Montgomery County is indeed growing like gangbusters. With
inventory at an all-time low, the new home construction industry is enjoying
work like it hasn’t seen since before the mortgage crisis began in 2008.
Further, it is a great benefit to know that the homes that are being built all
around Houston are largely in accordance to well-conceived and well-executed
community planning. In fact, the best in the nation. The end result will be a
system of neighborhoods that will grow neatly together in a lovely orchestration
of communities, infrastructure, commerce, recreation and nature.
The Woodlands of Montgomery County has been a standard
setter in the universe of master-planned communities, and it has lived up to
the vision first set by George P. Mitchell when he first began development in
the late 70’s. The objective was to create a township where nature is supported
and preserved and where people could live. The population now being well over
100,000 living among those groves of trees, the plan has worked. But
development of The Woodlands is nearing its end, with no more room to grow. Yet
businesses and families are relocating to Montgomery Texas in droves right now,
and homes are in demand. The new up-and-coming development, Woodforest, is on
the rise, and all indications show that Woodforest will be every bit as well
planned as The Woodlands.
Urban real estate advisory research firm RCLCO are annually
tasked to assess and rank master-planned communities, and in 2012 Woodforest rose
high in the ranks. Nationally, The Woodlands still takes the #3 spot on this
list, just behind The Villages in Florida and Irvine Ranch in Orange County,
Florida. Interestingly, Houston-area developments made 8 of the top 20
developments nationally, and newcomer Woodforest is among them in spot #19.
Woodforest is planned for 5,500
residences over 3,000 acres, with 700 acres being reserved as open space
dedicated to hike and bike trails, parks and playgrounds. Schools, commerce,
and worship sites are also part of the plan, along with an impressive aquatics
and tennis center. The golf course has been open for a while. The Steve
Elkington-designed 27-hole course has been rated a top 10 course by Texas Golf
Digest. There are several home builders developing Woodforest currently, D.R.Horton,
Village Builders, and Perry Homes being among them. Woodforest is also a great
location to consider building a custom home. Many lots are for sale for custom
building. Elk Trace Golf Estates and Elk Trace Reserve are both dedicated as
custom home neighborhoods.
With so many families relocating
here, as a real estate broker it is a wonderful pleasure to have so many new
and well-planned developments and communities to show to home buyers.
