Hey Neighbor! 👋

Hope you're having a great week! Whether you're dodging the cold 🥶, planning spring break, or just trying to figure out if now is the right time to make a move, we've got you covered.

 In this issue:

• 📊 Texas Has the 2nd Least Competitive Housing Market? 👀

• 🏡 New Richmond Development Breaks Ground

• 🏗️ Homebuilder Confidence Drops 

Let’s get into it.

Danielle Kim, Publisher Hello From Houston & Realtor.

Texas Is Becoming the Least Competitive Housing Market.

It’s about dang time—honestly, this should have happened years ago. Instead of prices dropping when rates soared, builders kept raising base prices, limiting inventory, and using incentives to keep buyers hooked. Meanwhile, most homeowners were locked into 3% mortgage rates and had no reason to sell. The result? A stagnant, inflated market.

Now, things are shifting. Sellers are realizing they can’t hold out forever, homes are sitting longer (52 days on average), and price cuts are happening. But buyer demand? Still weak. Builders are dealing with pending tariffs, labor shortages, and plummeting confidence.

This shift isn’t as simple as “prices are falling.” Builders are controlling inventory and keeping prices high. read article here

I break down where the cracks are forming and what buyers & sellers need to know in my latest video. Watch here.

Builder Confidence Hits 5-Month Low—Here’s What They’re Not Telling You

I’ve been saying this since November—builders are hitting the panic button. Yesterday’s report confirmed it: builder confidence just dropped to a five-month low. Tariffs, rising costs, and weaker buyer demand are piling on pressure, and I think it’s worse than the stats suggest.

Builders aren’t just worried about material costs and labor shortages—they’re quietly holding inventory off the market. Walk through any master-planned community, ask for their available homes list, then take a drive. You’ll see completed homes with ‘Available’ signs that aren’t publicly listed. Why? Because flooding the market would force prices down even further.

For sellers, this shift could be a silver lining—resale homes may start looking more attractive as builders struggle. But for buyers, be smart. The deals are out there, but don’t get tricked by incentives masking inflated prices.

🚨 I covered this in my latest video—watch here to see what buyers should keep in mind. Click here to watch.

Austin Point: The Suburb Model That Might Actually Work

I’m not sponsored—I just find suburban development fascinating. Houston (and Texas in general) has been the blueprint for master-planned communities (MPCs), and for good reason: they work when done right. But they also need to evolve.

Gone are the days when tract homes, walking trails, and a resort-style pool were enough. Lifestyles have changed—more people live alone, families start later, and work environments are shifting. People want space and land, but they also want convenience.

MPCs that embrace town centers, “eatertainment” districts, and diverse home styles—the kind you’d normally find in an urban setting—will win.

There aren’t many MPCs I fully get behind, but if I were buying something new, Austin Point has potential. A wine bar, café, food truck court, event lawn, no cul-de-sacs, and real walkability make it one to watch.

First phase just broke ground—if you're in the market this spring, read more about it here.

Briarley: A Different Kind of Master-Planned Community?

Finally—a luxury new development. For years, builders have focused on affordability, cranking out high-density, low-value tract homes. But Johnson Development is doing something different with Briarley, a small-scale master-planned community in Montgomery County, one of the fastest-growing areas north of Houston.

The first phase includes 286 homes on larger 60-, 70-, and 80-foot lots, priced from $400K to $700K. With onsite lakes, more space, and proximity to Lake Conroe, it’s designed for move-up buyers wanting land without sacrificing amenities.

Johnson Development has built some of Houston’s top communities—this could be another one to watch.

Sales start this spring—read more here.

Sugar Land Bets $50M on Revitalizing Imperial Historic District

Sugar Land is taking a big swing at redevelopment, committing $50 million to buy the Imperial Historic District. The site has sat in limbo for 22 years, with multiple failed projects—including a $1 billion mixed-use plan that collapsed in 2023. Now, the city is stepping in, hoping to preserve the historic Char House and finally find a developer who can make it work.

No property tax dollars will be used—funding comes from sales tax revenue—but is this the right move, or just another stalled attempt?

City Council votes soon—read more here. 

How Texas’ School Voucher Bill Could Impact Homeowners

The Texas House is set to vote on SB2, a school voucher bill that could shake up public education funding and real estate trends. If passed, the bill would give families $10,000 per student for private school tuition, using public tax dollars.

For homeowners, this could go two ways. More school choices might make certain areas more desirable, boosting property values. But here’s the catch—public schools get about $6,100 per student, meaning vouchers would take nearly double that amount from the system. If schools lose funding, district quality and home values could take a hit.

It’s also worth watching how this plays out in rural areas, where private schools are scarce. Would these homeowners pay the price without the same benefits?

The debate is far from over, and this one could have a real impact beyond the classroom.

Read more here. 

Thanks!

Thanks for reading Hello from Houston today! If you found something useful, send it to the friend who’s still convinced they can perfectly time the market.

💡 Who am I? I’m Danielle, a Houston suburb-based realtor who keeps up with builder incentives, market shifts, and new developments so my clients don’t have to. Need insight or just want to vent about home prices? I’m here—just reply