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 "How is, then, a 300,000 home different from 150,000? " 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.