Need advice on Spring-area move

[wordgirl]

Hi all. A friend of mine has taken a job in the Spring area (FM 1960 and Aldine Westfield). She plans to move her family from First Colony to somewhere closer to avoid what would be a monster commute. She would appreciate any inside information you guys might have on desirable neighborhoods in the area. Here is her wish list:

1. Good schools. She has a child in junior high and a child who will be attending kindergarten in two years.

2. A tolerable commute for both her and her husband. Her husband works at U of H, but in non-peak hours, so he can avoid most of the traffic. That said, he doesn't want to drive a super long distance to work if possible. They are ruling out the Woodlands for that reason. Also, she is concerned about the traffic heading west on roads like Cypresswood and 2920. Supposedly folks at her new work told her traffic was pretty bad.

3. Retail within walking distance. This could be a grocery store, Walgreens, Target, etc. Her mother lives with her and can't drive. She is having the hardest time finding neighborhoods that meet this criteria.

4. She can spend up to the mid $200s for a home.

She likes the area in the Klein school district, but is worried about the commute. She was also curious about the masterplanned community Spring Trails on Riley Fuzzel. Does anyone have any insight on this neighborhood and the schools? I have never heard anything about Oak Ridge high school, so I couldn't give her any info on that.

Thank you all you help!

[VicMan]

Try a house within Klein Oak, Klein Collins, or Klein school zones.

Avoid Spring ISD - It's going down the toilet. Also I think Klein Forest High School is having rough times.

[lockmat]

The cypresswood area around louetta and kuykendahl is really nice and has plenty amenities right there. It might be real hard to find a grocery store/walgreens within walking distance unless they move to the entrance of a neighborhood, IMO. But up and down cyrpesswood on the west side of 45 is real nice I think. Mature houses with established folks living there with good families. And although many of parents there are empty nesters, I think more younger families are movin in.

Peak hours at 2920 is just getting worse and worse. Their coworker was right, it's bad.

[wordgirl]

Thanks. They'll have to take another trip up that way. Do you know anything about Spring Trails?

[lockmat]

Thanks. They'll have to take another trip up that way. Do you know anything about Spring Trails?

I don't think so. Where is that exactly?

[pineda]

Spring Trails from Chronicle

[lockmat]

Spring Trails from Chronicle

ewww, that looks a little too far from 45 for me. But then again, I guess the article said its close to Hardy and the soon Grand Parkway, which is good for the hubby.

[wordgirl]

Yup. That's the place. Thanks Pineda for finding that link. I think the location actually would be pretty good for them, because it would be extremely close for my friend's work and her husband could jump on the Hardy en route to U of H. The big unknown for me and them is the schools. It is in Conroe ISD, but I have no idea about the quality of Oak Ridge High. It got mixed reviews from greatschools.net and its scores looked about average. I am curious about its reputation.

[pineda]

Texas Education Agency

Start by going to this website.

Click on "Accountability"

Click on "Accountability Ratings"

Click on "2007 Accountability Ratings"

Click on "List of Ratings by District"

Click on "District Name"

Type in "Conroe"

Each one of the schools listed will be clickable as well.

Good luck in your search, Conroe & Tomball are good districts.

[kennyc05]

Hi all. A friend of mine has taken a job in the Spring area (FM 1960 and Aldine Westfield). She plans to move her family from First Colony to somewhere closer to avoid what would be a monster commute. She would appreciate any inside information you guys might have on desirable neighborhoods in the area. Here is her wish list:

1. Good schools. She has a child in junior high and a child who will be attending kindergarten in two years.

2. A tolerable commute for both her and her husband. Her husband works at U of H, but in non-peak hours, so he can avoid most of the traffic. That said, he doesn't want to drive a super long distance to work if possible. They are ruling out the Woodlands for that reason. Also, she is concerned about the traffic heading west on roads like Cypresswood and 2920. Supposedly folks at her new work told her traffic was pretty bad.

3. Retail within walking distance. This could be a grocery store, Walgreens, Target, etc. Her mother lives with her and can't drive. She is having the hardest time finding neighborhoods that meet this criteria.

4. She can spend up to the mid $200s for a home.

She likes the area in the Klein school district, but is worried about the commute. She was also curious about the masterplanned community Spring Trails on Riley Fuzzel. Does anyone have any insight on this neighborhood and the schools? I have never heard anything about Oak Ridge high school, so I couldn't give her any info on that.

Thank you all you help!

Theres no way I would leave sugarland for spring

[wordgirl]

You might if you were facing a 45-mile commute each way with today's gas prices.

[CottonBelter]

I live in Spring and I can help you out. I live at the border of Montgomery county and Conroe ISD is the school district zone in our Area. If you are going to live in Spring Trails, it is right at the border. Conroe ISD has great schools, never heard anything bad about this district in the news except a PTO president at an elementary school took all the money and spent it (many years ago). Junior High (If he will be going to 7th or 8th grade next year) is being built and will be open this fall with 2 stories near Spring Trails. A new elementary school opened at the start of last year in fall and it is located right in spring trails. Oak ridge High School. I guess it is an average High School. People are always doing crazy things. Someone died this year when going fast on I-45. They have special activities like Shattered Lives where they show fake, but real looking tragedy scenes on Drinking and Driving. http://www.shatteredlives-montgomerycounty.com/. There is a Newly Opened Kroger On Rayford Road about two miles away. I guess within Biking Distance. Also a new Mcdonalds is being built a little closer than the Kroger is. Lengends Ranch, and Lengends Run is much closer to the Kroger (Within Walking Distance). And Imperial Oaks (Older Community) is right across the street with all the above the same. Traffic isn't that bad. Rayford Road was recently just Widened to add a center turn lane. Traffic is much better now. So here is my 20 cents. Hope this helps.