Builder Online
By: Michael Letendre
September 5, 2025
Land deals are rarely small, but some transactions change the map. When Starwood Land announced its $800 million acquisition of 11 master planned communities from Hines this spring, it was more than just a headline. The deal represented a massive bet on the future of America’s most dynamic housing markets and a defining moment for the company’s CEO, Mike Moser.
The acquisition comes at a strategic moment. While builders have pulled back on land purchases due to interest rates and construction costs, Moser sees opportunity where others see uncertainty. The portfolio instantly added over 16,000 lots to Starwood’s inventory, all in seasoned communities where development was already underway. Seven of the 11 projects sit in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, with three in Houston and one major project in Austin.
Moser will take the stage at Zonda’s Future Place Conference this October to discuss how developers are defining the future of master-planned communities. With nearly 18 years leading Starwood Land and a track record of generating almost $4 billion in revenue from over 50,000 lot sales, he’s positioned to offer insights on the industry’s most pressing topics. We caught up with him to discuss the Hines deal, market conditions, and what’s next for master planned community development.
