The Texas economy, along with Houston, is expected to rebound quite nicely in 2010.

Job growth appears to be the driving trend of the Houston economy, due to its strong health care sector. And job growth always means a greater demand for housing and commercial properties.

Houston’s Positive Business Climate Impacting Commercial Real Estate Sales

Many investors are taking note of Houston’s positive business climate and healthy economy and are therefore keeping a close eye on commercial real estate. The resilient Texas economy is no doubt a strong factor for their interest.

Because most of the Texas markets never fell into the overbuilding net that many other areas of the country did, the housing boom and the subsequent housing bust simply ever took place.

As a result, Houston remains a huge draw for new businesses and new jobs. There is no doubt about it: Houston continues to attract people because of the available job opportunities.

Bringing an Equilibrium to the Market

Because overbuilding in Houston was avoided, the declining pace of new construction was replaced with leasing off vacant commercial properties, thereby bringing equilibrium to this market. In other words, the supply and demand factor has leveled off nicely.

For commercial investors interested in Houston real estate in 2010, they will likely see very low, bargain-priced properties. As a result, there are many commercial investors who have their sights set on Houston.

Larger financial institutions will likely finance more real estate transactions in Houston, thereby bringing back the new construction market. There is also expected to be a larger number of new construction jobs getting underway as a result of the release of the federal economic stimulus funds.

All of these factors are contributing to a very strong 2010 for Houston. Houston remains poised for growth in the upcoming year, and many investors and builders are sitting up and taking notice.

Houston has remained a force to be reckoned with regarding home sales but, as they say, all good things must come to an end. Case in point: Houston home sales. After boasting small declines over the last, few months, August home sales fell nearly 10 percent from just a year earlier. Nearly 5,060 homes were sold in August, according to the Houston Association of Realtors.

The Demise of the High-End Market

Because of this, most industry experts expect September sales to be down, as well. The segment expected to see the biggest decline in sales are homes priced $500,000 and above, in areas such as River Oaks. Although sales are brisk in this category, overall dollar volume is nearly half of what is was just a year earlier. Translation: home sellers are slashing the prices of their luxury homes in an effort to get them sold.

Another low point for higher-priced Houston homes is the difficulty in which many buyers have securing a mortgage. The availability of jumbo loans – those that exceed $417,000 – is now tougher than it has ever been, thereby leaving the high-end market just about as stagnant as it can be.

The new homebuyer tax credit has helped the lower-end market over the last, few months. As a result, the decline of home sales has increased slightly.

Home Prices Leveling Off

With all the doom and gloom of the real estate market in Houston, many industry professionals see signs of a leveling off, with home prices leveling off and, in some areas, gaining strength. A good indicator of this change is the fact that the median price for a home in Houston in August was $160,080, the fourth consecutive monthly increase.

Homes in foreclosure still made up about 16.7 percent of the homes sales in August, down from 34 percent over the better part of the year.

Katy is certainly a town poised on the verge of record-breaking new home developments in West Houston. In fact, this area is currently home to a handful of new developments and master planned communities which boast plenty of upscale, residential living. Just some of the new developments in Katy include:

• Cinco Ranch
• Wood Creek Reserve
• Grayson Lakes
• Firethorne
• Seven Meadows
• Grand Lakes

Highlight on the Avalon at Seven Meadows

A fine example of the communities of Katy is the Avalon at Seven Meadows, a gorgeous, golf course community which boasts properties with views of picturesque lakes and the Meadowbrooks Farms Golf Club, a Greg Norman designed championship golf course. In fact, 96 percent of homes in the Avalon at Seven Meadows will either have a lake or golf course view.

The gated community of Avalon at Seven Meadows also features quiet, private streets which wind throughout the area’s 860 acres. Other community features include a clubhouse, hiking and biking trails, a swimming pool, children’s playgrounds, picnic areas, tennis courts, 28 acres of lakes, a six-acre, central park and a sweeping greenbelt.

Residential Construction

The homes of Avalon at Seven Meadows all feature outstanding construction and include such design features as insulated interior walls, structurally engineered frames, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, double-pane, low-E windows, fully sodded lawns with sprinkler systems, cedar garage doors and programmable thermostats.

Interior Features

Homes within Avalon at Seven Meadows feature beautifully designed interiors. Just some of the features of the interiors within Avalon at Seven Meadows include direct-vent fireplaces, maple cabinets, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, walk-in pantries and oversized master suites with whirlpool tubs and his/her vanities.

Homes in Avalon at Seven Meadows typically feature four to five bedrooms, four to six bathrooms and 4,200 to 5,800 square feet. Home prices typically range between $850,000 and $975,000.

Known as the Northern gateway to Houston’s metro area, Conroe is a dynamic town that was, not too long ago, known for its wooded lands and open prairies. As the county seat of Montgomery County, Conroe is a town poised for substantial growth; yet all the while maintaining its quiet, small-town feel.

Residential Real Estate Sector

From its revitalized downtown area to its substantial growth in the commercial sector, Conroe is a community to watch, as real estate can only soar upward as impressive growth begins to take hold.

As of June 2009, the average price per square foot for a residential home in Conroe was $75, an increase of almost 38 percent from just three months earlier. The median sales price for a home as of June 2009 was $100,000 and the average listing price was $280,758.

The historic town square of Conroe, coupled with its many downtown attractions, such as the Conroe Symphony Orchestra, Lampros Gallery and Wilson’s Performing Arts, has encouraged residential development. The result: an influx of new, residential home developments, which have attracted a wide array of homeowners. Conroe, in addition to its new home communities, also boasts some pretty impressive ranch estates near Lake Conroe.

The Perks of Living in and Visiting Conroe

Conroe is conveniently situated just 40 miles north of Houston, and is a popular weekend getaway for many Houstonians. It is home to a nice variety of resorts, such as the La Torretta Del Lago Resort. Just some of the activities enjoyed in Conroe include live theater and entertainment, golfing, dining at one of the many upscale restaurants and nightclubs, museums and, of course, partaking in the fun and excitement along Lake Conroe.

In fact, the 22,000-acre Lake Conroe is a prime spot at which to fish, swim, canoe and kayak.

Combined with a low cost of living and low taxes and it’s easy to see why so many Houstonians have flocked to Conroe to get in on a piece of the suburban pie.