There are so many great places to live in Houston that it helps to have an expert on your side. The Neighborhood Guide presented by Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty gives you insider access from the agents who live and work there, providing in-the-know info about your possible new community.
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The Woodlands is recognized as one of the top master-planned communities in the nation, fostering the best in family life, career opportunities, and neighborhood involvement. And Creekside Park is in the heart of it all.

When Mariela Campalans started her real-estate business 12 years ago after leaving a busy, international corporate life, her first listing was in Creekside.

So the area is special to her — even more so because she has seen Creekside grow to what it is today.

Campalans has lived in The Woodlands herself for more than 12 years, having previously lived in Singapore, Mexico, Connecticut, and Florida.

“Creekside has so much to offer; it has highly rated schools and is surrounded by new shopping centers, a movie theater, many restaurants, hiking and biking, lakes, the Rob Fleming Aquatic Center, and the George Mitchell Nature Preserve,” says Campalans.

"What I also love about Creekside is the feeling of a fresh neighborhood, with many new developments and young families that you can see every weekend walking or biking with their children or pets. It’s a place that brings families and friends together.”

Bilingual in English and Spanish, Campalans also has formal training in graphic, interior, and industrial design, which has allowed her to develop a highly diversified network of contractors and builders to help support all her clients’ needs.

This very busy, very happy Realtor enjoys yoga, spinning, and family time with her husband of over 30 years and her two children, who attended middle school and high school in the Woodlands and are now doctors practicing in San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

Campalans shared a few of her personal favorites about life in the Creekside area. Here's her guide:

Where to eat & drink
Levure Bakery and Patisserie has the croissants and Morning Buns (cinnamon rolls) of your dreams, plus a whole host of savory items, too. Campalans also likes Lovebeans Coffeeshop for a caffeine fix — or superfood smoothie — in the A.M.

Dinner is at the family-owned Avanti Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar or Fielding’s Wood Grill, a casual steakhouse with elevated American classics in addition to a solid menu of hand-spun, kid-friendly shakes and adults-only boozy versions, too.

For drinks and to wind down, Campalans heads to Refuge, which is like a fancy cocktail apartment.

Where to play
“The Rob Fleming Park is one of the largest parks in The Woodlands and includes a butterfly garden, bluebonnet meadow, fishing pond, pavilion, hike and bike trails, and much more,” says Campalans.

On the campus of the park is Texas TreeVentures, a three-level aerial adventure course to get your adrenaline pumping.

She also recommends the George Mitchell Nature Preserve as a go-to for green space; it’s an expansive 1,800 acres and is home to abundant wildlife, several miles of wooded trails, and Spring Creek.

For something more relaxing, check out the concerts and movie nights hosted at the Creekside Park Village Green, or grab a seat at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas.

Where to live
Creekside Park offers a variety of homes with a wide range of prices starting from the $350s to more than $5 million, and that includes the gated community of Carlton Woods.

But the average price is $749,000 and the average property size is 3,331 square feet, confirms Campalans.

“The area features various designs and styles, but one of the highest selling points in Creekside is the new-construction homes with a modern, contemporary aesthetic,” adds Campalans. “These homes feature an open plan with abundant natural light, high ceilings, large bedrooms, and big lots. "

There’s also a new section coming to Creekside called The Enclave at The Woodlands, Campalans shares, which is a master-planned community with a collection of luxury homes.

A beautiful example of a Creekside home is 2 Marin Creek Place, where Campalans represented the seller. This grand Mediterranean home is perched on the shores of Lake Paloma, and in addition to its recently updated interiors it features a host of patios and loggias that graciously extend its 5,898 square feet to livable outdoor space, complete with a full outdoor kitchen.

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Mariela Campalans works and plays in Creekside. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email mariela.campalans@sothebyshomes.com, or call 713-998-7982.