This correlates with results in the state of Texas as a whole. Texas has weathered the national housing industry crisis remarkably well compared to other areas of the country. The chief economist for Moody’s Economy.com, Mark Zandi, attributes this real estate stability to Texas’s lack of participation in the original housing bubble; because homes were never overvalued, prices never fell precipitously as they did in other regions of the country. Additionally, Texas has a vibrant economy that has been resilient during the national recession. Zandi noted, “Texas has the best large-state economy in the country right now.” This robust economic situation has prevented the widespread unemployment endemic throughout much of the rest of the country, and has protected home prices from sudden losses; College Station and Brownsville homes, for instance, gained in value over the past year.

Austin’s real estate market, in particular, has benefited from the multitude of employment opportunities in the area, especially in the government and education sectors. Additionally, the home building industry has responded to recent financial shifts in a prompt and appropriate manner, preventing large unsold inventories from accumulating and further driving down prices.

The First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit and it’s expansion on November 5th, 2009 have also been instrumental in shoring up the struggling real estate market. Many economic experts and members of Congress believe that the housing industry crisis will be shortened and its ill effects lessened with the extension of the first time home buyer credit and the expansion to move-up buyers and buyers with higher incomes. The entire economy will benefit from increased employment in the housing sector; additionally, more families would be able to afford their own homes. Experts warned that removing this stimulus too soon will have immediate negative effects on the rebounding housing market and create a chilling effect on the still-fragile economic recovery. While the Texas real estate market remains insulated from the worst effects of the recession, it was essential that the government continued this valuable stimulus in order to ensure that Texas’s housing stability remains in place.

If you’re looking for a new home in Houston, you’ve found a great resource to help you along the way. Below is a list of Houston home builders with information about their homes and communities. Most of the builders on the list offer both affordable and luxury homes with homes from the $90s to over $1 million.

Visit each home builder’s website to learn more about them, their building practices, community locations, available homes and financing options.

Lennar – In Houston, Lennar offers more than forty new home communities with Houston homes starting from the low $100s.

Perry Homes – In Houston, Perry Homes has more than fifty new home communities with new homes starting from the mid $100s.

Pulte Homes – In Houston, there are 13 Pulte home communities with new homes starting from the $130s.

Ashton Woods Homes – Ashton Woods has 18 new home communities in Houston with new homes for sale starting from the low $100s.

Meritage Homes – In the Houston area of Texas, Meritage Homes has more than 50 new home communities available with new homes starting from the low $100s.

LGI Homes – In Houston, LGI Homes has two single-family new home communities with new homes starting in the low $100s.

ZK Homes – ZK Homes is a luxury home builder with 3 new home subdivisions located in and around the Houston area; new ZK Homes start from the high $300s.

Beazer Homes – In the Houston area, Beazer Homes offers buyers 25 new home communities to choose from with homes starting in the $90s.

David Weekley Homes – In Houston, David Weekley Homes has 39 subdivisions with homes starting in the low $100s.

Trendmaker Homes – Trendmaker Homes has 28 neighborhoods with new houses starting from the $250s.

Ryland Homes – Ryland Homes has 28 single-family and town home communities in the Houston area of Texas with homes starting from the low $100s.

D.R. Horton Homes – In and around Houston, Texas, D.R. Horton Homes offers more than 50 subdivisions with new homes starting from the low $100s.

Mercedes Homes – Mercedes Homes currently has 5 new home communities in the Houston area; three of the communities are in closeout. Mercedes Homes in Houston start in the high $100s.

David Powers Homes – Throughout the Houston area of Texas, David Powers Homes has 20 neighborhoods with new homes starting from the $160s.

Taylor Morrison Homes – In the Houston, Texas area, Taylor Morrison Homes has new homes for sale in 22 communities; these homes start in the $110s.

If you know of a home builder in Houston that is not on the list, leave their name and URL in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by New Homes Section during your search for housing information.

See Also:

The University of Houston

www.VisitHoustonTexas.com

Houston City Data

Houston Statistics – Home Values

helicopter ride over Lake Travis

The Reserve on Lake Travis is the most recent development with waterfront home sites on the lake.  The Reserve is around 45-60 minutes west of downtown Austin depending on time of day and weather conditions.  Home sites range from the $300,000s to $3 million for an 11 acre waterfront parcel.  The one acre waterfront sites are going for the mid $700,000s and up.  The amenities will be very nice.  I went to the grand opening last year and The Reserve looks like it will be a very nice community. The only thing there at the time was the covered pavilion by Lake Travis.

Update as of now:  the roads are 70% complete. They will be paving the last two cul-de-sacs in the next 45 days. The swim center is well underway. They Lazy river is getting poured today and they’re on tract to finish everything by the end of the year.  The Equestrian Center arena is complete and they have broken ground on the barn. The barn should be finished in the first quarter 2010.  The developer, Hal Jones, has moved into his home and lives there full time. Red McCombs’ house is about 75% complete. We have 4 custom homes starting construction in the next 3-4 months. Two of those four will start in the next 60 days. There have been 18 homesites sold so far.  There are several deals in the works and the developer is anticipating those going to contract very soon.

By the way, the photo is from a helicopter tour I took while at the grand opening.

Questions about The Reserve or other Lake Travis real estate?  Call me at 512-29392422.

Tax Credits

A coalition of real estate organizations including the National Association of Realtors, the Mortgage Bankers Association, and the National Association of Home Builders have joined forces in urging the federal government to continue the current First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit. The three industry organizations sent a joint letter to the tax credit to the Secretaries of the Treasury and Housing and Urban Development along with the White House in hopes of seeing the tax credit continued for an additional twelve-month period; it is currently set to expire November 30, 2009. The tax credit is credited with creating over 350,000 home sales nationwide, bolstering the beleaguered housing industry and providing employment for builders in Texas and nationwide.

This follows on the heels of an appearance by David Crowe, Chief Economist of the National Association of Home Builders, before the Senate Banking Committee. Crowe indicated that the tax credit has been a boon to the home building industry, providing employment and lessening the impact of the recent housing market slump. He urged Congress to extend the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit and expand it to include all buyers of a principal residence. According to Crowe, it is estimated that expanding and extending the tax credit for an additional year would spur over 380,000 home purchases and add around 350,000 new jobs to the economy.

The National Association of Home Builders is also encouraging the relaxing of overly restrictive lending regulations that are stifling the ability of home buyers to finance new mortgages; these regulations contribute to artificially lowered appraisal amounts due to foreclosure homes being included in the figures for comparable properties. This has hit new home construction especially hard, since it essentially compares properties in a state of neglect and disrepair with newly built homes in immaculate condition. Crowe urged the Federal Housing Administration to rethink their policies on these appraisals, and to take into consideration the difference between distressed properties and new homes and ensure that appraisals reflect this significant difference.

Home builders and buyers alike would benefit from the expansion and extension of the tax credit and a reassessment of the current property appraisal process. By supporting the housing sector, these changes could offer a boost to the economy throughout Texas. It’s essential for Texas builders and prospective home buyers to contact their federal representatives in order to push for these important changes and ensure the continued recovery of the home building industry.

Scott Felder Homes – In the Austin area of Texas, Scott Felder Homes has 12 new home communities with new homes from the high $100s to the high $700s.

Origin Homes, Inc – 9 Communities Homes from the $100s to the $700s.

Drees Homes – Drees Homes has 12 new home communities in the Austin area of Texas with Austin homes starting from the $230s to the low $900s.

Wilshire Homes – 10 Austin communities with new homes from the $200s to the $500s.

Gehan Homes – Texas home builder with 13 Austin subdivisions with new homes from the $130s to the $280s.

Pulte Homes – 3 communities in Austin with new homes from the $150s to the $370s.

Toll Brothers – 3 luxury home communities with new homes priced from the mid 200s to the high $600s.

Standard Pacific Homes – 10 Austin area subdivisions with new homes from the $160s to the high $300s.

Streetman Homes – 6 single-family luxury home communities with new homes from the low $200s to the $700s.

Highland Homes – 10 Austin area subdivision with new homes from the low $200s to the high $500s.

KB Homes – 17 Austin area developments with new homes starting from the high $80s to the mid $400s.

DR Horton Homes – Over 30 new home communities in the Austin area of Texas with new homes from the low $100s to the high $300s.

Perry Homes – 6 neighborhoods in Austin with new homes priced from the low $200s to the high $600s.

Ryland Homes – 11 new home communities in Austin with homes for sale from the $100s.

Mercedes Homes – 10 new home communities in and around Austin, new homes from the $210s to the $460s.

Custom Home Builders in Austin, Texas

Lamar Homes – Custom home builder with available inventory homes and lots.

Sterling Custom Homes – Luxury custom home builder in Austin with available homes and lots.

Greenbelt Homes – Certified green home builder in Austin building energy efficient custom homes.

Jenkins Custom Homes – Custom home builder in Austin, Texas with available homes and lots.

Laurel Haven Homes – Austin, Texas custom home builder with custom homes and lots in inventory.

Wilde Custom Homes – Wilde Custom Homes builds new homes in the Austin.

Nalle Custom Homes – Custom home builder in the Austin area of Texas with homes and custom lots available.

Master’s Touch Custom Homes – Custom home builder in the Austin area of Texas with custom lots available for immediate move-in.

Austin, Texas

Carriage Hills is a planned community located in the greater Austin, Texas area with a variety of home designs and floor plans to choose from. These homes offer affordable suburban living with prices ranging from $113,000 to $157,000. The community features playgrounds along with beautiful scenery and views. The community is conveniently located close to Hwy 290 and I-35, giving residents easy access to shopping and recreation, Manor Downs, and Walter E. Long Lake. The Carriage Hills community is located in the Manor Independent School District.

Carriage Hills offers home plans with 3-5 bedrooms, two ten-star home models with all of the amenities, and each plan offers a 2 car garage. Square footage in these homes ranges between 1,374 square feet and just under 2,800 square feet, depending on the floor plan and model that is chosen. The community is actually located in Manor, Texas, but offers convenient and easy access to Austin and all the city amenities that residents could need. This is one of many planned home communities in the Austin area, but is one of the more affordable choices for suburban living with urban convenience.

See more:
Austin Home Builders
Manor, Texas Information
Greater Manor Chamber of Commerce

Photo Credit: Darling Homes

Chapel Creek provides rustic elegance and luxury for anyone seeking a north Texas home in a planned community. New homes in Chapel Creek start in the $900s; these homes feature many amenities such as gourmet kitchens, large garages, huge floor plans, and home sites up to one-acre in size. There are plenty of creeks, trees, and nature surrounding the community, which is sure to offer serenity and relaxation. The community is located in Frisco, Texas, and is part of the Frisco Independent School District.

When you expect the best and are willing to pay for it, Chapel Creek can provide what you have been looking for. This community is located just north of Dallas and is a short drive from shopping, entertainment, recreation, and more via I-35 and many other major highways within just a few miles. With the comfort and peace of the great outdoors in your backyard, combined with the convenience of the city life just a short drive away, there is plenty to love about this planned community that caters to exquisite tastes.

See Also:
City of Frisco Website
Frisco Chamber of Commerce

Creekside Park at the Woodlands is situated in the Woodlands School District, offering many elementary schools and the Woodlands High School. This luxury home community features six different home models to choose from, ranging in size from 3200 square feet on up to just over 4000 square feet. The price range for this elite community is between $460,000 and $526,000 depending on the floor plan and model that is selected. Each home offers 4 bedrooms, 3-4.5 baths, and a master suite with all of the amenities. A small town in and of itself, the Woodlands offers great community activities, recreational facilities, parks, playgrounds, and plenty of entertainment and shopping for all residents to enjoy.

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The Austonian in downtown Austin

Austin has seen a number of high-rise condo towers go up over the last several years.  Some projects have been postponed and some have been stopped due to the economic downturn.  The Austonian is one that has just topped out.  The Austonian will be Austin’s tallest building and will stand 56 stories tall.  The downtown Austin condo tower is said to be the the tallest residential building outside of Chicago, Miami and New York City, standing 683 feet tall.  Condos will range in size from 1221 square feet on the lower floors to over 8000 square feet higher up.  Prices were initially set to range from around $600,000 to around $8 million.  The project is supposed to be completed sometime next year.

Amenities include the 55th floor Austonian Club and a fitness center on the 56th floor with a 360 degree view of Austin.  Amenities will also include 24 hour valet service for Austonian residents and their guests, 24 hour concierge services, a media room that can be reserved from a touch screen in each unit and a massage room.  The 10th floor will feature a 12,000 foot outdoor area with a pool, spa, outdoor kitchens and fireplaces and a secured dog park.

Champions Park - San Antonio New Home Community

Homes in Champions Park, located in San Antonio, TX, range from $105,490 to $164,490 and feature all the amenities of luxurious country living with convenient access to highways and short drives to the city. The community is located in the Medina Independent School District, and is about 20 minutes from the Downtown Riverwalk area. The community features a soccer field, park, and playground area within the neighborhood, as well as easy access to other recreation and entertainment outside of the community.

Homes in Champions Park offer one and two-story floor plans, with between 2 and 4 bedrooms each, as well as a 2 car garage. There is one model that features 2,850 square feet, five bedrooms, and is classified as a ten-star home. This home is priced at the top of the price range, while the rest fall below it. The homes are located in West San Antonio, giving homeowners the peace and tranquility of a rural setting with convenient access to all of the amenities and entertainment of city life. Champions Park is the perfect setting for families seeking affordable planned community living with all the amenities of the city nearby.

See more:
Medina IDA Videos
Meritage Homes’ Communities in San Antonio
Meritage Homes’ Design Studio