Wow...
Glad I found this website. There is some serious misinformation going on here regarding Benders Landing. Please allow me to set the record straight...
Environmental-
The DEFINITIVE source to find superfund sites, toxic releases, water dischargers, air emissions, and hazardous waste dumps is the US EPA's EnviroMapper. It is an interactive map located here:
http://www.epa.gov/enviro/emef/
Type in 77386 for the zip and you will see there is nothing remotely close to Benders Landing (Pay special attention to the Superfund sites). Now zoom out a little on the map and you will see regulated sites all over Houston and all sorts of hazardous waste sites even in The Woodlands. You will also see the site to which the above posts are referring. Zoom out further, and you will quickly recognize that Benders is in the ONLY area close to Houston that isn't littered with these sites. This is because this area has been largely undeveloped and has few roads and no thoroughfare roads as of yet. Where man travels, toxicity follows.
Biologists have delineated this area as the "Little Thicket"-- the western boundary to the Big Thicket. It boasts a stunning array of wildlife and forestry. Google this term to find out more. I grew up in Houston, but I've never seen magnolias like the ones found here. They are so old and huge, their bark and crowns look like oaks. It's no wonder there is a joint effort between Harris and Montgomery County to preserve the land along Spring creek. The "Spring Creek Greenway project", at 12,000 acres will be Texas' largest linear state park. It will have trails and canoe launches and borders the southern side of Benders (our developer donated some land), so we will have our own private entrance.
Flooding-
I'm not aware of any part of Benders Landing that is currently in the 100 year floodplain. Benders has 100s of acres of lakes that not only create beauty and encourage biodiversity, but serve as detention ponds to offset the impact of developmental runoff. I see great blue heron every day fishing in our lakes. I believe however, that that there were some lots on the southern tip that were in the floodplain at one point, but FEMA updated the maps and removed them a year or so ago.
Builders-
Benders Landing is a "bring your own builder" community. This is a significant part of what makes this neighborhood so unique. Most neighborhoods have to go through a development cycle to reach this stage. Think of River Oaks, West U, Bellaire, and Memorial. You can use any builder you want. You might get a few non-conforming houses, but the market value of the land promotes the best possible use as a whole.
The homes here don't have that cookie cutter feel. Each home is unique and reflects the culture and diversity of our residents. There are no signs that say "Homes 200k - 280k this way". You might see a 3000 sq. foot house, a few 4500 sq. houses, then a 9k house-- all quietly cohabitating together with lakes, hard woods, and tall pines. It makes for a very scenic experience. We live on a cul-de-sac, and I see people all weekend driving around just to look at the homes.
Home Sales-
In terms of turnover, at the time of this writing there were 78 homes for sale of which 9 of them are under option or pending according to har.com. Here is a link that shows what appraisal valuations have done historically:
http://www.har.com/neighborhoods/sho...m?sid=3S257100
When completed, there will be approximately 2,800 homes on 4,000 acres (unverified). Since our developer is primarily a land seller, there has been a lot of supply opened up in a short time. However, I believe they should be sold out in the next 18-24 months. After that, people will be forced to buy land on the secondary market. Considering we've already seen a 300% appreciation on some lots, my wife and I aren't too worried about the future value of our home.
Amenities-
Benders Landing and The Estates has 8 lakes, the largest of which is 72 acres. There are several reserves and two notable parks; Liberty and The Community Center. The CC has a clubhouse with a workout facility, restrooms, public meeting rooms etc. Additionally, it includes a pool, a splash pad, a playground, tennis courts, a basket ball court, a baseball field, a soccer field, and numerous covered picnic areas! It's adjacent to the 72 acre lake, so there are also a couple of canoe launches.
They are putting the finishing touches on the community center now. I believe it is scheduled to open July 1, 2008. We received our notice a couple of weeks ago with a schedule to get our finger prints scanned for access. They are using biometrics!
My wife and I walk daily. I've lived in Memorial, West U, and Bellaire and have never been able to enjoy a simple stroll around my neighborhood as much as I do in Benders Landing. We have a paved trail system that meanders through the entire neighborhood. According to my neighbor, an avid road biker, you can do a 20 mile loop with very little traffic (I think others have picked up on this as I've started to see what looks like groups of professional riders on weekends). If mountain biking is more your style, the trails along Spring Creek leave Memorial park in the dust. The SCGP effort is to tie all the trails together so you can go from The Woodlands to 59 along Spring Creek!
Area Roads-
They are currently working on extending Rayford Road down into and through Benders Landing. This will give residents in the Estates access without having to drive through the entire neighborhood. Birnham wood is also about to be completed and runs along the West side into Rayford. Two new schools are off this road.
Most notable is the future Grand Parkway. It will run just North of Benders Landing. The parkway has confirmed they will take the land North or Riley Fuzzel so as not to disturb a huge berm our developer created to ensure long-term privacy for our north most residents. Also note, Benders is 4 or 5 miles deep, so if you don't want to live anywhere near a highway, you are covered. However, if you are like us, you want that country setting with quick access to anywhere in the city. The GP will go to 59, so you will cut through to Kingwood. Along the way it will connect to 1314, so you could have an alternate route to Conroe (think evacuation). New Caney will be home of the new Earth Quest Adventures. The 150 acre dinosaur oriented theme park will have rides, a museum, hotels, and a functioning archeological research facility. With $1.5 billion committed (and growing), It will be a national destination and dwarfs Astroworld.
Last, but certainly not least is the Hardy. Land value in Benders doubled almost overnight when they built the southbound entrance to the Hardy on Riley Fuzzel. We drive this route almost exclusively to Houston. The drive is actually quite relaxing. I'm convinced it's because they don't allow billboards and there is little traffic. If you work downtown, be aware they are working to extend the Hardy directly into downtown. The GP will tie all this altogether, giving us quick access North as well.
Anyway, I hope this clarifies some issues for those considering moving to Benders Landing. My wife and moved here from Bellaire about two years ago. We had the lot for a year, so we had time to do considerable research before committing. We're city dwellers by nature, so we had some apprehension. However, we love it here. People are very friendly and we enjoy the privacy that comes with the lot size. If you want to meet some of our residents, check out:
http://www.benderslanding.us
Best regards,
-Troy
Welcome to City-Data.com forum! Make sure to register - it's free and very quick! You have to register before you can post and participate in our discussions with 700,000 other registered members. User profiles and some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your free account you will be able to customize many options, you will have the full access to over 15,000 posts/day about local topics and you will see fewer ads. 
Notes from a Benders Landing Resident
Linear Mode
