Information needed to buy house...where to buy? (Houston, Bellaire: crime, townhouses)

[sat45]

This forum is very interactive and I would also like to request the help from you all. I am looking for a house with below criteria:

Single family house or townhouse
Sq ft: 1400 - 2500
Price range: $160 - 200
Not bothered about school zone
Low taxes preferable
Close to Galleria and Downtown (25 - 35 minute travel)
Safe area (gated community preferred)

Any help is greatly appreciated! Also, what is homestead tax. Should I buy house this year to save taxes or can it be next year also.

[browniebabie]

You can probably find that in the Timbergrove area- they have gated townhome communites. Use KAren Derr Realtors or Hartman - they know the area really well -"specialsits" to be exact.

If you don't have to have gated- there would be more options in Garden Oaks, OAk Forest, etc.

[DJboutit]

West Bury & Maplewood areas are in your range on the south west side close to the loop

[sat45]

Thank you very much for your suggestions...
where is west bury & maplewood. Is there any zip code you have?

Thank you Browniebabie...I will contact him and see what he has to offer

[modster]

The gated community thing will be limited to townhouses or free standing patio homes in places like shady acres, Washington Ave, etc.

I don't think you will find very much under $200k in Timbergrove anymore.

As for homestead exemption, to qualify for it in 2008 you will have to own the house on January 1. If you close on the 2nd or later you cannot get the exemption until 2009. there is a form you download off of hcad.org to get your exemption in place. Its easy to do. I'm not sure of the exact savings it gives you, but something like 15% I think.

[sat45]

Thanks modster... Gated community is not a neccesity. Just looking for safety

I will look at shady acres and washinton ave. also...

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by sat45

Thanks modster... Gated community is not a neccesity. Just looking for safety

Houston Crime Maps and Statistics

This might be of help if that's your main concern. Remember that no place in the city or outside of it is free of crime.

[modster]

Shady Acres is 77008, some of Washington Ave is 77007, both can be run under zone 9 (central north) on HAR. Westbury is 77035 I think, not sure about Maplewood, both Maplewood & Westbury are listed under area 20 (Bellaire South) on HAR.

[travelguy_73]

Westbury, Parkwest, Maplewood, et al, are 77096.

[sat45]

NIce....zip codes are helping me a lot in pin pointing the location. Its otherwise very difficult for a non-houstonian like me to understand the areas (google search of maplewood didnt get me anywhere..)