New home communities in Houston are affordable, the homes energy efficient, and the communities beautifully designed with many amenities such as community pools and greenbelts. New homes can be purchased from the low $100s on up, and most are an exceptional value. Houston is a rapidly growing city, and one that is looked upon in admiration by millions around the world.

Chateau Woods, an LGI Homes' community in North Houston featuring affordable, quality-built new homes.

Chateau Woods: Chateau Woods, from LGI Homes, is a reasonably-priced community that offers an outstanding lifestyle. The community is a close-knit one, and is considered the best of Montgomery County living. Homes within the Chateau Woods community are stylish and offer some of the best values in Houston.

The community is considered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity thanks to its ideal location—close to the big city, yet offering a serene and peaceful lifestyle. Homes are built on oversized lots and residents enjoy walking trails that wrap throughout the neighborhood. Homebuyers and investors can expect to pay from the low $100s to the high $100s for a new home in Chateau Woods.

Bayou Oaks at West Orem: Bayou Oaks at West Orem is another fine Houston new home community which is gated, offering its residents peace of mind. Bayou Oaks at West Orem can be found just off of Highway 288, and it offers convenient access to everything Houston has to offer. The homes in the community are stylish, the community charming and it is situated close to many highlights of the city, such as the vibrant downtown and Houston Galleria. Homes in the community begin in the $100Ks.

Rancho Verde: Rancho Verde is a charming community that is wonderful for young families and is considered a good investment. The community offers areas for the children that include parks and a community playground. Children and adults will both enjoy the community swimming pool and Rancho Verde’s community center. Residents of the community can take advantage of nearby shopping, dining and entertainment. Children will attend school within the Channelview Independent School District. Rancho Verde offers stylish homes that start from just under $100K.

With a new home in Dallas, Texas under $200k, your mortgage payment would cost less than your rent.

Dallas has some of the most outstanding Texas new homes, which offer an above-average lifestyle rich in community amenities and involvement, all at exceptional prices.

Deer Creek: Deer Creek is an exceptional community that offers some of the finest and best-priced homes available in Fort Worth, Texas, all from noted builder LGI Homes. The community is family-oriented, and offers a peaceful escape from the city, with the luxury of all the city has to offer just minutes away. The community is spacious, with homes built on oversized lots. Residents enjoy wonderful community amenities that include a neighborhood playground and a residents-only pool.

Each home built by LGI Homes features thousands of dollars worth of upgrades, like rounded corners, brushed nickel hardware and fixtures, vaulted ceilings and custom built cabinets. LGI Homes features five floor plans at Deer Creek, including the Rio Grande, which is a three bedroom, two bath, single family home that features 1,130 sq. ft. of living space, and starts at just $117,900. The home includes a utility room, dining room, family room, large walk-in closet in the master and a master walk-in shower and garden tub. All homes in the community also feature quality appliances that include a refrigerator and front yard landscaping, a fully-fenced backyard, and a generous homeowner’s warranty.

Falcons Lair: Falcons Lair features homes priced from $157,000 to $217,000, all of which are built by Standard Pacific Homes. The community is master-planned, and is located just minutes from Mesquite Municipal Golf Course, Mesquite Rodeo, and two city parks. Residents enjoy two lush greenbelts. Families with children will enjoy the Mesquite Independent School District which is known for its quality education.

Standard Pacific Homes offers eleven floor plans in the neighborhood. Their Hamilton plan is a three bedroom, two and a half bath, two car garage home, that features 2,902 sq. ft. of living space. The home features a game room, study, family room and dining areas.

Paloma Creek: Paloma Creek is another outstanding community that offers affordable homes and a quality lifestyle. Ashton Woods is the builder and they offer new homes from $130,000 to $211,000. The community is conveniently located just east of Denton on Highway 380 and is in close proximity to entertainment, shopping and dining. Ashton Woods offers 15 new home floor plans which include their Dover plan, a four bedroom, two and a half bath, two story single family home with 2,984 sq. ft. and priced from $179,990. The home features an upstairs game room, a master suite with large walk-in closets and a separate family room.

This outdoor patio features a firepit built around the existing pool.
Image source: sonoranlandesign.com

Fire pits and water features are the trending upgrades to outdoors this season. More and more homeowners are redesigning their patios with year-round comfort in mind. Here a few improvements to make your patio a favorite.

1. Fire pits and fireplaces are very popular now, as temperatures get cooler, for their ambiance and warmth in the evenings. Installing a pre-fabricated version of an outdoor fireplace or barbecue will save you the expensive of having one built. Some kits only require a couple of hours for installation for outdoor ovens and stone-look fireplaces.
2. A grill is a must-have for your space. A custom-built version is nice, but you can save money with a portable barbecue that you can find at a store for as low as $100 (if you opt for a charcoal grill) or as high as $4,000 for a high-end gas grill.
3. Houston’s evenings are certainly nice enough to enjoy eating and entertaining outdoors. You’ll need more than a table and chairs to seat everyone, so you might consider adding benches or even an outdoor living room set. Be sure that whatever you choose is durable enough to withstand the elements.
4. Choosing low-maintenance landscaping such as native plants that require minimal watering, is a good idea so that you need not spend the bulk of your free time working in your yard as opposed to enjoying it. You can avoid the need to seal your patio floor by choosing pavers, which will save you time and money, For a deck, composite boards never require painting.
5. Adding an awning to provide shade so that you can enjoy your space even in the warmest of days in the summer. You may consider putting up a pergola or planting leafy trees to shade you outdoor room from the sun.
6. Enclosing your new favorite room with a fence will make the spot feel more comfortable; just be sure not to make your wall so high that it blocks the beautiful view from your favorite easy chair.

See also:
Great Homes for Sale in Houston
The Housing Collapse has Affected Appraisals
Is Now the Time to Buy a New Home? Yes!

Sterling Lakes is a new home community by LGI Homes located in the Houston suburb of Pearland.

Maybe the gain can be attributed to the city’s low cost of living or maybe it is because Houston is a major energy capital, home to many oil and gas companies. Everything is bigger in Texas including big businesses! In fact, Houston is second only to the Big Apple for the number of Fortune 500 companies headquartered within their city limits. The city is also the site of the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world, and Johnson Space Center, NASA’s principal control and training center for manned spaceflight.

While moving to Houston comes as an easy decision for many people, selecting the right neighborhood into which to move to can be a hard decision. If you are a recent graduate or a young and upcoming professional you might consider West University Place, located just 15 minutes from downtown Houston. This is also a great place to move to if you are in the healthcare field, as this community is situated just one short mile from the Texas Medical Center. It’s also very close to Rice University.

For a young urbanite that craves to be in the center of the action, consider Eastwood. This Houston neighborhood is filled with bungalows, Craftsman, and Mission-style architectural homes perfect for the young professional, whether single or with a young family. Located just three miles from the skyscrapers of downtown and the Theater District, this urban oasis is a hop and a skip from all the entertainment Houston has to offer. A new line of Houston’s Metro Rail connecting Eastwood to downtown will be complete in 2012, making this area even more convenient and “user-friendly.” Best of all, houses in Eastwood cost 50 percent less than comparable ones in Montrose or the Heights.

If you are married with a family you may want to purchase a home in The Woodlands. This planned community is located just 27 miles north of Houston. The neighborhood has upscale malls, large business parks, corporate campuses, an outdoor music pavilion, hotels, a convention center, and a hospital. And if you want to leave behind the hustle and bustle of the city, The Woodlands boasts 6,000 acres of protected green space; the commercial districts are completely separated from the residential areas to help protect the rural feel. There are also 200 miles of walking and bike paths, and 125 large and small parks.

So, if you are looking at the many homes for sale in Houston, Texas rejoice in this fact: whatever you want, whatever you need, Houston has the right neighborhood for you.

Cheldan Homes' Bonds Ranch

Bonds Ranch is a new housing subdivision built by Cheldan Homes, which is located in Fort Worth, Texas. Bonds Ranch boasts unique home designs, professionally selected with specific options to match specific home plans. The available homes located in Bonds Ranch start in the upper $180s and range in size from four bedrooms with two baths and 2,008 square feet of living space, to three bedrooms with two baths and 2,134 square feet of living space. To learn more about either of these available homes, contact Anne Carrancejie at 817-350-3351.

Standard Pacific Homes' Saratoga

Saratoga is a Fort Worth, Texas new home community provided by Standard Pacific Homes. Saratoga offers home shopper the opportunity to select from fifteen different home plans, ensuring that buyers are able to locate the perfect home. Saratoga is a master-planned community that features rolling hills, green belts, and easily accessible public parks. New homes in Saratoga start in the low 200s and the homes range in size from three bedrooms with two baths, to four bedrooms with three baths. Speak with a sales representative at 817-562-4751 to learn more.

Mercedes Homes' Woodland Estates

Woodland Estates is a new home community built by Mercedes Homes and located just southeast of Fort Worth in Mansfield, Texas. Woodland Estates offers residents a quiet and peaceful atmosphere due to the exclusive surrounding and secluded home sites. Each of the home sites in Woodland Estates is on a quarter-acre lot and enclosed with mature trees and foliage. This highly desirable community is conveniently located near to shopping centers, restaurants, and entertainment venues. For more information about Woodland Estates, call 877-649-8722.