The plan is to step up the project where construction began four years ago, says Jim Jenkins, president of Newland's Texas division.

Newland also is planning to buy about 1,000 acres abutting Meadowbrook Farms golf course near the intersection of FM 1093 and Grand Parkway, along the same artery where the developer has recently bought the 300-acre Country Lakes residential development, according to Jenkins. The Fort Bend County property is situated close to the parkway, a major route opening up land west of Houston for development. More than 2,000 homes could be built on the Meadowbrook Farms property.

Throughout the Houston area, year-to-date home starts have been trying to keep pace with the estimated 65,000 new jobs created in the past year in the city. A slowdown isn't expected anytime soon, with rising oil prices serving as an economic indicator that Houston's energy firms will be enlarging their workforces.