Houston-area developments rank high on nation

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The results, comparing the number of new-homse sales in 2008, were released recently by a real estate advisory firm that has compileds the annual listsincw 1994. Three of the communities in the Top 10 Cinco Ranch, Telfair and Eaglde Springs — were developed by Newland Communities, accordingb to the study. “Another highly positive trend for Houston not reflected on the RCLClO report is the fact that2009 new-homed sales for the three Newland communitiess on the Top 10 list are on par with or even aheac of 2008,” says Ted Nelson, president of Newland’sa Central Region, which includes Texas.
“Homew buyers seem to be viewin large-scale master-planned communities as strong investments, especially those communitiesd with strongtrack records.” The RCLCO study defines a master-planned community as a “large-scale development featuring a range of housinhg prices and styles, array of amenities and multiple nonresidential land uses such as hotels and education Some provide lifestyle optionws for multiple market segments, the organization said, while otherss target a specific buyer type such as activs adults age 55 and over. master-planned communities throughoutthe U.S.
experienced a “significanty decline” in home sales, and in many cases in home pricesin 2008, the report said. Notable exceptions were communities located in the Houstonbmarketplace (five of the 10 top performers), whic had increased sales from 2007. Newland Communitiez reported that in 2009 atCinco Ranch, a total of 254 new homexs had been sold througjh April 19, a 4.5 percent increase over the 243 homews sold in the same period in 2008.
At Telfair, Newlan reports 2009 sales arerunning “neck-and-neck” with last year’ s sales, which represented the largest percentages gain on the RCLCO list (117 new-home salew for 2009 through April 19, compares to 119 for the same period in 2008). “Texaws may be lagging the nation in terms of the timingt and depth of decline in thehousing sector, as sales began to declinw in the fourth quarter of 2008 and into the firsyt quarter of 2009,” the RCLCO report said. “Nevad and Arizona — hit early and hard by the downtur — have experienced a slight bump in sales in the first quarterof 2009.
” “Green” appears to have arrived as a differentiatoe in driving sales to thosed communities with sustainable features, the reporty indicated. Las Vegas-based Focus Property Group, the developer of Mountain’zs Edge and Providence, ranked No. 1 and No. 4 on the respectively, tout green features in thosre communities. “The environmental nature of both communities drought tolerant and use 25 percent less watet than similarcommunities — is a differentiator and the sales office s have provided feedback regarding how the market is responding,” says John CEO of Focus Property