What's The Deal With West Oaks Village Subdivision

[swzine]

I've been househunting in the Sugar Land/Ft Bend area and I noticed that there are some pretty nice houses in West Oaks Village for really cheap. I drove around there and noticed way too many "for sale" signs. I noticed on har.com that there are like 50 in that subdivision. Anyone know why so many large fairly new houses are for sale and why they're priced so much less than the rest of the area? Is it a decent place to live?

I searched online for answers and all I could find is an old Chronicle article from 4 years ago. http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/b...borhoods/465817

[debmartin]

i can't say that i've personally seen that neighborhood, but based on the map in the chron i do know that some people moving out there are interested in westside high school, the new posh hisd school with a water polo team. my guess is that if this is ft. bend school district it's not one of the posh ft. bend schools, like the ones in sugerland proper and/or the $$$ ft. bend neighborhoods.

that said, i drove around with a friend looking for a home to buy last summer, and someone told him to look at mission bend. we were told the homes were older, but larger and priced to sell. we drove around there, saw what you described (too many "for sale" signs) as well as burglar bars and he passed. he ended up buying in webster - an older neighborhood but very quiet, low turnover and great price.

not long after, the chron started reporting on a rash of homeowners getting robbed in their driveway in mission bend by gangs of punks. they have since made several arrests so perhaps mission bend has cleaned up crime wise. one thing you can do is go to the hpd website, plug in the street names and get the month to month details on crime. it would be unrealistic to think someone selling their home there would be totally forthcoming about why so many homes are going up for sale, ditto for the real estate agents. and i still think the age old saying "if it seems too good to be true, it probably is" goes.

debmartin

[swzine]

i can't say that i've personally seen that neighborhood, but based on the map in the chron i do know that some people moving out there are interested in westside high school, the new posh hisd school with a water polo team.  my guess is that if this is ft. bend school district it's not one of the posh ft. bend schools, like the ones in sugerland proper and/or the $$$ ft. bend neighborhoods.

that said, i drove around with a friend looking for a home to buy last summer, and someone told him to look at mission bend.  we were told the homes were older, but larger and priced to sell.  we drove around there, saw what you described (too many "for sale" signs) as well as burglar bars and he passed.  he ended up buying in webster - an older neighborhood but very quiet, low turnover and great price.

not long after, the chron started reporting on a rash of homeowners getting robbed in their driveway in mission bend by gangs of punks.  they have since made several arrests so perhaps mission bend has cleaned up crime wise.  one thing you can do is go to the hpd website, plug in the street names and get the month to month details on crime.  it would be unrealistic to think someone selling their home there would be totally forthcoming about why so many homes are going up for sale, ditto for the real estate agents.  and i still think the age old saying "if it seems too good to be true, it probably is" goes.

debmartin

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The houses in this neighborhood are all very nice. If I had to make an estimate I'd say they're averaging around $150k for 5-7 yr old houses with about 2400sf, but they're houses that are more like a $200k range in Sugar Land. HAR.com shows 44 for sale in the neighborhood. It's right near Clodine and I noticed it's only a mile or so from the infamous Mission Bend. I did some Google searches and also checked Ft Bend Sheriff's website and they only report I can find is one attempted driveway robbery where some kid had a gun and demanded some lady's purse, She said no and the kid fled. If that's all of the crime that's occurred, I can deal with that. That can happen anywhere. I just feel like there may be more going on that only the locals know. Hopefully someone on here knows that area.

[kjb434]

There is the construction of the Westpark Tollway on the northside too. Also, there is a lot of development in the area and to the immediate west down FM 1093.

There is probably a little inventory on the area. Personally, I find the area not as pretty as many other areas of Houston. Just me though.

[swzine]

There is the construction of the Westpark Tollway on the northside too.  Also, there is a lot of development in the area and to the immediate west down FM 1093.

There is probably a little inventory on the area.  Personally, I find the area not as pretty as many other areas of Houston.  Just me though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don;t like the general area either. The subdivision is nice, but the area around it isn't. It's sort of in the middle of nowhere. I was thinking (and hoping) that the location is the factor that's making prices low, but I just want to be sure that it's not something less obvious - like a lot of crime. The biggest reason I'm not sure about moving there is the fact that I don't like the area. I just want to make sure there isn't more to the story, so that all factors can be weighed into the decision making.

[danrhead]

I hope I can give you some insight into this neighborhood. i purchased my first house here in late 2003. It is a very quiet community. To my knowledge, there have been no driveway robberies in this neighborhood, or any other crime for that matter. i believe that crime has been exclusive to mission bend and even new territory. i chose this neighborhood because of it's location! i grew up living in the suburbs(pearland). so i was looking for something like that. i work in the westchase district and it is very convienient commute. The westpark tollway is going to be right down the street! I like being able to get to I-10 pretty quickly and being close to two malls. west oaks mall and katy mills is not too far. there also is the huge park/hike-bike system/in the addicks resivoir within walking distance. When the wespark is complete i can be at the galleria area in twenty minutes. i could go on. i am pleased with where i choose to live.

In my walks around the community i have noticed that most of the homes for sale are on the north side of the neighborhood or on the street that will be very close to the tollway. i noticed more houses popping up for sale on this street as the construction commenced. However it is my understanding there will be a large noise wall built along this corridor. i live in the back of the subdividion so this does not affect me. There is a large high school literally adjacent to the nieghborhood. George bush high school, it is in the fort bend isd. Someone was correct in there point that it is not at the standard of some of the other high schools in the district. This is the only reason i would ever consider moving. not now,when i have children, when the are older.

i hope this post has not drug on too long.

[danrhead]

just to clear this point up, didn't sound right to me is all

i just did a search on har also. i found that there are about 29 homes for sale in this neighborhood. There is a subdivision with the same name in pearland, the remainder of the homes for sale are in that community.

[kjb434]

There will be a soundwall for the community. Soundwall will be used extensively around existing communities near the tollway.

[swzine]

Thanks for replying. I'm getting closer to the point where I'll buy ( a few months when my lease is up). I finally went around looking at houses with my agent today. We checked out about 4 in West Oaks Village. Of all the houses we looked at the one's in that area were the nicest by far. I also stopped at a garage sale and BS'ed with one of the owners (who had just sold their house) to ask why so many are for sale. They told me a lot of people were just upgrading to bigger houses and also that many people were concerned about noise from the tollway. As you guys said, they'll be building a wall. Even if they don't, I could care less about the highway noise. I grew up in the city (Philly) and I remember the sound of cars going 45mph down the cobblestone trolley tracks all night. It was no big deal. Plus, I can hear 59 from where I live now in Sugar Land. NO BIG DEAL!

Anyway, maybe I'll be your neighbor in a few months.

[Jeebus]

Hey! I live in West Oaks Village. Let tell you all about it:

1. You can NOT hear the Westpark Tollway - even at rush-hour, AND they still have yet to build the sound wall!

2. The homes are nice, new, and large. They are mostly one-story with open floorplans. Mine was built in 1998, is a 4/2/2 with 2300sqft.

3. We have a brand-new elementary school just for the kids of West Oaks Village and Twin Oaks. I don't know the name of it, as we don't have any kids.. yet.

4. Its nice at night. When you look up, you can actually see the stars.

5. The Westpark tollway has on and off ramps just east of 1464. I can make it to Westchase in 5 minutes, Uptown in under 15, and the Med Center in around 20. I haven't timed Downtown yet, but I'm sure once US527 opens back up it will be around 20 also. Its only $2.oo dollars to take the toll from FM1464 all the way to US59 and visa versa!!

6. Its a quiet neighborhood that is its busiest during school crossing hours. The only time its hard to get out of the subdivision is right when George Bush High is letting out across the street.

7. Right now its a freakin' steal to move-in. The last of the people have moved out that were in fear of the toll-road ruinining the neighborhood. Now that its done and everyone realizes that its not going to ruin the neighborhood, I can bet that all the houses will be bought up. At the same time, I think the values will shoot up as its the most established neighborhood on the west side of FM1464 and the most developed.

8. Within 5 minutes you can be on Westheimer, HWY6, or the Westpark Tollway. Within 1o minutes you can be on I-10 or HWY90, and with in 15 you can be on US59 at Little India or Sugarland.

Anyway, that's why I like it. Of course I would love to live in the city. Maybe somewhere like Briargrove or Memorial City, but I'll have to wait until the career can afford such a move.

In the meantime, if you can get out there for under 15o,ooo.oo - you're doing good.

[kjb434]

Good to here life from a happy suburbanite. I'm sure HCTRA and FBCTRA would love to hear from you. You are the customer they are looking for.

[Jeebus]

Good to here life from a happy suburbanite.  I'm sure HCTRA and FBCTRA would love to hear from you.  You are the customer they are looking for.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

oooouch..

Hey, it's the cheapest: nice, safe, decently sized, well designed, and closest house/neighborhood I could find.

Really, I would love to live closer, but where? I literally spent days on HAR looking for something under $15o,ooo.oo that was as close to the city on the southwest side that was as much of the above listed criteria as possible.

I dare you to show me a neighborhood that can compete with what I have for the price. Here are the criteria:

1. SAFE for children (wife is 5 months..)

2. Plenty of young parents & kids in neighborhood (for my kids to play with one day)

3. EITHER pre-1970's contruction or post-1980's construction (there is a 20 year gap of crappy construction)

4. Close to town as possible (I don't like the suburbs anymore than you do)

5. Must be on westside (for work & recreation)

Like I said, I would love to live in Meyerland, Briargrove, Larchmont, Tanglewood, West U, Bellaire, or Braes Heights. Our plan is to live here for about 12-13 years, and then sell right before our oldest will be in high school. By then, we'll be far enough along in our careers to be able to afford a nice home somewhere at least inside the belt - if not the loop.

[kjb434]

I'm not putting you down. I'm more or less showing many of the die hard inner loopers on this forum that there are commuters that don't think suburban life is that bad.

HCTRA and FBCTRA are in the business of finding customers (commuters). The Westpark Toll Road is well on it way of becoming another successfull project like the West Belt.

I use the Westpark every now and then because I have some projects in that area. I love the road. Very efficient.

[Jeebus]

Its not bad as long as you drive smart and avoid the daily peak hour (7:30-8:30am & 5:00-6:00pm). It does have its flaws however, as if there's a wreck, even with one lane still open - expect delays. Also, east US59, the toll is nothing short of a glorified HOV lane.

For the most part, West Oaks Village is a rare exception in the suburb world. The Westpark Toll exits directly to FM1464, which after a left turn, the next light (approx. 2 city blocks south) is the entrance to West Oaks Village. There is a brand new Shell, Kroger, Subway, shopping center at FM1093/FM1464 intersection. Speaking of FM1093 (many confuse this with Westheimer past HWY6), a hop on that and within 5 minutes you're at HWY6. You've got the West Oaks Mall, the West Oaks Shopping Center, and plenty of restuarants to keep a middle class family entertained (Logans, Olive Garden, Chili's, Joe's, Red Lobster, etc etc). There's a Walmart at Westpark, and a HEB at Bellaire (both on HWY6).

I know its not inner-city, but I like to think its not Cinco-Ranch, Woodlands, or Kingwood. Within minutes I can reconnect to the city. So for now, I'll be happy. Hopefully later in life, I'll be able to remove that "reconnect" by moving somewhere closer like Tanglewood (my dream sub-division).