Property investors might have been missing out on something going on in Houston the last few years. While most of the country has been languishing in a housing crisis prices in and around this city have remained relatively stable. Most of the top homes for sale in Houston have retained most of their market value, and having property here has definitely made a few investors feel safer over the past few months.

Does this mean that it is too late to buy in this area? Definitely not, because while property prices here might be a little on the high side you are also buying the security of knowing that your investment will retain its value even throughout the most trying market conditions. The current crisis brought on by changes to the sub-prime lending legislation changes has resulted in a slight decrease in home sales in the area in the mid-range bracket, but this has left many of the top homes for sale in Houston untouched.

The city itself is second on CNN's list of best new places to live in Texas, and is on the top ten of it's "best new places to live in USA" list as well. This is largely due to the state of the property market, and the fact that you can buy large, high quality homes here for reasonable prices. These ratings reflect positively on the property market, and are a good indication of future stability and growth.

The reason that the low-range houses (those between $80,000 and $140,000) have been so badly affected in terms of sales is because these are the homes most commonly purchased with money from sub-prime mortgages. Since these mortgages are more difficult to come by since the legislative changes took place, many potential buyers are unable to find funding to purchase homes.

This is not exactly a pity, because it is creating buyer demand for the top homes for sale in Houston, as well as for some of the smaller homes that are being developed as part of larger planned developments. This is in turn creating healthy seller competition, and agents are doing their best to get everybody the best deals possible whether they are entering the market or leaving it. There is no such thing as a win-lose sale here at the moment, as home sales are working out equally fairly for buyers and for sellers.

Buyers are getting the upper hand slightly in that certain sellers are becoming more eager to sell as they fear the coming housing crisis. However, local property analysts claim that there is very little to fear, and you will do equally well by selling your home at the moment, or hanging on to it for a year or two. If you are looking to buy this lull in home sales presents a perfect opportunity to buy one of the top homes for sale for a little less than you would have paid a few months ago.

If you have children, you will definitely want to consider relocating here during this period, because from here you get access to some of the best schools in Texas, as well as getting the best deals on property. The suburbs here are especially safe for children, and many of the schools in the area have been given incredibly positive ratings by independent school evaluators and parents alike. Whether you are looking in the lower price brackets or the upper limit of luxury homes you can usually find some good buys in desirable neighborhoods.

An investment forecast for most of the top homes looks promising, with homes returning anywhere from 9-21% depending on location, age and several other factors. Investing in Houston real estate is almost always a good idea, but recent developments have created some interesting opportunities for savvy investors. Anyone looking to buy property in the greater metropolitan area would do well to keep their eye on the listing, as well as taking a drive around the area to see if there are any bargains that nobody has caught on to yet.