NE Houston/suburbs Information (Humble, Katy: 2010, HOA fees, insurance)

[Tyger1906]

My question pertains to the NE Houston suburbs. We are looking to move to Houston sometime in 2008. I have a wife and a 4month old. We both are college administrators so in all likelihood we will be working somewhere near the Tex Med Ctr or near one of the colleges or universities. We are attracted to NE Houston-suburbs because:

1. Ease of commute towards downtown via 59
2. More house for your money
3. The area does not seem to be overcrowded compared to Katy and other areas

We have visited and stayed in the Humble area a few times. We visited Kingwood, Walden on Lake Houston, the subdivisions south of FM 1960 bordering Lake Houston, Crosby, drove past Summerwood. We really liked Walden, the homes bordering Lake Houston, and Kingwood.

About how long is the commute down 59 to the Med Crt in the AM? Would we be better served if we looked at a community closer in?

How does Summerwood's proximity to NE Houston-proper effect crime rates?
Crosby seemed really secluded and it lacked the amenities close by (Wal Mart, Target, ect). Is this on purpose or is it a case of "they just haven't moved out there yet?"

We are from OH and we don't live in a subdivision so we are not familiar with how much the typical HOA fee would add to the mortgage. I assume if you live in a golf community and you golf you pay more. HOA's seem to predominate so I was wondering what the typical fee would be in Kingwood or Summerwood for a 200k home.

Thanks!

[BearBranch]

My home owners fee is about $220 per hear in Bear Branch village in Kingwood. The non commute drive time to downtown is about 20-25 minutes.

[Tyger1906]

I just completed the Humble ISD calculation and for a 250k home the ISD tax would be roughly 341.00 a month...as long as there is no MUD tax in these areas that would seem doable, especially considering that Cypress and Katy would run almost 6k for that same house....

[dianajohnson]

u made a wonderful chioce esp. walden on lake houston and summerwood...we use to lived there in walden but we just moved to summerwood and i have 2 tell u the taxes are high and both places but with a lot of amenities...walden on lake houston....your big kids if any will attend a brand new high school call atascoctia high very upscale design..you have a golf club and golf trails...a good view of the lake when u drive on walden forest....and u get a lot of your house for a very unbeatable price..and the entrace is nice......summewood you will attend the same school right down the street from walden...lots of parks mile of trails....a grand entrace right there off the beltway a little bridge will carry you into the community..just pretty...and lots of very good designs...two coumminty centers..im a single parent and i have 2 say i love it..they just built a firestation..elementary school..daycare..and a park that overlooks the water of lake houston with two major lakes...and it will not take you long at all 2 get to 59...cant beat that esp. in houston, tx...the walden fee was 65.00 it use must pay it are they will put a lean on your house...not some much as crime just people that are bored..not any major crimes....i think summerwood will be just find for you and your family or u can go with lake shore they just built it a year ago and it alreadly looks like it full....yeah and they still building right down the street, so walmart is like right there and major shoping centers...o and they just did a ground breaking for the 6th high school and the area...opened for the 2009/2010 year, they say it going to look better than atascocitia high(41.1)than high school 6(71.1m)

[Reivax]

We're buying in Kingwood in the coming month, All the homes I've looked at are more or less around annual HOA fees of around $300. The deeds and restrictions of the HOAs that I was able to access on-line seem very reasonable.

You should also consider flood insurance.
An insurance man in Kingwood told me: "The majority of the Kingwood area is in a low risk flood zone. There are a few areas that are near the river that are high risk."
Low risk is around $250 a year, High risk, over $2,000 a year.

Your little one is still young, but you'll be happy to know that many of the schools in Kingwood are rated Exemplary (Humble ISD (broken link))
Where I come from in California, it is not uncommon for student/teacher ratios of 25:1, all the Kingwood schools I've looked at are around 15:1
It's nice to know that even though the property tax is high, it is going towards something in your own backyard, i.e. the schools that educate your children.

[PhD]

I don't knwo why anyone would move to Northeast Houston. It's just plain boring. If you're going to atleast more to Kingwood. In SUmmerwood you have 2 options you can take The Beltway to 59 or I-10. SOon they are going to have HWY 90 finished which might be quicker.

West Humble is the best area. Kingwood has high end housing and atleast has a mall. Just know that ease of commute may bot be worth it. There's absoloutley nothing out there. Just the interection of 59 and 1960 is wirth mentioning. That and a little down 1960. Now if it's commute ou want you probrably be better off moving to Clear Lake.

[BearBranch]

Kingwood has quite a bit. Here is the newest mixed use development (waterfront):

Kings Harbor Waterfront Village

Fall Creek is a short 15 minute drive to downtown
Kingwood about 30 minutes.

[Kandy]

Originally Posted by BearBranch

Kingwood has quite a bit. Here is the newest mixed use development (waterfront):

Kings Harbor Waterfront Village

Fall Creek is a short 15 minute drive to downtown
Kingwood about 30 minutes.

I just came from Kings Harbor - had dinner at Raffa's this evening. Nice atmosphere, but the service was slow and the food was just okay. I am looking forward to other restaurants and shops opening there. The Brownstones are so cool - can't wait to tour them. ~K~

[BearBranch]

I've heard that about Raffa's. I'm cutting them some slack as they just opened.

[Tyger1906]

the walden fee was 65.00 it use must pay it are they will put a lean on your house...not some much as crime just people that are bored..not any major crimes..

Dina johnson can you elaborate on this statement you made...or if anyone can shed light on what she is referring too......I understand the lean on your house part regarding Walden on Lake Houston however crimes????