Is America's suburban dream collapsing into a nightmare? (Houston, Sugar Land: mortgage, new home)

[AK123]

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

Champions/1960 is the area that's more affordable for the middle to lower middle income worker. Boy has that area gone downhill over the past 20 years.

I saw a recent article in the Chronicle about that area. Have friends who have been up there for a few decades and say it is much different than it was years back... and not in a good way.

[studiobtm]

I was all over Houston in January looking at houses and only saw three areas I wanted to live: Kingwood, Champion, and the Woodlands. The Woodlands was a bit plastic but I still liked it. All the other areas that people talk about as being nice on this forum may have had some nice gated communities but they were all islands surrounded by less than nice areas. Sugarland? Maybe I missed it but what is the attraction of Sugarland?

Champion proper is filled with snobs like me who keep their houses and yards up, don't play loud music and don't park their cars in the street. No hill billies or gang bangers and very low crime. Quiet - peaceful - serene. Lots of old trees.

I don't agree with your friend and would have to read the Chron article before I commented on it.

[modster]

What is defined as "the Champions area" depends upon who you talk to, but when people talk about decline in that area, I think they are talking about the areas east of Stuebner-Airline/Veterans-Memorial Drive and south of Cypress Creek. There is nothing wrong with Champions proper, Huntwick, etc.

[AK123]

Originally Posted by studiobtm

I was all over Houston in January looking at houses and only saw three areas I wanted to live: Kingwood, Champion, and the Woodlands. The Woodlands was a bit plastic but I still liked it. All the other areas that people talk about as being nice on this forum may have had some nice gated communities but they were all islands surrounded by less than nice areas. Sugarland? Maybe I missed it but what is the attraction of Sugarland?

Champion proper is filled with snobs like me who keep their houses and yards up, don't play loud music and don't park their cars in the street. No hill billies or gang bangers and very low crime. Quiet - peaceful - serene. Lots of old trees.

I don't agree with your friend and would have to read the Chron article before I commented on it.

Here's the article
Why did FM 1960 stop growing? Experts have ideas | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle (broken link)

The attraction of Sugar Land? Kind of a strange question but: It has zoning (no billboards or tall signs, lots of building codes and other restrictions), good schools, has a walkable town center around its city hall, lots of restaurants, shopping, even a few large companies. Was recently ranked the safest city in the state. Several boulevards with large oak trees similar to what West University probably looked like when it was younger. Easy access to Houston via Hwy 59 or 90. Not super far out from Houston like the Woodlands, Tomball, or most of Katy. Frankly, I don't know what wouldn't be the attraction other than it being the suburbs or maybe being too "plastic" for some.

[southland]

I think people are just getting tired of spending 3+ hours per day in the car. I hate travelling...be it flying, sitting on a train, or driving. I don't like it. Add to those reasons for living close to my employer....gas is expensive and my gas guzzler is now worth almost nothing, so it would cost me more trade it in for a hybrid, which probably has a less enjoyablej driving experience, depending on model.


The rising gas prices just forced more people to come around faster.

I hate starter communities on the edge of town. They end up looking like a dump after only a few years because of their location and crummy construction- but that isn't all that amounts to a suburban neighborhood.

Some people simply can't afford to spend so much money on housing and a school in a decent neighborhood inside of the city.

It's difficult to find a decent $200K condo inside the loop- which really makes things hard on those that make less than six figures per year.

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by JJP

Same goes for centrally located areas of Sugar Land, Clear Lake, west Memorial, the Woodlands. .

The Woodlands and Sugarland are centrally located?

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by JJP

The attraction of Sugar Land? Kind of a strange question but: It has zoning (no billboards or tall signs, lots of building codes and other restrictions), good schools, has a walkable town center around its city hall, lots of restaurants, shopping, even a few large companies. Was recently ranked the safest city in the state. Several boulevards with large oak trees similar to what West University probably looked like when it was younger. Easy access to Houston via Hwy 59 or 90. Not super far out from Houston like the Woodlands, Tomball, or most of Katy. Frankly, I don't know what wouldn't be the attraction other than it being the suburbs or maybe being too "plastic" for some.

What JJP said. I would add to his (her?) list about Sugar Land: lots of trees and parks, family friendly environment, a new Whole Foods Market, a Lifetime Fitness that has terrific programming for families, culturally diverse environment, high median income, affordable home prices, not in a mandatory evacuation zone.

The test of a place's livability is what the residents think of it, not the drive-through visitor. Sugar Land residents seem very happy with their hometown.

[AK123]

Originally Posted by JJP

Same goes for centrally located areas of Sugar Land, Clear Lake, west Memorial, the Woodlands.

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

The Woodlands and Sugarland are centrally located?

No, sorry!

What I meant was the central area of Sugar Land around the town center; as contrasted to far-out parts of Sugar Land or Richmond where you have to drive several miles to get to anything like shopping or restaurants.

[BamaTex]

Originally Posted by JJP

I saw a recent article in the Chronicle about that area. Have friends who have been up there for a few decades and say it is much different than it was years back... and not in a good way.

That article was not about Champions. It seemed to focus on the area east of Kuykendahl and west of 45. And that area was starting to go down hill 20 + years ago.

[jimboburnsy]

Originally Posted by chris_ut

hopefully now that oil fell back down under $130 we can get less of these silly articles.

lmao!