Live On The Bright Side

Something fun for everyone awaits at new-home community near Houston

New homes are selling quickly at Emberly, the 933-acre master-planned community in flourishing Fort Bend County, just southwest of Houston.

These new homebuyers aren't just enticed by the great prices ($200s-$500s) on homes that are built with an eye toward the future. They're also excited about the brand-new Amenity Center that is currently under construction and slated to open in 2025.

Making friends
We begin with the clubhouse, a staple of every thoughtfully planned-out community. But then Emberly also includes its very own town square where neighbors can meet up, have fun together, and enjoy the holiday events orchestrated by the full-time lifestyle director.

Refreshing fun
Pack a towel for the resort-style pool, which will also include a splash pad for the little ones. For older kids (and kids at heart), whiz down the water slides before drying off at the luxe cabanas.

Staying active
No need to travel outside of Emberly for everyone's newest obsession: pickleball. Expect onsite courts, as well as a sand volleyball setup, so you can stay fit without going far.

Playtime for everyone
Another must-have is a playground, and Emberly will have a terrific one that kiddos will be begging to visit. Does the other (four-legged) baby need to get out and about too? Bring Fido to the neighborhood dog park.

Find out more about Emberly here, and then bring the whole family when you come see it for yourself.

The whole family can have fun here.

Rendering courtesy of Emberly

The whole family can have fun here.

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Market Upset

Houston shocks as one of 10 worst big cities for first-time homebuyers

Row of houses in Houston, Houston homes for sale

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Houston is the worst Texas city for first-time buyers.

The Houston housing market may not be for everyone. In a surprising turn of events, Houston has flopped to the bottom of a new list of the best U.S. cities for first-time homebuyers.

WalletHub's new study — which analyzes the affordability, quality of life, and real estate market in 300 U.S. cities — ranks Houston No. 271, or the 30th worst city overall in the U.S. to buy your first home. And, when broken down by city size, WalletHub ranks Houston the 9th worst big city for first-time buyers (No. 61 out of 69).

Houston's lack of appeal for first-time buyers is essentially due to its poor affordability and quality of life scores, rather than the state of the city's housing market, according to the report's findings.

H-town ranks 216th out of all 300 U.S. cities for its affordability, and it appears farther down the list for its quality of life, landing 284th nationally. Houston's cost of living, however, is better than most cities, ranking 51st overall.

The city's real estate market ranking is among the top 100 in the U.S., at No. 91, but that wasn't enough to outweigh its less-than-stellar rankings in the other main categories.

Other metrics (where No. 1 is the best and No. 150 is average) that factored into Houston's overall ranking include:

No. 31 – Total home energy cost
No. 77 – Rent-to-price ratio
No. 99 – Median home-price appreciation
No. 148 – Foreclosure rate
No. 246 – Real estate tax rate
No. 270 – Property crime rates

While Houston boasts the lowest Texas ranking on the list, it isn't the only Lone Star city that is less than favorable for first-time buyers. In fact, only one Texas spot — the Dallas suburb of McKinney — lands among the top 100 of the report. A total of 20 Texas cities rank outside the top 100, with Laredo (No. 200), Mesquite (No. 202), San Antonio (No. 208), and Dallas (No. 233) joining Houston as the state's worst.

First-time buyers across the country are entering the housing market at a difficult time, the report says. The National Association of Realtors reported the share of first-time homebuyers sank to an all-time low in 2025, to 21 percent, whereas the historic national average is 40 percent.

"Buying a home for the first time is an exciting and important milestone for many Americans, but achieving that milestone is getting more difficult as prices and interest rates continue to rise," the report's author wrote. "People willing and able to invest in a house this year must balance what they want and need with what they can afford. Often, people begin searching for their dream home without a realistic idea of market prices, interest rates or even their eligibility for a mortgage."

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