Houstonia

I've lived in Sharpstown off and on for about 30 years. IMHO - crime is mostly overrated. However, there are some areas to steer clear from - I wouldn't advise you to invest in the Fondren SW area - I just don't think it is going to be "revitalized" any time soon. The area around Gessner/Bellfort, Gessner/Braeswood areas don't seem to be too great, investment wise.

I live near the southwest side of the Bellaire/Gessner intersection - on very still nights, we DO occasionally hear gunfire coming from, typically people driving down Gessner or Beechnut or the apartments down on Beechnut . But we also have families and couples and single people taking walks, walking their dogs, out with strollers, both in the morning and early evenings. People walk over to Chinatown from my neighborhood. IMHO the most dangerous thing is the traffic on Gessner and on Bellaire. Houston is a big city - potential danger is going to lurk everywhere.

The area west of Hillcroft/Bellaire, IMHO might be the first part of Sharpstown to see an increase in property values - its proximity to town, and the easy tear-down possibilties. However, on the west side of Sharpstown, it's doing pretty well because of Chinatown.

There are a lot of immigrants living in Sharpstown - that's what makes it a particularly cool place to be. You are very close to the South Asian businesses at Hillcroft/59 and the Harwin shopping district as well as the Asia/China town area. There are some beautiful homes north of Bellaire between Fondren and Gessner, just off the golf course - however - some of them back on to fairly low-income areas facing Harwin and Gessner respectively - something to consider.

Check the owner history - some of the houses have had one owner (and those are the GEMS) and some have had multiple owners - or have been rental houses - which can really bring down the quality of the house. Check the foundations, as a lot of Sharpstown homes have had foundation issues. If you can talk to the neighbors about the house - try to do so - I know in our neighborhood there is a very pretty house with a somewhat dark secret - someone who buys it could be in for a lot of nightmares trying to repair the damage on the inside.

Good luck in your search!!

P.S. if you're buying to rent - be a good owner and do a favor for those of us who live here - keep track of who is living in your house and make repairs when necessary. :-)

Bumping up this entry to the forum.

I have lived in Sharpstown off and on since 1975. I remember going and sitting along Bellaire Blvd to watch the fireworks show from Sharpstown Center. I remember Del Taco and Burger Mountain Soda Fountain. Lewis and Coker, Sage Drugs, LaRosa's Flying Pizza, Bluebees, and some kind of fish place over at Beltway center (I think that's what it was called). I could hear the cows mooing and I would ride my bike to the western edge of the neighborhood to pet them. (we lived in the section off the southwest intersection of Gessner and Bellaire.

I remember walking to Sharpstown Mall and going to Good Time Charlies, Wendy's and Woolworths when there was still a restaurant in it. We ate at Foleys a lot too. There was some kind of pub... whiskey something? near Good Time Charlies that was open at night. I remember walking to the newsstand to buy my dad a Sunday paper - at the northeast corner of Gessner and Bellaire. I did that for years before I realized there was an adult section in there.

I remember when it was only Strake Jesuit ... WITHOUT a grocery store in front of it.

I remember the first Asian businesses moving into Sharpstown, saving it from becoming a ghetto.

I loved Sharpstown then and now. I lived in other sections of Houston, but Sharpstown is home. LOL.

Someone was saying the apartments are to blame for no revitalization - I only half agree with this. (As that comment was made years ago, things have obviously changed since then). I think some of the HOUSES in Sharpstown are in worse condition than the apartments - rental houses - we have a house on our street - owned by the original owner, but years ago, either he turned it into a HUD home or it was taken over by the city (according to HCAD, the original owner still has possession). We've had one group after another move into that house - I can't imagine what it's like on the inside. We have another house on the street a two-story house - the owners left it - leaving their dogs inside. For at least a year they left the dogs there, only coming back to feed them. The dogs had full run of the house until the SPCA showed up after Hurricane Ike. The house is rumored to have an unrepaired water leak and a bad foundation - who would want to invest in a house like that?!?

If you can track down the owners of the apartments, it's possible that major repairs can take place, changing the entire complex - I just feel like the houses are more difficult and more expensive. I HAVE seen some promising renovations, although there is a monstrosity that is currently being built on the corner of Leader and Redding - I don't know how they got permission.

It's true that there are some AWFUL apartments and I feel bad for the families that have to raise their children in those environments - But have any of you noticed the absolutely awful duplex-style homes on Gessner between Bellaire and Beechnut?

I've heard that the civic association can not really do anything about Gessner, as it is zoned as residential OR business and something about the Civic Association not being able to enforce deed restrictions there (hearsay - I have no idea what the facts are behind this claim).

Safety - I feel very safe in Sharpstown - Especially on the Asiatown/ChinaTown side - people in my neighborhood walk in the mornings or evenings. There are many people who walk over to the Chinese markets. The worst thing is the traffic on Bellaire.

Someone suggested there is a name recognition issue with Sharpstown - I could not agree more - It's unlikely that they would ever change the name of the subdivision, but I think it would go a long way to changing people's ideas about the neighborhood. Sharpstown seems to be a place that people love to trash on - but I'm not sure why as there are many beautiful homes, large yards, huge trees, and nice hard-working people.

Thanks for starting this thread - it inspired me to join the forum. :-)