London UK to Houston transfer - SW Houston house search help (Sugar Land: neighborhoods, living in)

[Ghost Town]

Originally Posted by travelguy_73

Overpriced isn't something I would associate with Meyerland, at least not when compared to Energy Corridor, which is also on the OP's radar.

If you drove through the streets with major flood damage, closest to the loop, it is pretty sad looking right now with most of the empty houses either slated for demo or in process of being worked on (there are lots of new homes going in, so progress is being made). However, the rest of the area is far from that. If your definition of depressing is old 1950s-1960s houses, then OK. If they were all new, then it would unfortunately be as expensive as Bellaire.

There's VERY little sketchy adjacent to Meyerland. Farther down S Post Oak (past Willowbend), and then if you take Braeswood past Fondren. But those areas aren't adjacent.

Yes, I am talking about those 1950s-1960s houses.
Maybe they are not bad inside, but look so depressive outside.
4902 N Braeswood Blvd, Houston, TX 77096 - HAR.com

9415 Endicott Ln, Houston, TX 77096 - HAR.com

Definitely overpriced compared to much newer houses in Rice Military inside 610 loop.

Sketchy areas - I mean Walmart area S Post Oak/610 and Belfort/Fondren area.

[travelguy_73]

Originally Posted by Ghost Town

Yes, I am talking about those 1950s-1960s houses.
Maybe they are not bad inside, but look so depressive outside.
4902 N Braeswood Blvd, Houston, TX 77096 - HAR.com

9415 Endicott Ln, Houston, TX 77096 - HAR.com

Definitely overpriced compared to much newer houses in Rice Military inside 610 loop.

Sketchy areas - I mean Walmart area S Post Oak/610 and Belfort/Fondren area.

Comparing homes zoned to excellent schools on 10k+ sq ft lots to 3-story stucco and hardiplank townhomes in Rice Military? Yes, OK.

[gwarnecke]

As long as you're not in the flood-prone section, Meyerland looks like a fine value compared with Bellaire or especially west U. Big lots, mature trees, good schools and great proximity to downtown and the med center.

Many nice areas in Houston, including the Energy Corridor, are sketchy-area-adjacent.

[fnh]

I agree, all the nice neighborhoods in Houston are adjacent to sketchy areas.

(I also think that Meyerland is a super ugly area. Personally I just can't stand those low-slung, dank house, mid-century neighborhoods, but to each their own. The Meyerland environs is one of the C-D darlings so I usually keep my mouth shut, but not always.)

[sirus1020]

Advisory: 2016 MPC Survey – Mid-Year Update

[Ridin8ude]

Wow thanks for the super specific and detailed post - I love this forum!

Great feedback about the schools and that's what I mean about real people feedback versus online scores.

I actually really like the mid-century look. Maybe not the boring bungalows but anything with a bit of architectural quirkiness. Maybe coming from the last 8 years in the UK this makes a change from Georgian/tudor townhomes!

I really like the first property you posted - it's just different.
I can see potential in the 2nd, and you've opened my eyes to a slightly different area than I was looking in so thanks for that.

I see flippers selling in late 2015 for around $350k and now back on at $650k. So that means they can complete renovate and still make profit on that? Would that normally include raising the foundation too? I thought that was super expensive to do. For the right location/lot I wouldn't be averse to taking on a remediation project and just renting while it gets sorted out. I don't get how they 'lift' the foundations though...

Originally Posted by travelguy_73

Schools: Kolter, Lovett, and Parker are all very highly rated. My daughter attends Lovett and I can tell you it's one of the best in HISD (Kolter has more name recognition, but I have yet to figure out what makes it better). Herod I think is very good for vanguard, but I don't know about the zoned part...someone else can chime in on that.

Examples:
Marilyn Estates: 5503 Queensloch Dr, Houston, TX 77096 - HAR.com
Parkwest (part of Westbury, this is on the high side of home values in that area): 5623 Bankside Dr, Houston, TX 77096 - HAR.com

ETA: Here's one that absolutely flooded at Memorial Day...the owner sold to a flipper who (in the listing at least) makes no mention. The price is too good to be true as well, it should be $100k higher: 8907 Endicott Ln, Houston, TX 77096 - HAR.com

[Ridin8ude]

Originally Posted by sirus1020

Advisory: 2016 MPC Survey – Mid-Year Update

"There are interesting new products and services emerging from the Houston market. Rise Development Company, developer of two newly launched MPCs in Houston (Cane Island and Meridiana), has created “air conditioned street pantries” attached to each home. The air conditioned street pantry is code operated, and allows temperature sensitive packages, laundry, and food to be delivered and kept safe. Additionally, that same developer has partnered with local farms to deliver fresh produce to the community, a service that is in line with the overarching theme of promoting a healthier living environment."

Wonder when kids will hack the codes and we'll hear about dogs, cats, and whatever else ending up in these...

[Ghost Town]

Originally Posted by travelguy_73

Comparing homes zoned to excellent schools on 10k+ sq ft lots to 3-story stucco and hardiplank townhomes in Rice Military? Yes, OK.

Well, how bad Rice Military schools are?

Yes, lots are smaller, but we are comparing apples to oranges.
Crappy old overpriced 700K houses on large lots outside of 610 loop vs modern 400K houses on smaller lots but within 610 loop 5237 Center St, Houston, TX 77007 - HAR.com

Do you think 'brick' 1960s house is better than 2000s hardiplank house? Those bricks in 1960s house are just simply glued to the same wooden frame. But newer house has newer and stronger frame. That 1960s frame maybe is 70% rotten inside already and is about to start falling apart...

[Ghost Town]

Originally Posted by fnh

I agree, all the nice neighborhoods in Houston are adjacent to sketchy areas.

What are the sketchy areas adjacent to River Oaks and West University?

[travelguy_73]

Originally Posted by Ridin8ude

Wow thanks for the super specific and detailed post - I love this forum!

Great feedback about the schools and that's what I mean about real people feedback versus online scores.

I actually really like the mid-century look. Maybe not the boring bungalows but anything with a bit of architectural quirkiness. Maybe coming from the last 8 years in the UK this makes a change from Georgian/tudor townhomes!

I really like the first property you posted - it's just different.
I can see potential in the 2nd, and you've opened my eyes to a slightly different area than I was looking in so thanks for that.

I see flippers selling in late 2015 for around $350k and now back on at $650k. So that means they can complete renovate and still make profit on that? Would that normally include raising the foundation too? I thought that was super expensive to do. For the right location/lot I wouldn't be averse to taking on a remediation project and just renting while it gets sorted out. I don't get how they 'lift' the foundations though...

A few thoughts:
(1) Flippers are risk-averse, so I can pretty much guarantee they aren't raising foundations, and any you see that are raised where done after TS Allison in 2001(?). My understanding from talking to neighborhood people in the know is that it will cost $150k or more to raise a foundation and reroute plumbing, regrade, landscape, etc. There's a company called Arkitektura (Examples of Homes Under Construction - ARKITEKTURA DEVELOPMENT INC.) who has some amazing pictures on their site of homes they have raised, and I think they work with FEMA a lot. There are a number of foundation companies that raise slab foundations, but it's far trickier than pier and beam.
(2) If you have the cash and patience, buying a remediated, but not renovated, home and raising it can be a real option. Those homes are currently going for a depressed lot value (too many on the market at once). However, it's going to be expensive, and if not done efficiently (cost and otherwise) you will end up with an "old house" that is an expensive as basic new construction.
(3) Flippers came in after the Memorial Day flood and snatched up homes cheap, generally from elderly homeowners who didn't have updated homes, nor flood insurance (no mortgage=flood ins not mandatory). Some did great flips, others were crap. $650k for a renovated 3k sqft house in the area is a decent price, but not if it flooded deeply in April--stay away from those at least until the bayou work in complete (years).
(4) Most people are risk averse, of course, so as I think I mentioned, stick to homes that either have never flooded, or barely flooded at Memorial Day 2015.

You might also check out 77025, which is just inside the loop from this area. Similar 1950s vintage homes, but the lots are more expensive, and very close to Rice Village, West U, Med Ctr. The schools will vary by neighborhood, but all are zoned to Bellaire High. This area might start to stray from some of your other needs, but you might also find yourself reprioritizing once you see other areas.

http://www.har.com/4131-durness/sale_25361037
http://www.har.com/8426-braes-blv/sale_77060217

Good luck! You are buying at a time when there are a lot of homes to choose from. We bought a couple of years ago and lost out on so many houses!