Clear Lake vs. Pearland vs. Friendswood (Houston, Pasadena: foreclosures, high crime, house)

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by movingtohouston

We have been very happy here. Good luck with your house hunt.

Thank you...I like to hear about happy residents!

[tstone]

I used to rent where movingtohouston rents. The area is decent if you're looking for an older, $110-150k home. I was in old Heritage Park (Webster) and my street was mainly blue collar (including myself). No crime to speak of at all. Good neighbors all around. The only drawback to that area is West Bay Area Blvd can get horrendously backed up on weekends. It traverses the mall and a lot of stores. This time of year, with all the shopping it's probably bad every evening. There is an alternate route (NASA 1/528), but there is construction on that road at the I-45 freeway.

[Topaz]

It is interesting how you can live in one part of the Houston metro area and know nothing at all about the other parts. Clear Lake / Friendswood / Pearland seem like a whole different country to me.

Tomorrow after my job interview I will likely drive down there and explore, unless the weather is bad, in which case I am a cowardly driver who will make my way home to Sugar Land instead.

[movingtohouston]

Originally Posted by tstone

I used to rent where movingtohouston rents. The area is decent if you're looking for an older, $110-150k home. I was in old Heritage Park (Webster) and my street was mainly blue collar (including myself). No crime to speak of at all. Good neighbors all around. The only drawback to that area is West Bay Area Blvd can get horrendously backed up on weekends. It traverses the mall and a lot of stores. This time of year, with all the shopping it's probably bad every evening. There is an alternate route (NASA 1/528), but there is construction on that road at the I-45 freeway.

I will second this. Traffic has been horrible since the weekend before thanksgiving. Pretty soon the only way to get out of this area and across the freewa will be to use 2351. El Dorado used to be a safe bet but now they are planning to expand it and traffic is only going to get worse. Stay away from the mall area if you can help it.

I do live in Heritage Park, there is a newer section that has homes in the price range you are looking for. They attend school in the clear creek district. Again good luck in your hunt.

[tstone]

More on Heritage Park. (It came down to either this or Clear Lake for us when it was time to buy.) Heritage Park is basically a super neighborhood of house after house. I think there are at least 25 sections of Heritage Park. The Webster section is old but decent. The part on Pilgrims Point between Bay Area and El Dorado can be sketchy. The Tall Ships area is like the Webster section but a little newer. Those places run about $100-130k IIRC.

Now the next step up is Heritage Park Village/Estates. These are probably closer to $160k and they can be pretty nice. The biggest drawback is that it's really close to Clear Brook HS. We know how high school kids drive. And, some houses are so close, the glow of the metal halide stadium lamps are in your backyard/living room. So consider that.

The brand-newest section of Heritage Park has a lot of KB Homes. That right there told me 'avoid.' (Our realtor wouldn't show/sell them to us.) There are a lot of non KB homes as well in there, so do your research thoroughly.

You can get more house for the $ in Heritage Park vs. Clear Lake. $200k can get you an '05 3200 sq ft KB home in HP, or a '95 2200 sq ft David Weekley in CL. In HP, water bills are higher, and they have a MUD tax while CL does not. A lot of those pre-'90 homes in Heritage Park are 100% electric, which make winter heating bills higher compared to our natural gas.

[tyger7000]

Clear lake is a nice area you will enjoy it we looked there before we moved to League City. The main reason we move to Tuscan lakes was we wanted newer construction and Clear lake is built out. Also check out South Shore harbor very nice area.

[texas7]

I picked Clear Lake because it looks and feels like home. Not row after row of everything looking the same or strip centers being the same and too uniform. I like the proximity to activities, I like Clear Lake H.S. as well. Old (but well kept) and new mixed together are a nice balance. I put Pearland third because I don't care for the 288/518 area - traffic is awful all the time and it is too close to the freeway. Living near a freeway gives more "easy access" to people who might be up to no good. I think Clear Lake gives you an opportunity to have everything you want within your area without it all being bunched up together in one place. I chose Friendswood over Pearland because I like being away from the major freeway for the reasons I mentioned above and I like Friendwood H.S. The comment on the freeway doesn't single out Pearland though - this is true anywhere that has all the businesses and homes right on top of a major highway - easy access brings a bit more crime. It's just that Pearland has really build the West end all around Highway 288 thus the traffic issues and the easy access. I prefer the older part of Pearland but many find it too rural for their taste but it really isn't -- its just not as congested as closer to the Freeway and many subdivisions are older but there are new ones too. You'll just have to drive around and look. Tstone lives in a nice area Clear Lake City Blvd/Space Center Blvd area and that one might be a nice area to drive through.

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by texas7

I picked Clear Lake because it looks and feels like home. Not row after row of everything looking the same or strip centers being the same and too uniform.

Hmmmm...Sugar Land has a lot of uniformity and I liked it that way. It felt like an oasis of calm in the land of little zoning.

Have I mentioned lately that I will miss Sugar Land?

I met someone today who moved from Sugar Land to Friendswood and she literally cried when they put their house up for sale. But now she likes Friendswood so there is hope...

[texas7]

Topaz - you have no worries - you'll be fine in any of the areas that you are looking at. To me, of all the areas, I think the West side of Pearland most resembles Sugarland in appearance although I do "think" that Clear Lake has better schools. This side of town is nice.

I work with a guy whose wife is a minister and she accepted a position at a church in Deer Park. His daughters were in H.S. and they lived in Memorial. Those two girls cried (and who could blame them) for weeks on end at the thought of moving and moving to Deer Park at that. Turns out it wasn't nearly as bad as they dreamed and the girls (and their parents were incredibly happy in Deer Park). The wife accepted a higher position of leadership in Houston and to my surprise - they were so happy in Deer Park, they've stayed. No, I am not recommending Deer Park to you -- while it is nice it is very close to industry and is nothing like what you are looking for. Just repeated that story to help you envision that this side of town is very enjoyable for most (even areas that people who know nothing about them but think are horrible) - no matter what area of town you are coming from. As far as hurricane damage, I don't see that they sustained any more damage than people way into Houston and even some on the Northwest side. In fact, a few neighborhoods in Clear Lake NEVER lost power (one of my lucky co-workers).

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by texas7

Topaz - you have no worries - you'll be fine in any of the areas that you are looking at. To me, of all the areas, I think the West side of Pearland most resembles Sugarland in appearance although I do "think" that Clear Lake has better schools. This side of town is nice.

I work with a guy whose wife is a minister and she accepted a position at a church in Deer Park. His daughters were in H.S. and they lived in Memorial. Those two girls cried (and who could blame them) for weeks on end at the thought of moving and moving to Deer Park at that. Turns out it wasn't nearly as bad as they dreamed and the girls (and their parents were incredibly happy in Deer Park). The wife accepted a higher position of leadership in Houston and to my surprise - they were so happy in Deer Park, they've stayed. No, I am not recommending Deer Park to you -- while it is nice it is very close to industry and is nothing like what you are looking for. Just repeated that story to help you envision that this side of town is very enjoyable for most (even areas that people who know nothing about them but think are horrible) - no matter what area of town you are coming from. As far as hurricane damage, I don't see that they sustained any more damage than people way into Houston and even some on the Northwest side. In fact, a few neighborhoods in Clear Lake NEVER lost power (one of my lucky co-workers).

I've never heard of Deer Park but I'm assuming that moving there from Memorial was a big change!

Thank you for the reassurance...I'll do my best to be happy wherever we end up. We have moved a LOT and this is the first time I feel reluctant. Every other time, I was eager for the next adventure.

We have two parties to attend this weekend, one in Clear Lake and one in Pearland. Both will be at night but at least I'll be able to see a little bit of the area.