DaveMc

I think there are some great bargains in that part of the County. I lived in Greenwood Forest for a couple years back in '78-'80. Prices seem so low now I'm thinking of buying some for rentals.

You noted much of the positive. Add to that, most are custom built and (some) to a very high quality. The house I lived in had poured concrete floors on the second story.

I've heard the current trouble in the neighborhood is the schools. There are some bad areas zoned to those schools. I think they've built some sect 8 properties just to the south on Champion Forest Dr.

Also, for familes with young kids they are no sidewalks. Laid out in a grid pattern the neighborhood does see it's share of "cut through" traffic.

You might also check out Old Oaks (Spring ISD?), Champions, Memorial Northwest, Huntwick ect. Some bargains there also.

While looking over the evidence that Harris County is using against me, I noticed a couple things:

1. Detached garages are an "extra" feature. My 2 car detached garage is valued at $5035. The neighbors house has a 4-car attached garage adds nothing to the value.

Why?

2. Under extra features I see a "C" code which is not in the legend. There are no carports in the neighborhood but many homes have a porte-cochere. Could that be it?

3. All the comps with a low sq/ft appraisal values are "unqualified". Some are forclosures, others are not. I heard the latest legistlature has fixed that. I hope it's true.

My ARB is today, wish me luck.

Anyone know why Ace hardware on Spring Cypress went out? I loved that place!

What about PlayNTrade on Louetta and Stubner-Airline? It was always so busy. My kids are bummed!

My wife told me the owner of that ACE store won it in a raffle or contest.

They were from out-of-state and wanted to go home.

It still doesn't explain why they didn't just sell the business. I'd been in there several times and it seemed busier than most ACE stores.

Did you try the IFile-ISettle??

If so, that was your informal hearing.

After waiting 3+ months for a reply, HCAD came back and lowered their appraisal by 7.5%

What? Not bad you say? This is after they raised my appraisal by 40%

I realize they can do this. We bought the property last August. Looking at the history, the HCAD appraisals had been mostly steady over the last few years. My guess is the previous owners must have fought pretty good to keep it from going up. What doesn't make sense to me is they consider my purchase price "invalid" because it was in foreclosure.(Fannie Mae owned). Although we tried, we couldn't negotiate a price but a few thousand lower than the HCAD value.

Another thing I have trouble with is HCAD's comps. They seemed to cherry pick homes that have been beautifully maintained or remodeled. Mine had neither.

Do you think if I brought in foreclosure "comps" that they would be acceptable? I know of several nearby homes that sold for the same price sq/ft but were foreclosed.

There is a rumor that the buildings have all been sold to one company who currently has offices inside the loop. Anyone know who that is?

I know at one time they were offered up to NHMCCD/Lonestar College.

The district looked at them and decided the remodeling cost would be very high. Later, I was told the HP made the same offer to U of H.

Now a U of H campus satelite in northwest Houston area would be a great idea. I wonder what happened?

My sincerest apologies to all the Bill White fans. Although he has been a little heavy handed he's been the best mayor in many years.

I meant Bob Lanier Duh, at least I got the "former" part right.

The unincorporated areas already receive the benefit of Houston's massive tax base funding Harris County operations, which largely ignore the City of Houston. Demanding city services while not paying city taxes sounds a bit...well...greedy.

Just like Metro taxes. We pay them and Houston gets the majority of representation on the board and nearly all the projects.

I'm certain our politics are different. Heavy handed government is just another reason for me to leave the Westhiemer area and move to the unincorporated "Great Northwest". I stand by my comments about FM1960.

Our property values haven't risen? So what! It keeps my taxes down. We all have to live somewhere, and I believe the quality of life to be greater here.

Another note, I'd be very, very suprised if even half of those displaced by the cities raising property values and increasing property taxes owned their homes.

Just curious, DaveMc. Is there any particular reason Mayor White should NOT be improving the city he was elected to serve, in favor of the unincorporated area that has rejected his city for over 30 years?

Like everything in the life. There are trade-offs.

Are the trade-offs worth it? The depends on which side you're on.

But I remember those plans were advertised as helping Houston's poor neighborhoods. From where I sit, I could easily see that it was a plan to drive those people out. It looks like the focus is now turning to the east side.

I spent time inside the loop last weekend.....it's quieter on Washington Avenue than it is on 1960....much quieter

Thank You former Mayor Bill White

You urban revitalization efforts have successfully pushed most of Houston poor and downtrodden out past the loops

and made your developer buddies rich!

Nice job.

I've lived in the FM1960 area for more than 30 years. I think the article and many of the responses have it all wrong.

To reply to the above post, sorry I live in a cul-de-sac and love it. I think that is one of the benefits of neighborhoods like Champions, Huntwick and Memorial Northwest. Traffic inside those communites is greatly deminished. Compare that to grid neighborhoods like Greenwood Forest were people drive like maniacs trying to bypass the main roadways. I lived there once, not again.

I've commuted for decades down FM1960 and with a couple exceptions (Willowbrook comes to mind) traffic moves pretty well. How can an area, especially west of I-45, expect continued growth when it appears to be nearly built out?

Of course many remember all the large trees that use to line FM1960. They have now been replaced with many strip centers. Once the left turn lane is removed and medians and other barriers are erected we can expect FM1960 traffic to be more like Willowbrook's with even more vacant shopping centers. This will put even more pressure on other east-west corridors like Richey, Louetta and Spring Cypress.

I sent in my ifile/isettle ten minutes after the letter hit the mailbox.

I got a slightly different email response today:

Dear Property Owner: This is to let you know that we are still working on the 2008 protest you filed using HCAD's iFile system. Since you protested the value of a residential property and elected to participate in our online iSettle process, we may be able to make you an iSettle offer via e-mail. Whether or not we are able to make an iSettle offer, you will receive e-mail notification from the appraisal district.

If we are unable to make an offer, the Appraisal Review Board (ARB) will send you a notice by regular U.S. mail advising the date, time and place of your protest hearing. Scheduling notices are mailed at least 14 days prior to the formal hearing date. In either case, at the time you receive an iSettle offer or an ARB scheduling notice, you will be able to log into HCAD's iFile system to review our evidence on your property.

If you have questions, e-mail iSettle@hcad.org. Please include your account number and iFile Number for account verification.

Jim Robinson

Chief Appraiser

Harris County Appraisal District

Great

As usual they will schedule my meeting when I am not going to be available.

I still think it's such a shame that they can't put a pediatrics section at Methodist Willowbrook. We took my little girl to their ER over Christmas -- BAD idea.

I can vouch for that.

I made a promise to never set foot in that hospital again after the awful way we were treated when we brought our 5 year old into the emergency room.

I was so mad I nearly assaulted the doctor when he stuck his chest in my face.

Speaking of Memorial Northwest - why are there so many foreclosures in that neighborhood specifically?

If you've looked on har.com recently, there are so many houses between 4000 and 6500 square feet going for $60 sq ft and less, and several are foreclosures.

I don't really like the neighborhood too much, but man...can you get a McMansion on the cheap there or what!

My wife and I bought a foreclosure in MNW (4225sq/ft @ $38) and love the house and neighborhood. Definately a bargain. Very few through streets and a nice club house that is great for families.

In our case, no renovations or improvements had been done on the house in 35+ years. Over that time the maintenance done has been minimal.

A lot of sweat equity later, we have a very unique, large, comfortable house near good schools and shopping. The best part is I'm ten minutes from work.

D

I thought you couldn't go up more than 10% a year???

It use to be they could ding you for 10% a year or 30% in a three year period.

Anybody know if they changed that last legislative session?

Looks to be a 4 lane boulevarded road on the West side of 249.

Why does that Precinct favor the death lanes so much East of 249? 1960...Louetta (from Champion Forest to I-45)...Spring Cypress...2920

Seriously, it'd be a much safer, nicer road if they put in protected grassy medians like they do over on the other side of 249 and in Precinct 3.

I'll take boulevards over death lanes.

Is there a study that says boulevards are safer? I would guess they increase rear end collisions. They definately slow down traffic.

While prettier to look at, they add to congestion. Give me a "death lane" anyday.

I'm in the county and there is a residential property next to mine I'd like to purchase.

The owner died four years ago leaving nine heirs, a $130k mortgage on the place, and the house in a state of advanced deterioration.

Late last year the house looked like it was going to tax sale but some deal was struck and it briefly went up for sale. The listing agent rejected my verbal offer out of hand claiming $130k is where the offers start. Currently there is a "Safegard" property sticker on the front door that says to call the tax assessors office.

So far I've called the Tax assessors office, Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, and Ocwen financial. Nobody's talking to me. I called a real estate agent (friend) who didn't get anywhere neither. From what I've been told, the heirs all live out of state and want nothing to do with property. I'm not sure how the lien affects the estate. The taxes are overdue again this year.

Any idea where to go from here? Real estate lawyer perhaps?

"Dirty Cramped City?" >>Have you ever been to NYC, Chicago, etc...You don't know cramped/urban if you haven't been to those places....STAY on Your Farm!

Yes, yes

and Los Angeles

and Detroit

that's why I'm tired of the city. I need something a little toned down.

just curious, how are your energy bills so low?

The house is mediterranean.

Low ceilings,

polished concrete tiles floors downstairs,

white stucco exterior with a North/South exposure.

Well ventilated tile roof

High efficiency appliances

High efficiency HVAC

No MUD

I know it's only winter months but the last five have averaged Water/NG/Electricity/Trash-sewer combined about $150

Me, wife, one son, one more on the way - currently in a 3/2/2 @ 1492sf...

I work at home and need an office.

My wife has her own company and needs a separate office.

Currently, my wife offices on our dining room table and I take up a BR. room.

We need one more room. A 3 BR and a study would work for right now, but If the next child is a girl, we'll eventually need another room.

Those are just the "needs".

A play area for the children and their toys would be nice. A guest BR would be nice (although wife's office and guest bedroom could probably be one in the same).

So, we're looking at 4 BR + Study or 5 BR. We don't "need" 2500 SF, but it would be pretty close. We're in 1492 now and can't fit bedroom furniture in the kid's room - fortunately, he's just in a toddler bed - a real bed wouldn't fit with the furniture and toys.

That is why we need 2500sf. 1500sf was perfect when I was single. It was still good when we had no kids. No longer.

Chear, Chear. Those that like to live in the dirty cramped city, more power to ya.

The burbs are great. My wife, three kids and I live very comfortably in our 4200+sq/ft house. Our energy/utility bills are (really) crazy low. I work just a few miles away with a 10 minute commute. I've only needed to go to Houston (med center) a couple times in the last decade.

Different strokes you know.

I had a client looking at this foreclosure property and got the same stupid highest and best offer. I told my client to think about it a little and see what he really wanted to do. I said this could be a ploy or maybe not, you never really know. In the end we decided to stay pat and about 3 weeks later we got a message saying someone else beat us. So, in this case I guess there really was an offer.

I need to add that the Realtor reping the bank was a piece of work. He had instructions 7 pages long on how the offer had to be perfect blah blah blah. Anyway, we go to show the house and there is not a lock box on it as mentioned in the NLS comments and from the showing service. It was a really interesting deal to say the least.

Just to pile on, we had the same experience early last year. Found a foreclosure with a lot of potential. Found a agent who told us the "best offer" stuff. We did.

Four weeks later it sold to someone else.

Promptly, we found another one in the area (not as large or as nice) submitted an offer and the listing agents drug that transaction out for 3 months trying to get better offers. We didn't get much of a discount off the listed price (4%) but the wife is happy.

Welcome to foreclosure world!

The question is, can anybody beat 243? Bueller?

Not quite but I'm mad as he

Tax year 2008 2007 2006 2005

Appraised Value 225000 170000 170000 175000

This house is in the county and hasn't had any renovations in 35 years. It still has the original HVAC's units (inop)

Ugggg

We bought the cheapest house in the neighborhood and it's going to bite us in the rear. Now I can't even get the info off HAR.

Have you ever noticed that Memorial Northwest does not have them?

I like it! (MNW section 2 resident) Although with age it's getting harder to see at night.

Those are some nice looking houses in Champion Woods.

Last year NHMCCD had a $250 million bond election that failed. There were many reasons for the failure including opposition from a property owner adjacent to the North Harris campus.

This years bond election should be for much more.

Link to Chronicle Article

houstonmacbro said

I here a lot about 'taxes won't increase' but that is never the case (I mean, have you seen your taxes ever go down?).

Occasionally they do. Look at you rates on HCAD. My overall bill went down 1% (happy dance)

ENGcons said

Klein High School

-Gains Greenwood Forest Subdivision

I think thats crazy. Before Klein Forest was built, Greenwood Forest residents were bussed to Klein (the only high school at the time) Now, once again, you want to send students 6 miles up the road rather than let them attend the school in their neighborhood.

Having been involved with master planning, bond elections, and construction I can say there always seems to be plenty of waste. What's important to one person is of no relevance to no one else. The contractors look at these projects as cash cows. Unfortunately, this seems to be the system the Texas Legislature has given us.

Note that NHMCCD, now LoneStar College, is making plans for a bond election also.