Residents of both The Woodlands and Conroe truly appreciate the quiet, forested atmosphere of their neighborhoods.

A thriving forest is the namesake for the premiere master-planned community known as The Woodlands. Nearly two decades old, this community offers its almost 50,000 residents the widest selection of homes in any Houston area as well as excellent schools, a 200-acre lake, four championship golf courses, parks, a YMCA, an Olympic-class athletic facility, and a thriving business center. Residents enjoy the serenity of the green forest pines and silver lakes and the fitness advantage of 80 miles of hike and bike trails.

Known as the “new home town,” the five villages that make up The Woodlands boast street names that reflect the surrounding forest habitat and its flora and fauna – names like Moon Vine, Wally Bucket, Muskmellow, and Doe Run.

The Woodlands villages provide a diversity of home styles from golf course and lakefront property to townhomes and patio homes. Most of the homes are brick with prices ranging from the upper $90s to $1 million and more; some estates are set on one or more acres.

George P. Mitchell, founder of The Woodlands and chairman and CEO of Mitchell Energy and Development Corporation, headquarters his company here. The Woodlands Business Complex is composed of three development zones: the Metro Center (The Woodlands downtown); the Trade Center for light manufacturing; and the 1,000-acre Research Forest for academic and nonprofit research institutes and industry.

The Woodlands is only 27 miles from downtown Houston and 16 miles from Houston Intercontinental Airport; accessibility to Interstate 45 and the Hardy Toll Road make for an easy commute.

Conroe, a bedroom community just 35 miles north of downtown Houston, has a population of 22,000.

What distinguishes Conroe real estate from that of other areas is its availability of country properties. Many homes sit on multi-acre plots, and residents are allowed to keep horses or other livestock on their property. Larger ranch properties, 60 to 100 acres or more, are also available. Home prices range from $40,000 to a million dollars plus.

Conroe’s rolling lake- and pine-covered terrain hugs the southern fringe of the Big Thicket National Preserve. Many residents opt to spend their leisure time boating on the 21,000-acre Lake Conroe near the Del Lago Conference Center. During the past decade, Conroe and its surrounding areas have been nationally recognized as leading resort and conference centers.