Memorial Real Estate

[Ducks]

I went to Meadow Wood and ended up at Stratford High School. (My 10 year reunion is this weekend!)

I'll be there too

[KatieDidIt]

Yes, I know a lot about the area because I live there. And after living in suburbia, it's extremely nice in 77079.

If you can get east of Dairy Ashford, I would recommend it. West of Eldridge is just has a whole different personality and doesn't feel like Memorial at all. We looked at houses in Memorial Thicket and Fleetwood but I thought it was crowded and a little bit of a land-locked feeling. As some other poster said, the traffic and congestion is horrible west of ELdridge.

[jc281]

agree^ anything by 6 is moo. id shoot for kirkwood just south of memorial.

[cdipaolo]

I'd look at Nottingham Forest and Nottingham based on your price range/requirements.

[Gary]

I had a home a few years ago in Westchester (Memorial & Dairy Asford), and I'd kill to have it back. The neighborhood, Although farther east than Kirkwood, had great access to I-10, and wasn't bad at all getting to the Beltway. It's a very mature neighborhood as most in the area are, with great trees, good neighbors, and everyone takes a lot of pride in their homes.

[LookingToMove]

Thanks everyone for the great feedback!

WWYD in our situation:

We have 3 young children.

It's looking like we could look more west (Fleetwood, Barker's Landing) and probably get a large, 4 bdrm 3 bath home. We'd have Katy ISD schools.

Or, we could look more east (Nottingham, Thornwood) and probably have to settle for a smaller, older, 4 bdrm 2 bath home. Spring Branch ISD and probably better resale. My concern would be a family of 5 trying to share only 2 bathrooms once the kids get older... I could see that being problematic down the road. We certainly would like to avoid having to move again after only a few years.

If you were in our situation, WWYD?

[Pumapayam]

If you were in our situation, WWYD?

If you want to live in the Memorial area, I don't think Katy ISD is an option. The 77079 area code is Houston and I think the boundaries all go to SBISD. Someone correct me.

[KatieDidIt]

If you want to live in the Memorial area, I don't think Katy ISD is an option. The 77079 area code is Houston and I think the boundaries all go to SBISD. Someone correct me.

Puma, most areas west of Eldridge go to KISD, and a small portion to HISD.

Honestly, 40 years ago when these houses were built, big families shared two bathrooms. It's a concept lost to the children of Baby Boomers,aka those of us in our mid-20's and 30's. Strangely we all shared bedrooms and bathrooms growing up, and are so scarred by it, we swore our kids would never grown up in such and un-kingly manner. I'm not poking fun at you, merely laughing at our own generation.

I would go for the house in Spring Branch ISD and after a few years...add on to it. Appreciation and space problems solved. Most people find a house that connects easily to the garage and build up after a few years. Giving the kids an area with bathrooms and a gameroom. Or they build off the opposite backside a whole new master suite. If you can find a Nottingham Forest house east of Dairy Ashford it would be a no brainer, however they are getting harder and harder to find in the interior areas for 350k. Thornwood would be my second choice, north of Memorial is SBISD. I'm still not sold on Nottingham West. Too much cut through traffic from the apartment areas over there.

Barkers and Fleetwood are very nice, but the reason they have not appreciated and are not as sought after as the more Memorial locations is that there are less trees, higher traffic, Highway 6 looks like a bomb went off on it, KISD schooling (who is still passing bonds to build new schools rather than improve existing structure) and smaller lots. Fleetwood has a very sterile and packed in feeling to it. They are also a fairly far drive to stores.For resale in that area, anything farther than 2 miles to retail centers is a "haul." And even though its in 77079, it doesn't feel anything like Memorial.

Edited June 10, 2008 by KatieDidIt

[sttombiz]

Getting down to it anything west of the beltway is not really Memorial. This is what any resident who of the area will tell you. So BL is just as much a part of memorial as any other neighborhood.

As for traffic on Memorial at Eldridge its not that bad. I lived there for 20 yrs. Basically at peak traffic times (5-6) you're already either in your house or if you have to go east on Memorial from your front door to eldridge probably will take you 10 min on average. You're not goin to hit this bc you're goin back to your house at this time and there's no traffic heading west on memorial (except sometimes at kirkwood).

when coming from the park n ride to BL at rush hour it takes me about 5 min. Also the other direction in the morning. Since all you take is the turn around at the freeway and then the entrance at addicks howell off the feeder.

Something the areas east of eldridge dont have access to is grasshopper square. This is a small grove of different restaurants and bars which give a great small town feel. I've always compared it to much less commercialized kemah boardwalk.

With the expansion of BP too comes a town center that will be built off the road behind BL. The reason these areas haven't appreciated as much is because of the school zoning. But now since its proxmity to the Energy Corridor the housing values have shot up.

[LookingToMove]

Wow, great info here.

Sounds like Barker's Landing and Fleetwood would be better for us as far as getting to work (going down Hwy 6 for one of us and using the Addick's park-and-ride for the other), but the long drive to the middle school and high school SUCK! I mean, that's almost a deal-breaker. I'm just thinking in my head school bus accidents on busy I-10, scary. So we'll see. I guess we're just going to have to scope the whole zip with a realtor and see what's available and pricing. I do like the idea of having the schools be closer with the subdivisions east of Eldridge.

What is Grasshopper Square? Never heard of it.

Is there a link or something to the planned Town Center behind Barker's Landing?

[sttombiz]

Yea that would be my biggest deal breaker. You would have to go private or try to get a small apt in the spring branch isd for rent after elementary. Just use the address for zoning. One of my friends did this but its a bit far to go to put your kids in public school.

Grasshopper Square is behind BL on grisby and addicks howell. Great area. The info about the expansion is on the BP website I believe. I dont have the URL offhand. But you can find related info on the BL website.

http://www.barkerslanding.org

[KatieDidIt]

Wow, great info here.

Sounds like Barker's Landing and Fleetwood would be better for us as far as getting to work (going down Hwy 6 for one of us and using the Addick's park-and-ride for the other), but the long drive to the middle school and high school SUCK! I mean, that's almost a deal-breaker. I'm just thinking in my head school bus accidents on busy I-10, scary. So we'll see. I guess we're just going to have to scope the whole zip with a realtor and see what's available and pricing. I do like the idea of having the schools be closer with the subdivisions east of Eldridge.

What is Grasshopper Square? Never heard of it.

Is there a link or something to the planned Town Center behind Barker's Landing?

take a peek at this one when you are out and about. http://www.har.com/9703584

[LookingToMove]

I did notice that listing, and a few others in Thornwood that could use some work.

Also saw another one in there that is a little smaller but already updated, kitchen looks totally new... wonder if it was a flip? Price is about the same as the above...

[Texas Wahoo]

I grew up in Fleetwood and I have lots of friends whose parents still live in Fleetwood, Barkers Landing, Thornwood, and Memorial Thicket. They all feed in to Taylor High School these days. I love Fleetwood up against the Bayou. I love having an alley to play basketball with the kids, etc. I don't know about total appreciation, but my Dad's house has appreciated about $100-$125k in the last 5 or so years (about 35%). Barkers landing is nice in that it has 4 tennis courts and a pool. Thornwood has cheaper houses and a pool. Both Thornwood and Barkers Landing have the downside of people in the nearby office buildings can see into your backyard. I know because my mom worked in the tallest Westlake building.

As for traffic - it is only bad going on East on memorial at the Eldridge light. For some reason they have screwed up the timing of that light lately and so it backs up where it can take up to 4 lights to get through at the worst times. This summer I got up every morning and took 6 to the Westpark Tollway and there was almost no traffic going that way.

As for bus accidents on I-10, the busses don't take I-10. Even when they fed into Mayde Creek we Park Ten. Now I think they go west on westheimer because Taylor HS is south of I-10.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[sheeats]

I've lived in 77079 for almost 20 years and while I've seen it change quite drastically in that time, it's never gone downhill and has remained -- I think, at least -- a very quality area of town. There are some "rough" areas of course, but that's Houston for ya. Just avoid the apartment section off Tully and Fern (a huge area of apartments back there, none of them good) and you'll be fine.

I live at the Beltway and Memorial. Decent access to I-10, great access to the Beltway, and awesome schools (Rummel Creek EL, Memorial MS and Stratford HS). Can't speak more highly of those schools. We've got beautiful, mature trees, excellent access to nearby grocery stores and restaurants, and the great City Centre/Town & Country Center right across the street.

If I were you, I would go for an older home with the two bathrooms (two and a half if you can get it). Sharing a bathroom with siblings won't scar your children. It will bring them closer together. I believe in families having "family" spaces instead of everyone having their own corner of some huge house that just costs more to cool down in the summers. But that's just my POV.

You can consistently count on an older home over here appreciating in value, even if it's just for the land. With one of the newer homes or one of the ones further west (Barkers Landing area), that's not always a guarantee.

[LookingToMove]

Thanks everyone.

What we're trying to do right now is figure out if we should stay in Sugar Land, or take the move to Memorial. Because of our job locations, either would do. We have more home selection (and newer homes) in Sugar Land and generally like the area. Also every store imaginable is nearby. But I really like Memorial too, and it's closer to most of our friends. Because of that, and because it's probably a better home investment, we're leaning toward Memorial. But I must admit, thinking about having to update/remodel an older home with a preschooler and two toddlers in the house is a little daunting.

We do have to move because we don't like our elementary school. If we moved to Memorial we'd probably end up with Nottingham Elem or Wolfe Elem. Anyone here have children at either of those? I know they look fine on paper, but I'd like to find out more. I have a friend who is zoned to Thornwood Elem and told me it's gone downhill and lost many good teachers. Since the main reason we're moving is because we don't like our elementary school here in Fort Bend County, I certainly don't want to end up with another one that is not great...

Any other feedback would be greatly appreciated...

[Texas Wahoo]

We do have to move because we don't like our elementary school. If we moved to Memorial we'd probably end up with Nottingham Elem or Wolfe Elem. Anyone here have children at either of those? I know they look fine on paper, but I'd like to find out more. I have a friend who is zoned to Thornwood Elem and told me it's gone downhill and lost many good teachers. Since the main reason we're moving is because we don't like our elementary school here in Fort Bend County, I certainly don't want to end up with another one that is not great...

I attended Wolfe elementary long ago and my half brother and half sister have gone there from Kindergarten through 5th and 3rd grades respectively. It was a great school when I went and I'm pretty sure it's still very good. It's got a very good Gifted and Talented program. It is on a huge plot of land, so there is a lot of space out there for the kids to have recess and play after school. I spent most of my childhood out there playing baseball with my friends. I can't speak to any of the particular teachers because all of the ones when I went there have since retired, but my siblings seem to like them. There are several parents that are very big into participating and are there helping out almost every day (my step-mother included).

If you're looking at higher level schools, that area has been rezoned from Mayde Creek High School to Taylor High School (and their respective junior high schools). The parents in Fleetwood/Barkers Landing/Thornwood all complained when Mayde Creek started going downhill and so Katy moved them to Taylor so they didn't try to get switched to Spring Branch ISD. Taylor has a very good academic reputation and some very good sports programs (Tennis and Swimming have been state champs many times recently).

I can't speak to Nottingham, but I am sure it is also very good.

[LookingToMove]

Do you know when areas west of Eldridge were rezoned to Taylor HS? I didn't know about that, I thought it had always been that way.

I also have a question about Hwy 6. Down where we are right now (Sugar Land/Missouri City) Hwy 6 is very attractive looking as far as the store fronts, planted trees, no billboards, etc. I noticed Hwy 6 on the west side seems still much undeveloped. While I don't expect it to look like Sugar Land (where there is zoning), I wouldn't want it to end up looking like FM 1960 either - yuck!

Also, what about West Oaks Mall? How is that area coming?

I think we are focused on the Thornwood subdivision though. I like Wilchester and some closer to the Beltway, but I think we're out-priced of those. If there's nothing in Thornwood, it would be Fleetwood or BL.

[sheeats]

Also, what about West Oaks Mall? How is that area coming?

Just my personal opinion, but West Oaks Mall is not the nicest mall in town. They've got the Alamo Drafthouse going for them, so that's nice. But everything else about it is really...crappy. I mean, look at it...there are never any cars in the parking lot and the inside of the mall looks like the set from the original "Dawn Of The Dead": old, outdated and mostly abandoned. Steve & Barry's -- one of their anchor stores -- just declared bankruptcy, so don't expect them to be around much longer. In fact, the owners of West Oaks themselves recently declared bankruptcy. The mall is an open sore, IMHO.

The area around West Oaks Mall isn't much better. Nothing but strip malls with adult bookstores and "spas," tile outlet centers and mattress stores, and a few run-down sports bars thrown in for good measure as far as the eye can see up and down Highway 6. They've made an effort with the Barnes & Noble and Best Buy shopping center at Westheimer and Hwy 6, but it's still ugly as hell out there and ghetto-light to boot.

Not a fan, obviously.

[Texas Wahoo]

Do you know when areas west of Eldridge were rezoned to Taylor HS? I didn't know about that, I thought it had always been that way.

They were transitioned around 2000-2001. I actually graduated from MCHS in 2001 and they give us a choice about whether to continue at MCHS or go to Taylor for our senior year (they did that for the class after us as well). After 2002, everyone was zoned to Memorial Parkway JH and Taylor HS.

As for HWY 6, it is just now being developed in the area from Westheimer to Memorial. There are still a lot of empty plots, although their filling up. Just built a giant old folks community with tennis courts and pools and stuff. There is definitely still a lot of really old strip centers that have been there forever on the other side of HWY 6 by the Bayou. There are a few porn shops (24 hour news and video) and some really old restaurants and bars that look like barns or bars. I think that side is pretty limited in terms of useful space because of the resevoir right there. The spas have all been shut down, but the signs are still there unfortunately. I expect the area of HWY from Memorial to HWY 6 to change a lot in the next couple of years. They're still finishing a ton of construction in that area and most of the old strip centers are being torn down or have no occupants and don't even seem to be renting. They're building an office building on the corner of 10 and 6 and I expect more to follow in that general area. It will be interesting to see what changes are coming for that area now that they've done something about the traffic.

West Oaks Mall has seen its good and bad days and I think it is seeing some bad days right now. The Dave and Barrys (or whatever its called) was only there for a couple of years (it replaced the original Mervyns). They just redid all of the signs and most of the interior of the mall the last couple of years and I think it looks pretty nice. Unfortunately, I think they're charging way too much rent, and that's why there is a really high turnover of stores.

[sttombiz]

The switch to Taylor and MPJH occurred in 1996. I was in 6th grade at the time and attending Mayde Creek, the switch happened, and we were rezoned to Memorial Parkway (MPJH) and Taylor HS.

I still believe that we should be attending Stratford since it is so much closer. There is that huge lot next to Wolfe that they should just build a mix use junior high/high school. It probably wouldnt be 5A but that would be the only hiccup. There is support nowadays for the number of children since more of the older generation is moving out of neighborhoods. It looks as though if the trend continues the area will surpass what it is now.

Also I was told that the brick walls along Memorial that house both Fleetwood neighborhoods will be replaced with new ones. This is kind of like how the walls on Memorial housing the Wilchester neighborhoods were replaced.

The only thing I hope for is that Fleetwood neighborhoods finally raise their neighborhood dues. The area cannot support $4-500 a year. In BL we were paying $925 and I think now it is even higher. Memorial Thicket pays upwards to $1500.

BL will hopefully be gated too to contend with the added traffic from the BP expansion or will have a guard gate option at the entrances.

[KatieDidIt]

The switch to Taylor and MPJH occurred in 1996. I was in 6th grade at the time and attending Mayde Creek, the switch happened, and we were rezoned to Memorial Parkway (MPJH) and Taylor HS.

I still believe that we should be attending Stratford since it is so much closer. There is that huge lot next to Wolfe that they should just build a mix use junior high/high school. It probably wouldnt be 5A but that would be the only hiccup. There is support nowadays for the number of children since more of the older generation is moving out of neighborhoods. It looks as though if the trend continues the area will surpass what it is now.

Also I was told that the brick walls along Memorial that house both Fleetwood neighborhoods will be replaced with new ones. This is kind of like how the walls on Memorial housing the Wilchester neighborhoods were replaced.

The only thing I hope for is that Fleetwood neighborhoods finally raise their neighborhood dues. The area cannot support $4-500 a year. In BL we were paying $925 and I think now it is even higher. Memorial Thicket pays upwards to $1500.

BL will hopefully be gated too to contend with the added traffic from the BP expansion or will have a guard gate option at the entrances.

Wow. We pay about 450 a year. We got assessed 2500 last year to build a new wall, but there are some old farts holding out on easments that is really slowing down the building prcess.

[LookingToMove]

My mother (who lives up off FM 1960 near Spring) is giving us so much slack about this.

Her problem is she thinks we're going to end up in a house that's "too small" for the 5 of us and end up having to move again within a few years.

She's saying go to somewhere like Cinco Ranch or something in Katy instead... or just elsewhere in Sugar Land...

Opinions? Remember the schools (elementary mostly) are the biggest factor for us... have 3 young children... not big on "suburbia" but want something nice, safe, and hopefully close to 3000 sq ft on a 300-350k budget. In 77079 I think that would only be Thornwood, Fleetwood, BL.

[sheeats]

I hate Katy/Cinco Ranch, so I'm not even going to try and give an unbiased opinion on it.

There's nothing wrong with Sugar Land. But there's also nothing wrong with living in a house that's 2000 sq ft as opposed to a 3500 or 4000 sq ft, overpriced and underbuilt house that just costs more to cool down because people feel that they have to have "more" of everything, including square footage. Then again, I'm a believer in doing more with less and small-scale living, so keep that in mind when listening to my rants.

I'll repeat what I said earlier: there is absolutely nothing wrong with living in a "small" house with your family (and it's really only "small" by Houston standards, isn't it?). People have been doing it forEVER. Something to think about: families have lived successfully in those 1960s era homes since they were built and families tended to be much closer then than they are now.

[KatieDidIt]

I hate Katy/Cinco Ranch, so I'm not even going to try and give an unbiased opinion on it.

There's nothing wrong with Sugar Land. But there's also nothing wrong with living in a house that's 2000 sq ft as opposed to a 3500 or 4000 sq ft, overpriced and underbuilt house that just costs more to cool down because people feel that they have to have "more" of everything, including square footage. Then again, I'm a believer in doing more with less and small-scale living, so keep that in mind when listening to my rants.

I'll repeat what I said earlier: there is absolutely nothing wrong with living in a "small" house with your family (and it's really only "small" by Houston standards, isn't it?). People have been doing it forEVER. Something to think about: families have lived successfully in those 1960s era homes since they were built and families tended to be much closer then than they are now.

Well, here is an argument for you. My bill just can in today for my 3900 sf house. It's old, but with 2 newish A/C's and one small old one. New Windows. Spray Insulation up to 15 inches thick. $733.00 power bill from May 30 to July 1.

Granted its old. But our 4000+ sf home in The Woodlands was close to that price as well.

Edited July 14, 2008 by KatieDidIt

[LookingToMove]

Well, here is an argument for you. My bill just can in today for my 3900 sf house. It's old, but with 2 newish A/C's and one small old one. New Windows. Spray Insulation up to 15 inches thick. $733.00 power bill from May 30 to July 1.

Granted its old. But our 4000+ sf home in The Woodlands was close to that price as well.

Our current home, built in 2002, is about 3700 sq ft. Last electric bill was in the 400's. Really don't want to pay much more than that!

We don't use all of our square footage here. The gameroom and bonus room go unused except for storage.

[KatieDidIt]

Our current home, built in 2002, is about 3700 sq ft. Last electric bill was in the 400's. Really don't want to pay much more than that!

We don't use all of our square footage here. The gameroom and bonus room go unused except for storage.

Well, if you haven't gotten June's bill yet you will be shocked. Just keep that in mind when you are chosing you home.

[sheeats]

All that said above, I think Sugar Land is a nice place to live and a nice place to raise a family. They've put a lot of effort into transforming it into an almost insular community, where -- except for a commute in to work -- you don't have to leave on the weekends to enjoy "city life." Unless you want to go to the museums or the symphony, etc. The schools tend to be quite good, too. But you might want to check in another thread or with people who have much more Sugar Land experience than I do.

[sttombiz]

here are some in BL and Fleetwood (all of these need to be updated)

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

Here are two updated homes but in the 390k range (Fleetwood and Wilchester)

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

[KatieDidIt]

here are some in BL and Fleetwood (all of these need to be updated)

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

Here are two updated homes but in the 390k range (Fleetwood and Wilchester)

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

That Wilchester one is on the corner of Memorial and Yorchester. Fault line problems. There must be a whole lot of other problems, with it even with the location, because it wouldn't have sat this long. They even tried to auction it if off in the middle of Yorchester on the corner there (big brew-hah-ha, cops call etc), and I guess it didn't sell

[Texas Wahoo]

The switch to Taylor and MPJH occurred in 1996. I was in 6th grade at the time and attending Mayde Creek, the switch happened, and we were rezoned to Memorial Parkway (MPJH) and Taylor HS.

I still believe that we should be attending Stratford since it is so much closer. There is that huge lot next to Wolfe that they should just build a mix use junior high/high school. It probably wouldnt be 5A but that would be the only hiccup. There is support nowadays for the number of children since more of the older generation is moving out of neighborhoods. It looks as though if the trend continues the area will surpass what it is now.

Also I was told that the brick walls along Memorial that house both Fleetwood neighborhoods will be replaced with new ones. This is kind of like how the walls on Memorial housing the Wilchester neighborhoods were replaced.

The only thing I hope for is that Fleetwood neighborhoods finally raise their neighborhood dues. The area cannot support $4-500 a year. In BL we were paying $925 and I think now it is even higher. Memorial Thicket pays upwards to $1500.

BL will hopefully be gated too to contend with the added traffic from the BP expansion or will have a guard gate option at the entrances.

That's strange. I guess they phased in the change with two years below me, because I was at MCJH in 1996. Either way, it's all switched over now. I agree that the area should probably go to Stratford, but that will never happen because of the tax dollars at stake. I don't see Katy ISD ever building a JH/HS next to wolfe because they don't own all of that land. They own the fenced in area, which is large, but not large enough for a high school. The area outside the fence is actually a park which is not owned by KISD. The population of the area is not increasing enough to put a neighborhood there. If they did, it would be mostly populated by those apartments north of I-10 and Bear Creek, which both currently feed into MCHS.

Fleetwood II's wall (south side) was hit by two cars and the city said the whole thing had to be replaced instead of just fixing the part that fell down. They are currently in the process of replacing it and should be done within the month. I don't know what Fleetwood pays for HOA, but Fleetwood West pays $300. Although one of the major reasons Fleetwood probably doesn't have as high a HOA fee is that BL has a swimming pool and tennis courts to maintain.

As for as becoming gated, I just don't see how it would work. BL has those two commercial properties that are partially within the neighborhood, I don't see how you would go about gating the back entrances without gating in those buildings. They could go with something like Memorial Thicket has with the guy in front that waives to everyone, but I'm not sure how that is any better than what Fleetwood and BL have now with the guy that drives around all the time. If BL somehow does go gated, I would suspect Fleetwood would do the same.

[sttombiz]

That's strange. I guess they phased in the change with two years below me, because I was at MCJH in 1996. Either way, it's all switched over now. I agree that the area should probably go to Stratford, but that will never happen because of the tax dollars at stake. I don't see Katy ISD ever building a JH/HS next to wolfe because they don't own all of that land. They own the fenced in area, which is large, but not large enough for a high school. The area outside the fence is actually a park which is not owned by KISD. The population of the area is not increasing enough to put a neighborhood there. If they did, it would be mostly populated by those apartments north of I-10 and Bear Creek, which both currently feed into MCHS.

Fleetwood II's wall (south side) was hit by two cars and the city said the whole thing had to be replaced instead of just fixing the part that fell down. They are currently in the process of replacing it and should be done within the month. I don't know what Fleetwood pays for HOA, but Fleetwood West pays $300. Although one of the major reasons Fleetwood probably doesn't have as high a HOA fee is that BL has a swimming pool and tennis courts to maintain.

As for as becoming gated, I just don't see how it would work. BL has those two commercial properties that are partially within the neighborhood, I don't see how you would go about gating the back entrances without gating in those buildings. They could go with something like Memorial Thicket has with the guy in front that waives to everyone, but I'm not sure how that is any better than what Fleetwood and BL have now with the guy that drives around all the time. If BL somehow does go gated, I would suspect Fleetwood would do the same.

Katy ISD owns the entire area up to the ditch on Grisby (where the power lines/Grisby Grill). They own all the frontage on Hwy 6 as well. I was eluding to a joint JH/HS option but like I said it would likely not happen because the school would not be 5A.

I understand BL cant be gated because of the office buildings in back of the neighborhood. What I would propose would be a guard gate option at all the entrances. Something kind of like how you have to swipe a card for the arm to open. In this instance the people working in those buildings can get in and out while those that cut through BL cannot. Along with this a manned gate at the front with the same types of arms or whatever would work well.

We cant gate in the area because it would be too expensive to buy back the streets from the city. BL and Fleetwood are too large of neighborhoods.

It just depends on what neighborhood wants. I think there are options but the best bet to contend with drivers racing through the neighborhood after work would be road humps placed along the main corridors. It is the most economical plan.

Here are the records:

http://www.hcad.org/records/details.asp?ta...t=0410360010280

http://www.hcad.org/records/details.asp?ta...t=0222050320007

Edited July 15, 2008 by sttombiz

[Texas Wahoo]

Katy ISD owns the entire area up to the ditch on Grisby (where the power lines/Grisby Grill). They own all the frontage on Hwy 6 as well. I was eluding to a joint JH/HS option but like I said it would likely not happen because the school would not be 5A.

Thanks for the explanation. I had no idea that Katy ISD owns all of that land. I guess they only fence off the area they think they need to use for the Elementary and leave the rest open as park space.

Personally, I hope the city does something about Addicks Howell and the people who think it's a good idea to try to cross Memorial on it. They end up bogging everything down and it's really not safe.

[Yonkers]

So a house I was going to buy in Spring fell through. I've expanded my search again and thought it would be cool to live in a little closer. Inside the loop was considered but maybe even better is where it's close enough to where my wife works (towards Katy) and to where I do (Greenspoint).

So I was looking at maybe Memorial (but so expensive!) or north of I-10, like Spring Valley (a little less so). I really like the schools and the location. But do you think they are overpriced now or is it going to continue up as gentrification pushes northward etc. I do have concerns that just a little north of Spring Valley (north of Longpoint etc) it's a totally different scene.

Also, can anyone tell me why the houses immediately south of Town & Country (east of Beltway, west of Gessner, north of Briar Forest) is considerably cheaper? It's still considered Memorial and goes to nearly the same schools, no?

[dmoneybangbang]

I honestly don't know about prices of the part of West Houston but I would say the prices on the east side of the BW would be higher. You might want to look into the Ashford areas which are basically between Briar Forest and Westheimer to the north and the south and Eldridge/Diary Ashford and Kirkwood to the west and east. I went to high school in that area (Westside Hiogh School in HISD) and had many friends that lived in the Ashford neighborhoods. Older homes in established neighborhoods with big mature trees. Not sure about the price, but I would say in the mid to high 200K.

Memorial is indeed more expensive than the surrounding areas. I would look into the area south of I10 between hwy 6 and bw 8, stopping before Alief. It definitely doesn't have some master planned community feel to it, so if you are looking for that kind of feel then look somewhere else.

[Michael Magana]

I'm sorry that your home fell through in Spring. Your right about Spring Valley it has become the "Memorial to the North", prices there have gone up dramatically the last 5 years. Those of us in the business believe that Spring Valley has and will continue to be a popular option for buyers. I see continued gentrification of the area. It's convenience to town will keep land values high. There are also plenty of private schools in the area that continue to attract families. As you head north make sure to check out schools and know where school boundaries start and end. It is also a good idea to check out recent sales before making your purchase.

The area south of Town and Country inside the beltway is a little less expensive than Memorial and yes it is considered part of Memorial. As you get closer to the beltway, prices do go down. The lot sizes can also be smaller than a typical Memorial lot. The schools are the same, Spring Branch school district. They change to HISD when you get outside he beltway in Briargrove park. Check the maps. It is a good area. Check out this listing I ran across when looking at this area. Nice Mid century modern, perhaps a little too close to the beltway, but an interesting listing none the less. http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

Michael

[Yonkers]

Thanks for the reply. I agree that the area should see continue growth and appreciation. I'm hoping to take advantage of this slight downturn to find something cheap. However, I don't think too many people living in this area are affected so the prices are still pretty high.

I'm trying to find either a place in Memorial east of Gessner or a place in Spring Valley south of Westview. I really like the large lots in Memorial but the housing prices do reflect that. Plus I'm having a hard time convincing my wife on the ranch-style houses that are prevalent in Memorial. She prefers the newer styles that you find in SV.

I'm going to be patient and keep on looking. I don't think we've hit a bottom yet so I'll see if a good deal comes along.

Thanks again.

[Michael Magana]

I think that the spring will be the tell if we are headed for lower prices. Houston typically sees its most activity in the Spring with more closings happening in May and June than at any other time in the year. But, your right on that prices have not gone down. The total number of sales is down but still very strong. I've noticed a reduction in the total inventory which tells me that homes that are not selling are being taken off the market. We'll wait and see. Good Luck

[G-man]

I agree with the assessments made in this thread, and think that Yonkers raises all of the right issues in considering buying a place in the Spring Valley area. I bought my place in this area a bit over 5 years ago, and chose it over a similar place that I was considering in the West U area. One of the reasons that I did so was that I saw the potential for greater appreciations since the West U area was already further along in the gentrification process. I was also surprised at how few people really new SV at that time, but this has obviously changed. I am constantly astounded by the amount of redevelopment occurring in the area, and as my work often takes me away for months at a time, I can really notice the changes.

Since purchasing my place I've continued to follow price trends, and 50's era ranches tend to go for $300,000 to $450,000, with newer construction priced between 800, 000 to 1.5 million (when I first moved here there were only a handful of places priced at 1 mil or more, but recently there was place on the market for over 2 mil!). In addition to Spring Valley and Hilshire Village themselves, a good many of the adjacent areas have a good amount of redevelopment - Brykerwoods, Monarch Oaks, Glenmore Forest and Campbell Place in particular. And as was noted, some of these areas are now more expensive than some of the more western areas south of I-10. This is now pushing development further north and west, and there are even major projects being developed north of Long Point (again, as Yonkers noted, this area tends to be quite different from that south of Long Point).

Most of this area is zoned to Memorial High and Spring Branch Middle School (exactly the same as the other side of the freeway; for the small portion not zoned to SBMS, Cornerstone Academy is a popular alternative) and Valley Oaks Elementary, which is quite popular with parents (there are also quite a numbe rof good private schools in the area - Awty, Regents, Duschene, etc.). I've enjoyed living in the area, and it's quite convenient. Though some claim that acitivtiy might have slowed a bit recently, I'm of the opinion that the prospects for continued redevelopment in the area are very good. I've posted a few times on this topic, so do see some of my earlier posts.

Edited November 26, 2008 by G-man

[KatieDidIt]

Gessner has high congestion, that's one of the main reasons it's cheaper over there. And, most of those homes are no longer "in The Villages." When returning to Houston, my husband refused to look anywhere near Gessner, which is often a shared sentiment.

Have you looked west of the Beltway along Memorial? Like Rustling Pines, Wilchester and Gaywood.

They still have the excellent SBISD schools, but often have bigger homes and lots than those around Gessner. Very few ranches. The area is a bit of the bastard child of Memorial, but it's not "the other side of the tracks" like Spring Valley.

My subdivision has 1/2 acre to full acre lots with mostly two story homes. Appreciation is steady and holding.

[G-man]

The area is a bit of the bastard child of Memorial, but it's not "the other side of the tracks" like Spring Valley.

[Yonkers]

I went to a couple of open houses today. One was in Spring Valley on Pine Chase. It was a corner lot that sits right on Westview (north side). From what I understand that's the wrong side of Westview (if there is such a thing) to be in the Spring Valley area. Plus sitting right on Westview I could hear all the traffic. It was a new construction and looked nice however.

The other house was in Hedwig Village. About the same price but this one was a 1950s ranch... and it showed. Of course the location was a lot better. But I don't think I could convince my wife to spend this much money on a older house not even in a style she likes. It's beginning to look like my search for a Memorial house will be futile.

I'm going to focus more on Spring Valley and 'Memorial-lite' west of I-10. Otherwise I might have to just go back to the exurbs of Woodlands, Cypress, Katy.

[G-man]

Yonkers, I know exactly the house that you visited, as I live just a few streets down form it towards Bingle at the corner of Westview and Moritz - also on the "wrong side" of Westview There really is no wrong side of Westview, other than the fact that on the northern side of the street between Wirt and Spring Branch Creek the houses are zoned to Landrum Middle School rather than Spring Branch Middle School which people prefer (but as I mentioned in my earlier there are alternatives and the other schools are the same - Memorial High and Valley Oaks Elementary down the street). Pine chase is one of the streets that's really getting a lot of redevelopment. Let me know if you have any questions about the neighborhood!

I went to a couple of open houses today. One was in Spring Valley on Pine Chase. It was a corner lot that sits right on Westview (north side). From what I understand that's the wrong side of Westview (if there is such a thing) to be in the Spring Valley area. Plus sitting right on Westview I could hear all the traffic. It was a new construction and looked nice however.

The other house was in Hedwig Village. About the same price but this one was a 1950s ranch... and it showed. Of course the location was a lot better. But I don't think I could convince my wife to spend this much money on a older house not even in a style she likes. It's beginning to look like my search for a Memorial house will be futile.

I'm going to focus more on Spring Valley and 'Memorial-lite' west of I-10. Otherwise I might have to just go back to the exurbs of Woodlands, Cypress, Katy.

[KatieDidIt]

I went to a couple of open houses today. One was in Spring Valley on Pine Chase. It was a corner lot that sits right on Westview (north side). From what I understand that's the wrong side of Westview (if there is such a thing) to be in the Spring Valley area. Plus sitting right on Westview I could hear all the traffic. It was a new construction and looked nice however.

The other house was in Hedwig Village. About the same price but this one was a 1950s ranch... and it showed. Of course the location was a lot better. But I don't think I could convince my wife to spend this much money on a older house not even in a style she likes. It's beginning to look like my search for a Memorial house will be futile.

I'm going to focus more on Spring Valley and 'Memorial-lite' west of I-10. Otherwise I might have to just go back to the exurbs of Woodlands, Cypress, Katy.

Oh jeez Yonkers don't go back there. Western Memorial is hands down far better than The Woodlands. You can't beat the neighborhoods, schools and location.

[Yonkers]

Yonkers, I know exactly the house that you visited, as I live just a few streets down form it towards Bingle at the corner of Westview and Moritz - also on the "wrong side" of Westview There really is no wrong side of Westview, other than the fact that on the northern side of the street between Wirt and Spring Branch Creek the houses are zoned to Landrum Middle School rather than Spring Branch Middle School which people prefer (but as I mentioned in my earlier there are alternatives and the other schools are the same - Memorial High and Valley Oaks Elementary down the street). Pine chase is one of the streets that's really getting a lot of redevelopment. Let me know if you have any questions about the neighborhood!

Wow, that is close. Questions I do have re: the neighborhood.

1. The lot for this house is listed as 8800 or so. Is that typical? It seems like lots in Memorial Villages are much larger than they are north of I-10 in Spring Valley/Hillshire.

2. This house is right on Westview. I don't know enough about this area but it seems like it's a busy street - not like Bingle or something but still well used. I could definitely hear cars. Then again I live near the Beltway now and have gotten used to it. What are your thoughts?

3. Just did a quick search. Looks like this lot was bought back in May of 07 for $200-250k. Not sure if this is typical of lot values in the area. Debated about buying and building a house myself.

4. Anything else you can tell me about the area?

Thanks.

[G-man]

Wow, that is close. Questions I do have re: the neighborhood.

1. The lot for this house is listed as 8800 or so. Is that typical? It seems like lots in Memorial Villages are much larger than they are north of I-10 in Spring Valley/Hillshire.

Most of the lots in that area are at least 10,000 square ft or so, so that lot is typical but a bit on the smaller side. The first few streets over from Wirt (Glenmore Forest, Glourie and Pine Chase) are the older part of the development from the early 50s and the lots are a bit smaller. As you move West towards Bingle the lots (and houses) tend to get bigger - around 15,000 sq ft, and this tends to be construction from the late 50's and 60's. But your right that lot sizes south of 1-10 tend to be larger than north of it and it it;s one of the reasons that it's more expensive. In Piney Point there is a minimum lot size of 40,000 sq ft, in Hunters Creek 22,500, Bunker Hill 10,000 to 20,000, Hedwig 15,000 to 21,000, Hilshire 12,000 and Spring Valley 10,000 (there are some exceptions in all of these villages). The house you visited is in Glenmore Forest/Monarch Oaks directly across from Hilshire Village. I remember the house that ws there previously and I believe that it was sold for basically lot value. 250k would have been a typical price in Spring 2007 while now the typical price for similar properties would be in the 300-350k range.

2. This house is right on Westview. I don't know enough about this area but it seems like it's a busy street - not like Bingle or something but still well used. I could definitely hear cars. Then again I live near the Beltway now and have gotten used to it. What are your thoughts?

Westview isn't really that busy or congested of a street, and should not be too much of a concern (especially for someone who lives near the Beltway!). Not surprisingly, it's most active 6-9am in the morning and 5-7pm in the evenings. The location near Valley Oaks Elem School is well patrolled by SVPD, HPD, and SBISD police, tending to keep traffic speed fairly low.

3. Just did a quick search. Looks like this lot was bought back in May of 07 for $200-250k. Not sure if this is typical of lot values in the area. Debated about buying and building a house myself.

I remember the house that was there previously and I believe that it was sold for basically lot value. 250k would have been a typical price in Spring 2007 while now the typical price for similar properties would be in the 300-350k range. There are a good number of houses in that neighborhood currently under construction, as well as a few lots and houses being sold for essentially lot value. So I would recommend that you drive around and have good look.

4. Anything else you can tell me about the area?

I'm generally satisfied living in the area as most amenities - shopping, schools, churches, etc. are readily at hand. And the recent completion of I-10 construction has greatly improved access to downtown (being closer in is probably one advantage to living further west). It is a bit unusual living in an area undergoing such a fundamental redevelopment, and some of the older residents in the area think there was more community cohesiveness before the current gentrification.

Overall, I think that the Spring Valley area and the Memorial area near the Beltway are fairly similar - fairly close-in wooded areas originally developed in the 50s/60s in Spring Branch ISD undergoing a good deal of redevelopment Prices in both areas are similar. In any case, either would be preferable to a return to exuburbia! Hope this helps.

G

Edited November 24, 2008 by G-man

[Yonkers]

Wow. Great information! Thanks a lot. I accidentally went to an Open House in Piney Point today (accidental because I wrote down address and it turned out to be some $1.8 mil house... lol) and the agent mentioned something about it being grandfathered in. The house was on a 8800 sq ft lot. I didn't quite understand what she meant but now that you mention the minimum lot size that makes sense.

What about this lot near where you live? It's not too expensive and a decent size. Is it because it's close to Long Point?

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

And that's good to hear about Westview. I wasn't too concerned about the noise but it definitely wasn't a positive. And with that much patrol around the area, I assume crime is not too bad.

Thanks again for the information. Definitely helps.

[G-man]

You're correct that in all of the Villages those lots that were created before the establishment of specific lots sizes have been "grandfathered" in, resulting in some non-conforming smaller lots. There are are also some newer lots that have been granted exceptions from these requirements for particular reasons. For example, the City of Spring Valley lost nearly a quarter of its tax base to I-10 expansion, including about 60 homes. In order to make up for this short fall the city granted variances from the lot size requirement in order to allow for the creation of two patio home developments to make up for this shortfall. There is also a patio home type development in Hunters Creek and apartments in Hedwig that obviously don't meet the lot size requirements.

You've also discovered a lot one of the least expensive lots in an area zoned to Memorial High! I had a post about this a few months back. I had long noticed that the there was less new development, and thus lower prices for houses on Ronson, Bayram, and Panatella streets than on other similar streets in the area. I came to the conclusion that the only reason for this was that those streets are accessible only via Long Point with no outlet on to Westview, which is more attractive and thus preferred. Some redevelopment has now begun to creep on to those streets as well, but they remain much less expensive (approx, 200k rather than 300k for 50s ranches) than nearby areas. Of course, this means that you'll have more opportunity for appreciation, but also a bit more risk as you'll be among the first in redeveloping those streets (that lot you linked is located next door to one of the newer houses on the street).

In the 5 years that I've lived in the area, I've heard little about significant crime. The area area is located where the cities of Houston, Spring Valley, and Hilshire Village come together, as well as being located near a school and a county-owned park, you get lots of police patrols from SVPD, HPD, SBISD police, and the County Sherriff. I've found this to be one of the advantages of living in the area.

G

Wow. Great information! Thanks a lot. I accidentally went to an Open House in Piney Point today (accidental because I wrote down address and it turned out to be some $1.8 mil house... lol) and the agent mentioned something about it being grandfathered in. The house was on a 8800 sq ft lot. I didn't quite understand what she meant but now that you mention the minimum lot size that makes sense.

What about this lot near where you live? It's not too expensive and a decent size. Is it because it's close to Long Point?

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cf...mp;backButton=Y

And that's good to hear about Westview. I wasn't too concerned about the noise but it definitely wasn't a positive. And with that much patrol around the area, I assume crime is not too bad.

Thanks again for the information. Definitely helps.

[Yonkers]

In order to make up for this short fall the city granted variances from the lot size requirement in order to allow for the creation of two patio home developments to make up for this shortfall. There is also a patio home type development in Hunters Creek and apartments in Hedwig that obviously don't meet the lot size requirements.

Ah ok. So that's where the Creekside Villas came from. And yeah, I know a lot of the businesses along the frontage road were just wiped out.

I had long noticed that the there was less new development, and thus lower prices for houses on Ronson, Bayram, and Panatella streets than on other similar streets in the area. I came to the conclusion that the only reason for this was that those streets are accessible only via Long Point with no outlet on to Westview, which is more attractive and thus preferred.

Ah, yes. I had looked it up on Google Maps before but didn't notice it didn't run all the way through to Westview. I guess that could cut down on through traffic but I can definitely see how it would be inconvenient too.

Also, any idea on what type of construction costs for these quality of new houses getting put up? The one on Pine Chase for example, assume they bought it on the low end of $200k for the lot. They're listing it for $829k. At 3860 sq ft, that would make the house currently cost $163/sq ft. Assuming a good profit margin in there and it looks like maybe the building costs are $130-140/sq ft? That's just a pull-it-out-of-my-bum guess, however, so I really have no idea.

Thanks again.

[G-man]

Ah ok. So that's where the Creekside Villas came from. And yeah, I know a lot of the businesses along the frontage road were just wiped out.

Absolutely right my friend! The other patio home development is Windsor Court at the corner of Westview and Campbell and across from old Spring Branch High.

Also, any idea on what type of construction costs for these quality of new houses getting put up? The one on Pine Chase for example, assume they bought it on the low end of $200k for the lot. They're listing it for $829k. At 3860 sq ft, that would make the house currently cost $163/sq ft. Assuming a good profit margin in there and it looks like maybe the building costs are $130-140/sq ft? That's just a pull-it-out-of-my-bum guess, however, so I really have no idea.

Of course quality varies, but I've heard few overall complaints from my neighbors (my own place is newer construction, built around 2001, and I've had now no major problems). As for price, the huse you looked at seems to fit well with what newer homes are going for in terms of price per square foot and overall. The price for newer homes on those streets is currently running between 917k to 750k, so 829k appears to be at the sweet spot.

G