Aerial view of Houston at dusk, neighborhoods in the foreground and the skyline on the horizon

Edition 02 · Week of October 29, 2026

IAH adds 22 gates, new-home prices slip, and Halloween at the Ren Fest

United’s new concourse opens at Bush Intercontinental, builders trim prices as new-home sales slow, and mortgage rates ease a little. Here is what it all means for you.

By Michael O’Neal, Broker · REALTOR® · Facts verified October 29, 2026

The Big 5

What everyone is talking about

Five Greater Houston stories that will shape where people work, travel and live.

Infrastructure

IAH opens United’s new Terminal B North Concourse

Bush Intercontinental unveiled the rebuilt concourse on Oct. 21, and passengers started using it the next day. The three-level, 765,000-square-foot building adds 22 mainline gates, bringing United to 48 gates in Terminal B. It also holds a 54,000-square-foot United Club and about 105,000 square feet of shops and restaurants. The Houston Airport System expects peak-day capacity to rise 40% over 2023, and the project supported about 3,000 construction jobs.

Why it matters

IAH is the home airport for Kingwood, Humble and Atascocita. More gates mean more nonstop options: United is adding Tuxtla Gutiérrez this fall, Cartagena in December and Caracas in January.

Open Passengers using the concourse since Oct. 22

Source: Community Impact, Oct. 22, 2026

Jobs and Development

United Therapeutics opens an organ-manufacturing plant in Generation Park

The biotech company opened its facility at 11848 Common Dock Drive on Oct. 20. The plant is built to produce xeno-organs, animal-derived organs grown for transplant, and it is the company’s third production site of this kind. Its three products are still investigational and in clinical trials for patients with heart and kidney failure.

Why it matters

Generation Park, a few minutes from Kingwood and Atascocita, now has a third life-sciences company, after Lilly and Bristol Myers Squibb (both in our Oct. 12 edition). The article gave no job count or investment figure.

Open Opened Oct. 20

Source: Community Impact, Oct. 21, 2026

Real Estate

Houston new-home prices slip as sales slow

HomesUSA.com counted 1,733 Houston new-home sales in September, down 6.9% from August and 13.6% from a year earlier. The average new-home price fell 1.9% from August to $406,408, still about 1% above September 2025. Pending new-home sales fell 22.5% from a year ago, and new homes averaged 96 days on the market.

Why it matters

Builders are carrying more finished homes and trimming prices, which gives new-construction buyers room to negotiate. See this week’s builder deals.

Confirmed September 2026 data

Source: Houston Agent Magazine, Oct. 21, 2026

Development

A 32-story office tower, O27, is planned in the River Oaks area

Broadview Real Estate plans O27 at 4701 Westheimer Road, designed by STG Design. The tower would rise from a nine-story parking deck topped by a landscaped terrace, with a street-level entrance and water features. Completion is expected by 2028.

Why it matters

A developer is betting on new high-end office space inside the Loop, near River Oaks and the Galleria. No construction start date has been reported.

Proposed Completion targeted by 2028

Source: Community Impact, Oct. 22, 2026

Flood Protection

Flood Control says its Harvey-money projects are on track

Following up on our Oct. 12 story: after the state’s one-year extension, the Harris County Flood Control District says it is on pace. Disaster-recovery projects now must be finished by February 2028 and mitigation projects by March 2029. About $113 million is still not assigned to a project. The director’s update to Commissioners Court moved from Oct. 15 to Nov. 12.

Why it matters

Money not spent by the deadlines can be lost. This pays for drainage and detention work, so Lake Houston-area homeowners may want to follow the Nov. 12 meeting. Our flood map guide shows how to research any address.

Under construction Deadlines Feb. 2028 and March 2029

Source: Community Impact, Oct. 19, 2026

Kingwood · Porter · Conroe · The Woodlands · Spring

What’s coming to your neighborhood

Every item carries its status, so you can tell an open door from a rendering.

Kingwood

Open

The Back Nine indoor golf opens on W. Lake Houston Parkway

The simulator golf spot opened Oct. 19 with bays members can use around the clock and virtual courses from around the world. Something to do in Kingwood on a rainy night.

Source: Community Impact, Oct. 22, 2026

Porter

Under construction

Porter Retail plaza on FM 1314 due by year-end

Dhanani Private Equity Group expects to finish its Porter Retail shopping plaza along FM 1314 by the end of 2026. Tenants have not been announced.

Source: Community Impact, Oct. 21, 2026

Porter

In design

New Caney ISD names its 13th elementary: Crossroads

The district named its next elementary school Crossroads. Its construction contract is about $38.1 million, and the campus is set to open in 2028.

Source: Community Impact, Oct. 22, 2026 (updated Oct. 26)

Conroe (Grangerland)

Opening today

Granger Park opens Oct. 29

Montgomery County Precinct 4’s new park at 13919 Gulf Coast Road holds a 10 a.m. ribbon cutting today, then opens daily from sunrise to sunset. It has a walking trail, a tunnel hill and a gaga ball pit. Leashed dogs are welcome. There are no restrooms.

Source: Community Impact, Oct. 23, 2026

Conroe

Confirmed

Home Depot coming near Hwy. 242 and FM 1314 in 2027

A Home Depot spokesperson confirmed a new store near the intersection, opening in 2027. No address or store size has been released.

Source: Community Impact, Oct. 15, 2026

Spring

Confirmed

Sprouts, Marshalls and more for the Grand Parkway east of I-45

Fidelis’s Grand Imperial Marketplace, about 170,000 square feet at Imperial Promenade Drive and the Grand Parkway, has signed Sprouts, Marshalls, Five Below, Ross and Planet Fitness. Tenants are slated to open in fall 2027, and space is still leasing.

Source: Community Impact, Oct. 22, 2026

The Woodlands and Conroe

Proposed

Last David Memorial Drive segment heads toward a contract

The final segment of the David Memorial Drive extension, estimated at $2.5 million, is now funded by the county road bond voters approved in 2025. JFO Services was the recommended bidder at a little over $1.8 million, and commissioners were set to consider it Oct. 22. The state also awarded Montgomery County flood money for Stewart Creek ($15 million), Lake Creek ($8.99 million) and East Montgomery County ($36.38 million).

Source: Community Impact, Oct. 19, 2026

Houston Real Estate in 60 Seconds

The market at a glance

Median sale price$325,000→ Essentially unchanged vs. Sept. 2025

Average sale price$421,311↑ 0.7% vs. Sept. 2025

Closed sales7,030↓ 5.7% vs. Sept. 2025

Pending sales6,789↓ 11.6% vs. Sept. 2025

Active listings40,192↑ 6.3% vs. Sept. 2025

Months of inventory5.5↑ from 5.1 vs. Sept. 2025

Days on market58↑ from 56 vs. Sept. 2025

30-year fixed rate7.32%↓ from 7.40% a week earlier Freddie Mac, Oct. 22, 2026

Greater Houston single-family homes, from HAR’s September 2026 report (released Oct. 14, 2026). Prices held steady while sales and pending contracts slowed, and buyers had more homes to choose from than a year ago. The 30-year rate is still above the 6.19% of a year ago. Freddie Mac publishes a new rate every Thursday. See the full market report and charts.

Sources: HAR, Oct. 14, 2026 · Freddie Mac PMMS, Oct. 22, 2026

Builder Deals of the Week

One deal ends Saturday. Two run through year-end.

Three offers we verified on the builders’ own sites. Each has a deadline and a required lender.

KB Home

Verified Oct. 29

4.99% FHA ARM with a $5,000 closing-cost credit

5/1 FHA adjustable rate through the builder’s lender

KB Home advertises a 5/1 FHA adjustable-rate mortgage as low as 4.99% (5.781% APR). The APR reflects a $5,000 closing-cost credit and additional seller contributions. Rates were valid as of Sept. 24, 2026.

Deadline: Purchase agreement by Oct. 31, 2026, and rate locked within 30 days.
Where: Participating KB Home communities, including Eden Trails in the Houston area. Some communities are excluded.
Qualifications: Financing through KBHS Home Loans. Owner-occupied only.

See the builder’s full terms, checked Oct. 29, 2026

Ask Michael About This Deal Get Builder Incentives

Perry Homes

Verified Oct. 29

Up to $55,000 in incentives, 7/6 ARM from 4.99%

Year End Sales Event

Perry’s Year End Sales Event offers up to $55,000 in total incentives as flex cash or closing costs, capped at 6% of the contract price, including a $5,400 lender incentive. Lower-priced homes may not receive the full amount. The financing example is a 30-year conventional 7/6 ARM from 4.99% (5.898% APR), fixed for the first 84 months.

Deadline: Must close by Dec. 31, 2026. No contract deadline stated.
Where: Select Houston-area homes designated for the event
Qualifications: Crestmark Mortgage or Parkstone Mortgage required for the incentive. Principal residence only. Show the flyer at your first model-home visit. Cannot be combined with other Perry incentives.

See the builder’s full terms, checked Oct. 29, 2026

Ask Michael About This Deal Get Builder Incentives

Chesmar Homes

Verified Oct. 29

30-year fixed from 4.999%, renewed

Imagine Happier Bonus

Chesmar’s Imagine Happier Bonus is back with a 30-year fixed rate of 4.999% (5.737% APR) on FHA loans, 5.375% (5.508% APR) conventional and 4.999% (5.287% APR) VA, on select homes.

Deadline: Purchase agreement Oct. 19 to Nov. 15, 2026. Close by Dec. 31, 2026.
Where: Select homes. The terms do not name markets, so ask Chesmar which Houston homes qualify.
Qualifications: Financing through HomeAmerican Mortgage. Minimum credit score 680 for FHA and VA, 780 for conventional. Owner-occupied only. Loan amount capped at $832,750. Limited funds, first come, first served.

See the builder’s full terms, checked Oct. 29, 2026

Ask Michael About This Deal Get Builder Incentives

Offers are advertised by the builders, not by Michael O'Neal or Keller Williams, and can change or end without notice. Rates and APRs shown are the builders' own examples. Not every buyer will qualify. Financing is subject to credit approval by the lender named in each offer. Using a builder's preferred lender is optional for your purchase but required to receive these incentives. Michael O'Neal is a real estate broker, not a mortgage lender. Equal Housing Opportunity.

See every verified deal

Michael’s Take

Keeping It Real With O’Neal

Rates eased, prices held and buyers got pickier. Here is what that means for you.

Rates ticked down a little this week. Not much, but I will take it. Freddie Mac has the 30 year at 7.32%, down from 7.40% the week before.

Sellers. Houston had 40,192 homes for sale in September, up 6.3% from a year ago, and pending sales fell 11.6%. Buyers have choices and they are taking their time. Homes are averaging 58 days to sell. The median price held at $325,000, so this is not a falling market. It is a pickier one. Price it right and show it well from day one.

Buyers. New construction is where the room is right now. New home prices slipped 1.9% from August, and those homes are averaging 96 days on the market. Builders are also offering rates in the 4s through their own lenders, and one of those offers ends Saturday. Read the terms, know which lender is required, and bring your own agent on your first visit.

Homeowners. Your 2026 tax bill is on the way. Before you pay it, make sure your homestead exemption made it onto the bill.

Want to talk through your situation? Call or text me at 832-797-3780.

Michael O’Neal

Find Out What Your Home Is Worth Schedule a Conversation With Michael

The Local Poll

With 30-year rates near 7.3%, what would get you to buy?

One vote per person. Results appear after you vote.

Weekend Planner

Oct. 30-Nov. 1 and Nov. 6-8

Halloween weekend at the Ren Fest, Día de Muertos, a free Kingwood concert and a small-town fall fest. Prices and times from the organizers; check before you go.

Sat and Sun, Oct. 31-Nov. 1 and Nov. 7-8
Texas Renaissance Festival
9 a.m. to 8 p.m., no entry after 7 · 21778 FM 1774, Todd Mission
$17.29 to $39.70 plus tax, by date and ticket type
Oct. 31-Nov. 1 is All Hallows Eve weekend. Nov. 7-8 is Heroes and Villains. Kids 4 and under free; ages 5 to 12 free Sundays and half price Saturdays.
Saturdays, Oct. 31 and Nov. 7
The Woodlands Farmers Market
9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine · Grogan's Mill Shopping Center, 7 Switchbud Pl., The Woodlands
No admission fee listed
Sat and Sun, Oct. 31-Nov. 1
MECA Día de Muertos Festival
Historic DOW School, 1900 Kane St., Houston
Free admission; food and drink tickets sold separately
Festival hours were not posted when we checked. Look before you go.
Sat, Oct. 31
MercyMe with Jeremy Camp, Tim Timmons and Sam Wesley
7 p.m. (tentative) · Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands
Lawn $37, reserved $51.75 to $111.75, pit $131.75 to $191.75, plus fees
Fri, Nov. 6
Lone Star College-Kingwood EVoK Autumn Concert
7:30 p.m. · Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Kingwood
Free
Sat, Nov. 7
Tomball Depot Day Fall Fest
Starts 11 a.m. · Tomball Depot Plaza, Tomball
Free admission and parking

Coming up: the Lone Star College-Kingwood Jazz Ensemble and Kingwood Winds play a free joint concert Tue., Nov. 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the campus Main Stage Theatre (Lone Star College).

See the full weekend planner

Food, Drinks and Local Favorites

Five places to try

Three new doors already open and two on the way, from New Caney to Spring.

The Rusty Buckle
22664 Community Dr., New Caney
Barbecue, burgers, steaks and fish tacos, now in a bigger space behind the original spot with room for 125 inside plus a patio.
Open Reopened Sept. 25
Source: Community Impact, Oct. 22, 2026
Spectators Bar & Grill
1259 Grand Central Pkwy., Conroe
A sports bar and grill serving brunch, lunch and dinner.
Open Opened Oct. 13
Source: Community Impact, Oct. 15, 2026
Cold Start Coffee
18113 TC Jester Blvd., Suite A, Spring
A pet-friendly, motorcycle-themed coffee shop with pastries and small bites.
Open Grand opening Oct. 11
Source: Community Impact, Oct. 11, 2026
Donatos Pizza
15906 Woodland Hills Dr., Suite 200, Humble (Atascocita)
The Ohio pizza chain’s first Greater Houston shop.
Opening soon Franchisee is targeting Nov. 14
Source: What Now Houston, Oct. 9, 2026 (updated Oct. 16)
Dutch Bros Coffee
1261 Kingwood Dr., Kingwood
A small drive-thru and walk-up coffee stand, the chain’s fourth in the Lake Houston area.
Opening soon Planned for the fourth quarter of 2026
Source: Community Impact, Oct. 6, 2026

The Hidden Gem

A free creekside forest in Humble

Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center

20634 Kenswick Dr., Humble 77338 · (281) 446-8588

A Harris County park along Spring Creek with a nature center, a playground, canoe access, fishing, and bike and horse trails. Kids can explore the Redbud Hill Homestead and the Akokisa Indian Village, which has an audio tour. Cooler weather makes this the season to go.

Hours: Daily, 7 a.m. to dusk
Entry: Free, including the park’s educational programs
Dogs: Allowed only on the Jones-Bender Trail, Judy Bell Trail and Spring Creek Greenway
Run by: Harris County Precinct 3

Source: Harris County Precinct 3, checked Oct. 29, 2026

Homeowner Intelligence

Your property tax bill: dates and options

2026 bills are arriving now

The Harris County Tax Office says 2026 bills are being delivered in October and November. Here is how the payment rules work under Texas law.

The deadline. Property taxes are due by Jan. 31. Unpaid taxes become delinquent Feb. 1. If your bill is mailed after Jan. 10, the delinquency date moves later.
Count it for this year. The Harris County Tax Office says Dec. 31, 2026 is the last day to pay if you want the payment in this tax year for your federal return. Online and phone payments must be finished before midnight.
65 and older, disabled or a disabled veteran? You can pay homestead taxes in four equal installments with no penalty. Pay the first one and request the plan before the delinquency date. You may also be able to defer homestead taxes, with interest at 5% a year.
Ways to pay in Harris County. Online at MyHarrisCountyTax.com or by card at 713-274-2273. Card payments carry a 2.40% fee ($1 minimum); e-checks are $0.50.
Check your exemptions. Before you pay, make sure your homestead exemption is on the bill. If it is missing, contact your appraisal district.

Sources: Harris County Tax Office, checked Oct. 29, 2026 · Harris County Tax Office payments, checked Oct. 29, 2026 · Texas Comptroller, current page · Texas Comptroller payment options, current page

If you pay late

Penalty and interest on unpaid 2026 taxes starts at 7% in February 2027 and climbs to 20% by September 2027, per the Texas Comptroller’s chart.

Source: Texas Comptroller, Aug. 5, 2026

Read: Texas homestead exemption, step by step

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IAH adds 22 gates, new-home prices slip, and Halloween at the Ren Fest

IAH opens United’s new Terminal B North Concourse

United Therapeutics opens an organ-manufacturing plant in Generation Park

Houston new-home prices slip as sales slow

A 32-story office tower, O27, is planned in the River Oaks area

Flood Control says its Harvey-money projects are on track

The Back Nine indoor golf opens on W. Lake Houston Parkway

Porter Retail plaza on FM 1314 due by year-end

New Caney ISD names its 13th elementary: Crossroads

Granger Park opens Oct. 29

Home Depot coming near Hwy. 242 and FM 1314 in 2027

Sprouts, Marshalls and more for the Grand Parkway east of I-45

Last David Memorial Drive segment heads toward a contract

4.99% FHA ARM with a $5,000 closing-cost credit

Up to $55,000 in incentives, 7/6 ARM from 4.99%

30-year fixed from 4.999%, renewed

With 30-year rates near 7.3%, what would get you to buy?

Texas Renaissance Festival

The Woodlands Farmers Market

MECA Día de Muertos Festival

MercyMe with Jeremy Camp, Tim Timmons and Sam Wesley

Lone Star College-Kingwood EVoK Autumn Concert

Tomball Depot Day Fall Fest

The Rusty Buckle

Spectators Bar & Grill

Cold Start Coffee

Donatos Pizza

Dutch Bros Coffee

Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center

2026 bills are arriving now

Every fact has a source

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