Ashford Neighborhoods

[minky]

Hello,

This is my first time to post on HAIF, but thought I should get some opinions before my husband and I purchase our first home. We have been looking in some of the Ashford neighborhoods (Ashford Forest, Ashford West, Ashford South and Ashford Hills). The homes we are looking at are valued in the $170-$190,000 range and are zoned to HISD. Schools are not extremely important to us right now as we do not have kids yet. We are looking, however, to get a fairly decent return if we stay 7 or so years. Some people have told me that the homes in that area (particularly in Ashford Forest) are expected to at least double in the next 10 years. Is that true? There does seem to be a lot of new retail construction off Eldridge, but I haven't found any real evidence that this area is having a rebirth. Please share any information you may have. Thanks!

M

[Dan the Man]

I like that area for it's greenspace; it has lots of big trees, and you're fairly close to Terry Hershey Park and the Addicks Reservoir. I don't know anything about property values in that part of town, but being so close to the Energy Corridor can't hurt.

[KatieDidIt]

I like that area for it's greenspace; it has lots of big trees, and you're fairly close to Terry Hershey Park and the Addicks Reservoir. I don't know anything about property values in that part of town, but being so close to the Energy Corridor can't hurt.

There was an article in the Houston Chronicle about it and it's rebirth. Barbara Bush, West Briar and Westside are excellent schools.

Country Village is another good one in 77077.

We live on the north side of the bayou and the increases have been over 50% in the past few years. Incomes levels that once bought in this area 10 years ago are priced out, but still need to be in the area. So I think it could see some good growth. The closer you can buy to the bayou, the faster in aprreciation, IMHO

I will try to find the article and come back to link you.

Edit for Link: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/mem...ws/5708863.html

[TexasVines]

I grew up in the 77042, but at the time Lee Highschool drew all the way out to highway 6 so I knew a ton of people that lived in those areas

it seems the further west you got towards Dairy Ashford the nicer the homes became and the better the construction

north of briar forest seemed nicer as well

Heathwood area was nice and a friend was a lifeguard there and had the key so we would go there at night and drink beer and swim

also had friends that lived on Honeywood Trail and that was sweet with the lake in back

that was a pretty nice area growing up with only a few pockets of homes that might not have been built quite as well, but the area was still nice with good neighbors

I am surprised they are selling for so little

and Westside High should be one of the better HISD high schools

[Overseas]

I spent my entire childhood in that area (I can still remember the wooden bridge that took Dairy Ashford over the bayou), and family still live there. I think it is a good area - and good value, especially for the Energy Corridor. I wouldn't say it is having a rebirth - it has just gotten more developed with Eldridge finally getting filled in.

Lots of people move into the neighborhoods and stay for years. Several people on my mother's street have been there for over 30 years. Strong community associations as well. Close to the very active little league fields. If you are working out west, I think it is a good place to live.

But you do need to be aware of exactly where you buy as there are a lot of apartment complexes in the area, which affects property values, for better or worse. There are apartment complexes all along Briar Forest next to many nice neighborhoods, so it isn't a major issue, but something to be aware of. You aren't going to find many places in Houston that aren't near apartments, though.

One of them in particular (on Enclave) is, as the locals like to say in slightly hushed tones in order to disguise the implications of the statement, very "Katrina". That being said, we had a family friend fall on hard times and who had to live in the "Katrina" complex. She got along well with her new neighbors, the more shady of whom who would even go so far to try to hide their joints behind their backs when she walked by, and has noticed an improvment over the past year. Most of the neighborhoods now pay to have constables patrolling, so whatever risk there was (imagined or otherwise) seems to have been addressed.

I think that the Ashford neighborhoods closer to the bayou and/or east of Dairy Ashford would be where I would focus. They aren't close to the complexes - which, for better or worse, will improve resale value. Those east of D.A. also are (at the moment) zoned to an elementary school which doesn't take in those complexes, which also would, I imagine, affect values. All areas would still be West Briar MS and Westside. I think to get Barbara Bush Elementary you now need to be west of Eldridge.

[VicMan]

Overseas: Yup - HISD opened Ray Daily Elementary School to relieve Ashford ES/Shadowbriar ES and Bush ES.

[Jeebus]

Hello,

This is my first time to post on HAIF, but thought I should get some opinions before my husband and I purchase our first home. We have been looking in some of the Ashford neighborhoods (Ashford Forest, Ashford West, Ashford South and Ashford Hills).

Double check to make sure that one of those isn't the Ashford neighborhood south of Westheimer. If so, I don't want to say to avoid it, because the homes are nice, but you'll be zoned to Alief ISD, and surrounded by low-rent apartments. Just some food for thought.

[minky]

Thanks for everyone's comments! From what you've said, it seems I should look closer to the Bayou and Dairy Ashford. I'll let you know how the hunt goes

[Pumapayam]

Hello,

This is my first time to post on HAIF, but thought I should get some opinions before my husband and I purchase our first home. We have been looking in some of the Ashford neighborhoods (Ashford Forest, Ashford West, Ashford South and Ashford Hills). Please share any information you may have. Thanks!

M

I personally was a child of the 80's a grew up in the neighborhood around Briarforest/Kirkwood, which is the other end of the border from 1979-1989. You know what, I loved it! Great memories. School was great (Then Ashford Elementary), neigborhood pool was excellent (Southbriar Barracudas baby!), and it was close to everything. I still drive by every once in a while and check out my old childhood home. Would love to buy it back one day, just to have it again. This area did not submit to typical suburban decay like most west houston areas, especially Alief. People really do care about their homes still and the curb appeal shows it.

It's a no brainer, I may be biased, but since you asked, from personal experience, it is a wonderful area! Trees have really filled out nicely too, compared to when it was first built.

[kbates]

If your still looking check out Briarvillage at Hwy 6 and Westheimer. I currently live there myself and have seen my property value go from 120,000 to 170,000 in just a few years.

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