Houston luxury subdivisions are easy to come by, as Houston features a myriad of fantastic communities in which to call home. However, there are a few that not only meet the bar when it comes to excellent, luxury living in Houston, but they set the bar. Builder.com recently compiled a list of the best Houston luxury subdivisions, which also happen to the best in terms of sales.

Cinco Ranch is the place to go if you want to find fantastic Houston luxury subdivisions. This Newland Community, which is located just outside of Houston, was named number-one in terms of sales, with 887 total net home sales, followed by the highly sought-after Woodlands, which ended up with 633 net sales for 2009.

In fact, according to Builder’s list, four Houston communities fell into the top 10 list of best-selling communities in the country. Three of the communities in Houston featured in the top 10 are located along Houston’s energy corridor, which shows a shift in trends regarding where Houston residents want to reside. Builder.com says: “There is a trend reemerging of people wanting to move back closer to jobs and services, rather than choosing exurban bedroom communities that are devoid of these elements.”

Another reasons Builder shows for the Houston communities on the list is the quality factor. Many builders now recognize that buyers are looking for master-planned developments and quality homes, and many of the Houston luxury subdivisions fit this bill nicely. In fact, if you want to find quality homes, Houston is the place to be.

Here is where Houston communities fell in Builder’s Top Ten List:

• Cinco Ranch – Newland Communities (Total net sales in 2009: 887)
• The Woodlands – The Woodlands Development Corporation (Total net sales in 2009: 633)
• Telfair – Newland Communities (Total net sales in 2009: 450)
• Sienna Plantation – The Johnson Development Corporation (Total net sales in 2009: 280)

Other communities in the nation to land in Builder’s Top-Ten Best-Selling Communities list include: two communities in Las Vegas, two communities in Phoenix, one community in Salt Lake City and one community in Tucson.

The number of new housing permits has slowly increased over the last, several months, indicating a possible bounce back of the new home industry in Houston.

Although new home permits are just one indicator of a rebounding market, they are nonetheless a positive sign in an otherwise struggling industry.

Some industry analysts equate the boost in new home permits to the $8,000 new homebuyer tax credit, which is coming to an end in just a couple months. If this is the case, however, then the industry may experience a drop-off once the tax credit expires.

As of August, Houston builders received 2,428 permits for single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums, which is an increase of 7.5 percent from a year earlier.

This is good news for Houston builders who, for the better part of the year, have had to cut their production schedules as credit was harder to come by and buyer demand fell off.

Make no doubt about it; the market is still a strong buyer’s market, and new home developers are offering plenty of concessions and upgrades for those buyers willing to take the leap into building a home.

Numbers are expected to remain better than last year, however, when the hurricane and the financial crisis caused a swift drop-off in new home sales. However, the lack of jobs may play a large part in the overall picture of the new home industry this year. In fact, Houston lost 95,100 jobs just between August 2008 and August 2009, putting a strain on an already-strained economy.

If you are in the market to build or purchase a new Montrose home, consider that there are many buyer incentives and price reductions to be had. Combine that with low interest rates and the new homebuyer tax credit and you may just be in the perfect position to purchase your first Montrose property.