Katy

Since its establishment in the 1990s, Cinco Ranch has been a big name in Katy. This highly desirable planned community is packed with diverse homes and many amenities. Cinco Ranch is large enough that after an initial batch of homes was built in the 1990s, a new set of homes were added in the 2000s and 2010s. “Cinco Ranch was started in the east and then kept building west, sort of Manifest Destiny, if you will,” says Charlie Russo, a Broker Associate with Re/Max Signature. Southwest Cinco Ranch has all the access to the amenities in central Cinco Ranch and maintains its own parks, luxury pools and clubhouse that is always bustling with community activities. Combined with some of Houston’s best-rated schools and easy access to Houston’s most booming industries, Southwest Cinco West has been a premier location to live, work and play for decades. Students can attend the Katy Independent School District, which Niche named the best school district in the Houston area. Some schools in the district include Bonnie Holland Elementary School, Seven Lakes Junior High School and Seven Lakes High School, which all have a Niche grade of A-plus. The Texas Education Agency has been named Seven Lakes High School a top-performing school for 18 years. Southwest Cinco Ranch is about 9 miles from both Houston Community College Katy Campus and the University of Houston-Victory at Katy. Southwest Cinco Ranch is zoned to the Cinco Ranch II Homeowners Association, and this section of the community maintains tennis and pickleball courts, a lakeside clubhouse and four pools and water parks. “On the Southwest side, there’s more of waterpark type of features, which you don’t have in old Cinco because it wasn’t popular at the time it was built,” says Susan Hutson, a Realtor with CB&A Realtors and a Cinco Ranch resident of nearly 30 years. Southwest Cinco also has a dozen small neighborhood parks, and houses of worship like Trinity Baptist Church Katy on Spring Green Boulevard are located alongside these parks. Meadowbrook Farms Golf Club, one of Katy’s many popular private courses, is conveniently located in the Seven Meadows section of Southwest Cinco Ranch. The club on Meadowbrook Farms Club Drive offers a par-72 course built into native wetlands and prairies. Southpark at Cinco Ranch on Spring Green Boulevard is one of the most convenient local shopping centers and offers a Kroger within walking distance of Southwest Cinco Ranch. Further down the Westpark Tollway is Cross Creek Ranch, a larger shopping complex with a Walmart, clothing shops and several restaurants. Dulcédo Coffee Shop is one popular community gathering spot in Cross Creek Ranch. The shop serves up fresh cappuccinos and Italian sodas along with croissant sandwiches and bread pudding à la mode. The shopping complex also has a location for Local Table, a Houston chain that combines Southern favorites like fried chicken and short ribs with Mediterranean selections like gyros and kabobs. As one of the more recent additions to Cinco Ranch, the Southwest area mainly has homes built in the 2000s and 2010s, which were constructed with Houston’s climate in mind. “A lot of people like older, established homes, but in older Cinco, many houses flooded during Harvey,” Hutson says. “The houses are built higher in Southwest, and most houses did not flood here, so there’s a definite difference.” Contemporary properties sport brick and stone exteriors and are surrounded by manicured yards decorated with mature trees, native shrubs and well-kept gardens. One of these homes cost between $500,000 to $800,000 on average. A luxury Southwest Cinco Ranch property may look like a Mediterranean-style mansion with multilevel terraces and scenic backyard lake views, or it might look like a spacious ranch home with up to two acres of land. Regardless of style, a luxury price tag in Southwest Cinco Ranch ranges from $1 million to $3 million. Southwest Cinco Ranch has a CAP Index Crime Score of 2, below the national average score of 4. There are almost no easily accessible public transit options in Southwest Cinco Ranch, so most locals opt to drive throughout the community and into neighboring metros. Southwest Cinco Ranch is located along Westpark Tollway, and the Grand Parkway is along the eastern side of Cinco Ranch. The Grand Parkway connects to Interstate 10. These three highways provide routes to the Energy Corridor in Houston and the medical industry in Sugar Land, which are both within 20 miles of Southwest Cinco Ranch.

Scenic views make way for a calm and comfortable vibe in Falcon Landing. With lakefront living taking center stage, newer homes are making appearances throughout the area and showing that classic and contemporary can come together to create community.<br><br>Stately established homes surrounded by sprawling manicured lawns set the scene for living in Falcon Landing. Flourishing oak trees accent the yards, providing a taste of shade from the sun. Gated communities flaunt lake views, while the homes all over make a statement.<br><br>Traditional homes are the most prevalent, displaying inviting entryways accented with tall columns wrapping the home’s front patio. Contemporary brick homes are also popular, offering a modern take on classic designs. Given the varying sizes and styles, these homes tend to range from as low as the $300,000s to as high as the $900,000s. In the area known as The Sunterra, new builds are popping up featuring covered porches and back patios, priced in the $300,000s. Expansive multigenerational estates can also be found on acreage lots decorated with mature oaks offering guest houses/mother-in-law suites and private sports courts and fitness centers, ranging in price from $ 1.2 million to $2.8 million.<br><br>As part of the Katy Independent School District, students can attend Edna Mae Fielder Elementary School and Cinco Ranch Junior High School in preparation for Cinco Ranch High School. A National Blue Ribbon School, Cinco Ranch High is home to several state championships in track and field, wrestling, cheerleading, debate and robotics; Cinco Ranch holds an overall Niche grade of A-plus. The junior high school and Fielder Elementary both have an A.<br><br>Established for passive use, Willow Fork Park boasts 32 acres of land for residents to use as they see fit. The park also offers playgrounds for children, disc golf areas, boardwalks, a pedestrian bridge and free WiFi for public use. Officially registered as a Monarch Waystation by Monarch Watch, the park also houses a butterfly garden. Covering 44 acres, Nottingham Country Greenbelt Park is an excellent place for casual exercise with its 2 miles of trails and endless open greenspace. <br><br>Nearby, ALDI and Houston staple H-E-B are both available for your grocery run or to grab necessities for the home. If you’re not in the mood to cook, take the family to Local Table, where brunch, drinks and dessert are on the menu. Vegan options are also available. At Black Walnut Café, enjoy a variety of pasta, burgers and southern-inspired meals. The café now also offers a brand new cocktail menu.<br><br>A country club that’s a home away from home, The Club at Falcon Point affords members some highly desired relaxation when needed. Deemed a premier golf destination in Katy, The Club features an 18-hole championship course with a fantastic layout that creates an enjoyable experience for any player. Falcon Point also offers lighted tennis courts, state-of-the-art fitness centers and two pools — an Olympic-sized one for adults and a smaller one for children — that help beat the Houston heat. <br><br>Enjoy life’s comforts living in Falcon Landing.

Grand Oaks begins its story with street names like Hidden Oaks Drive and Sleeping Bear Way. This master-planned community in Katy boasts a pool, walking trails and several ponds that accentuate its natural surroundings. Bear Creek, spelled initially "Behr" in homage to German immigrants in the early 19th century, flows through the community. A sought-after suburb in Katy's rapidly growing landscape, Grand Oaks is positioned 25 miles northwest of the city, within reach of major highways, outdoor recreation and well-regarded schools. “Grand Oaks is like a Houston-Katy mashup, it’s kind of in-between the areas,” says Jared Greenberg, a Realtor with Keller Williams Premier who was born and raised in Katy. “It’s a regular old neighborhood, but that’s the appeal. You’re in a good school district, and property taxes are lower than a master-planned community would have.” Designed around community spaces, Grand Oaks features a pool and recreation center connected by cul-de-sacs and sidewalks illuminated by streetlights. The prevalent house style is Neo-traditional, characterized by fenced backyards, attached two-car garages, arched entryways and brick and stone masonry. Trees cast soothing shade over homes, complemented by large picture windows that embrace the Texas sunlight. Construction spans from the early 2000s to the mid-2010s, with a small portion erected after 2021. Home prices vary, with the oldest homes selling between $250,000 and $300,000, while the more contemporary properties selling for $350,000 to nearly $500,000. “There’s a new section and it’s in a convenient location,” Greenberg says. “Hopefully prices stabilize in the next few years, but still, low property taxes are what you need to consider.” The Grand Oaks Homeowner Association oversees the neighborhood, fostering community meetings to address concerns and updates. Grand Oaks falls under the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, recognized as one of the top districts for Harris County. Offering Career & Technical Education programs and a College Academy, the district provides opportunities for students to earn an associate degree by graduation. According to Niche, Wilson Elementary is graded with an A-minus, and Thornton Middle and Cypress Lakes High have a B-plus. The high school's sports offerings include water polo, volleyball, football and more. The heart of the neighborhood is adorned with a shimmering pond, and the Loveplum Trail loops around the pond for bike rides and evening strolls. "It's a convenient place to live with all the in-community amenities,” says Dan Ngo with Lpt Realty, who has lived in the neighborhood for two years. Residents enjoy unlimited access to outdoor activities, including an Olympic-sized pool, a shaded playground and an exclusive recreation center. The Steve Radack Community Center hosts a rotating calendar of events like yoga, Zumba, and line dancing. Pine Forest Country Club, situated 6 miles away, invites locals for leisurely games on its professional 27-hole Bermuda greens. Bear Creek Pioneer Park is 5 miles from the neighborhood, offering additional trails suitable for horseback riding and serves as the home of the Bear Creek Little League. Grocery store trips are made easy with Walmart and Kroger nearby down North Fry Road. Grand Oaks is 10 miles from Katy Mills, an outlet district with over 175 upscale and casual retailers. When residents aren't dining near the mall after a day at the arcade, Baccailis Café invites with its chic dining room and elevated diner breakfast staples. “Clay’s is a good lowkey spot, it’s a popular family place for getting a solid burger. Can’t go wrong with that,” Greenberg says. Katy’s community always has seasonal events, such as the sparkling Katy Old-Fashioned Christmas Festival, and the Katy Rodeo in February. It draws out residents with their finest cowboy boots and hats, a staple in the community since 1943. For fun for the kids, Katy Mills Mall is home to Dig World, a construction-inspired immersive experience and Typhoon Texas Waterpark. Grand Oaks is a car-dependent community and strategically sits between major thoroughfares: Texas 99, Highway 6, U.S. 290, and Interstate 10. It is also less than 40 miles from William P. Hobby Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Many will commute to downtown Houston, especially those working in the medical field, but should be aware of traffic. “A 30-minute drive into downtown Houston can easily turn into more than an hour,” Greenberg says. “It’s an eye-glazing experience. Rush hour here can be tough.”