Areas of Houston to live (Beaumont, Baytown: cul-de-sac, fit in, for sale)

[PedroMartinez]

Because "I'm moving to Houston, where should I live" posts appear here practically every day, I'd like to start a thread giving information about most areas in Houston that can hopefully be stickied if we can put together a good informative thread.

Here is how I think the posts should go (but, throw any suggestions on how to do it better if you have ideas). You should only post about the area you live in, not areas that you think you know.

Start with a general location (such as The Medical Center, Inner Loop, Downtown, The Woodlands, and then provide the following information:
1. The area "name" (which can be the same as what you put for general location) and a more specific geographic location.
2. The closest major thoroughfares.
3. The approximate distance to downtown Houston (Google map it to 77002).
4. Employment areas that are within the commute range and the approximate time during standard rush hour. Essentially how long will it take you to get there during the morning rush assuming there is not a major accident or the weatherman has said there is a 1% chance of ice. Since some areas, such as mine, might only have one area, other than downtown, you may want to include what the downtown commute might be as well.
5. Demographics of the community.
6. Schools.
7. Shopping, restaurants and entertainment.
8. Housing (types and prices).
9. Public transportation.
10. Pros and cons of the area.
11. Interesting information or whatever else you feel might be important.

[PedroMartinez]

Suburbs Northeast Of Houston-

Huffman/Crosby is located in the suburbs northeast of Houston. The closest major streets are FM 1960 East, Highway 90 (Crosby Freeway) and FM 2100. It is approximately 30 miles from downtown Houston. Huffman/Crosby is a good place to live for people working in the petrochem facilities in areas such as Baytown (about 30 minutes) and the Houston Ship Channel (about 45 minutes). Getting downtown will take you about 45 minutes if you leave around 6:30, and about an hour if you leave at 7:00.

Huffman/Crosby tends to me mostly white with the next largest group being Hispanic and then black. There are very few other groups such as Asians. The area is predominantly blue collar with a sprinkling of white collar professionals. The population is generally an older crowd; however, younger people, looking for a lake lifestyle, are continually moving to the area. Huffman ISD and Crosby ISD are considered average school districts with Huffman having slightly better testing performance.

Most people in the area drive to Atascocita (just on the other side of the lake) for general grocery shopping at the HEB and places like Target, Walmart, Kohl's, Lowes, etc. as well as most restaurants. You'll also need to leave the immediate area for entertainment as well with the exception of lake activities.

Most of the area is going to be suburban type housing ranging from $100k to $250k with a very small number of houses that get into the $500k range. There are also a number of mobile home parks in the area, but relatively few apartments. Lot's are generally 1/4 acre and larger with some areas having lots of 2 acres up to 80 acres. Most of the apartments are relatively run down, but probably fairly cheap.

There is essentially no public transportation in the area.

Pros: Housing is relatively inexpensive. It's a slower country feel. You can get homes with large lots. Access to Lake Houston. Country living not too far from Houston.

Cons: With the exception of Lake Houston, there really isn't that much entertainment in the area; however, going downtown in the evenings or on the weekends isn't bad. Most of your shopping and eating require you to travel about 15 minutes to the other side of the lake.

I moved to Huffman/Crosby 8 years ago in order to be on Lake Houston. In the warmer months, we spend a lot of time on the lake wakesurfing and jetskiing. We go to King's Harbor by water fairly often to eat at the various restaurants there. Crosby is probably best known for the it's crawfish restaurants and the rodeo and BBQ cookoff. It's an area that continues to grow, especially since Highway 90 now goes through to 10 and 610 and since Beltway 8 has been complete.

If you want lakeside living within a decent commute to Houston, it's a good place to be.

[PedroMartinez]

Champions:

Originally Posted by fnh

I know several very happy families in the Champions area. Except for an easy route to downtown, everything you need is there. It's a pretty area and not far off 1960 is leafy and soothing. Some years ago I had a crush on a home there that was featured in the NY Times, but DH works downtown and won't move from where we are inside the beltway. I have made the drive up there for music and riding lessons many, many times.

Many neighborhoods of a certain age in Houston lack sidewalks. It doesn't seem to be a negative factor for others often promoted on here.

Not trying to steer you away from Champions, but while The Woodlands is further the commute from there might actually be similar in time if not better. The route is more direct with both I45 and the Hardy plus my impression is there are more options for the downtown commuter on public transit.

Originally Posted by dmarmy

I recently moved from the clear lake area to the Champions. So far we enjoy it. My neighborhood (huntwick) is really family friendly. I have never lived in a neighborhood with so many planned activities for children and a good strong HOA. You will definetly get your money's worth in a quality built house. The quality of the homes is what really pulled us to the Champions area. I don't think you can find that quality anywhere in the houston area without paying over 500k. We live on the Cy-fair district area. I looked around for homes in TW but IMO I think TW is overpriced now. (only my opinion based on what i value). My coworkers mentioned to me that it would take 30 mins to get from the TW to BLTWAY 8 (mornings) and around 45 mins from BLTWY 8 to TW (evenings).

Originally Posted by Keyan

It's a great place to raise a family, but not necessarily a good place for "young families". If your a young couple (under 40) with children, it's not going to be the most fun part of town. But there are benefits to it. You have Vintage Park right behind you and good access to Willowbrook Mall. It's probably one of the few better neighborhoods off FM 1960(cypkwy). You would be taking 249 all the way down to I-45 to go to Downtown.


I would personally choose the Woodlands and add an extra 10 minutes to my commute. Why? Because I want peace and mind that my area won't ever turn ghetto on me. Property values will continue to rise in the area, so let's say five years from now you decide you want to move back into the Heights, well now your somewhat "investment proof" having your home in the Woodlands. Living in the Woodlands has a lot of it's own Perks. A young couple will definitely enjoy it more there.

Originally Posted by veramats

I recently moved from Benders Landing (off of Rayford Rd and Riley Fuzzell near the Woodlands) to the Champions area. We just bought a house in Wimbledon Champions Estates. I love the Champions area. We go to church in the Champions area (Kinsmen Lutheran) and our children are 13 and 15 now.

The woodlands is really nice with all of the amenities and there are lots of things to do, but I still prefer the Champions area. You pay more to live in the Woodlands too.

I think with any neighborhood or area, you have to plug in and make an effort to get to know people. I feel very safe in the Champions area, and I let my son bike around the area with friends. I'm a SAHM, and I found it easy to meet other moms through PTA, church, and my kids' activities. Champion Forest subdivision has a very active women's club.

I have friends in Champion Forest, Huntwick, Champions (all of the different Champions 'hoods by the Champions golf course, Huntwick and Gleanloch Farms). I've heard good things about all of those neighborhoods from my friends.

Originally Posted by Mom77379

I agree - Champions Forest is one of the best kept secrets in Houston. We moved here in 2010 from Katy, and just love the area. We compared The Woodlands and Champions Forest when shopping, and chose the Quality neighborhood, and convenience to the Vintage, Willowbrook, etc.... Less traffic - easier commute to the city. The neighborhood is mature, larger lots and homes with character. We love it here !!!

Originally Posted by ryan in texas

It's not bad. But some of the streets don't have sidewalks or street lights, so watch out for that. We are in Memorial Northwest, just across Louetta from CF. You get a lot of SF for the $, but the lack of parks, sidewalks, etc is kind of bothering us. We didn't have kids when we moved in, but now are frustrated for the lack of sidewalks and street lights.

Gleannloch Farms would be my choice, but not the part close the Grand Parkway coming through.

The area is generally nice, but 1960 problems of robbery, burglary, etc are slowing creeping up this way.

[PedroMartinez]

Cypress:

Originally Posted by HoustonBornNRaised

Cypress covers a large area, and two zip codes. One on one side of 290, the other on the other side of 290. Both zips have older, starter developments, and newer, more expensive, master-planned communities. There is also 77095, a a Houston zip, that butts up to Cypress. You'd never know you left one, and entered the other. Ditto for 77377, which is Tomball. .

Originally Posted by HoustonBornNRaised

I'd look at Bridgeland, Towne Lake, Cypress Creek Lakes, Blackhorse Ranch, Fairfield and Coles Crossing.

Blackhorse Ranch and Coles Crossing are closed out, while the others still have builders present.

Originally Posted by Mr. Football

On the wooded (North) side of Cypress you have excellent schools K-12 and beautiful neighborhoods like Longwood, Lakewood Oaks, Lakewood Glen, Rock Creek, Stable Gate, White Oak Lake Estates, Kluge Lake, Coles Crossing, Stable Gate, Parc Lake Estates, Hidden Falls, Northlake Forest, Park at Arbordale, Lakes of Rosehill...many other great ones to choose from.

Originally Posted by westhou

Against the traffic it won't be too bad. Around 30 minutes. Of course on a Friday add an extra 15 minutes driving back into town. Also 290 seems to have a lot of wrecks (and so does 45) so prepare to add an extra 20 minutes to your commute at least once a week. The lanes on 290 are really narrow due to construction so I think that's why there are so many accidents.

As for taking SH8 I'm not sure how that will work commuting from Galleria to Cypress. The Galleria is nowhere near SH8. I'm guessing your commute will be more like 610 to 290. Where in Cypress will you be working? You can reach parts of Cypress using 249 but the majority of Cypress is around 290. It's going to be a rough commute no matter what but it's good that you'll be going against traffic.

Originally Posted by TXbywayof

I did the Med Center from close to Cypress (290 @ hwy 6). It was 28-29 miles and the drive from hell during rush hour. When I worked holidays, it took 30 minutes. The thing to consider now is with all the construction on 290, especially during your off hours, there may be the odd lane closure during the construction phase and I would bet it would still get backed up. I think Sugar Land would be better.

Originally Posted by cheryjohns

If you can have a guarantee that your hours will remain in the off hours - Cypress does have a lot better housing for the money. If there is the least little chance that you could get shifted into regular rush hour traffic I the future - avoid it and go with Sugar Land.

Originally Posted by Bike4Life

Cypress like off of Telge Road will be undergoing several years of Highway 290 reconstruction. Then you will have to go through the Galleria on West Loop 610 where you will always face some traffic but it gets worse starting at 3 PM and around the holidays. If you are thinking West Loop 610 can be widen to accommodate your needs, you'll be very sorry. And remember that 75,000 people come to TMC everyday. Also, your work hours can change or go overtime so I wouldn't rely on your driving time on a permanent basis. Buses and vanpools might not work around your schedule, either.

Originally Posted by fnh

One, I don't think most people have a clue just how much bigger 'Cypress' is compared to other suburbs.

Population
The Woodlands: 93,847 (44 sq mi)
Sugar Land: 82,480 (25 sq mi)
Katy: 14,661 (11 sq mi)
Pearland: 96,294 (47 sq mi)

Cypress: 122,803 (90 sq mi)

Two, from Wikipedia entry using 2010 census data:
"The 77429 Zip Code is one of the most affluent zip codes in Harris County; nearly 77% of the population has an income over US $50,000 and 42.65% earning over $100,000.[7] The Cypress urban cluster ranks 50th in the top 100 highest-income urban areas in the United States."

Oooh, sounds scary.

Originally Posted by Hangster

Cypress is HUGE. Its like the other suburbs combined. You have areas in Cypress with home that are under $100K and areas with homes that are in the $1MM range.. As such, there are good parts of Cypress and bad parts of Cypress. Much like any other city or area.

Originally Posted by Weatherguy

I have relatives in a nice, older area of Cypress where people tend to stay long term. The lots are large (1/2 to 1 acre), the properties well kept, and a relaxed atmosphere. The neighborhood is off of Huffmeister and Cypress Fields. You can browse the area on Google Streetview to get a feel for the area.

Cypress is a very nice suburb. Highway 290 is a problem if you plan to commute into Houston. An alternative now is to drive somewhat out of the way and take the new tollway (Grand Parkway) down to I-10, and go into Houston that way. That's what I would do to avoid 290. I will not drive on 290, no matter what. Once TXDOT finishes the rebuild of 290, it should be much better, though.

[PedroMartinez]

Humble

Originally Posted by dd1153

If you're moving in NE Houston _RIGHT NOW_ the best communities are Eagle Springs, Fall Creek and Summerwood.
Each community has their own pros and cons.

Fall Creek - location, amenities, Redstone golf course, closest to 59 & down town.

Eagle Springs - community, same amenities as FC (2 pools, sports complex, tennis courts, soccer fields, baseball fields).. more hiking / biking trails in ES. Furthest out from Beltway 8 / 59.

Summerwood - location, less amenities than ES & FC. W. Lake houston gets backed up getting out to Beltway at 7am-9am and 3:30pm-6pm.

Westin & Ryland are finishing out Fall Creek.

Westin, Ryland, Lennar, Taylor Morrison, Village, DR Horton, Chesmar are in Eagle Springs.

Ryland, David Weekly, Westin are in Summerwood.

They are all in the final phases of completion (less than 2-3 years of construction until the end of development). Eagle Springs has the best schools & family vibe throughout the community.

11 new neighborhoods being built on W. Lake Houston Parkway, ranging from $200s to millions. NE Houston is on fire.

Originally Posted by JilliO

I wouldn't discount Fall Creek. If you think 1) you'd be hopping into Houston for a game or a restaurant often and 2) you'd be driving over to Beaumont or Lake Charles regularly rather than just every once in a while and 3) you drive your kids to school and/or they are involved in several activities, FC is well-located for that.

Even though you don't commute to work, the above activities will involve quite a lot of time sitting in traffic if you live in KW. There's something wonderful (if you're someone who doesn't relish driving) about hopping onto 59 and getting into downtown Houston in 20 min or so (which is about what it would take from FC) and getting right on to Beltway 8 for the trip to your parents. Easy highway driving.

FC, I think, is zoned to SummerCreek HS which is new and just down the road. The MS would also be an easy drive. THere's an alternative HS located at LoneStar-Atascocita branch just up the road (West Lake Houston Parkway, or WLHP as it's called here).

I'm not sure whether this tip is relevant for your child, but you might check Monarch School. (not located in NE Houston, but may be something to check out).

KW has grown, NE Houston has grown, and the infrastructure, like in many parts of the area, hasn't grown as fast. If you live in the back end of KW (sorry, I'm not from here, so I don't know if there's another way to describe it), and you would access KW from WLHP, you'll have a mess of a time. There are several new housing developments planned on WLHP north of Summerwood that will make an already awful drive into KW even worse.

There are some sketchy neighborhoods around FC, but the same can be said for nearly all neighborhoods in Houston.

Best thing to do is come here, stay at a hotel in either KW or Atascocita and drive around to see where you like. Explore other parts of Houston to see where you might turn (for fun, for family needs, shopping, etc) and figure out what will work best for you.

Originally Posted by lhafer

Pretty much any of them will be fantastic to live in. You will have to drive through each them for a bit and see which one feels like home to you.

Fall creek and Summerwood will have the shortest commute times because of their proximity to the beltway and 59. But they are further away from a lot of shopping (though its getting a lot better). The just put in an HEB, so super Walmart isn't our only grocery store anymore (I always thought is was ironic that the owners of million dollar homes only had Walmart to shop at for a long time). But still, it will be a drive to store like Target, Kohls, etc. that are on 1960. Perhaps in time, the beltway will build up more, just don't know how long it will take.

For us, Eagle Springs was our home, with Summerwood being a pretty close second. I only like the lake side of Lakeshore, and don't particularly care for Fall Creek (I think the homes there are overpriced). My husband works downtown, and drives everyday. It takes him around 45 minutes in rush hour to get home, 50-60 minutes if the traffic is super bad or if there is an accident. He leaves pretty early (around 6am), and it takes him about 35 minutes or so to get to work. It's about 10 minutes from eagle springs to 59 or the beltway. 15 to the beltway during rush hour. And about 20/25 minutes to downtown or the medical center (or zoo or children's museum). It took me about 50 minutes to drive to the medical center (Texas children s hospital) from my garage to the parking garage. And that was getting to work around 7:30-8am, and leaving around 5ish.

In eagle springs there is plenty of diversity. You see people outside all the time. Kids playing together in The front yards, or in the cul de sacs all the time. All of the elementary schools are top notch in all of the communities. Middle school gets a little more iffy, and peopl say that Atascocita high school is better than the Summer creek, but I think Summer creek just needs some time. My daughter attends Atascocita springs elementary and we love it. It's a fantastic school. So is eagle springs elementary (both are in eagle springs).

Search this forum for those community names and a lot of discussions will pop up.

Originally Posted by lhafer

There are 2 libraries fairly close to ES (if you are referring to public libraries). One is Octavia fields library - it is located on Will Clayton and S. Houston Ave (right next to the Humble Civic Center). We held our girl scout troop meetings there for a while. The other is Atascocita Library on Pinehurst Trail up off of 1960 (heading towards the Huffman area, but way before the bridge). It's the intersection just past Kroger on 1960. It's a great library too. Took my kids to the story time for tots there for a long while. Will probably go back this summer when our schedules allow it.

I hate putting Walden down, because it is a nice community, and I know people who live there and like it. It just wasn't for us. So if your worries fall in line with mine, it wouldn't be for you either. For other people, it's great.

There are many extracurricular activities in the Atascocita/kingwood area. There is a YMCA on W. Lake Houston Prkway heading into Kingwood. They are supposed to be building on down near Summerwood, but I have no idea when that is supposed to happen. There are lots of places like martial arts places, gymnastics, dance, sports, etc around the Atascocita area, and in Kingwood. Both of my girls are in gymnastics, and there are lots of people from Fall Creek and Summerwood who are in their classes - because there isn't much around them right now.

Originally Posted by TxElsie

We live in Summerwood and love it. Out of the other two, I'd pick Eagle Springs over Fall Creek, but it's really a matter of personal preference. Drive around on a weekend and see which feels best. Eagle Springs and Summerwood were developed by the same company, so they are pretty similar.

Husband works downtown and it's about a 45 minute commute for him. He rides the bus in and carpools out.

Schools are great. Summerwood is zoned to Summerwood Elem and Lakeshore Elem. Our boys go to Lakeshore and we couldn't be happier.

The neighborhood is friendly, and wonderfully diverse. Your children will fit in beautifully. It is one of the things that we really enjoy about the community. $265 will buy you a lovely home easily within your requirements.

Originally Posted by lhafer

Here's another way to look at it too. People who live in Fall Creek tend to pick Fall Creek strictly for commuting purposes. I know several people who live there and refused to look anywhere else only because it had the fastest commits to downtown.

People who live in Summerwood really like it. But when they move, they move to Eagle zsprings or Kingwood. I lso know several families who have done this, while I know some others who love it there.

I never hear anything about Lakeshore....ever.

People who live in zeagle springs move within eagle springs. They move up, downsize, etc. I know at least 4 families who have done this. Ask the realtors, they will tell you this happens as well.

Originally Posted by Texascrude

Fall Creek is a shorter commute to downtown -- that's its only advantage. If that's important to you, though, there's nothing else to discuss. If your willing to sacrifice ~10 extra minutes each way on a downtown commute, there is not any reason to choose Fall Creek. As a community, it simply does not compare with either of the other two you've mentioned. No trees, no pocket parks (unless they've added some in the new development areas), poor local shopping (most of my friends in FC drive up the Eagle Springs area to shop / eat).

Originally Posted by crl21

I think ES and SW are very nice. I also think it all depends on how you feel about the commute and which price range you are looking to purchase in. For us we were looking at the higher end 400K+, so the options in FC were better. I'm also so used to a short commute that even that extra 10-20 minutes each way, every day for the rest of my life would drive me nuts. We also like being closer to downtown (ball games, museums, etc.) and having quick easy access to the Beltway.

My opinion is that as the traffic gets worse on this side of town, which it certainly will, FC is going to be much more convenient that ES. At the end of the day, you'll probably like any of them. These debates on the forums always make me laugh a little. It's like arguing over what's better Burger King vs. McDonalds vs. Wendys. There all pretty much the same. The positive is that it suggests people have a lot of pride in their particular communities, which is always a plus. But, we aren't talking about the Heights vs. Rice Village vs. Kingwood where there are clear significant differences.

Originally Posted by taylorcolino

@crl21--you touched on an anxiety of mine with future traffic, esp. with that huge new business complex coming. My hubby took a trip last weekend and determined that while he really like ES it wasn't worth the drive to him. He HATED FC the first time we went through but he said he is more open to it now. His favorite, however, was SW. If our budget was 400K+ I think FC would rank higher, but with our measly budget of 265K SW just has more to offer. He was immune to any of Lakeshore's charms, and ranked LS last of the four. As far as the comparison of the communities, I disagree with you that the differences are so small as to be a non-issue--sometimes only BK or Wendy's will do. In other words, ff I was into the Heights, Kingwood would probably not even be on the longest list of potential neighborhoods for me. I tried to talk the hubby into the Heights and after one drive through he looked at me with concern, asking, sincerely, if I had lost my mind. He was born in NYC and can't conceive of moving to Houston for anything short of 3000 square feet.

Originally Posted by TxElsie

We picked Summerwood because we felt the most comfortable there. I work in Baytown and my husband works downtown and rides the bus from the park & ride on 59 and rides back there with a coworker. For me it is about a 30 - 35 minute commute - and an easy one. I spend about $70 a month in tolls, but it's worth it because it takes 5-10 minutes off each way's drive. You could make the drive without them. It takes him about 45 minutes. He hates spending money, so he sticks to the feeder road.

Eagle Springs is nice, and we would have considered it, but it would add about 15 minutes to my commute, and I'm at the upper limit of what I want to do. We live on a cul-de-sac and the kids play outside all the time. There are always people running, walking pets, or feeding the ducks around the lake. Summerwood has a great sense of community. I can't speak for the other neighborhoods because I really don't know. We love that it is very diverse. We're white but want our kids to grow up knowing people not color. It is a good solidly upper middle class neighborhood with people from many backgrounds and cultures. We enjoy the community activities. We're in the area zoned to Lakeshore Elementary, and while we've heard great things about both elementary schools, we're partial to LS. We love, love, love it. Our kids have great friends there and we've built relationships with the staff and many of the parents. Again, it's all about the sense of community.

Originally Posted by Yonkers

I have friends in Summer Wood so I'm somewhat familiar with it. I don't know much about Eagle Springs since I've only driven through it. Both are very nice from what I can see. I've looked at plenty of their houses on HAR.com.

But they don't have high end houses like Fall Creek. They top out at half a mil or so. If you want $500-2mil houses you have to go to Fall Creek or Kingwood.

I live in Fall Creek and really like it. It's right on the Beltway and 1-mile from 59. Last free exit on the tollway too, so no extra cost. I used to work downtown and when I left at 8am it took me 25 minutes to get there. That's hard to beat. And when I didn't drive I used the Park & Ride which is just 2 miles from Fall Creek. And it's not a very busy Park & Ride, so unlike Kingwood and the Townsend buses, you usually didn't even have to share seats.

On the cons side, Audubon Park is right on the other side of the Beltway and is an older neighborhood and kind of an eyesore. Shopping is further away but only 10 minutes to get to FM 1960 and the mall and all the stores you would need. But I would rather take 10 extra minutes on the weekend when I go shopping over 15 extra minutes every single day when I'm working. Over a 5 day workweek I come out ahead 2 hours every week versus someone living in Eagle Springs.

Originally Posted by Gardeniagirl

We had a Perry Home built in Lakeshore but we're on the opposite side of Lake Houston and the Lakeshore Clubhouse. If you want to spend roughly $375,000. or more, for one of the larger homes that start at about 3,500 sq ft, then that's a nice place to move. Many of the larger lots have premium prices too. We wanted a less expensive priced area because you also have HOA fees and Municipal Utility District taxes every year, in addition to school and property taxes. There are regular 50, 60' and 70' lots on both sides of W Lake Houston. We bought a 2,582 sq ft house (four bedrooms, three baths) and it's the second smallest size house built in our section. You may be able to find some resale houses in the first, second or third sections of Lakeshore. In all of the sections except the second, there were several different builders who built single family homes. We picked the second section because they are all Perry Homes and I like the look of that. In section two, all of the Perry Homes are a traditional, new american look. That was what we wanted. The other sections have different styles such as craftsman, old english and traditional. We bought a larger lot and paid a $5,000. premium because we wanted a larger lot that backed up to trees and Lakeshore Elementary. No homes will ever be built behind us and that's good because we have a lot of big windows. We purchased our home before a substantial $25,000. increase went into effect. The resale prices for houses in Section Two start at about $235,000.00 up. There are a variety of ethnicities in our neighborhood and lots of children. However, people tend to keep to themselves and you don't see many kids playing outside. I suspect that is due to our long, hot, humid summers along with the other things that kids have to do. There are dance schools, music schools, parks, martial arts, the YMCA and other activities for the kids to do plus the pool at the clubhouse.

Traffic can get backlogged at times but there a lot of people who like living in the wooded areas of Lake Houston. If you have an E-Z Tag (Prepaid Toll Rd Pass), Beltway 8 and other thoroughfares are pretty quick to connect to most of Houston's larger freeways (the exception being FM 1960).

Schools are better than Houston ISD's. The HOA fees are worth the money (has run anywhere from $400.00/yr up to $700.00//yr. City and School Taxes are commensurate with the valuation of your home. Yes, it costs more to live in the upper northeast areas (Atascocita, Humble, Summerwood, Eagle Springs, Fall Creek and Kingwood). I love living in Lakeshore because it's quiet overall and people have to keep their yards and homes looking nice because of the HOAs. The suburb where we lived before this can't begin to come close to what we have now. Some of the suburban schools were better than others but I think Humble is better than others. Where we used to live was there was diversified ethnicities but there were no HOAs' established. West Lake Houston Pkwy is slowly building up but you are within a 15 minute drive of most major stores.

Long story, I know, but I love nature and living out here in Lakeshore. I think most of us think our little particular area is the best. Whichever area you decide on will have plenty of nice, warm people.

Originally Posted by lhafer

I live in ES and love it here (you can look up my username and posts I've made about it). There's something great about all the communities around here. But ES felt like home to us, so this is where we are. Tons of kids, tons of family centered activities. Neighborly neighbors. Block parties. Great schools. I like how the neighborhood is set up so when you drive through it, you are on main roads, and have to turn off into individual neighborhoods. Keeps the cars on your residential street down to a minimum. TONS of parks and playgrounds.

Water's Edge is nice, but I was leary of that one when if first started because only Pulte built in there, and I don't care for communities with only one builder. Other builders are now in there, but after the recession happened, building in there almost stopped completely, and lower end builders then started building in there. The other thing that would concern me is how close it is to the train tracks. I lived in Walden and could see trains from my house, but the noise inside was fine. Outside it could get a little loud. But it's a pretty community for sure.

ES will be finished out really soon. The last area to build is being built on now. If you are looking NOW, then that's fine. If you are looking in 6-12 months from now, you probably won't be able to build what you want.

There are some other communities that are breaking ground on W. Lake Houston Parkway now. One is The Groves, which will be across WLHP from Water's Edge. It will border ES on the south side. The Groves Community | Homes for Sale Houston TX The other one I can't remember the name of but is closer to Summerwood and starts with an L (Lake something) and will have Taylor Morrison homes as of now. If you are waiting to build - these might be contenders for you as well.

Originally Posted by toolfan91

My parent's built a new home in Waters Edge last year, and absolutely love it! My fiance and I have been looking in the area for the last year and are leaning towards building with M/I in Waters Edge. We were considering Lennar in Eagle Springs, but hate how long it takes to leave ES. If they would open up Timber Forest to Lakeshore, we would build in ES in a heartbeat.

Unfortunately, since Brighton is down to inventory homes on their 50' lots, you only have Lennar or Pulte to build with in that price range. I'm not particularly fond of either Lennar or Pulte floor plans on the 45' foot lots, so I don't blame you for not being excited about either of those options. Chesmar and DR Horton are options in ES, although I imagine they are down to only a few lots.

To elaborate on PedroMartinez's post, if being close to the water is important you should check out Waterhaven in Walden. Chesmar is the builder there and there is a private boat ramp for the neighborhood, as well. We looked at their houses and really liked them, just a bit too small for what we want. Check out Chesmar here - Waterhaven | Chesmar Homes

The only new community in your budget would be KB Home's Lakewood Pines - which I wouldn't even consider. The Groves, Stillwater(Taylor Morrison) and The Bridges will all start in the 250s.

Originally Posted by lhafer

With small children, I would cross Walden off your list. I lived there for almost 5 years, and moved after we had kids. We moved to Eagle Springs. Walden is a great community if you like golfing or want to have a boat and live on the water. If you have small children, and neither of these things are important to you, there are better family-oriented communities.

Atasca Woods is a nice community as well. I think it was here before Eagle Springs was. I don't know much about the community itself.

Eagle Springs is about as family friendly as you can get. Great schools, tons of community sponsored events. Lots of playgrounds and parks throughout the neighborhood. Neighbors know each other. Kids play outside all the time. We live right under the flight path, and noise in NOT a concern. You hear it when you are outside. I never hear anything inside. And after a while, you don't even notice it, unless it's an occasional jumbo jet.

Originally Posted by lhafer

The thing about Summerwood high school is that their are a lot of young families around here. This development (along with Eagle Springs/Lakeshore/Fall Creek/etc) has only come up in the past decade or so. So most families have younger children. Right now that high school is zoned to apartments and some not as nice neighborhoods around the area as well. And those neighborhoods have been around for a lot longer. It's just going to take some time for all those little ones in the younger families who are in elem and middle school now to get up to high school and help those ratings out.

That said, Summerwood is a great community. I live in Eagle Springs, and it's developed by the same developer as Summerwood. They have great community events, lots of stuff to do, etc.

[PedroMartinez]

Seabrook:

Originally Posted by DanielWayne

We live a few miles away in League City. The only thing I would worry about in Seabrook is flooding, and that depends on where you live in Seabrook. It's a good area. Boating is not a problem - skim this: Bay Area Houston iBrochure The schools are some of the better schools in the metro. There is no real 'bad' part of town in the whole Clear Lake area (which encompasses Seabrook) - the worst areas are older apt complexes (some do have a reputation) but nothing like what you can find in the city of Houston. That may change years from now, but relative to the city, this whole area is lower crime. You still need to lock your doors, but it's pretty laid back.

Most of Seabrook feels suburban (new suburban development + highway 146 can get a lot of traffic), but it is pleasant as a whole. There is one residential area near the water where there is a sprinkling of B&B's, shops, and a restaurant or two. Also near this is the Seabrook waterfront district which sits directly opposite from the tourist trap Kemah Boardwalk. I haven't been there in a few years, but the Seabrook side used to have several fresh fish markets and a few local restaurants whereas the Kemah side had lots of tourist shops and chain restaurants. All in all it's a pleasant area.

Originally Posted by LostInHouston

I live in Seabrook (been here almost 5 years), so I'll try and answer these:

A. Does it feel like a small town, or more like a busy Houston suburb?

Yes and no. Seabrook has some small town feel with regards to some of the programs and events the city puts on. However, as you drive around the Clear Lake Area, you don't really get the impression of distinct towns, rather they all feel like one big suburb.

B. Are there "bad" neighborhoods (as related to crime)?

Not really. There are some apartment areas around Nasa Pkwy and Repsdorph that aren't the greatest (but what apartments are?), but I wouldn't call them high crime. Seabrook is divided by 146, on the east near the water is "old" Seabrook... mostly smaller, older homes. On the west is "new" Seabrook with newer homes... everything from $150k's up to a $1 mil +.

C. Is there a "downtown" with shops and restaurants?

No downtown area, but the Kemah boardwalk is just over the bridge with plenty of unique shops that may have the feel you're looking for.

Overall, Seabrook is a great family town. Good schools, friendly neighborhoods, near the water.

Originally Posted by desertsun41

I lived in Kemah for some time and loved it. Just over the big bridge was Seabrook where you can find any kind of food restaurant your little heart desires. I loved Seabrook too. Under the big bridge on both sides are all the fresh seafood markets where it's brought in each morning for market. I read there are more boats registered in Seabrook then any other city in the world. From top of that big bridge you won't doubt that claim.

Kemah Boardwalk is indeed a tourist trap like others said but it's something fun to do if you have all those kids. Everything is expensive there but you can do a budget day being careful.

You didn't say where you'll be working. If it's downtown then be prepared for well over an hour commute to take a 15 minute drive. You don't want to do it. If you're working close by then I can think of very few places I'd rather live. I miss that area a lot.

Originally Posted by baddoctor

If I were you I would not live in Seabrook, it is just south of a chain of chemical plants that always have emergency emissions and could care less about the people living around there until the Feds get involved. I´m a commercial fisherman and that area is notorious for being a bit more sludgy and contaminated than just a further south in Kemah. That entire coastal area north of Kemah is a cancer cluster and the state regs do all they can to cover it up. The waterways DO NOT compare to PNW. people around the area don´t know any better.

For your other questions

Seabrook-Clear Lake feels like a busy suburb, it´s not small town at all. The traffic can get incredibly bad and Houston drivers are some of the worst.

The schools in that area are also sub-par for being in clear lake, and the school district as a whole is hurting for money thanks to state shortfalls. Clear lake just finished a massive new education village construction project, go figure.

There are better teachers and more public school dollars for teachers in surrounding areas. The bottom line in that entire area if it wasn´t for all the decent parents around picking up the slack, the schools would be low performers. There are going to be a lot of people with heads in their sand about it because of NASA and the money around there, but it isn´t that great to someone who has been elsewhere.

If you want a small town pace, try Galveston and send your kids to private school or Friendswood. Be aware the Public Schools up there do not compare to the schools down here in their current state. Galveston does have a downtown area.

As someone mentioned, Friendswood sounds like a better fit and is a short commute to the water. The schools are also better than Clear Lake. I´ve hired students from both districts during summers and it is my experience that Friendswood kids seem to be more well-rounded and knowledgeable.

[LilyLady]

Awesome!

You put a lot of work into gathering that information.

It would be great if this could be a sticky thread but I think each thread is only allowed two stickies. That's too bad because this has some good info.

[Dopo]

I wish Houston TV media gave names to all areas of the city.
Everytime they mention "NW Houston" I don't know if they are talking about NW Houston by 610 or NW Houston by Tomball

[Carblover234]

great post

[Schumacher713]

I was going to do this last year, but I never got around to it. This has needed to be done for quite a while. Nice job. I never even thought about using the search function to quote others work. Saves a ton of time.