Hampton Cove oddity (Huntsville, Meridianville, Taylor: transplants, for sale, real estate)

[DvlsAdvc8]

Something I noticed over in the Hampton Cove area recently that I don't really understand.

The location of the newer housing developments doesn't make a lot of sense.

Everywhere I've lived in the past, the most desireable land had the most expensive houses - and the least desireable land (near airports, floodplains etc), had the least expensive houses.

Now, at the very top of the price range in Hampton Cove - this is still true. But in the middle and lower ranges, everything gets out of wack.

Cobblestone Cove and Flint Mill - two of the pricier developments sit barely higher than land that is perpetually flooded - a veritable marshland. Meanwhile, the majority of the neighborhoods around Taylor Road which are significantly cheaper sit on higher ground. Even much of Deford Mill behind Hampton Cove elementary is pretty low ground, and these houses are all "higher range" than the Taylor Rd developments even though Deford Mill was developed first. Higher ground on the west side of 431 north of Sutton is now home to a new lower end patio homes development.

What is up with that? One would think that if you're going to buy a 400k house (Cobblestone/Flint Mill), you wouldn't want it to be on such (seemingly?) crappy land. Admittedly, I don't know the area's flood history - but it definitely doesn't look good. Meanwhile, the homes off Taylor Rd (especially the west side) are on much better land and are much cheaper houses in all respects.

Just something odd I noticed. I was interested in Jeff Benton Homes - but Cobblestone and River Ridge (their two developments in the area) are both awfully "soggy". Is it just that Jeff Benton Homes' strategy is to buy cheapo land and throw pricier homes on it for sale as if it was prime real estate?

[padmaster]

Same story in the Meridianville area. I looked at some Jeff Benton homes at Inspiration Point which sits in a low area just 200 yards away from a major creek. I've personally seen this creek at very high water levels. I was told that SOME of the homes in the front area of the subdivision must carry flood insurance. One reason I shyed away from that S/D.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by DvlsAdvc8

Something I noticed over in the Hampton Cove area recently that I don't really understand.

The location of the newer housing developments doesn't make a lot of sense.

Everywhere I've lived in the past, the most desireable land had the most expensive houses - and the least desireable land (near airports, floodplains etc), had the least expensive houses.

Now, at the very top of the price range in Hampton Cove - this is still true. But in the middle and lower ranges, everything gets out of wack.

Cobblestone Cove and Flint Mill - two of the pricier developments sit barely higher than land that is perpetually flooded - a veritable marshland. Meanwhile, the majority of the neighborhoods around Taylor Road which are significantly cheaper sit on higher ground. Even much of Deford Mill behind Hampton Cove elementary is pretty low ground, and these houses are all "higher range" than the Taylor Rd developments even though Deford Mill was developed first. Higher ground on the west side of 431 north of Sutton is now home to a new lower end patio homes development.

What is up with that? One would think that if you're going to buy a 400k house (Cobblestone/Flint Mill), you wouldn't want it to be on such (seemingly?) crappy land. Admittedly, I don't know the area's flood history - but it definitely doesn't look good. Meanwhile, the homes off Taylor Rd (especially the west side) are on much better land and are much cheaper houses in all respects.

Just something odd I noticed. I was interested in Jeff Benton Homes - but Cobblestone and River Ridge (their two developments in the area) are both awfully "soggy". Is it just that Jeff Benton Homes' strategy is to buy cheapo land and throw pricier homes on it for sale as if it was prime real estate?

I am pretty sure Hampton Cove is built out. Cobblestone is the last subdivision. It is the only place left to build unless Hampton Cove acquires land which surrounds it.

The building environment ten years ago, five years ago and now are all totally different. Planning: Types of homes (track or custom) , price ranges, and lot sizes reflect the economic realities. Couple that with the comment I made above and maybe we can understand why the decisions were made, which leads to...

Builders, Developers, Planners, and HOAs aren't a bunch of idiots. There is a lot of money at stake. I know a couple of Hampton Cove HOA board members. These guys are pretty sharp dudes. They plan things to maximize home value retention, neighborhood appeal, and livability. I doubt they "winged it" when they planned out the subdivisions. There are reasons why certain subdivisions are placed where they are in the overall community scheme.

Ideally, price is a function of supply and demand. Cobblestone, Flint Mill and Twelve Stones are all flat, heavily "cul de sac"ed, low traffic areas. Super kid friendly. Some of the other subdivisions in Hampton Cove are more hilly and have long direct roadways (more traffic) and are less kid friendly. (This is why we didn't buy in the hilly areas of any subdivision.) Because of this and the excellent local schools, I would expect these subdivisions to continue to be in demand.

Now, about the flood potential. My understanding is (and I haven't researched or confirmed this) "sufficient" engineering was performed to mitigate risks of larger floods. Not sure how this was done or if it was done. I spoke with the sister in law (in her 80s) of the late (he died a couple weeks ago) Mr. Sublett, the guy who sold the land to the developers of Hampton Cove. She told me she remembers water four feet above the bridge at the softball fields there at Old 431. She was skeptical about the flood engineering performed. I told her I bought flood insurance even though I was not required to do so and she told me that was a wise thing to do.

[A&M Bulldawg]

From what I see, Hampton Cove doesn't seem odd!

[DvlsAdvc8]

That's good information Charles, but I don't think it addresses my point. Also, when I say "Hampton Cove" I'm not just referring to the neighborhood... but the area of Sutton-Eastern-Bypass/431. As far as I'm concerned its all just Huntsville to me... but I'm trying to specify the area surrounding the sutton/431 intersection that includes Hampton Cove, Taylor Rd, and along Old Big Cove Rd.

You can arrange, plan and layout a community in a wise, thought-out manner, on land of any quality. My curiosity really concerns why a builder would choose to develop relatively high end homes on land of dubious quality while a couple miles down the road another developer is building lower end homes on land of higher quality off Taylor Rd.

Even the Jeff Benton Homes off Taylor Rd (Liberty Park I think?) are those nearest the flood areas. These are a couple years older, but even odder is that a good portion of the land on the west side of Taylor Rd has only been developed more recently (still building in fact) - so its not a matter of the land being unavailable I would think. Why wouldn't this be the real estate that pricier homes were built on and the near-flood lands end up more modestly priced?

It looks like they build themselves in some extra $$ by building on soggy land and pricing it like its not. Kinda shafty if you ask me.

My wife and I went out to Cobblestone Cove the other day and looked at some houses - I can pretty much rule them out. I'm not about to pay those prices for houses on that land... with views of the marshy flood area and power lines with a higher risk of getting flooded out.

I guess I don't see the value, but hey it carries the "Hampton Cove" name right? ... or maybe I've just become more risk averse having been wiped out by Katrina storm surge. Insurance or not... you don't want that - trust me.

[tammie2]

Maybe they are counting on transplants not knowing what is going on? I used to have the "that's why we buy insurance" mentality. You live in a hotel for a year and lose 75% of your belongings and you see the light.

I am also coming from a storm affected area, a tree was "planted" in the middle of my home by a tornado and then it rained for 15/16 hours. I am especially sensitive to construction quality and flood water-go figure

I wish you the best of luck in your home search, it can get rough!!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by DvlsAdvc8

when I say "Hampton Cove" I'm not just referring to the neighborhood... but the area of Sutton-Eastern-Bypass/431. As far as I'm concerned its all just Huntsville to me... but I'm trying to specify the area surrounding the sutton/431 intersection that includes Hampton Cove, Taylor Rd, and along Old Big Cove Rd.

I guess when you consider all the other subdivisions in the Big Cove area of Huntsville (which is really what the area around 431/Sutton is called) then the explanations get more complicated. I am not that familiar with those other areas but I certainly wouldn't describe anything around this area as "crappy" or "dubious".

[DvlsAdvc8]

"Crappy" may have been over the top, but I'd definitely characterize A $400,000 house within 20 feet of a flood plain as pretty dubious... heck, looking at the map, many look like they are IN the 100 yr. I don't know how much they've raised the lots in Cobblestone Cove or what the code requires, but it sure looks bad when "eyeing it". Surely they could have found some better land to build on than that - especially considering so much land is or was available on the west side of 431, which is significantly higher ground.

But like I said, I learned the hard way - insurances saves you from financial disaster, but that's actually the lesser loss. Spot on with your comment Tammie.