comparing Houston school districts--please help! (Spring, Bellaire: crime, house, neighborhood)

[Mr. Football]

There are very nice neighborhoods in every part of this very large district (3rd largest in the State). In general though, you'll find the heaviest concentrations of higher end homes in the areas North of 290 and West of FM 1960. The High schools in this area are: Cy-Fair, Cy-Creek, Cy-Woods. The area on Fry Rd. is rapidly growing with higher-end homes $200's - $1M which will be zoned to the new Cy-Ranch HS. I also think that Langham Creek HS will benefit from the coming rezone.

[Mr. Football]

Here's a list of some very nice neighborhoods in CFISD, with their zip codes and High School Zones:

I recommend using HAR.com for your homesearch

Neighborhood - Median Appraisal Value - Sq Footage - Age of Home

77069 (Champions Area / Cy-Creek)

PINNACLE AT CHAMPIONS CENTRE $670,250 5,034 1999
THE HAMLET AT CHAMPIONS U/R $556,100 5,490 1990
CHAMPIONS PARK NORTH/DUNN $496,490 5,424 1995
CHAMPIONS NORTHWEST $486,750 4,042 1972
CHAMPIONS CENTRE MIRAGE $462,352 4,090 1998
ESTATES AT CHAMPIONS PARK NORTH $455,850 4,161 2000
CHAMPIONS BEND ESTATES $417,000 4,202 1993
CHAMPIONS SOUTH $334,330 3,208 1972
CHAMPIONS CENTRE ESTATES $323,000 3,718 1996
CHAMPIONS PARK NORTH $310,493 3,713 1992
MARBLE GATE COURT $285,000 2,818 1998
CHAMPIONS COURT $278,905 2,687 1999
BARRINGTON WOODS $265,000 2,937 2002
CHAMPIONS RACQUET CLUB $260,000 3,347 1990
CHAMPIONS NORTH $234,575 2,902 1968
HUNTWICK PARC $211,052 2,681 1995
HUNTWICK FOREST $211,000 3,089 1976
CHAMPIONS PARK $203,506 3,202 1982
CHAMPIONS CREEK ESTATES $199,375 2,521 1995
CHAMPIONS EAST U/R $181,280 2,703 1972
CHAMPIONS PLACE $177,300 2,398 1985

77070 (Lakewood Area / Cy-Creek)

CHAMPIONS ARBOR $322,723 4,102 2002
LAKEVIEW PLACE $314,395 4,135 1996
HAHLS SUBURBAN FARMS $281,590 1,676 1949
MARWOOD ESTATES $228,800 2,908 2001
LAKEWOOD CROSSING $225,000 3,168 1998
HIGHLAND TIMBERS $195,541 2,669 2002
MANDOLIN VILLAGE THREE $189,445 2,668 2001
LAKEWOOD FOREST PATIO HOMES $179,607 2,469 1991
MANDOLIN VILLAGE $178,803 2,444 2000
MANDOLIN VILLAGE FOUR $175,970 2,468 2002
ANDERSON WOODS $170,000 2,542 1999
WOODBEND PINES $169,700 2,368 2002
LAKEWOOD FOREST $167,500 2,884 1981

77429 (Cypress Area / Cy-Fair, Cy-Woods, Cy-Creek)

WINCREST FALLS $784,250 6,033 1998
CYPRESS HOLLOW ESTATES $476,795 4,243 1995
ROCK CREEK $458,810 4,321 2002
SECRET FOREST COURT $384,000 4,078 1999
CYPRESSWOOD ESTATES U/R $380,000 3,192 1986
LAKEWOOD OAKS ESTATES $372,100 4,143 1997
PARK FOREST $355,885 3,669 1998
LAKES OF ROSEHILL $344,950 3,958 2001
STABLE GATE $302,889 3,805 2002
COLE CROSSING $289,450 3,635 1999
TUSCANY $286,820 3,860 2001
LISMORE LAKE ESTATES $263,000 3,197 2002
OAK HOLLOW ESTATES $260,328 3,485 1995
CYPRESS VILLAGE U/R $252,100 2,712 1978
LAKES AT CYPRESS HILL $251,750 3,169 1997
CYRESS FIELDS U/R $236,830 3,278 1990
WOODSIDE GREEN $234,200 4,586 1990
COLES CROSSING $231,800 3,090 2001
LONGWOOD VILLAGE $225,930 2,852 1997
CYPRESS FARMS $221,124 2,311 1994
STILLWATER CREEK
DOWDELL WOODS U/R $217,800 3,152 1980
LAKEWOOD GLEN $216,600 3,111 1988
REGENCY FOREST $216,000 2,916 2000
THE RESERVE AT CYPRESS CREEK $210,845 3,038 2003
NORTHLAKE FOREST $209,900 3,076 2001
TOWER OAKS PLAZA $209,550 2,763 1984
CYPRESS COUNTRY U/R $207,600 2,253 1980
JEFFERSON PLACE U/R $196,450 3,126 1999
SETTLEMENT AT CYPRESS CREEK
ENCHANTED VALLEY ESTATES U/R $194,350 2,833 1979
CYPRESS CREEK ESTATES $193,300 2,406 1967
LAKEWOOD TRAILS $190,700 3,372 2001
GRANT MEADOWS
LAKEWOOD GLEN TRAILS $190,000 2,801 1997
CYPRESS FIELDS U/R $184,305 2,095 1991
CYPRESS COUNTRY SOUTH U/R $183,150 2,185 1980
MARKS GLEN U/R $182,507 2,655 1993

77433 (Bridgeland Area / Cy-Ranch)

SADDLE RIDGE ESTATES $560,675 4,466 2003
BLACKHORSE RANCH $340,300 4,112 2001
CYPRESS CREEK LAKES
TOWNE LAKE
CYPRESS CREEK RANCH $285,480 3,571 2002
BLACKHORSE RANCH SOUTH $262,144 3,505 2003
LAKES OF FAIRFIELD $250,950 3,625 1999
COCO ESTATES U/R $193,424 1,850 2000
FAIRFIELD CHAPPELL RIDGE $189,880 3,137 1992
CYPRESS HILL U/R $183,950 2,128 1983
BARKER LAKE $171,300 2,826 2002

77065 (Cypress 1960 Area / Cy-Fair)

SATSUMA ACREAGE $506,400 1,976 1962
SIGNATURE ESTATES $409,200 5,393 2002
WINDERMERE LAKES $257,523 3,253 2000
WORTHAM ESTATES $198,950 3,132 1993
WORTHAM GROVE $174,100 2,602 2000
CYPRESS PARK U/R $172,900 2,542 1976
WORTHAM PARK $169,200 2,643 1994

77064 (Jersey Village Area / JV)

HERON LAKES ESTATES $216,477 3,186 2002
LAKES OF JERSEY VILLAGE $209,232 2,428 2002
STONEBRIDGE VILLAGE $196,400 2,870 1997
WILLOWBRIDGE $190,450 2,738 1994
HERON NEST $175,200 2,536 2003
SILVER OAK TRAILS $169,300 2,485 2003
WINCHESTER COUNTRY TRAILS $168,650 2,563 1988
WINCHESTER MEADOWS $160,600 2,400 1996

77040 (Jersey Village Area / JV)

WYNDHAM VILLAGE $318,519 3,877 1996
JERSEY VILLAGE LAKESIDE ESTATES $268,000 3,470 1993
OAK LAKE POINTE $244,100 3,056 1999
WOODWIND LAKES $221,000 2,727 1996
STONEYWAY VILLAGE $205,754 2,486 2003
LAUREL CREEK $203,950 2,596 1999
THE PARK AT JERSEY VILLAGE $193,450 2,192 1997
GOLF VIEW GARDEN HOMES $183,050 2,826 1993
MANIVONG $183,000 2,480 2002
OAKWOOD FOREST $168,100 2,305 1991

77041 (W. Little York/Cy-Ridge)

TWIN LAKES $378,000 4,290 1993
LAKES ON ELDRIDGE NORTH $323,548 3,532 2001
LAKES ON ELDRIDGE $292,510 3,290 1997
VILLAGES AT LAKEPOINTE $221,384 2,883 2001
HAHLS SUBURBAN FARM B $200,000 2,347 1958
MCKENDREE PARK $194,834 2,925 2003
ELDRIDGE PARK $172,850 2,586 1995
WESTBROOK LAKES $168,000 2,490 2002

77095 (Copperfield Area / Langham Creek, Cy-Falls, Cy-Fair)

HEARTHSTONE ESTATES $318,500 3,194 1996
AVILA COURT ESTATES $290,000 3,394 1997
HOLLY COURT ESTATES $263,100 3,173 1991
HAHLS SUBURBAN FARMS $214,515 720 1947
CYPRESS FALLS ESTATES $204,948 3,346 2003
STONE GATE $195,700 2,975 2001
COPPER LAKES $191,378 2,848 1999
CANYON LAKES AT STONEGATE $182,131 2,684 2003
LONE OAK VILLAGE $179,000 2,644 2003
HEARTHSTONE GREEN $178,864 2,641 1983
ABERDEEN TRAILS $177,900 2,704 1997
COPPER VILLAGE $175,000 2,607 1999
COPPER GROVE $172,100 2,891 1999

77084 (Copperfield-Katy / Langham Creek)

BERKSHIRE $188,792 2,847 2003
DEERFIELD VILLAGE $173,700 2,719 1982

[charris911]

Mr. Football

Have you looked at the Cy-Springs HS rezone, how do you think it will benefit...? It looks like they will retain the lower end of the district....

[wingbone]

Thanks so much for your replies and the home listings. I'll be checking them out.

[Mr. Football]

Cy-Springs might actually improve somewhat with the opening of Cy-Lakes, though I'm not real familiar with that part of the district. The Langham Creek zone appears to have gotten a lot tidier with this latest rezone, as you had 2 CFISD Board Members from Copperfield who managed to successfully amputate some of the lower-end neighborhoods in their zone while grabbing up a number of higher-end neighborhoods from neighboring zones.

[wingbone]

Went to the Har website and found a few that might fit our needs. Two kids and two dogs we are used to a huge back yard. If you have knowledge of any of these areas please chime in and give me your opinions on them now and what the near future might hold for the subdivisions/communities. Leider Dr., Tower Oaks
Philippine St., Jersey Village
Rivenwood, Oak Landing
Cantyon Echo, Wortham Falls
Westgate Sec. 5
Liitle Pinto, Riata Ranch
Cardona, Bear Creek Plantation
Smoke House,
Bear Creek Plantation
Gettysburg Valley, Plantation
Byron meadows, Bear Creek Mead sec 3

Thanks so much for your opinions

[charris911]

I lived near Bear Creek Plantation and Bear Creek Meadow, need to check into both of those areas carefully. Fast growing area, that was #1 in forclosures last year...anything south of West Little York along Fry Road will be better than the area north of W. Little York along Fry Road/529. Check each carefully, I noticed lots of houses for sale thru that area...which is not always a good sign. South of W. Little York along Barker Cypress is nice, Windsong subdivision, has large yards, big trees. Quiet neighborhood.

South of W. Little York will be zoned to the "future" Cypress Lakes HS, north will be either Cypress Springs HS or Langham Creek HS.
-----
I have friends in Wortham Falls, that love it (have small children). Riata Ranch and Jersey Village are both good areas.

[Mr. Football]

Personally, I think that Tower Oaks is a good investment opportunity. It has some natural advantages: Huge lots, Very heavily wooded (they just don't make them like that anymore, horses allowed, deed-restricted, Cy-Fair HS. I feel that is going to be a good place for people to come in and fix up/renovate the older homes and flip them for a nice profit. Again. They don't make them like that anymore with HUGE yards for the kids to play in, and big, mature trees. There are some really neat large homes in there as well as a few architecturally significant customs. Granted, they're not all like this, but it's usually a good sign when you see people building big new homes in old neighborhoods.










A nicely updated older Colonial-style on Beinhorn (next to Tower Oaks)

You get something other than the standard cookie-cutter neighborhood, room to breathe. Which is nice.

[wingbone]

I've been staying home with our two of our children(the youngest in Kinder) and even if I decide to work parttime, we do not want to max out our salaries for a home. I don't need a castle. So renovating is the key for us. We are leaving a house we bought from HUD and hope to make all we put into, back. It goes on the market late next week. My husband is looking for a break from remodeling though(we tiled, laminated, painted, built a carport and attached work room ourselves). Some we might hire some things out this time or wait awhile before we start. Looked at some of the homes in Tower Oaks at Har and it looks like renovating and adding square footage is the key. Thanks for the info.

[MommyNCharge]

I am having trouble locating the appropriate school for Cypress Meadows.
I cannot find a zoning search engine.

What are the pros and cons of the above subdv and what is the high school zoned it is zoned to.