These neighborhoods are among the 10 ‘hottest’ in the Houston area
July 31, 2024
While it's no surprise that Houston, famed for its urban sprawl, has a thriving suburban development scene, the real estate market's turbulence in recent years has accelerated the flight to places further from the city's urban core.
What's driving the trend? Elevated home prices: The Houston Realtors Association reports that home prices in the area averaged roughly $432,090 last month.
With affordability being top of mind, many homebuyers are now looking for homes in Porter/New Caney West, Brookshire, Lake Jackson, Chambers County East, Waller, Tomball Southwest, League City, Alvin South, and Conroe Northeast, per a new report released by HAR.
"As home prices continue to rise more buyers are looking to the suburbs for a better value," said HAR Chair Thomas Mouston with 21 Century Exclusive Properties. "These communities offer a blend of affordability, modern amenities, and customizable options."
These areas report home prices hovering way below the Houston home price average, resulting in a surge of sales in many of these communities. Porter/New Caney West in Montgomery County had the most number of sales, surging 140.5 percent compared to the same period in 2023. Home prices in the area average $290,456, a price that's virtually almost unheard of inside of Houston city limits.
Brookshire, a Waller County community 40 miles west of Houston, reported transactions climbing 105.6 percent year over year, with home prices in the area averaging $326,768. The trend continued in other outer suburbs largely outside city limits, like Chambers County East, 50 miles east of Houston, where houses are selling for an average of $300,013, with sales in the subdivision rising 40 percent. The only subdivision experiencing growth near the city is Medical Center South, where home prices are hovering at $234,598.
Home prices continue to get less and less affordable across the country compared to historical averages in 99 percent of counties around the nation, according to real estate data company ATTOM. Although a mortgage rate cut is expected by the end of the year, high interest rates are making it more expensive than ever to make the jump into homeownership.