Housing in Houston
 

I will be moving to Houston but I have never been there before. I am trying to get an idea of good residential locations/suburbs. Could someone list the most desirable residential areas in Houston? I am looking for a safe, clean and well-maintained areas with good public schools. My maximum price would be in the range of $300,000-325,000. What kind a house can I get for this price?

A lot depends on where you'll be working. Houston is huge & there are good areas spread out. Taxes are higher in Harris County than in some surrounding areas so think about that. Many people like the Woodlands if they are going to be working N of Houston. Montgomery County taxes are usually less but the Woodlands neighborhood has its own fees. Schools are great in the Conroe ISD. We lived in Conroe when my husband worked in the Woodlands. Seemed like we got more for our house dollar. A friend lived in Kingwood & loved it. Another was in the Cy-Fair school district (1960 area) & said her neighborhood & schools were wonderful.

Give us a bit more info on what you're looking for & what general area & we can help narrow it down.

Our realtor was Betty Savage & she was fabulous. Her specialty was Houston but she found us a country home with room for horses & never lost patience. Finding a realtor that actually listens to what you want & need is priceless.

On the whole, benj is correct. Determine where you will be working before choosing a neighborhood to look in. Besides location, 2 other factors to consider include:

∙ Family situation -- married, single, kids?
∙ How much time are you willing to spend driving every day?

As for taxes, they tend to be the same regardless of location. In and around Houston, low tax counties are offset by high tax school districts. If you don't know, Texas does not have a state income tax. We rely primarily on property taxes and sales taxes to fund governmental activities.

Based on your price range, there are many nice areas you can afford, especially suburban locations. You should also go to the Houston Association for Realtors website www.har.com to get a sense of what is out there.

qz.....Here is a link to a site...There is a TV program on Sunday mornings in Dallas, the ABC station(cant remember which one it is as I dont live there).But I've seen it and it highlights the new areas in the Dallas area.I'm guessing the site/show featuring houston would be similar.I've watched the show as I am thinking about buying ahouse in the Dallas area.Watching the show fires me up thats for sure! Hope this helps.

http://www.hotonhouston.com/
Not awake yet!

I will working near the intersection of Interstate 10 and Beltway 8. I believe it is west of downtown houston.

I am married and have 1 kid. I am looking for nice, safe and clean neighborhood and I would prefer suburb. I am more interested in newer constructions than older houses and, therefore, newer neighborhood. Of course, considering houston weather, a pool would be nice! Also, the interior details and quality of construction are important to me.

By the way, which areas in Houston are considered upscale or most desirable to live? I would probably not able to afford a house in such locations but am being curious.

What is the property tax rate in Houston area?

The most expensive area to live is River Oaks - which around San Felipe, Kirby, etc... Multi-million mansions.

Then it's the Memorial area - along Memorial and Woodway drives between 610 (West Loop) and the Beltway.

Keep in mind that the whole I-10 West (Katy Freeway) is being rebuilt in stages over the next 10 years, including total rebuilding of the massive interchange of I-10/Beltway8 that's just over 10 years old. Traffic will be bad around that area. So, while living in the suburbs to the west of your work may sound like a good idea, you'll be stuck on I-10 everyday for a long time. You may want to consider some newer subdivisions along US290 (Northwest Freeway), and then take Beltway South to work.

Thanks for the tip, rkkwan!

Yeah, I agree, if I am going to work near the intersection of Beltway 8 and I-10, that doesnt mean I have to live along I-10.

So I am assume one needs to be millionaire to live near River Oaks or Memorial area :) So, these areas aside, which suburbs/locations would you say would be the best where you could find something for no more than $300,000? So far, it seems that Woodlands area is nice.

Most neighborhoods on the west side of town in your price range will be nice. Along I-10, new home and neighborhood construction will be west of Hwy 6, in the Katy ISD. It is a good school district. I have a friend who just bought a house in Cinco Ranch. They really like it out there.

There are many new neighborhoods along US 290, northwest of Beltway 8. Those will be in Cy-Fair District.

The Woodlands is nice, but it is at least a 1 hour commute to where you are working. First colony is a master plan community like the Woodlands that is a little closer.

One neighborhood to consider is Lakes on Eldridge North. When we were looking for homes earlier this year, it is a neighborhood we seriously considered.

We really liked Woodwind Lakes off 290 and Fairbanks-North Houston. Homes there are about 8-10 years old. 95% under $325,000. I have several friends who live in Cole's Crossing, which is further out 290, and they really enjoy it there.

Glennloch Farms along 249 is very nice as well.

There are many neighborhoods in and around Beltway 8 and I-10. They are older, but very nice.

Housing prices here are very reasonable. In most instances, you can get more house for your dollar here than any other region of the country. In the nighborhoods I have suggested, most houses in your price range will be about 2,800 to 3,400 sf.

Property taxes depends on the school district. In Katy and CF ISD, on a $300,000 house, expect to pay around $6,000 to $8,000 per year. My best guess is that will change in the next year. Property tax reform is the major issue the legislature will face next year.

The quality of the house you purchase will depend on the builder. Good quality builders I liked include David Weekley, Newmark, and Trendmaker

Use the HAR website to search for neighborhoods that meet your criteria. The site allows you to search by many factors: location, price, school district, age of house, etc. It really is very good. The HAR site can provide and estimate of property taxes for you.

Call benj's realtor and talk to her about what you want and need. I am assuming she must be good, because I have rarely known someone to praise their realtor.

Once you pick some neighborhods, come down and visit. You won't really know where you want to live until you see the place.

Beltway 8 is a toll road. Once you move, you probably should get an EZPAss from Harris County Toll Authority.

Good luck with your search.

When you arrive in Houston, please have someone show you the nice parts immediately or you will freak out...the drive from Hobby airport to downtown is the ugliest stretch of road I've ever seen.

Houston has no zoning, so expect to be in a powerful, well-established homeowners' association. If you're the type who doesn't like the idea of living in an HOA, good luck!

I totally agree with LDLee that subdivisions along 290 or 249 are probably your best bets. Take the Beltway south to get to I-10.

LDLee,
You're right, our realtor was unbelievable & the only one I have ever recommended. Her patience was unreal & she knew what we wanted so much that she would drive up to a listing & say "brick box" & leave. It was our running joke that we didn't want a traditional "brick box" house. She wound up finding us a log home on 3 acres right outside Conroe. A big job for someone that specialized in the Houston area.

As for coming in to Houston... my husband came in through Pasadena & I about died. First of all I didn't want to go & then to see yellow polluted looking sky with tons of traffic just made me worse. Our realtor wanted to kill him. She said he should have come in from the N & driven down so it wouldn't have looked so scary. Parts of Houston are nice but the traffic still amazes me. We're back in our La small town now & don't miss it a bit.

Good luck with the move. Be sure & find your way to Papasito's & have the shrimp en brochette. It's divine. Another fun place to eat is the Potato Patch by FM 1960. They have the craziest staff there that go around the place & toss rolls to you while you eat. Lots of fun & good food.

It seems that people are already scaring me off from moving to Houston!

I believe though that it is probably like LA. There are large stretches of ugly parts in LA but then there are also many nicer areas.

LDLee mentioned that one should expect to pay 6000-8000 on a 300,000 home. Is that in addition to property taxes and other fees? So, on a 300,000 house, should I expect to pay a total of 9000-12000? In that case, housing is houston is not as cheap as everyone says since the monthly payment would come to the same as more expensive houses in other cities. He also mentioned it would change next year. Does that mean the rate would go up or down?

Finally, what kind of power does HOA has over home owner?

Don't judge Houston til you visit. Overall, it is a good place to live. Perfect, no.

I was wrong about property tax rate. Expect around $.75 per $100. $300K home would have total property taxes around $2,000 per year. All this assumes you are not living within the Houston city limits. With property tax reform, rates will go down.

According to Coldwell Banker's Home Pricing Index, a $300,000 house in Houston would sell for $594,000 in Seattle.

I am guessing your monthly payment (principal, interest, taxes and insurance) on a $300,000 house would be around $2,000 to $2,250 per month.

As for HOA power, depends on the neighborhood. Based on my understanding of Washington and Texas law, HOAs here have a little less power than those in Washington.

Whoa, property tax is more like 3%. Also I think you will find insurance on both home and car more expensive. In addition utilities are more simply because you use more. Your a/c(s) will run non-stop from about April to October. I'm not saying this to scare you simply be aware when home shopping to factor in these extra costs. The initial price of a home here is really low but the added expenses are an equalizer.

So, at 3%, property tax is twice as much as in Seattle area. Even considering that, and adding the utility cost, I would think that housing in houston is still cheaper than Seattle area. In Seattle, also consider the heating bill during colder months.

LDLee is right, in Seattle, one would need to spend at least $600,000 to buy a house that is similar to $300,000 house in Houston. That is at least $4000 monthly payment! Let me give you an idea about prices in Seattle, based on a friend of mine who is looking for a house these days. In a desirable residential area, expect to spend at least $350,000 for 1600-1900 sq feet house with little or no yard. And that is the minimum. I think that the home prices in Seattle area are simply ridiculous, more like stock prices during dot-com bubble.

By the way, in Houston, what is the average utility bill in summer time.

It'd make sense that the property tax <b>rate</b> to be high in Texas. One that's one main tax revenue for the state, as there's no state income tax. Second, since the property value is much lower, the rate has to be higher. While it may be cheaper to run basic community service (like Police, Fire, etc) in Houston, it's cannot cost just half.

But as others have suggested, property tax is a big political issue down here, and there's lots of pressure for reform. If nothing else, it still means it's harder for policitians to raise rates now then before.

As far as electrical bill goes. It really depends on how much A/C you're running. If you have a two-storey house, and you only use the lower level, then it'll save you much to not run the upper-floor A/C, or at least turn it up higher. It'd help <b>a lot</b> if you program it to be at a higher temperture (or totally off) during the day when you're not home. The actual price is really all over the place. With a two-storey 2-bedroom 3,500 feet home, I've heard of numbers between $400 to over $1,000 in the summer months. [On the other hand, we live in a small 1,500 sq-ft one-storey patio home; and $200 is considered high.] And don't forget that in the winter, your electric bill is much lower.

Two other things: First, part of the electric bill is fuel surcharge. So, your cost will depend somewhat on oil prices. Second, electricity has been deregulated in Texas. In Houston, I believe you have 3 other providers besides Reliant. We just switched to GEXA, and it should save us about 10-15%, depending on the season. [Higher the bill, higher the % savings.] Using someone other than Reliant also means I'm not subsidizing those who go to the new stadium to watch football.

Oh housing is diffenitly cheaper here in Houston, I just wanted you to be sure to factor in insurance and utilities in addition to taxes. There is an article on the front page of the Houston Chronicle this moring about taxes and how diverse they are accross the county. The top area is 5%, due in large part to the fact that it has its own municiple utilities district that needs to be paid off.

I don't know what an average utility payment is but for my 4700 sq. ft. home, with pool on 1/2 acre, the electric bill has been just over $500 the last two months and the water just under $200. Of course in the winters when you are using heat it drops to $200. /$100. Due to the humidity there are maybe 4-5 days a year you can open your windows here, the other 360 days you are running your a/c or heat.

The reason I mentioned insurance is I am originally from California and I was surprised at how much more both home and auto was here.

At any rate good luck in your house hunting. If you can try to get a home with a pool, or build one, as it really will make your transition to our climate so much easier. They really do build beatiful homes here.

qz- you didn't mention when you're moving to Houston. Do you have time to come down and look around first?
We live in a master-planned community south of Houston, near Hwy 288 and 2 exits south of Bltwy 8. It's called Pearland but we're actually just outside of it, in a MUD district (so we pay MUD taxes instead of city fees). It's Brazoria County, not Harris Co. You can definitely find a very nice house down here for under $300k, and the schools here are well rated. I agree with whoever told you to go look on the HAR website (www.har.com). My husband is a realtor too... let me know if you want to talk to him.

Hello spunki. You can email me the contact information so I can talk with your husband for more information about houston area homes.

After learning about taxes and utility bills, I may have to lower my price range to may be 250,000 or so.

By the way, it seems that there are many houses priced around 150,000 or so with similar square footage and floor plans as, say, 300,000 houses within the same community. How is, then, a 300,000 home different from 150,000?

Also, Barblab mentioned the pool. How much price difference does a pool make?

It seems that major complaint people have about houston is it weather. Well, I lived in Asia for 15 years so hopefully that isnt an issue for me! I am assuming, though, that the weather is not so bad outside of summer months.

If you would like to be closer to the Gulf, try the Clear Lake/League City area. The schools are good and the area has a large price range. It is about 20 minutes south of downtown and next to NASA.

It has been a number of years since we built a pool, but I heard recently that a basic pool adds 10k value to the house but costs about 20k to build. A realtor and pool contractor could give you a better idea. Having owned a pool here for many years I can tell you that the monthly cost of running one (chemicals, water and utilities) is about $100. If you buy an already built one or have one built be sure it has an overflow line. Also the newer the pool the fewer problems you will have so be warey of an older pool.

As for house hunting here be sure to inquirer about flooding in each area you look at. We have lived here 17 years in 2 different houses and never had a problem but some areas do. They must disclose flooding to you. I was just thinking that even if you are looking at new construction it would be a good thing to inquier if the land had ever flooded before. If so, look elsewhere.

Re the weather you are right the summers are brutal but the rest of the year quit plesant. We have snow or ice that lasts a couple days once every 10 years. We have lots, like 50 inches of rain but unlike the Pacific Northwest where it can drizzle for days we tend to have hugh downpours in a short period of time - hense the floods. You really can do outdoor activities yearound.

qz- I'd be glad to email you but you didn't provide your email. :)
You asked &quot;How is, then, a 300,000 home different from 150,000? &quot; Well does the higher priced one have a pool or is it a custom home (vs. a model)? In our Silverlake community the houses by the lake can cost half-million or more.
We have a pool in our backyard (built by the previous owner), and Barblab is right, it doesn't appreciate in value like the house does (we know because we were trying to sell our home last year). How much extra you'd pay as a buyer depends on how fancy the pool is (does it have a spa too, etc.) as well as how old it is.

spunki, you can email me at [email protected]

By the way, I am not familar with the concept of custom home since we dont have them here (and if there are, they are very expensive).

What can you customize in a custom home? I am assuming that one needs to be really good at what goes into building a house to customize it. Or does the builder help you with that? In that regards, may be I am ok with a model home.

Do upgrades such as adding hardwood floor or putting granite counter top count as customization?

As far as pool is concered, I wouldnt worry about how much would it add to the value of the house. I was just interested in knowing how much would it cost me.

A custom home builder is one who builds a limited number of homes a year, usually in the higher price range and finishes the home to their customers specifications. They either build it to your architechs plans or many times offer a select number of their own plans which they will modify to your needs. They other option is to go with a track home builder who has a few model homes to choose from and who will make miner modifications for a charge. When buying a track home you will have a limited number of choices for finishing the home that are included in the price and then many additional choices which will cost you extra. As you asked before granite and wood floors would be upgrades and cost more.

The differences in the price of identical size homes in the same neighborhood could be any of the following or a combination of many: size and location of the lot; age and condition of the home; upgrades including a pool, spa, decking, landscaping and interior upgrades and updating.