Having Lived in heart of The Woodlands for the last eight years, I have come to love just about every part of the community.  My top ten reasons for living in The Woodlands: The people are awesome! I have never lived in a place where the community rallies around its neighbors during times of need like the why the people of The Woodlands. The public schools are great!  Again, parents of The Woodlands are heavily involved in their children's education and it shows in the schools' state ratings. There is so much to do! It seems that every weekend there is some sort of free community event. From concerts to carnivals to educational events. The Wildlife! The community is filled with deer, squirrels, armadillos, raccoons, rabbits, opossums, bald eagles, turkey vultures, song birds and more. T... 02/17/2008

Galatas Elelmentary is located in the Village of Cochran's Crossing on Cochran's Crossing Drive. Students in grades K thru 4 attend this exemplary rated school.  Galatas parents are actively involved with the enrichment of the students lives and education through volunteer work and the PTO. The school's mascot is the Greyhound. The students from Galatas feed into Mitchell Intermediate, McCullough Jr. High, and then The Woodlands High School. For more information on Galatas Elementary use this link to its website. Galatas Elementary School 02/12/2008

  I love eating by the water and until the last few years if I wanted to do that I pretty much had to go to Lake Conroe.  The Woodlands has solved that dilemma for me.  Goose's Acres opened about this time last year and has quickly become one of my favorite places to eat.  It is located just south of the mall in the area that is being developed along The Woodlands Waterway.  It is a fun place to eat and won't break your pocket book.  They are open for lunch and dinner every day of the week.  Goose's Acres is actually a genuine Irish pub.  In researching to write this post I found that it was 100% designed and built in Ireland and then shipped over to the United States.  I guess I should have snapped more pictures of the inside.  You can tell my impetus is eating outside. They have an as... 02/11/2008

Mitchell Intermediate School is located in the Village of Alden Bridge and houses fifth and sixth grade students. It is a great transition school for students leaving elementary and before entering McCullough Junior High. In the words of Hannah Montana," it has the best of both worlds." While exemplary in education performance  the teachers transition the students from the elementary setting to the junior high setting.  The school consist of approximately 1200 students with roughly 100 students in twelve different Learning Centers (LC) The students stay with their same teachers for both 5 and 6 grades which allows the teachers to take off in 6 grade exactly where they ended fifth grade. The teacher have no need to reteach in order to get the entire class on the same page. Elementary sch... 02/10/2008

Mitchell Intermediate School is located in the Village of Alden Bridge and houses fifth and sixth grade students. It is a great transition school for students leaving elementary and before entering McCullough Junior High. In the words of Hannah Montana," it has the best of both worlds." While exemplary in education performance  the teachers transition the students from the elementary setting to the junior high setting.  The school consist of approximately 1200 students with roughly 100 students in twelve different Learning Centers (LC) The students stay with their same teachers for both 5 and 6 grades which allows the teachers to take off in 6 grade exactly where they ended fifth grade. The teacher have no need to reteach in order to get the entire class on the same page. Elementary sch... 02/10/2008

The average days on the market for homes listed in The Woodlands prior to receiving an executed contract follows the trend of 2007 and 2006.  As we all know, summary averages can sometimes skew the results.  For example, four of the $1 million + homes on the market in The Woodlands received contracts in January with an average days-on-market of 311 days.  Without this historically slower selling list price category, our average days on market would have been 61 days!Visit Market Reports for details on real estate activity in The Woodlands by list price range.  Visit Michele Flory for information on new and resale homes in The Woodlands.  Information on The Woodlands community, activities, and lifestyle can be found at Experience The Woodlands.   02/09/2008

The short answer is: surprisingly little...when compared to home prices in most other areas.  Let me demonstrate by showing you a few sample homes that I have listed over the years.  For entry-level buyers, you can find two-story townhomes with a small backyard and hardi-board exterior beginning in the $120's and they have been built within the last 10 years.If you are willing to consider an older home, you can find single-family homes built in the 70's for even less.  Of course, those homes were primarily built with real wood exteriors.  If any deferred maintenance has built up, the wood siding replacement can be quite costly.  Brick homes from that era are more likely to cost in the $150's and up.To find a home under 10 years old and primarily brick in construction, the beginning pric... 02/09/2008

From the very inception of The Woodlands in the 70's, buyers have been attracted to this community because of the trees.  Development in Montgomery County has always been complicated by the dense forest.  George Mitchell, the visionary that developed The Woodlands, decided to capitalize on the forestation instead.The sculpture of George Mitchell talking to children depicts his focus.  To this day, The Woodlands is focused on the children.  Our schools are unmatched...the parents are involved...and the streets are teaming with children laughing, exploring and having fun.The fact that this sculpture is located under a canopy of trees is no accident.  Located just outside our world-renowned entertainment venue, people can stop and pause in appreciation for the wisdom and daring it took to ... 02/08/2008

One thing you will love about The Woodlands area is the lush growth 365 days per year.  Most years, we get plenty of rain and even in a drought, green foliage is a constant in our landscape.  In The Woodlands, great care has been taken to preserve as much of the natural green space as can be managed.  The area is known world-wide by their success in maintaining wide open spaces of natural forestation within a carefully master-planned community. However, water can be the enemy in The Woodlands area.  This photo depicts what the entrance to a home can look like after a heavy rain.  As you can see, the first few feet of the brick appears to be rather saturated with water.  Over time, this can lead to ugly mold formation.  Maintaining a home in The Woodlands will often require an occaisiona... 02/08/2008

What downturn?  The Woodlands continues to be a preferred destination for buyers moving into the Houston area. Visit Market Reports for detailed reports by list price range.  Visit Experience The Woodlands for information on The Woodlands community, activities, and lifestyle. Visit Michele Flory for information on new and resale homes for sale in The Woodlands 02/07/2008

Active listings in The Woodlands are beginning 2008 at a pace slightly above 2007 and slightly below our record sales year of 2006.  We will need additional months of data to see a more definitive trend.  Fortunately, our current inventory level fails to live down to the national media reports of disaster for the housing market.Visit Michele Flory for information on new and resale homes for sale in The Woodlands.  Visit Market Reports for detailed information on the status of The Woodlands real estate market by list price range. 02/06/2008

  Market Street in The Woodlands, Texas The Place to be...with Upscale Dining, Shopping, Live Concerts and Events, Movie Theater and MORE!!! Here are a few things that are happening in Market Street: The Italians are coming:  A touring mobile exhibition brought to town by the Italian Tourism Board will arrive in Market Street on Wednesday, February 13th.  The exhibition will include displays of the beauty and culture of Italy's many wonderful destinations.  Inside consumers will be able to view photomurals and look through brochures or coffee table books to begin planning a fabulous Italian vacation.  The exhibition will be in the HEB parking lot for the ease of people wanting to explore. Carriage Rides: The Platinum Carriage Company can pick you up in front of the Cinemark theater from... 02/05/2008

Powell Elementary School is located in the village of Cochran's Crossing in The Woodlands, Tx. Powell Elementary serves students in grades K thru 4th. Students living in the surrounding neighborhoods feed into Mitchell Elementary. Students living in Harper's Landing feed into Collins Intermediate. Built in 1994 the school has continuously received an Exemplary rating each year from the Texas Dept of Education. The school's Principal is Lisa Garrison.  Click Powell Elementary School for a direct link to the schools website. The school's mission is help each child reach his or her highest level of their ability. 02/03/2008

The Academy of Science and Technology is a nationally recognized learning community and college preparatory program of the Conroe Independent School District.  The program is designed for students in grades 9-12 with a strong interest in science, technology, computers, and mathematics for success in college and life. The Academy provides challenging and innovative programs designed to develop student responsibility, motivation, and commitment to learning within an ethical learning community that emphasized trust and cooperation. The Academy is housed at the The Woodlands College Park High School.  Eighth grade students living in the attendance zones of College Park, The Woodlands High School and Oak Ridge High School are eligible to apply for acceptance to The Academy.  Each year, sixty... 02/03/2008

McCullough Junior High School located in Panther Creek in The Woodlands, Tx, was just recently named by Texas Monthly magazine as one of Texas outstanding public schools. McCullough is a 7th and 8th grade schools with a population of approximately 2000 students for school year 2007-2008. Schools which feed into McCullough include Deretchin, Tough, and Mitchell Intermediate. McCullough students feed into The Woodlands High School. You can visit the school's website by clicking the following link. McCullough Junior High School 02/02/2008

The College Park Village has many important focal points including the St Luke's Medical Center; Lone Star College and University Center; The Woodlands College Park High School; and a variety of retail centers.  This focus gives this village the flavor of a "college town" on the northern side of The Woodlands.Retail shops range from a Wal-Mart SuperCenter plus Garden Ridge, Kohl's, Lowes - to - smaller boutique shops of every kind  You will find book stores, coffee shops, fast food, family restaurants, lodging, drug stores, banks and so much more.  For active people over 55, College Park has the age-restricted communities of Windsor Hills and Windsor Lakes.  Harpers Landing, The Woodlands is a large family community that is part of College Park located to the east of I-45 and has  a com... 02/02/2008

Lake Woodlands is on the Eastern edge of the Village of Panther Creek, the second village to be built in this master-planned community.  Two of the most popular parks of The Woodlands border that lake.  Northshore Park is the site for the Annual YMCA Dragonboat races and the Sunday evening Concerts in The Park during the Spring and Summer.  Southshore Park is home of "the dragon" with the sculputure officially named ""Rise of the Midgard Serpent."Panther Creek shopping center is anchored by Randall's Grocery store and includes restaurants such as Ace Chinese, Long-John Silvers, Taco Bell, Popeyes Chicken, McDonalds and several others.  There is a post office nearby and also CVS Pharmacy, several retail stores and service providers like insurance agents, veternarian clinics, etc.As The W... 02/02/2008

The first thing buyers notice about the Grogans Mill Village is it's convenience to I-45.  But what will impress you the most is the towering, mature trees that have homes nestled in among them.  When this village was developed in the 1970's, much care was taken to preserve as many trees as possible.  In fact, the legacy of keeping the natural trees still is honored anywhere in The Woodlands.  Strict deed restrictions require that you get permission to remove any tree larger than 3 inches in diameter.  This village demonstrates how that policy of preserving nature can mature.Among the winding cul-de-sacs, you will find The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center and two golf courses.  Two large parks are Tamarac and Sawmill park which features a swimming pool.  The Grogans Mill Shopping ... 02/02/2008

Rob Flemming Park located in Creekside Village of The Woodlands has be selected to be the site of the inauguaral Muddy Trails 5k race taking place on February 23,2008 The course will wind through the George Mitchell Preserve Trails, located on 1,800 acres adjacent to the park.  Runners of all skill levels are welcomed provided they are at least 10 years of age. Following the race will be a party at the park. The party will include a band playing zydeco and spicy crawfish boil with potatoes, corn and drinks will distributed to during the post party festivities.  The event will raise money for the nonprofit Woodlands Recreational Center. The race  begins at 8 am with volunteers needed to begin arriving around 6 a.m.  To register or volunteer go to www.woodlandsassociation.org, go to parks... 01/31/2008

An "Exhibition in Music" will be performed to celebrate The Woodlands Symphony's 15th year on February 9, 2008.  The concert will showcase award-winning original compositions from students in Conroe Independant School District and Rice University's Shepard School of Music.The Woodlands Symphony is a exciting collaboration of local talent with the community in an effort to educate the public about the music of the symphony and to inspire the development of artisitic ability among community members.For more information about this concert to be held at the Nancy Bock Performing Arts Center, 3800 S Panther Creek Dr, you may visit www.WoodlandsSymphony.com.  Tickets  are $15 and may also be purchased at Randall's in Grogans Mill Village Center; Panther Creek Shopping Center; and at the HomeF... 01/27/2008