The developer stocks the lakes with bass, catfish and bream. However, the commute to downtown might be unbearable for those who have not adapted to the Houston way of life, which is the dedication of large chunks of your adult life to solitude in a sedan. The 27,000-acre community has protected its trees from the beginning. Service stations, strip centers and office buildings are all screened behind vegetation, including oaks, pines and pecans. By being the top-selling community in the Houston area year after year, The Woodlands has demonstrated that home buyers don't like barren home sites.
Trees translate into sales.
The Idylwood community on the near east side. The land slopes down to Brays Bayou, one of the few places in Houston that is not flat. A small shady park lies at the bottom of the hill. A ravine, another rarity in the city, cuts through Idylwood. Some homeowners have landscaped the ravine beautifully.