Any Reasons Not To Retire to Lake Conroe? (Houston, Borger: short sale, real estate)

[Lake Conroe resident]

Originally Posted by borgertx

See several new homes for sale by Legend Homes in Walden. Anybody know anything about this builder? Thanks for any help.

Legend Homes is really the only traditional tract builder in Walden. Most of the people who build around here are custom or semi custom home builders that only put up a handful of homes per year. You get what you pay for and Legend offers a lot of sq ft for the $ but the interior amenities are not as nice as some of the others so it really depends what your looking for, sq ft or amenities...

[sunny57]

Originally Posted by borgertx

We're moving back to Houston area to be near our daughter in The Woodlands. Since we won't have to worry about driving to work, is there any other reason not to buy in Lake Conroe area? The houses in Walden really look nice and are so affordable. Also, are the taxes less than The Woodlands? Any area to avoid? Thanks for any information you can provide.

We've kept a weekender townhome in Walden for a year now and love it! The lake traffic does get crowded weekends through the summer, but dies down after Labor Day. We have a small runabout, but would advise something over 20' as the main body of the lake can get a bit rough. The lake offers.... several dining options with dock access, good fishing & family fun. I would have to say...we have enjoyed our neighbors, the relaxed attitude and would highly recommend it!

[texas7]

have a family member who owns a home downstream and gets water up to the light switches when they open the gates on the San Jacinto River. Doesn't ruffle feathers but never figured out how it is decided who gets to flood............and who is saved.

[EasilyAmused]

They always save the Marina and townhouses. Bread and butter you know.
The weekends are nuts.
And when do most people go to Conroe? The weekends. Loved it then, love Horsehoe Bay now.

[observer]

I find the Lake Conroe area to be very nice and would consider the areas of Walden, April Sound, and the surrounding areas as a possible place to move and enjoy a slower pace of life. However, I can imagine that area increasing in population in the years to come; but it will be quite a few years away before it would be considered congested.

Actually, that is the one area near Houston that I would consider moving to if I want to avoid the hustle and bustle of congestion, traffic, hectic lifestyle, yet be close enough to it if seeking it. The Woodlands is about 20 minutes away, downtown Houston about 1 hour, airport about 45 minutes or so. The one downside about the area is that one may need to be willing to commute quite a bit for work unless you are fortunate enough to find suitable work nearby.

[Lake Conroe resident]

Originally Posted by texas7

have a family member who owns a home downstream and gets water up to the light switches when they open the gates on the San Jacinto River. Doesn't ruffle feathers but never figured out how it is decided who gets to flood............and who is saved.

Like EA said, it's decided where the bread gets buttered. Lake home for 400K to over 1M= lots of tax $ vs downstream 90K to 150K = low tax revenue...So when the areas North of the lake get lots of rain all at once and the lake starts to fill too fast, they have a decision to let it pour over the bulkhead and flood some of the lake homes or open the flood gates and let it go downstream. Who's going to win that battle?

[borgertx]

Originally Posted by Lake Conroe resident

Like EA said, it's decided where the bread gets buttered. Lake home for 400K to over 1M= lots of tax $ vs downstream 90K to 150K = low tax revenue...So when the areas North of the lake get lots of rain all at once and the lake starts to fill too fast, they have a decision to let it pour over the bulkhead and flood some of the lake homes or open the flood gates and let it go downstream. Who's going to win that battle?

Are any of the Lake Conroe homes in the "downstream" area? Guess I should check on the map to see where the water goes when released. Since this retirement home will probably be our last home, we don't want to make any mistakes. Thanks for all your comments. Can hardly wait until May to see our grandchildren and check out the homes.

[Lake Conroe resident]

Originally Posted by borgertx

Are any of the Lake Conroe homes in the "downstream" area? Guess I should check on the map to see where the water goes when released. Since this retirement home will probably be our last home, we don't want to make any mistakes. Thanks for all your comments. Can hardly wait until May to see our grandchildren and check out the homes.

The Homes in Walden, April Sound, Bentwater etc... are not in any kind of flood plain so no worries. Also there is about a 145 homes for sale in Walden right now so go get yourself a good deal, it's a nice area to live in if you don't have to worry about commuting to Houston everyday...

[Lake Conroe resident]

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

They always save the Marina and townhouses. Bread and butter you know.
The weekends are nuts.
And when do most people go to Conroe? The weekends. Loved it then, love Horsehoe Bay now.

EA: We all would love to live/have places on any of the Lakes in or around the Hill Country but most folks don't have the $ it takes to do so, as a matter of fact I would liked to have stayed where I was in Calif looking at the Pacific Ocean, but I would have had to keep working till I died so I think Lake Conroe was a good compromise for me. When you live here like the OP intends to do you use the lake anytime you want other than summer weekends and will never have any problem with crowded conditions, just have to watch out for those summer storms sneaking up on you while your out there.

[observer]

Actually, Walden is the one place I think of when considering Lake Conroe. I have been to some of the other communities in the area. Walden is nice, peaceful, there also options to own a single family home, condo, or townhouse.

The one down side to the area is the possible commute to work, which I hate long commutes, but that may be the one down side. I feel that for the area the houses are reasonably priced as well. A comparable home in a comparable neighborhood in South Florida where I live will cost at least double of what it cost in Walden, probably TRIPLE the price in some areas.

Walden is a really nice community.