Woodland Heights Information & Developments

[heights_yankee]

Wow! Thanks, Lindsay, and welcome to HAIF.

[houstonray]

<yawn> More apartments. Oh joy. Anyone have a clue where, after they use up most all the available land around here building apts, condos and other assorted high density residential areas, everyone that buys/leases them is going to shop? It just seems that they keep bringing in more residents, which is fine, but there is not much new in the way of retail.

And yes, thanks for that detailed info! Welcome!!

[heights_yankee]

well, unfortunately, residents support commerce; commerce doesn't support residents [this is something i learned when my early cities refused to thrive on SimCity :closedeyes: ]. when developers look at adding retail or other commercial sites to an area, isn't one of the things they look at is density? based on that, and the fact that they are not being built in the Heights, i actually welcome this development. perhaps after the 1st buildings go up, we'll get some mixed use? then it will be the best of both worlds (hands over ears going lalalalalala when my husband talks about the traffic in studewood)

[houstonray]

I guess I can that point. But wouldn't that be more true in suburban areas where land is plentiful and available? It just seems to me that they come up with great pieces of lands, which are few and far between inside the loop anyway), and then up pop apartments and townhomes galore. I've seen a ton of apts and the like be built all over the place, up and down Washington, Studemont, I-10 feeder, and elsewhere, over the last few years, and the only new retail we've gotten is Target and a handful of of other stores.

At what point does it reach critical mass and then people stop moving in because they don't have the stores they want conveniently located? I've always figured people are creatures of habit and the majority would rather not drive all over the place to go grocery shopping or clothes shopping or whatever. Thankfully I've never been one of those. I don't mind driving to the good places. I get the best of both worlds, I work in the burbs, surrounded by retail galore (perhaps why I'm spoiled?) and then get to be one of the fortunate ones who lives in the Heights and gets that great old town feel.

Hmmmm....to quote Emily Litella, "nevermind"... :-)

[bubbles]

I have recently been looking for a bungalow in Woodland Heights. As I look it appears that the prices prohibit renovating and promote demolishing and rebuilding. What do you think the future holds? Also what areas are in the White Oak Spillway?

I see many houses on the same street for sale like Teetshorn and Merritt. Is there a reason for that?

I'm new here and just looking for info from those that know!!

[tanith27]

I live in the WH, and this is a question posed by many. We do have a fair number of new homes going up in the area, and certainly an 1100sqft home that was sufficient in 1907 is, 100 years later, considered small. I know many people in the WH and Heights proper have strong feelings about keeping the hood just the way it is, and there is much resentment in the McVic's being built here and there. There does seem to be a strong contingent that choose to renovate. I have been in many homes that were originally an early 1900's bungalow that have been renovated not just with new wiring or flooring, but with whole new additions to the home, including a second floor. When you say homes are cheaper to teardown, what price range are you referring to? Most of what I see for sale in the Woodland Heights start at the high 200's and generally are well into the 300's for a 'starter' home. Thats pretty expensive to me, especially if you want to tear down and start over. It is happening though. A home directly behind me that is probably 2-3 months from being finished has a lovely price tag of almost 1 mil. Personally, I think with construction at $100/sqft it would be more beneficial to buy a bungalow and have an architect design an addition or add a floor than to tear it down and start anew. Plus, lets not forget the high quality and craftsmanship that were put into these old homes. The old adage "they dont make 'em like they used to" in my opinion holds true for these homes. Give me an original WH bungalow and a new townhouse and lets see who lasts the next hundred years.

[RedScare]

Woodland Heights seems to be weathering the teardown storm much better than Houston Heights. While there are occasional teardowns, it is not on the scale of entire blocks, as Houston Heights has seen. I attribute it to higher prices for the existing stock, as well as a higher number of brick homes, which seem to be saved at a greater rate than wood sided homes.

It is a sure bet that if a $250,000 Woodland Heights home is bulldozed, a gigantic house will replace it, to justify the land price.

[cwrm4]

Well, yes, and no. One thing you have to remember about Woodland Heights is that most of the homes are on 5000 sq ft lots and are without alley access. This fact makes it difficult to build a new house and make the numbers work, since much of the "yard" is consumed by the driveway, and you must adhere to setback restrictions and a 40% lot max coverage calculation (which includes the garage).

So that's not to say that developers won't eventually try to figure out how to maximize margin on a small lot, but for the moment the large 7500 sq ft lots (often with alley access) in the Heights Heights are juicier targets. This is the reason why 7th and 7 1/2th street in Woodland Heights have been decimated by builders...the lots are almost all 6500 or 7500 sq ft.

The smaller (<1200 sq ft) 2/1 bungalows may have trouble surviving, but I think it is completely reasonable to expect the larger bungalows - especially those with 2 baths - to stick around. These homes in decent condition are still worth at least $75k more than the pure lot value. Also, as tanith27 noted, you can expand a bungalow and currently (at a minimum) still recover the cost of the addition in the sale of the home.

I live on Teetshorn and think the number of houses for sale is just an anomaly. I know for a fact that 2 of the homes are for sale because the owners just got married, and another is for sale because the owners were simply living in it while they built a place in River Oaks.

The flood zone in Woodland Heights starts roughly with the houses on the north side of Ridge. The CoH website has the exact flood maps.

[heights_yankee]

If you want a bungalow, you should also look north of WH in Proctor Plaza. In PP we have a historic designation and the neighborhood remains largely in tact. The houses are small but it is nice knowing that chances are very slim of being shadowed by some McVic. That being said, I am fortunate enough to live in a 3/2 of 1700 sq ft due to an addition on the back (at the expense of a yard).

[bubbles]

Thanks for all the information. For the record I really like the Woodland Heights/Norhill area. I just don't want it to look like the heights in a few years. I like the neighborhood atmosphere and would love to live there. Presently I've looked at homes in the mid to high 200's that need lots of work. Only a few were ready to live in. I've been pricing new electric, new roofs, leveling, kitchen remodeling and bath additions and they seem to be expensive. I could understand doing all that if the actual prices were lower. I've also run into the problem of one person placing bids on many homes to reserve one until the others are inspected. It's very disheartening when you really want to buy ONE home. Hopefully I will get the hang of things so we can finally end up living there. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

[sunsets]

Wow, I didn't realize prices were going up so much. We bought in '06 and paid mid-to-high 200's for a completely renovated bungalow + apartment. However, we put an offer in before it officially went on the market (our landlord knew the guy who was selling).

I think the key is timing - there are some good deals still out there, you just have to be the first one in the door. It can really help if you or your realtor lives in the neighborhood, or knows a long-time resident. Also, if you can live with one bathroom, you might have less competition for the house.

The lower-end bungalows are still getting snapped up pretty quickly, but anything priced over 400K is really sitting, it seems.

[bubbles]

Well right now we are pretty discouraged. We spent the entire day in Norhill/Woodland Heights. What is available is either next to a vacant lot and we know what will be built there. Another needs total electrical redo plus roof and is priced very high. 2 others need new roofs, some are without a garage. One bathroom is perfectly fine with us by the way! One was told to do a roof when they bought 3 years ago did nothing and there is water and structural damage. Believe me we are not picky just looking for a house that was not bought by a flipper but by someone who loved it and took care of it. I hope the flippers and real estate investor groups don't ruin Woodland Heights like they have in other places by doing shoddy work . We really want to be your neighbors but can't find a house at the moment! We have the money and are ready to buy! We have done our research regarding flood issues, widening of I45 in the future etc. All we want is a cute little Bungalow that we don't have to totally redo! Please wish us luck!!!! We would be great neighbors and kind considerate long term residents!

Edited January 24, 2008 by bubbles

[flipper]

we are not picky just looking for a house that was not bought by a flipper but by someone who loved it and took care of it. I hope the flippers and real estate investor groups don't ruin Woodland Heights like they have in other places by doing shoddy work .

I wan't to say "Generalize much?".

But sadly, I have to say "You're right". Most flippers/investors are doing garbage remodels.

flipper

[tanith27]

However history has played itself out, it seems to me that the Woodland Heights proper is predominantly good, sturdy homes that people have taken care of. I have biked through Norhill and there are many good homes there, but there are still quite a few that are in varying conditions of disrepair.

Did you look at this one on Bayland? http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cfm?mlnum=7548446

[heights_yankee]

Thanks for all the information. For the record I really like the Woodland Heights/Norhill area. I just don't want it to look like the heights in a few years. I like the neighborhood atmosphere and would love to live there. Presently I've looked at homes in the mid to high 200's that need lots of work. Only a few were ready to live in. I've been pricing new electric, new roofs, leveling, kitchen remodeling and bath additions and they seem to be expensive. I could understand doing all that if the actual prices were lower. I've also run into the problem of one person placing bids on many homes to reserve one until the others are inspected. It's very disheartening when you really want to buy ONE home. Hopefully I will get the hang of things so we can finally end up living there. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

If I read this right, I just want to clarify for you- Proctor Plaza includes parts of Norhill. There are several ready-to-occupy homes for sale in this area. Do a HAR search for streets like Key, Cottage, Temple and Melwood. Most are well done, preserved bungalows in the high $200s, low $300s, which I bet can be negotiated down in this market for sure. Again, this neighborhood has the only full historic designation in the Heights (in fact, it is the largest historic distric in the city of Houston, larger in area than all the other historic districts put together) so it will never look the rest of the Heights.

I hope you find what you are looking for. ANywhere in the Heights is a great place to live. Don't count us out in Proctor Plaza just cuz we're across 11th Street! This is a very vibrant, active, community oriented neighborhood. We are so happy to live here, be raising our family here and to be watching our property value rise without seeing the bungalows we love lost to development. C'mon! Give us a try.

Edited January 24, 2008 by heights_yankee

[bubbles]

If I read this right, I just want to clarify for you- Proctor Plaza includes parts of Norhill. There are several ready-to-occupy homes for sale in this area. Do a HAR search for streets like Key, Cottage, Temple and Melwood. Most are well done, preserved bungalows in the high $200s, low $300s, which I bet can be negotiated down in this market for sure. Again, this neighborhood has the only full historic designation in the Heights (in fact, it is the largest historic distric in the city of Houston, larger in area than all the other historic districts put together) so it will never look the rest of the Heights.

I hope you find what you are looking for. Anywhere in the Heights is a great place to live. Don't count us out in Proctor Plaza just cuz we're across 11th Street! This is a very vibrant, active, community oriented neighborhood. We are so happy to live here, be raising our family here and to be watching our property value rise without seeing the bungalows we love lost to development. C'mon! Give us a try.

Heights Yankee, I am originally from NY but have been here for over 29 yrs. (practically a native) Well the homes we like in Norhill all have options pending. We looked at one on the Esplanade and some on Cottage. The listings on HAR don't reflect the contracts yet. We are looking in Norhill too. Being north of 11th is fine with us too! What are the boundaries of Proctor Plaza exactly? What school are you zoned to or are your children in Private School?

Tanith, we love the one on Bayland but the pool takes up the entire yard. Its not a plus for us as we would like a little yard at least! The pool also prevents any future add on. Its a shame because its beautiful!!!

Flipper, did not mean to bash flippers. I know that those that live in the same neighborhood would do a great job of renovating but out of state investors are notorious for shoddy work!!

Just need 2 or 3 bedrooms, 1 or 2 bath with new wiring, ac, and garage. Not too much to ask for I hope.

Edited January 24, 2008 by bubbles

[heights_yankee]

Heights Yankee, I am originally from NY but have been here for over 29 yrs. (practically a native) Well the homes we like in Norhill all have options pending. We looked at one on the Esplanade and some on Cottage. The listings on HAR don't reflect the contracts yet. We are looking in Norhill too. Being north of 11th is fine with us too! What are the boundaries of Proctor Plaza exactly? What school are you zoned to or are your children in Private School?

Tanith, we love the one on Bayland but the pool takes up the entire yard. Its not a plus for us as we would like a little yard at least! The pool also prevents any future add on. Its a shame because its beautiful!!!

Flipper, did not mean to bash flippers. I know that those that live in the same neighborhood would do a great job of renovating but out of state investors are notorious for shoddy work!!

Just need 2 or 3 bedrooms, 1 or 2 bath with new wiring, ac, and garage. Not too much to ask for I hope.

Phew! Glad you might like to have us as neighbors, too. Proctor is bordered by Main, 11th, and Studewood, I believe. They have a map on www.proctorplaza.com

I don't know where we are zoned, to be honest. Houston has school choice, so it almost doesn't matter. My nieghbor's daughter goes to Harvard, but we are more likely zoned to Travis of the two. We will be sending our son to private school- but not b/c we don't have faith in the schools here. We do! We kind of see it like this: if we can afford private school for our son, why not leave a spot in the public vanguard or magnet program for a child who needs it. I'm just populist that way.

[Melwood]

Phew! Glad you might like to have us as neighbors, too. Proctor is bordered by Main, 11th, and Studewood, I believe. They have a map on www.proctorplaza.com

I don't know where we are zoned, to be honest. Houston has school choice, so it almost doesn't matter. My nieghbor's daughter goes to Harvard, but we are more likely zoned to Travis of the two. We will be sending our son to private school- but not b/c we don't have faith in the schools here. We do! We kind of see it like this: if we can afford private school for our son, why not leave a spot in the public vanguard or magnet program for a child who needs it. I'm just populist that way.

Most if not all of Proctor Plaza is zoned to Browning Elementary, but with a little effort you can send your child to one of the other local elementaries.

Edited January 25, 2008 by Melwood

[WTT]

How long are you willing to wait?? The reason why I ask is b/c our neighbors on the corner of Byrne & Watson are currently fixing up their house. If you drive by, I believe they're in the process of painting it yellow. Pretty sure they're going to sell the house when they're done, but I can double check depending on your timeline!

I definitely think the bungalows will survive. There's too many people renovating their houses in our area for it to all go away.

[bubbles]

How long are you willing to wait?? The reason why I ask is b/c our neighbors on the corner of Byrne & Watson are currently fixing up their house. If you drive by, I believe they're in the process of painting it yellow. Pretty sure they're going to sell the house when they're done, but I can double check depending on your timeline!

I definitely think the bungalows will survive. There's too many people renovating their houses in our area for it to all go away.

Agent called and a contract fell through on one house we liked, so we may put in a bid!!! Will drive by Watson and Byrne tomorrow! We don't really have a time line but would like to find one before the summer months!

How long are you willing to wait?? The reason why I ask is b/c our neighbors on the corner of Byrne & Watson are currently fixing up their house. If you drive by, I believe they're in the process of painting it yellow. Pretty sure they're going to sell the house when they're done, but I can double check depending on your timeline!

I definitely think the bungalows will survive. There's too many people renovating their houses in our area for it to all go away.

[Yankee_in_TX]

First of all - I tried searching but it could be my brain because I have been moving for 10+ days if you include packing.

I have an opinion now that I have seen them down 25th by my house.

1. Most look like crap. Not some kind of decorative rock that goes with the landscaping but a large chunk of random rock.

2. I had no idea there were parking issues on 25th?!?!?

3. They're not protecting ANYTHING. I can understand if you have flowers, shrubs, etc. - but most are sitting on piles of gravel and dirt or half dead grass.

So I am against them now that I have seen them in action. The Tricon's on 25th have some absurdly large rocks. None of my neighbors have them. But if they did I'd be temped to roll them into the ditch at night

[Yankee_in_TX]

Ok, NOW I hate them. At C&D and the Tricon's, people are parking on the street due to the large rocks (inclduing a truck I believe that is a Tricon resident).

When I say on the street, I mean effectively making 25th a one lane street. Saturday, people were parked on both sides of the street at C&D, effectively making it a 3/4 lane street.

I'm ok with the rocks and no parking, or no rocks and parking on the shoulder. Rocks and parking on the street seems ridiculous. Should I contact the city and whom should I contact? Or am I just over reacting?

[diggity]

I haven't been over there in a while.

You should snap some pictures.

[Yankee_in_TX]

I haven't been over there in a while.

You should snap some pictures.

Oh, I will.... Still getting settled and AT&T is back today.

[Travel_n_Transport]

http://search.har.com/engine/dispSearch.cfm?mlnum=44631564&class=2

This is a listing that piqued my interest. Its seems like a very nice opportunity to escape renting, but I wonder if any others might have some other insight or issues.

Some potential drawbacks

1) Its pretty close to the bayou although it seems to built up high enough to avoid a significant flooding event

2) Adjacent to an older apartment community

Thanks

[kylejack]

Seems like a pretty low maintenance, if that $330 is accurate...

[sevfiv]

Maaaybe for that asking price, but I'd definitely investigate what the monthly fee covers before going any further.

Oh, short sale too...

[SilverJK]

i think its a pretty decent deal. It is directly across from those terrible Skylane Apartments that look like they are held together with duct tape and paperclips as well as that quickmart place. The julian side is definitely the nicer entrance though. It is definitely a better option than renting. I highly doubt flooding would be an issue.

[DianeTX]

Cute complex but I pretty sure part of it floods particulary the units that are close to the cul de sac. I remember my boyfriend telling many years ago he looked at buying at those condos but did not because of the continuous flooding.

[tanith27]

I have a rental up on Euclid (the equivalent of 8th St if numbered) and although I wasn't there for TS Allison, I did talk to my neighbors and they said Allison waters came up to approx 6 1/2 or 7th st. That would put these places well in the flood waters. However, most understand that Allison was not your typical spring storm and the normal flooding I've seen out of White Oak Bayou regularly does a good job of bringing water into that crappy Skylane complex but nothing has even come close to making it to Julian.

Why is that crappy Skylane still there anyways? (the question is rhetorical, no need to hijack this thread)