Decided on Cinco Ranch (Houston, The Woodlands: renting, house, neighborhoods)

[BigEasy]

Well it was a tough search but the family and I chose to build out in Cinco Ranch.

There are so many Master Plan communities around Houston it boggles the mind. I think we made a good choice.

The wife is a certified teacher and will be looking for a teaching position out there.

Any fellow Cinco Ranchers care to chime in.

Looking forward to moving.

Bigeasy

[The Gem]

Bigeasy--

Where else did you look? We're heading in from Chicago next week for an initial search. We plan on checking out Cinco Ranch, Seven Meadows, and Grand Lakes for the Katy master-planned communities, and then some of the Memorial area as well. I'd love to hear how you decided on Cinco and where else you looked. I am also a teacher, but plan on staying home at first. We have a one-year-old. Husband will be working in energy corridor.

[BigEasy]

We looked all over Houston. I started with The Woodlands, looked at Sienna Plantation, Spring Trails, Auburn Lakes, etc.

The Woodlands was by far a wonderful community. It was a hard choice.

Cinco Ranch offered us wonderful amenities, great schools, activities for the kids( ages 1 and 4), did I say good schools. The final deal was the ability to get new construction at very affordable prices.

I am a pilot and fly out of Hobby airport but will only do the drive twice a week if at that (my trips vary in length 3-4 days). The Westpark Tollway provides easy access to work.

Pilot friend lives in Seven Meadows and absolutely loves it. Everyone is different, but I am happy with the choice.

I visited Cinco Ranch three times. Drive around and see what the locals do.

Good luck and have fun.

Bigeasy

[cla]

I am from New Orleans, too (Westbank) and came out here after Katrina to work in our Houston office. My company had rented apts in Katy for N.O. employees with children - and I decided not to go back to New Orleans. After looking around some, I decided to stay in Katy, but didn't want to buy until I knew where my daughter wanted to go to high school. My first choice after living here for 1 1/2 years was Cinco Ranch, but I would have been equally happy in Seven Meadows. Once we decided on Seven Lakes H.S., it was a matter of finding a floor plan that I liked. Which happened to be in Cinco.

I love the peace and quiet; enjoy seeing residents walking and biking all over the place. My daughter enjoys the fact that I actually let her walk a mile or two with her friends. (back home she would not have had that privilege). My daughter does complain about how homogenous the architecture is - everything looks exactly the same; and for a high-school ager, Katy is very boring (hanging out at Katy Mills has gotten very old).

But I enjoy the peace and quiet, the feeling of safety and the cleanliness and neatness of it all.

[usc619]

I think cinco ranch is very nice, grand lakes and seven meadow is even nicer. we were renting in cinco ranch and waiting for our home to get finish(summer sage) but after looking around and having a few issuse with the const. foreman we decided it was best for us to pull out and buy elsewhere.
we just could not get over the fact that if you buy out of the cinco/grand lakes/seven meadows subdivision you'll get alot more for your money plus still be in the katy area, katyisd, south of I-10, ect.... When we were living in cinco we NEVER used any of the bells and whistles of the community and we were not to thrilled about the traffic inside the community durring peek hours. But hey,"to each is own"

[Mom2Feebs]

Hi BigEasy, congratulations on your choice! Cinco is awesome and the schools are in the top 5% in all of Texas. You'll love it!

[Claudia Navarro]

It's great I lived here for 3yrs and the schools are great, amenities too, here are some great links to learn more about Cinco, www.cincoranchpoa.com, www.cincoranchconnects.com

Best of luck,

[BigTex07]

I enjoy life in Cinco, but I must say that our neighbors are some of the most unfriendly people I have ever met. When we first moved in we provided our contact info and no one bothered to try and do the same... or at least even try to introduce themselves. Living here sometime, I still only know a couple of the neighbors names. Seems most are too caught up in life to take the time. Others just like to complain about every little thing. You really have to watch out for the retired folks who have nothing better to do with their time. I do not know if people think they are better than we are or what, but all I can say is this place is not friendly... If you choose to move here atleast try and introduce yourself... Some of us are nice and laid back. Or who knows, maybe good neighbors are ones who keep to themselves...

[cla]

Originally Posted by BigTex07

I enjoy life in Cinco, but I must say that our neighbors are some of the most unfriendly people I have ever met. When we first moved in we provided our contact info and no one bothered to try and do the same... or at least even try to introduce themselves. Living here sometime, I still only know a couple of the neighbors names. Seems most are too caught up in life to take the time. Others just like to complain about every little thing. You really have to watch out for the retired folks who have nothing better to do with their time. I do not know if people think they are better than we are or what, but all I can say is this place is not friendly... If you choose to move here atleast try and introduce yourself... Some of us are nice and laid back. Or who knows, maybe good neighbors are ones who keep to themselves...

I don't think it's a matter of being unfriendly - everyone is (1) too busy and (2) we are less trustful of strangers today. I have met some of my neighbors in Cinco. Everyone has been very nice, but I still don't really know anyone well, except my next door neighbor. We have become great friends - we even have each other's house keys - but our lives are so busy that we barely have time to say "hi" some weeks. I have lived in my home for 6 months, and this is no different from anyplace else I have ever lived. Plus, unlike a neighborhood where people have lived for years and had kids grow up together, everyone in these new neighborhoods are complete strangers, and it takes a long while to establish the neighborly atmosphere that you are looking for.

There is actually a ladies get-together once a month in my neighborhood, but shamefully, I have been to busy to attend that.

[Mom2Feebs]

Originally Posted by BigTex07

I enjoy life in Cinco, but I must say that our neighbors are some of the most unfriendly people I have ever met. When we first moved in we provided our contact info and no one bothered to try and do the same... or at least even try to introduce themselves. Living here sometime, I still only know a couple of the neighbors names. Seems most are too caught up in life to take the time. Others just like to complain about every little thing. You really have to watch out for the retired folks who have nothing better to do with their time. I do not know if people think they are better than we are or what, but all I can say is this place is not friendly... If you choose to move here atleast try and introduce yourself... Some of us are nice and laid back. Or who knows, maybe good neighbors are ones who keep to themselves...

Maybe you should organize a block party. Might help to break the ice!