Katy ISD will be the downfall of Katy... (Houston, The Woodlands: apartments, rent)

[usc619]

...During the times of our country's economic struggles it amazes me how Katy ISD is still spending money like there's no tomorrow. They're currently trying to come up with a plan to build new schools, new football stadium among other things due to the growth of the Southwest portion of Katy. I'm curious as to how all of this will play out. As it stand Katy ISD has one of the highest tax rate of all Houston Metro ISDs. And it's only getting higher as more bonds are pushed thru.

Here's my prediction in 20yrs:

MPC like CR, Seven Meadows, Grand lakes etc. will become the outdated neighborhoods with people looking for the next new thing.

Soon all of these kids will be finished with school and most empty nester will flee from Katy and it's high property taxes.

New suburbs will sprout up with new schools, all the bells and whistles and people will be heading out for the new utopia( ie; From Alife to Katy / Jersey Village to Cypress / Greenspoint to The Woodlands).

Therefore we'll have a bunch of schools in Katy under populated due to people(new families) not wanting to move into older cookies cutter homes with HIGH school/mud tax rate.

We have schools in KISD where parents feel if their children are rezoned to that location their property value will drop(For an example, some Cinco ranch resident are fighting not to get rezone to good Taylor hs.). Katy ISD AWAYS seem to zone schools accordingly to socioeconomics of neighborhoods.... which is why they would build new schools rather than rezone the ones we already have.

http://www.katytimes.com/articles/20...6452380253.txt

The Katy Times > Archives > News > Parents concerned about district's plans on attendance boundaries

"After our son graduates this year we are moving and bailing on these high taxes. If others are like minded, I wonder how long it will be before property values start dropping in the expensive neighborhoods and the district has to start selling off schools or the teacher/student ratio starts to change for the worse? The more expensive the home the higher the taxes. Seems like they should have been worried about us all along. " - Motomom

[Sampaguita]

Seems like you've described what has happened to many older MPCs...isn't it all part of the suburban MPC life-cycle?

As people/families age, the school districts take a hit and the neighborhoods become less desirable.

I didn't grow up in an MPC and my parents' middle/upper middle class neighborhood in NY hasn't changed much in 40 years - still a lot of pride of ownership. The makeup of the community is a bit different what with people moving, dying, etc...but the schools are still great and families still abound.

It doesn't seem like MPC's have the same kind of staying power.

[usc619]

Originally Posted by Sampaguita

Seems like you've described what has happened to many older MPCs...isn't it all part of the suburban MPC life-cycle?

As people/families age, the school districts take a hit and the neighborhoods become less desirable.

I didn't grow up in an MPC and my parents' middle/upper middle class neighborhood in NY hasn't changed much in 40 years - still a lot of pride of ownership. The makeup of the community is a bit different what with people moving, dying, etc...but the schools are still great and families still abound.

It doesn't seem like MPC's have the same kind of staying power.

I agree and that worries me...

[hsw]

Public schools are much like public housing or public transit...just another scam of taxpayers

Have never understood why any ~30-something young family (or anyone else) would want to buy a used house anywhere, unless heavily, heavily discounted, like a used car or smartphone...and need to consider all the out-of-warranty repair/mtce bills&hygiene issues, whether a used house or car or smartphone...stuff ages poorly

In era when many know houses can and will depreciate...and are illiquid in face of job transfer/divorce, etc....many will rent until they can afford to build a new house in upscale tear-down country, closer to major offices (and private schools)....so tract houses anywhere will likely have similar resale value issues like any used car or item of clothing...

[Trae713]

I really don't see how Cinco, Seven Meadows, and Grand Lakes will become these outdated neighborhoods. I can see Grand Lakes, but Cinco and Seven Meadows are taken care of way to well to turn into some outdated neighborhoods. So, in my opinion, they are not the next Alief.

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by usc619

I agree and that worries me...

This is actually one of the reasons I'm trying not to get too, too hyped up about school districts & such when choosing where to buy. I've got too much to stress about on top of that, LOL.

My children are only 2 so who knows how things will be when they are ready for HS. We are pretty sure we'll send them to private school until HS so that takes a lot of the pressure off. After that? Who knows. That's 12 yrs from now. Right now, I tend to hope we can send them to Strake & St. Agnes for HS. We're zoned to Elkins. What with the new HS in Sienna opening later this year, I have no idea what will happen to Elkins.

From reading this board, it seems that school districts get re-zoned quite often and buying in a great school district doesn't necessarily mean your house will still be in the same district come 10 yrs from now.

As far as why anyone would buy a "used" house? Lots of different reasons. We once bought a 1929 Spanish Revival charmer. LOVED that house and could have cared less that it was "used".

Not every brand new house is built in a great school district and the fact is that many families can only afford a "used" house.

[SteveArmy]

umm which MPC fell on its face in the past?

[Trae713]

Originally Posted by SteveArmy

umm which MPC fell on its face in the past?

I think the popular answer will be Sharpstown, but the only bad parts of Sharpstown are the apartments. The single-family homes aren't, and values have raised in parts of Sharpstown.

[descovy]

USC, what you bring up, has been nagging on my mind too.

Alton Frailey (KISD superintendant) last nigh again made the comment that KISD is a destination school district... several (didn't care enough to write them down stats) how we are the 3-4th fastest growing district in the US, something along those lines.

It was said as a compliment, but I see being a "destination district" as having it's own can of worms.

Look at what you hear based on these boards about relocating. "Go to SLHS, CRHS,... they are waay better than KHS or THS or the whole dang north side." Says who? Some picking apart of test scores?

In not so distant memory Taylor High School was *the* high school to be in. All the rich kids from Kelliwood went and had the finest of everything. Now we have folks pulling their hair out about having to be zoned to Taylor "because it's so baa-ad..."

KISD has a history of build em and leave em... That's what kills me. Because your school can't be the newest and shinyest forever.

And the growth out here in the SW side. So many folks are here temporarily. We are a "destination district" so this is where they choose to land for their 2 year stint in Houston. Then they're gone. So they don't care about long range plans... they care about me, myself, and I... right here, right now.

Being a destination district is great for builders, realtors, families who need a "safe" move for two years. But KISD needs to learn to temper those folks with people who want to put down roots and stay awhile.

[Poltracker]

Originally Posted by Sampaguita

This is actually one of the reasons I'm trying not to get too, too hyped up about school districts & such when choosing where to buy. I've got too much to stress about on top of that, LOL.


From reading this board, it seems that school districts get re-zoned quite often and buying in a great school district doesn't necessarily mean your house will still be in the same district come 10 yrs from now.

School districts do not change, they are fixed. Realigning within the district does occur.