Oakbrook Subdivision? How is it? (Seabrook, Center: apartments, HOA, buying a home)

[bls8195]

I am looking at buying a home in the Oakbrook Subdivision and would like to know what people think about the area, as I have 3 kids. Its older but I think it looks very nice and taken care of. I have searched the forms and people talk about the zip code overall is ok. 77062. Would like more feedback.

Thanks in advance.

[lonestarwvu]

I live in 77062 and we looked in Oakbrook when we purchased a home. We didn’t mainly because we had specific needs and a home in Camino South fit them better. Oakbrook in general seems very nicely put together. I actually jog through it when I run up to Clear Lake. You will be in a good school district. It’s close to shopping. There is a good library in the neighborhood. Houses are older, but most are maintained. (I moved here from the north east and older homes don’t bother me.) Since the neighborhood is established there are lots of trees. There are good restaurants and it is near to Kemah/Clear Lake/Seabrook. It’s also near Johnson Space Center. There is also a Park and Ride nearby.

Negatives: The HOA is sort of toothless and parks could be better maintained (mainly with newer equipment). There are a number of apartments around and although they aren’t terrible, they aren’t high end either. It’s in a hurricane evacuation zone, and although I think the chance of you getting hit by storm surge there is very very low, you might have to pick up and leave. (I would guess that over half of my neighbors ignored the last mandatory evacuation however.) Good luck.

[bls8195]

Thank you for all the information. Yeah I saw the apartments over there but they are in the front of the subdivision so I did not know how bad they were or bothered the area.

[lonestarwvu]

The apartments are not what I would call a large problem. They generally attract immigrants with young children, and most of them seem drawn to the area because of the proximity to elementary schools. I suspect many of them are working in positions for NASA or contracting through the business related to NASA. (All speculation.) I view apartments as negatives because generally speaking they pull from resources such as schools without returning the same type of revenue as houses (property taxes).

[bls8195]

I see what your saying, and understand. I am due to close on a house in the Oakbrook subdivsion in the middle of March.

[tstone]

I'll second all of lonestar's comments, as I live in a newer part of that zip. Oakbrook is what I call part of 'old Clear Lake,' and the vast majority of those older homes are pretty well-maintained. One issue is the golf course is defunct, and the threat of cheap development lingers. It is also home to a Pomeranian-eating coyote or two.

BTW, most of that neighborhood never lost power after Hurricane Ike. And Ike's cat-4-like surge only washed out the immediate waterfront. The 77062 zip is about 25-30 ft above sea level, so in theory it would take an Indian Super Typhoon for a surge to wash out the area. However, they say to evacuate for a cat-3 or higher to be safe.

[bls8195]

They have coyote's? LOL

[tstone]

Originally Posted by bls8195

They have coyote's? LOL

One of my family members lost her dog to one. I saw a pair dash across Clear Lake City Blvd around 2am a couple years ago. Like the occasional 7-point buck they are rare but we have them. The area is close to a nature center. I'd be more concerned with baby possums getting into the attic or walls and starving to death in there. Possums are everywhere in Clear Lake. And if you have a dog, keep in mind that armadillos can dig holes under the fences with their razor-sharp claws.

[bls8195]

LOL sounds like some fun to deal with.