Mindy Harmon, owner of boutique Karden Lane in The Woodlands, said she has been in the beauty industry for over a decade; however, her career did not start with clothing.

Harmon began as a portrait photographer in 2008 and added hair and makeup to the services she offered to get women prepared for their portrait. In 2020, Harmon expanded her business with a clothing boutique.

The backstory: Harmon said when she picked up photography in high school and college she had no idea her creativity would lead her to become a business owner. After having three children, she started a part-time job as a portrait photographer, which led her to open her own studio in The Woodlands. Today, she operates Mindy Harmon Portrait Design, Lavish Salon and Karden Lane, all located in the same shopping center at Gtogans Park Drive.

What they offer: Though the boutique caters to mature women, Harmon said Karden Lane offers bold, contemporary, fun and classic styles for everyone. 

Discovery School of Innovation will be opening a new campus for students in Pre-Kindergarten to eighth grade in August 2026, the school announced.

What to know: Discovery School of Innovation is a private school with a mission of cultivating curiosity, creativity and community, while preparing students to thrive, according to the school.

Notable quote: “This expansion marks an exciting new chapter for our school,” said Catherine Sagar, founder and director of Discovery School of Innovation. “We’ve seen incredible growth since our founding, and this campus will allow us to meet the needs of more families who share our vision that learning should be joyful, rigorous and personalized for each child.”

• 28277 Sweetgum Road, Magnolia

Home affordability in the Houston region has remained steady, according to the October housing affordability report from the Houston Association of Realtors.

The big picture: HAR reports single-family home sales rose 3.2% year-over-year compared to October 2024.

The average home price has remained flat at $423,955, while the median price of $330,000 has declined for the seventh month in a row.

HAR states the trend indicates that the market is gradually shifting toward a more balanced level after years of rapid price growth.

The rental-home market in the Houston region is showing signs of balance, with  more homes available to lease while overall pricing remains steady, according to the Houston Association of Realtors’ October 2025 Rental Market Update.

What this means: According to the market update, single-family homes for rent in the Greater Houston area surged in availability. In October, 11,749 single-family homes were available for rent—the highest on record.

Leasing activity remained strong in the same month, 3,725 single-family homes were leased— up 9% from the same month a year earlier, the report states. 

Real estate agents added 7,122 new listings to the Multiple Listing Service in October versus 5,935 last year—a 20% year-over-year increase, per the report.