Spike101

Definetely needs updating, and agreed, the 4K designer allowance will not go very far. My concern would be resale from this point on. Folks looking for 4-5 bedrooms homes at that square footage also seem to request 3-car garages. Remember that homes in 1981 were not built with energy saving features required by code today. Be prepared for higher energy bills, especially with an east/west orientation.

Long meadow farms is a great and growing neighborhood. Lamar Consolidated does not have the best press, but I do know Frost, teachers, and the principal there. Great school.

Here is my bit about using realtors. I believe a good realtor is is worth a lot. They help you clarify your needs, narrow your search, and help you find the right home. Also, they can search comps to figure out what's reasonable in terms of offers, ask the right questions, and ensure you get the most desirable features for your home.

However, Builders pay realtors for introducing them to their neighborhood, the builder and the home. If you have already done all that...if you were the builder, why would you pay that realtor? If you are a good negotiator, know about homes, you can probably do this on your own. Large companies like Ryland have good processes in line. Remember, 3% is paid to the realtor which directly affects their bottom line. If you were selling your own home, would you be more flexible on pricing if you didnt have to pay an additional 3%?

I dont know David Flory, but he has a great reputation.

My two cents...

Welcome to Houston. I moved here 5 years from Toronto and have come to truly enjoy everthing that it has to offer. You are absolutely right, definetely more of a driving city, but there are great neighborhoods where restaurants, bars, shopping etc. are easily accessible. West Gray, Rice Blvd, Montrose, Museum District and now Rice Military, Highland Village, even downtown. Each is very different.

I agree, my suggestion is also to work with a realtor and let them know your criteria. Are you looking for more contemporary living? Family? Need a big yard? Schools? Short term/long term purchase?

If you share a little about your needs and price range considerations, certainly a lot of folks in here can help. If you would like some suggestions for great realtors, let me know. I'm in the business (work for a builder in the sugar land area) and know some folks that can help you.

Good luck!!

I know a few of the sales people and they are happy working for TW. I do not know anyone at the office. However, their plans are great. Actually, my best friend competes with TW in the Katy area and have always thought their plans were very well thought out.

Good luck...How did the interview go?

Going back to the original question, a great place to search for a builder's overall reputation is the Better Business Bureau. You can see how many complaints have been filed, and most importantly, how many unresolved complaints. I am a big believer that a home is only as good as the superintendent building it. See if you can met him, and always do an independent inspector. Some are now using infrared technology to see moisture levels in critical areas, like dead valleys and areas above rooflines. New construction has more warranties in place (usually a 1 year through builder and a 10 year structural aside from independent manufacturers warranties).

KB is perceived as a starter home. However, they are introducing new plans in Houston and building move-up homes. I have sold homes to folks that previously lived in a KB and had nothing but good things to say about their experience. However, their reputation in the industry is not favorable. Public company.

Perry Homes builds a HUGE range of product from introductory homes to 8000 sq. ft. estates. They are usually more a a square footage builder ilo included features. Privately held.

Lovett Homes, privately held, smaller builder in town. All I have seen from lovett has been well featured. I almost purchased one in the West Gray area and my inspector reported the home was built well. Some items found (like smoke detector not in the highest ceiling part) but nothing alarming. We didnt agree on price so I didnt buy. I felt they were asking too much.

Hope this helps.

Good builder with good reputation for quality. What type of position are you applying for?

I definetely agree. I had a bad experience with Urban Realtors 3 years ago and ended up firing them. However, think of this. If they are marketing the property, the 6% realtor fee usually split between the seller and buyer's agent will go to the same place. Meaning, there may be more room to negotiate.

Those properties seem a little high in price. Also, there were some others in the Rice Military with similar floorplans that sat on the market for YEARS. I bought a patio home in the Rice Military area 3 years ago, and I look at them at that time. A couple of them are still for sale.

To answer a post above, pricing in Rice Military has gone up in the past 3 years. I bought a 3-story patio home 3 years ago and I know 9 homeowners near me that purchased at the same time had no problem reselling 1-2 years later at a 15%+ profit. I know one that was purchased at 260 ine 2004 and resold for 320 in 2006. I feel good about that. Used homes come with a lot of perks as well...window converings, additional appliances, nicer light fixtures, decorative wall treatments etc. Although you hear most speculating that people want new homes, that is not the case. There is a strong resale market also.

In terms of Waterhill: they did receive a design award a few years back. I walked some great looking Waterhills, but had a friend recently closed on one that has had more than its share of problems. Unfinished items, appliances not fitting, leaks, air conditioning breaking down, and problems with electrical wiring among some of the issues.

I do like Tricon and Aziza.

I own an Aziza home...well purchased 3 years ago it under Millennium prior to the change of names. I am not sure if they have gone through any "feature" changes since then. I bought a finished spec. My builder was incredible as I had a very small list of cosmetic items. Within the year, their customer service department has always taken care of concerns quickly. Even today they are prompt in answering questions 3 years later.

A home is only as good as the builder I think. If you are concerned, make friends with a construction super somewhere, and have them walk a framed house. Also, make friends with a sales rep for another non competing builder and walk through the home with them. They generally notice more details and know the questions to ask.

As a builder, do you account for the 3% on every home? Or is it done as a general operating expense based on the percentage of homes sold with realtors? Just curious.

I think it is because they are two different taxing units. Every MUD has a different governing body. Some residents in Fort Bend even receive three bills (Levee districts). Up until this year, Harris county also issued two bills, ISD and County/City Taxes. They finally combined.

I would not be shy about asking. I have lived in Rice Military for 3 years in an Aziza (Millenium) home and I did ask! Any realtor who thinks pricing is set in Houston is not looking after your best interest. I ran into a similar situation...do they think we are stupid?

Can you possibly find out what other homes this builder has closed in the neighborhood? Perhaps you can do a search on the appraisal district website and get some pricing. Taxes on new construction are now done on market values...maybe this will help to get info.

Houston real state has not followed the same trends as the rest of the country. Certain areas of Houston have even increased by 12% (Sugar Land area). Job creation is a good indicator of the upcoming real estate trends with an estimated 90,000 jobs to be created in 2007. Makes me happy!

We have not seen the the peak of foreclosures. When interest rates really dropped, lenders lessened their requirements in order to capture as much business as possible, including new sales and refinances. Many borrowers who would not qualify under regular conditions were able to get into homes. This is where the bulk of the forclosures are coming from. Now, lenders are tightening up their approval conditions and you will see less of the "creative" loans available. This should keep the balance in check.

There is another reason. The concept of real estate investors has always been a controversial one. Usually, they prefer markets with a higher rate of return, like Pheonix used to be. As those markets are not so hot right now, more of their monies are arriving in Houston. There is a correlation with higher number of investors and foreclosures. Not sure why.

In my experience, BTSA's dont work. I have asked many agents on their thoughts, and they recommend lowering the price of the home prior to offering a realtor bonus. With the increasing amount of information available on the internet, buyers are doing their own research prior to visiting homes, more often bringing listings they are interested in.

Have you thought about directly contacting builders to see if they are interested in your property?

More often than not, the last unit the sell in a development may be the most undesirable. Generally, builders/developers calculate their profits on the whole development rather than per unit basis. Meaning, they may be certain units that could sell for more given the location or other features without necessarily having any added costs. Profits may vary due to perceived value. If they have reached their goal in previous units, it is possible that they are more incentivized to sell at a lower profit. Velocity has a lot to do with it as well.

The previous posting is absolutely correct. There are fixed costs that are offset by units sold. And one unit does not equate to a steady revenue stream. Hope this helps.