Houston's real estate market is witnessing a suburban surge with developers and homebuyers setting their sights beyond the city limits. The Kingwood area, about 30 miles from downtown Houston, is the latest to catch the eye of investors like High Street Residential, a familiar name in central Houston's housing scene. In their pivot to the suburbs, High Street, in partnership with Daiwa House Group, has opened the Residences at Kingwood and started work on the Reserve at West Lake, according to a report by the Houston Chronicle.
High Street Residential's suburban ventures include 289 units at the just-opened Residences at Kingwood and a dual development next door, the Reserve at West Lake, that's planning for 109 townhomes and 72 apartments. These projects are betting on the area's growing population and are High Street's first suburban initiatives, complementing their 43-story Parkside Residences downtown, and a new 12-story project in Upper Kirby. The Lake Houston/Kingwood area is blossoming with roughly 700 new apartment units already mid-construction, as the nearby Atascosita community saw a whopping 34% population increase over the past decade, as the Chronicle elaborates.
Meanwhile, the broader Houston suburbs are competing with the city's urban core for attention. Over 100,000 homes were sold throughout the region in 2023, and while the city contributed its fair share, suburbs like Fulshear, Cypress, and Katy experienced an explosion in sales. A standout example, Cypress soared to the top of the "Hottest Zip Codes" list, attributed to its family-friendly atmosphere and ease of access to Houston, based on reports by the Houston Partnership. Cypress exemplifies this growth with Bridgeland, nearly 12,000-acre master-planned community, driving the suburb's 47.8% jump in transactions year-over-year.
Distinct from its peers, Kingwood, affectionately termed Houston's "livable forest," is notching up kudos for its small-town vibe and hospitality by landing the title of second friendliest American neighborhood. All Star Home praised Kingwood for the 18.75 percent of business reviews highlighting its friendliness. Evidently, allure is more than skin deep in this sprawling suburb, which has also been tapped as the most popular neighborhood in the Houston area, with houses grabbing upwards of 12,000 Zillow views daily, as the Partnership unpacks.
The shift towards suburban living is more than a mere change of scenery—it's a testament to Houston's capacity to house those seeking the sweet spot between the urban hustle and spacious, family-friendly environments. As developers like High Street Residential continue to invest, these thriving Houston suburbs are demonstrating the sheer breadth of liveability and economic possibility shaping the region.
