Housing Cost in Houston (Sugar Land, Galveston: homeowners association, insurance, mortgage)

[hotcity]

How much would one pay per month for a mortgage of $175,000 (assume it's in Sugar Land)and please include and break it down to include the following (on average ofcourse):

1) Monthly Mortgage
2) Insurance (whatever the standard insurance is in Houston, whether to inclue flooding, etc.)
3) Electricity
4) Water
5) Home Owner's Association (I heard that this is in most areas)
6) Security System? (do you really need it?)
7) What else am I missing?

Since housing price is expected to decrease nationally, do you guys expect Houston's housing market to stay the same in the upcoming 5 years or so or will it increase because it's currenly somewhat under valued?

[Mr. Football]

Figure:

$1800/mo Mortgage w/insurance & taxes escrow
$450/mo Electricity
$30/mo H20
$600/yr Homeowners Association
$10/mo Security monitering (Time Warner)

[hotcity]

Originally Posted by Mr. Football

Figure:

$1800/mo Mortgage w/insurance & taxes escrow
$450/mo Electricity
$30/mo H20
$600/yr Homeowners Association
$10/mo Security monitering (Time Warner)

Thanks for replying. Isn't the water bill a little too low...I mean, isn't it supposed to include garbage collection? $450.00 for electricity is for the summer months only, right?

[modster]

Water costs depend upon if you are in the city limits or not. Within the city it is about 5 times the cost of unincorporated Harris County. Taxes generally run about 3% of the value.

[hotcity]

I have few more questions:

1) How much can a direct Hurricane hit damage homes in Sugar Land....is it inland enough to avoid severe damages?

2) How badly do the Asian gang activities (if there is any) and Katrina Evacuees affect the peace of Sugar Land?

3) Is Sugar Land subject to flooding?

4) Are there any nice and clean beaches near Houston?

[AK123]

Originally Posted by hotcity

I have few more questions:

1) How much can a direct Hurricane hit damage homes in Sugar Land....is it inland enough to avoid severe damages?

2) How badly do the Asian gang activities (if there is any) and Katrina Evacuees affect the peace of Sugar Land?

3) Is Sugar Land subject to flooding?

4) Are there any nice and clean beaches near Houston?

1. If a cat4 or 5 hurricane hit Houston, Sugar Land would suffer from severe wind damage, but probably not much else. It's the areas closer to the coast (Galveston, Clear Lake, Kemah) that would have that in addition to storm surge/flooding.

2. There have not been any effects I'm aware of. All of those problems are happening in very specific areas of Houston only.

3. Most of it isn't, but a few parts are.

4. Much of Galveston is nice. It's certainly not going to look like Cancun or coastal FL, but it works.

[Mr. Football]

It's been what, 20-25 years since a major hurricane hit Houston. It provided a good deal of excitement for about 2 weeks, but then we moved on.

Don't let Hurricanes be too much of a deciding factor...this isn't Florida.