closet and private bath with tile shower and double-bowl vanity. The kitchen – with raised breakfast bar, granite countertops and tile backsplash – opens to a living room with cozy gas fireplace and a dining area with access to a backyard patio.

The home also has a two-car rear-entry garage. At 2,189 square feet, the James is priced at $377,900.

All three homes are available to tour.

A fourth home, the Edinburgh at 509 Constitution Drive, Ephrata, is currently under construction and scheduled for completion at the end of April. The one-and-a-half-story home will include a two-car garage, a bonus room on the second floor, a living room with gas fireplace, a study with coffered ceiling, a kitchen with large island and quartz countertops, and an owner’s suite with oversized closet and private bath. At just over 3,000 square feet, the Edinburgh is priced at $498,800.

To tour Home Towne Square and its available homes, visit the community sales office from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday, or 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. The model home will be open today from 1 to 3 p.m.

Home Towne Square is located in the Ephrata School District. Homes include gas heat and public water and sewer.

Directions from Lancaster: Take Route 222 North to the Brownstown/Rothsville exit, then follow Route 272 North for 4 miles. Turn right onto the Route 322 West ramp and follow Route 322 for 1.6 miles. Turn right on Hackman Road, then left into the community.