Best Master-Planned Neighborhoods Under 5000 Homes (Houston, Sugar Land: apartments, HOA, good schools)

[Mr. Football]

We see a lot about the huge master planned communities in Houston, but there are also a excellent large-size master-planned communities throughout the Houston area (in every direction). What are some of your favorites and why?

Here are some of mine...

Longwood (Cypress 77429) - Heavily wooded 27-hole golf course community with 2 parks, 2 pools, tennis courts, gazebo, stocked pond, great schools, jogging trails, hiking, Cypress Creek, nice grocery, retail, and restaurants nearby. Easy access to 249 (The Vintage) and 290. Great demographics. Low taxes, around 2.7% (2.4% with the CFISD exemption). Around 1500 homes. Random cool facts: There are bald eagles, beavers, deer, fox, and even an alligator residing in the community.

Coles Crossing (Cypress 77429) - Wooded, 2 pools, parks, trails, tennis courts, weight room, soccer fields, several stocked ponds, great schools, nice grocery, retail, and restaurants nearby. Easy access to 249 (The Vintage) and 290. Great demographics. Low taxes, around 2.7% (2.4% with the CFISD exemption). Around 2500 homes.

Feel free to add to the list. Would like to hear more about (Gleannloch, Windrose, Fairfield, Towne Lake, Champion Forest etc.). Please only list areas with good schools K-12.

[TXbywayof]

Great post. I'm curious as well as to what else is out there. Any small enclave "boutique" neighborhoods? All the ones you mentioned are nice neighborhoods although I've never been to Windrose.

I think the term MPC is often used very loosely. I consider The Woodlands to be the gold standard for a MPC with shopping within each village along with parks, recreation, office parks, medical, entertainment, etc.

[OnMyWayto30a]

Towne Lake and Cypress Lakes should be in the mix as well.

[westhou]

I grew up in Fairfield and Cole's Crossing. Both were excellent communities. The commute into town is horrible but no worse than The Woodlands, Cinco Ranch, or Sugar Land. The only downside to Cypress is that you don't have a centralized town square like The Woodlands or Sugar Land. I guess for some that could be a positive.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by westhou

I grew up in Fairfield and Cole's Crossing. Both were excellent communities. The commute into town is horrible but no worse than The Woodlands, Cinco Ranch, or Sugar Land. The only downside to Cypress is that you don't have a centralized town square like The Woodlands or Sugar Land. I guess for some that could be a positive.

Towne Lake has land reserved for a town center at the north end of the development. And Bridgeland will someday do some sort of town center (same developer as The Woodlands).

[Sollaces]

Cinco Ranch by Newland Communities. This is the 'original' Cinco Ranch which is on either side of SH 99 in Katy. I lived there for five years and I can say the HOA is managed by those living within the community. When a broken sprinkler is reported, they are on it. None of this phone in stuff and reroute to the right community and checking maps because your HOA manages 10 areas.


They have the gold course, the pools, the lakes, the shopping, and stores. Now KatyISD is expensive and taxes are high. But the area is safe and while it's planned so it doesn't flood, that still something to always check. Also note that Katy ISD always gets their bond issues passed (probably all those families wanting the best for their kids). Yes, taxes do go up.


I've also lived in Cinco SW which was also started by Newland Communities. It was taken over by a outside HOA management company. They aren't as strict as the old Cinco and while that's okay, it's also frustrating. Shopping has expanded as this area has taken off (Cinco SW started 10 years ago). 1093 is expanding, the toll roads are in. . . The downside to this area is the many apartments going in along 1093 and those going in along SH 99 south of 1093. More families, more stress on the schools and more traffic. More votes for all those bond issues = more taxes.

[Johnhw2]

I thought cinco ranch was started by American general. The land was bought in about 1983 same year friendswood bought Fairfield land.

Clear lake was an early MPC by friendswood development when Exxon owned them not lennar. Kingwood was an early MPC rival of The Woodlands. The think first colony is an early high quality MPC

[Failed Engineer]

I'm not sure what constitutes a Master Planned Community, but HAR has a list on its website.

Master Planned Communities - HAR.com

I doubt there is a way to filter the list by number of homes or size.