HTX-NCP: Impact 10/13/2025

Five Below will mark five years since opening in Valley Ranch Town Center on Oct. 25.

Diving deeper: This store first opened in 2020. Five Below is a national chain selling home decor, clothing, tech and cosmetic products as well as items such as toys and snacks. Prices are largely between $1-$5, but certain items may be priced higher.

• 21422 Market Place Drive, New Caney

Construction began Sept. 8 on Valley Ranch Town Center's new Books-A-Million location, officials with Valley Ranch developer The Signorelli Co. confirmed via email Oct. 7. The book store remains on track to open this fall. 

What they offer: As previously reported by Community Impact, Books-A-Million—also known as BAM!—offers a diverse selection of books for all ages including fiction, nonfiction and Bibles, as well as toys, gifts and collectibles. The 12,000-square-foot New Caney location will also feature designated reading areas, a children's section and host community-focused events and programming. 

Some context: Books-A-Million is the nation's second largest book retailer, and the New Caney location will mark the company's second store across the Greater Houston area. 

• Opening this fall 
• 21680 Market Place Drive, New Caney 

Home affordability in the Houston region has a more balanced position in the September housing affordability report from the Houston Association of Realtors.

At a glance: Single-family homes priced from $250,000 to $499,999, which accounted for more than 55% of all September sales, experienced a 1.3% decline compared to the same time last year, according to the report.

Digging deeper: The median home price was $327,000, which is 2.1% less than last year’s figure. The average price inched up 2% to $421,655, largely due to a rise in luxury home sales in September, per the release.

Quote of note: “The past few months have brought lower mortgage rates, and it has helped boost buyer confidence,” HAR Chair Shae Cottar with LPT Realty said in a statement.

Texas’ power grid is unlikely to have issues this December, according to an Oct. 3 report by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.

The details: During the winter, demand for electricity spikes when people get up in the morning and return home in the evening. This December, the tightest period is expected to be from 7-8 a.m. each day, when little to no solar power is being produced. ERCOT found that there will be a 1.81% chance of a grid emergency during that time.

“Under typical grid conditions, the deterministic scenario indicates that there should be sufficient generating capacity available," the report reads.

The background: Texas' grid withstood three cold snaps early this year. ERCOT last asked residents to voluntarily reduce their energy use in January 2024.

Legislative approach: State lawmakers approved legislation this spring that is designed to make the grid more reliable by tightening regulations on large electric consumers, such as data centers. In extreme grid conditions, those customers will be required to switch to backup power to reduce strain on the grid.