Why Houston Leads in Master-Planned Communities

HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – Houston’s master-planned communities continue to lead the national new-home market, with strong home building and robust sales driving their presence on national rankings. According to RCLCO Real Estate Consulting, 13 Houston communities ranked among the nation’s top 50 best-selling neighborhoods through midyear 2024.

Sitting at No. 3 on the national list, Sunterra in Katy — developed by Land Tejas and Starwood Land — recorded 774 home sales so far this year, making it one of the most active single communities in the country.

Builders across the market have responded to buyer sensitivity around mortgage costs by offering rate buy-downs and reducing some lot-size upgrades to keep base prices more competitive. Still, high mortgage rates, hovering near 7 percent, continue to exert downward pressure on overall market activity.

“Given current homebuilder sentiment and the pace of new home sales, it is clear that mortgage rates remain a critical factor influencing homebuyer decisions,” RCLCO noted in its report.

The Villages — Number One

At midyear 2024, The Villages — the large active-adult community near Orlando — led the nation with 1,515 home sales. Lakewood Ranch in the Sarasota area of Florida ranked second with 1,238 sales, the RCLCO report said.

Thirteen Houston MPCs in the Nation’s Top 50

RCLCO’s midyear 2024 rankings include the following Houston-area master-planned communities (national sales ranking and sales figures):

No. 3 — Sunterra (Katy), developed by Land Tejas and Starwood Land, sold 774 homes in the first half of 2024, a 16 percent increase compared with midyear 2023.

No. 8 — Bridgeland, developed by Howard Hughes Holdings, recorded 498 sales.

No. 15 — Tamarron (Katy), developed by D.R. Horton, posted 394 sales.

No. 18 — Tavola (New Caney), developed by Friendswood Development Company, reported 362 sales.

No. 21 — Breckenridge Forest (Spring), developed by D.R. Horton, had 336 sales.

No. 23 — Marvida (Cypress), developed by Land Tejas and Starwood Land, achieved 324 sales.

No. 26 — Sienna (Missouri City), with developers including Johnson Development, Toll Brothers, and GTIS, recorded 310 sales.

No. 27 — Meridiana (Rosharon), developed by Rise Communities, posted 302 sales.

No. 30 — Elyson (Katy), developed by Brookfield Properties, sold 274 homes.

No. 31 — Caldwell Ranch (Rosharon), developed by D.R. Horton, reported 272 sales.

No. 35 — Baytown Crossings (Baytown), developed by Friendswood Development Company, had 264 home sales.

No. 46 — Cross Creek Ranch (Fulshear), developed by Johnson Development, recorded 222 sales.

No. 49 — Jordan Ranch (Fulshear), also by Johnson Development, reported 211 sales.


July 31, 2024 — Realty News Report. Copyright 2024.

File: Houston is the Epicenter Master Planned Communities

Image: CALPix. Copyright 2024.

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File: Houston is the Epicenter of Master Planned Communities