Buying A Townhouse

[shasta]

So, I'm a first time home buyer and I'm thinking of looking at townhomes in the inner loop. Where do I begin? Where would I find information for those availiable? Can anyone recommend designers/ builders that do quality work and those who do poor work? What else should I be looking for?

I'd appreciate any information, opinions, input, or experiences you'd like to share.

Thanks

[HoustonRealtor]

So, I'm a first time home buyer and I'm thinking of looking at townhomes in the inner loop. Where do I begin? Where would I find information for those availiable? Can anyone recommend designers/ builders that do quality work and those who do poor work? What else should I be looking for?

I'd appreciate any information, opinions, input, or experiences you'd like to share.

Thanks

The Houston Association of Realtors consumer website, www.har.com, will give you access to all properties listed with a Realtor. There are some builders that do not list with Realtors or have an in-house broker, but for the most part, you can get a good overview of what is on the market at this one site. If you come across a builder you like, you should see if they have a website, as that can be a good source of information sometimes.

You can also find info at the Greater Houston Home Builders Association websites, www.ghba.org and www.myghba.com. The Better Business Bureau has some information as well at www.bbbhou.org. My last website recommendation for now is the Texas Residential Construction Commission at www.trcc.state.tx.us.

You can also ask around. Friends, family and current owners can be great sources of information. A Realtor can also provide you with information. In the end, it all will come down to what you like and is in your budget. But with some research and good advise from people you trust, you can make an educated decision rather than one based solely on emotions.

Best of luck!

[TheNiche]

So, I'm a first time home buyer and I'm thinking of looking at townhomes in the inner loop. Where do I begin? Where would I find information for those availiable? Can anyone recommend designers/ builders that do quality work and those who do poor work? What else should I be looking for?

I'd appreciate any information, opinions, input, or experiences you'd like to share.

Thanks

The Inner Loop is a big place, with several submarkets worthy of note:

• Midtown
  
• Montrose
  
• Museum District
  
• Heights
  
• East End
  
• TMC/S. Main
  

Questions you need to be asking yourself are 1) where do you work, 2) what do you need, 3) what do you want, 4) what is your tolerance for risk, and 5) what can you pay?

Narrow it down a bit, then drive around. Just drive.

[Urbannomad]

Personally I prefer ziprealty.com. Zip gives you access to the complete public MLS database but is easier to use and has more options (since after all they are hoping you will use them) than HAR and most other sites. The best feature is the map and aerial overlay for listings which makes looking in specific area very easy if you have certain neighborhoods in mind.

[Scott08]

I am in the wishlist stages of moving from my Norhill home to something more modern. My options have been building new on lot, finding a MCM, or possibly a modern style townhouse. One thing that has really scared me is the lack of oversite for builders in this city. I viewed one foreclosure that was only two years old. The amount of water damage inside and out was staggering, if you look around you will find similar stories of new construction that is very shoddy, and how it's very hard to take action against the builder. Another thing I don't really understand (having been in a few newer townhouses of friends) is where they get their pricing from? Land in inner Houston is expensive, materials differ in price, size matters, but what makes one townhouse in the West End area $200K and the one down the street $500K? I would definitely look at as many as possible from you price max down, and try to talk to some previous buyers to see if they're happy.