Dream Team

Houston homebuilder and real estate powerhouse team up to celebrate luxury living

At the core of “luxury” is exquisite design, and that's something that Houston’s McKinley Home Builders inherently knows.

The design-build firm was established 12 years ago by architect AIA Mauricio Vela with a vision to put exceptional artistry and elevated function at the forefront of every single one of their residential homes and commercial projects.

Together with partner and business director Alejandro Vela and principal project manager Juan Carlos Andrade, the McKinley team applies their creative vision and innovation toward stunning custom residences and luxury renovations as well as commercial construction and even spec homes.

Prioritizing architectural design
One of the distinctive things about McKinley is their focus on elevated design, with total oversight and accountability from concept through completion. So much so that they have their own in-house design partner, Suburb Concept LLC, which is led by Vela.

McKinley, together with Suburb Concept, has designed and supervised construction on stunning luxury homes throughout Houston, including in the River Oaks and Tanglewood neighborhoods.

In fact, they’ve also built some of the first ultra-modern homes in Tanglewood, including 5410 Tupper Lake Drive and 311 Brown Saddle. Their most recent design-build luxury project is an eye-catching home located at 10417 Memorial.

And McKinley’s luxury custom renovations — like the now-modern homes at 367 Robbins Drive and 5686 Bayou Glen — are what before-and-after dreams are made of.

A vision for luxury
Not only does McKinley build and renovate custom dream homes, but the firm is also transforming the landscape of spec homes by applying that same eye for exquisite design.

It’s their firm belief that a home with superior craftsmanship should also be affordable, and that design, function, and luxury don’t have to be sacrificed in return.

They offer a unique opportunity for investors to build quality entry homes starting in the low-$300s in up-and-coming neighborhoods.

A dream team
Like McKinley, Houston-based NextGen Real Estate is the vanguard of innovation in Houston’s real estate landscape.

Having recently added a luxury homes division, it continues to redefine brokerage standards with its visionary approach and cutting-edge marketing — especially on social media.

One of NextGen’s top producers, Claudia Huato, has teamed up with McKinley to illuminate the design-build firm’s available homes for sale.

“McKinley’s emphasis on ultra-modern design and contemporary finishes — and delivering luxury at an accessible price point — is very attractive to the homeowners of tomorrow,” says Huato.

The collaboration of these two powerhouses is the perfect match to find the next generation of buyers their dream property, whether it be a new-construction luxury custom residence or an incredibly well-designed spec home.

---

Contact Claudia Huato to learn more about available McKinley Home Builders properties and tour your next dream home.

Photo courtesy of McKinley Home Builders

The McKinley Home Builders team.

home for sale promoted

Bang for Buck

Surprising suburb unlocks biggest apartments in Houston for $1,500

Photo by Matt Halls on Unsplash

Pasadena has the 6th roomiest apartments on a budget in Texas.

Budget-conscious renters searching for the roomiest apartments in the region should look no further than Pasadena. According to a new study, the east Houston suburb has the biggest apartments on a budget in the metro.

In 2026, Pasadena residents can rent a 1,125-square-foot apartment for $1,500 per month. That's enough space for a two- or three-bedroom unit, and it's four square feet bigger than what renters could get with the same budget last year.

RentCafe's annual report analyzes the places where renters can find the largest apartment sizes across 200 of the most populous U.S. cities for a monthly budget of $1,500. The price per square foot was calculated using the average apartment rent and size per city based on "multifamily properties" containing 50 or more units.

Pasadena offers the 6th most spacious apartments in Texas for $1,500, and Houston ranks 11th statewide.

Renters in Houston proper will net a 976-square-foot apartment for the same price in 2026, a size that has shrunk by more than 20 square feet since 2023.

Apartment sizes across Texas
For the second year in a row, the Rio Grande Valley is the region that has the most spacious apartments for a $1,500 monthly budget, RentCafe found.

McAllen leads the nation with the biggest apartment size – at 1,378 square feet – which is large enough for a three- or four-bedroom unit.

"With rents averaging just $993 and the typical apartment measuring 912 square feet, McAllen renters get a lot more space for their money than most Americans do within that monthly budget," the report said. "Still, that figure is down slightly from last year’s 1,393 square feet — a sign that even the most affordable markets are starting to tighten."

Brownsville, another city on the border located an hour east of McAllen, ranks fourth statewide with apartments spanning 1,213 square feet for the same budget.

These are the top 10 Texas cities that offer the biggest apartments for $1,500 in 2026:

No. 1 – McAllen (1,378 square feet)
No. 2 – Amarillo (1,237 square feet)
No. 3 – Lubbock (1,217 square feet)
No. 4 – Brownsville (1,213 square feet)
No. 5 – El Paso (1,128 square feet)
No. 6 – Pasadena (1,125 square feet)
No. 7 – Corpus Christi (1,115 square feet)
No. 8 – Killeen (1,058 square feet)
No. 9 – San Antonio (1,023 square feet)
No. 10 – Mesquite (988 square feet)

real estate apartments housing rentcafe study houston pasadena