A recurring theme among Bossier business leaders is that Bossier is growing and one of those areas seeing growth is rooftops popping up all over the parish.

That’s why the November edition of Like a Boss is sitting down with local developer Matt Locke, owner of Locke Homes.

Sean Green, host, and publisher of NWLA’s only business publication BIZ., asks Matt why he decided to come to Bossier, specifically Benton, with his new development – Lost River Estates.

Matt revealed that he singled out Benton for the development because the area’s business-friendly attitude shows they want to develop their communities.

“Bossier is growing. I drove from Haughton to south Bossier to north Bossier and came across this property and it’s just beautiful. I worked with the Bossier Parish Police Jury and the mayor of Benton and they’ve been wonderful. Any time we’ve had an issue come up, it’s not, ‘How are you going to fix it?’ instead it’s, ‘How are we going to fix it.’”

Matt and his dad developed nearly 4,000 homes across multiple neighborhoods in Shreveport, but he chose Benton to continue Locke Homes’ success because of the quality of life. He said Bossier still has the feel of a small town community.

“it gives you that country lifestyle, but at the same time you’ve got great schools and you’re only a few minutes from Bossier City. It gives you the feel of community.”

He pointed out Bossier Schools recently improving their overall district rating to an “A” grade, saying, “As a home developer, to have that is such a feather in the cap when it comes to selling a community.”

Lost River Estates specializes in Patio and Custom Homes — these feature single-story homes with 1,800 to 2,500 sq. ft. of space, 3 bedrooms, and 2 bathrooms — on property that has rolling hills and a 4-acre lake. The unique feature about patio homes is that maintenance is take care of, which frees up time for owners.

“A patio home gives you a carefree lifestyle. We maintain the front yards, flowerbeds, and exterior maintenance. We give a nice sized rear yard for you if you have a green thumb or want space, but you’re not bound by having to do yard work.

“These days, we’ve found that people cherish their free time. Instead of staying home and working in the yard, they want to go out and do things.”

With 30-plus years of experience, the second generation home builder worked his way up from mowing lawns to the business office to eventually running it. But why does he do this day-in-and-day-out? He said it’s because he has a sense of reward when he crafts a neighborhood and it builds a community for the residents.

“I do what I do because I like creating a home for someone. Particularly first time home buyers — when they come in and realize their dream of home ownership, and you see something that is going to be a part of their family — it gives you a sense of pride.”