Morgan's Point

[TheNiche]

What do you all think of Morgan's Point? For reference, it is the city at the northeastern tip of Galveston Bay, along the south side of Barbour's Cut Blvd. and east of La Porte.

There are quite a few interesting homes out there, quite a few from the turn of the century.

[VicMan]

Morgan's Point is in La Porte Independent School District, by the way.

[TheNiche]

Morgan's Point is in La Porte Independent School District, by the way.

The reason I ask is that I'm very likely to bid on a house within the next few days, and I want a better sense of how the neighborhood is perceived. I don't have kids or plan on having them anytime soon, so schools aren't an issue right now.

In this case, what drew me in was the views of Galveston Bay through the foliage from the 1st and 2nd-floor porches, a big beach that is inaccessible to the general public but is less than a quarter mile from the home via a friendly neighbor's driveway/backyard, and the 32-foot elevation of this particular home that keeps it well above the flood plain or likely storm surge levels. I also discovered a really nice coffee shop called the Purple Turtle in an odd corner of La Porte that gives damn near any coffee shop in Houston a run for its money. They sell coffees there that go up to $800 per pound in value and are a connoseuir's dream.

The only detractor seems to be the possibility of high crime seeping in from La Porte, although the City of Morgan's Point appears to have four police cars to cover a population of just shy of 300 people in a little over a hundred households. I don't much care about Barbour's Cut being down the street. In fact, it was enjoyably trippy, and even a little disorienting to turn throught the final curve on Bayridge Dr. and not see Galveston Bay, but rather the hull of a massive container vessel slowly panning through the spot in the trees where water should have been.

Any more input about people's perspectives of the area would be greatly appreciated.

[editor]

Is that one going to be near the expanded container terminal? That may be something to consider in your long-term planning.

[gnu]

The reason I ask is that I'm very likely to bid on a house within the next few days, and I want a better sense of how the neighborhood is perceived. I don't have kids or plan on having them anytime soon, so schools aren't an issue right now.

In this case, what drew me in was the views of Galveston Bay through the foliage from the 1st and 2nd-floor porches, a big beach that is inaccessible to the general public but is less than a quarter mile from the home via a friendly neighbor's driveway/backyard, and the 32-foot elevation of this particular home that keeps it well above the flood plain or likely storm surge levels. I also discovered a really nice coffee shop called the Purple Turtle in an odd corner of La Porte that gives damn near any coffee shop in Houston a run for its money. They sell coffees there that go up to $800 per pound in value and are a connoseuir's dream.

The only detractor seems to be the possibility of high crime seeping in from La Porte, although the City of Morgan's Point appears to have four police cars to cover a population of just shy of 300 people in a little over a hundred households. I don't much care about Barbour's Cut being down the street. In fact, it was enjoyably trippy, and even a little disorienting to turn throught the final curve on Bayridge Dr. and not see Galveston Bay, but rather the hull of a massive container vessel slowly panning through the spot in the trees where water should have been.

Any more input about people's perspectives of the area would be greatly appreciated.

I have always liked Morgan's Point.

It seems very isolated from LaPorte proper but I also didn't realize La Porte was having crime issues either.

I say if you have a good deal on something go for it!

You can't beat living near the White House (or facsimile of)!

oh yeah..and there used to be that little beer joint at the old ferry landing. I guess its still there.

[TheNiche]

Is that one going to be near the expanded container terminal? That may be something to consider in your long-term planning.

Bayport is further south, near Shoreacres and the El Jardin subdivision. It may lead to increased truck traffic on SH 146 and SH 225, but isn't a major concern. Barbour's Cut would be, given that I stood on the lawn watching a massive crane transfer containers from a ship in its berth to the container yard, but I actually kind of like the aesthetic. Industry is good.

[TheNiche]

I have always liked Morgan's Point.

It seems very isolated from LaPorte proper but I also didn't realize La Porte was having crime issues either.

I say if you have a good deal on something go for it!

You can't beat living near the White House (or facsimile of)!

oh yeah..and there used to be that little beer joint at the old ferry landing. I guess its still there.

Yeah, as soon as you cross the city limits between La Porte and Morgan's Point, you immediately notice the difference in construction quality. La Porte is newer, but lower-value. The folks that run the Purple Turtle complain of crime, but also say that its improved a lot.

Morgan's Point, on the contrary, actually has quite a few old turn-of-the-century homes and many million-dollar mansions along the waterfront. Bayridge Drive is quiet low-traffic street with several sharp curves that make it feel more rural. The vegetation is also more lush. On the other hand, if you come in via Main Street through downtown La Porte, then enter Morgan's Point through the back route, you come upon a large expanse of open acreage with lots of cattle. Looks very rural, but its just right across from Barbour's Cut.

Unfortunately, The Point, as it was called, is no more. I drove down there and looked around, but it was derelict.

[VicMan]

The reason I ask is that I'm very likely to bid on a house within the next few days, and I want a better sense of how the neighborhood is perceived. I don't have kids or plan on having them anytime soon, so schools aren't an issue right now.

Even so, it's important to consider the schools since property values are affected by them. If the school system is poor, property values go down. If it is doing well, property values go up.

[TheNiche]

Even so, it's important to consider the schools since property values are affected by them. If the school system is poor, property values go down. If it is doing well, property values go up.

I can afford an undervalued but nice home in a great location. I can't afford both the nice home in the great location and good schools at the same time, however, unless I settle for a cookie-cutter subdivision. And even in a worst-case scenario, where I find myself with a child nine months from today (very unlikely), it'd still be five years from then before I'd have to worry about the issue. Besides, the quality of schools have been shown to have far less an impact on the long-term potential of any given child than does the number of years of education of the parents. I'm at 19 years now, and my girlfiend is at 18.5. As far as I'm concerned, the government should be paying us to procreate in order to expand its long-term tax base.

As far as the home as an investment is concerned, the home comes discounted because of poor schools and it will be sold discounted because of poor schools. The only downside would be if the schools get worse...but it seems like the neighborhood bottomed out about 10 years ago and is creeping back. I'm not saying that it'll ever be a Katy, but probably more like Pasadena (not that bad, but not that good).

Besides, Houston may not have any natural barriers to suburban growth, keeping land values very low in vast expanses of flat vacant terrain, but there's only a fixed supply of waterfront...especially of waterfront between 25 and 30 feet in elevation. So as population pressures build in the region, the niche market that really craves water will continually compete for the finite supply of it, drastically driving up prices. That's why you're starting to see condo towers in popular low-market-risk areas like on Clear Lake and in Galveston. I forsee the day that there are condo towers in San Leon.

[VicMan]

In my opinion, the only time when it's a big issue is when a school district is really bad.

http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/tx/district_profile/574

La Porte seems to be a very solid district from the test scores, so you won't have to worry about property values at all

I can afford an undervalued but nice home in a great location. I can't afford both the nice home in the great location and good schools at the same time, however, unless I settle for a cookie-cutter subdivision. And even in a worst-case scenario, where I find myself with a child nine months from today (very unlikely), it'd still be five years from then before I'd have to worry about the issue. Besides, the quality of schools have been shown to have far less an impact on the long-term potential of any given child than does the number of years of education of the parents. I'm at 19 years now, and my girlfiend is at 18.5. As far as I'm concerned, the government should be paying us to procreate in order to expand its long-term tax base.

As far as the home as an investment is concerned, the home comes discounted because of poor schools and it will be sold discounted because of poor schools. The only downside would be if the schools get worse...but it seems like the neighborhood bottomed out about 10 years ago and is creeping back. I'm not saying that it'll ever be a Katy, but probably more like Pasadena (not that bad, but not that good).

Besides, Houston may not have any natural barriers to suburban growth, keeping land values very low in vast expanses of flat vacant terrain, but there's only a fixed supply of waterfront...especially of waterfront between 25 and 30 feet in elevation. So as population pressures build in the region, the niche market that really craves water will continually compete for the finite supply of it, drastically driving up prices. That's why you're starting to see condo towers in popular low-market-risk areas like on Clear Lake and in Galveston. I forsee the day that there are condo towers in San Leon.

[TheNiche]

In my opinion, the only time when it's a big issue is when a school district is really bad.

http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/tx/district_profile/574

La Porte seems to be a very solid district from the test scores, so you won't have to worry about property values at all

You know, I'd cared so little about the school issue that I hadn't even looked. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. Its not Katy or The Woodlands, but you're right...it's just a little above-par...pretty solid. Wouldn't have guessed it.

[cate543]

You know, I'd cared so little about the school issue that I hadn't even looked. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. Its not Katy or The Woodlands, but you're right...it's just a little above-par...pretty solid. Wouldn't have guessed it.

Hi, I found this doing a search for purple turtle which, yes, beats out every coffee shop I've been in so far (and that's a lot). Anyway, I doubt this stream is still read but I suppose I'm feeling slightly protective. I'm a senior in Laporte right now and I have to say that the education entirely depends on the teacher. Test scores don't mean anything because the TAKS is a test that means nothing except money for the government and in no way can measure what the students know, there are lots of internal problems with it that make it more or less worthless and only an extra irritant.

Anyway, all elementary teachers I had, except a 4th grade one from hell, were angels and entirely encouraged and embraced learning and living. Jr High is basically the same, with a little more independence. But in high school, if you take the challenging ap etc classes, school is brilliant. Many of my teachers graduated from Yale or Rice and several are graders and writers of the AP tests. They instill a great work ethic and you get the most out of your education.

If you take all the regular classes, and the kids who dont care do, then sometimes you have problems. But even those teachers are beloved and do what they can with the kids who really want to learn. Unfortunately, that number isn't high enough.

Anyway, that was all. =)

-Cate

[TheNiche]

Hi, I found this doing a search for purple turtle which, yes, beats out every coffee shop I've been in so far (and that's a lot). Anyway, I doubt this stream is still read but I suppose I'm feeling slightly protective. I'm a senior in Laporte right now and I have to say that the education entirely depends on the teacher. Test scores don't mean anything because the TAKS is a test that means nothing except money for the government and in no way can measure what the students know, there are lots of internal problems with it that make it more or less worthless and only an extra irritant.

Anyway, all elementary teachers I had, except a 4th grade one from hell, were angels and entirely encouraged and embraced learning and living. Jr High is basically the same, with a little more independence. But in high school, if you take the challenging ap etc classes, school is brilliant. Many of my teachers graduated from Yale or Rice and several are graders and writers of the AP tests. They instill a great work ethic and you get the most out of your education.

If you take all the regular classes, and the kids who dont care do, then sometimes you have problems. But even those teachers are beloved and do what they can with the kids who really want to learn. Unfortunately, that number isn't high enough.

Anyway, that was all. =)

-Cate

I appreciate your input and welcome to HAIF.

I've always been of the mindset that school 'quality' is an excellent residential investment criteria, but not one that really matters. It really comes down to the quality of the parents and the student's innate ability to learn.

Having good teachers is still good, though...must cut down on the suicide rate. Didn't realize that you pulled in Rice and Yale folks.

[GhostDog]

Its been a while since I've been down by Morgan's point, however I really think the coast of galveston bay is TERRIBLY under utiliized...

I mean to me it s/be lined with Palm Beach Styled Mansions...

Even up towards Baytown area...

I wouldn't at all mind having a place on an inlet or soemthing like that in LaPorte...Somewhere close enough that you could work in downtown and live on the water...