Houston's white flight reversal (Bellaire, West: good schools, income, young professionals)

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by RedScare

This is due to the "reverse white flight" that we've been discussing. The Heights is the only Census tract to increase white population and decrease hispanic population in the 2010 census. The elementary schools are bursting at the seams. Housing prices have eclipsed $300 psf, yet people bid up the asking price. When I moved here in 2004, no house on my block was worth over $600,000. Now, there are no fewer than 7 homes appraised or sold for over $1 million.

That's what reverse white flight does to your neighborhood. My property taxes have more than doubled.

Ok.... so white people automatically have a lot of money and minorities automatically don't have much money?
that's what I get from the "white flight" debate.

[fnh]

What is happening is the exact same cycle that's been happening in every place for all races for all of human history. Except now in modern-day Houston no one is being killed to take over their property and the government is at least trying to mitigate the impact of rising property values on vulnerable populations.

I always slap my head too when I read posts on these forums by speculative idiots pumping their own RIGHT NOW HOT AREA but... DOH! The tax man cometh so please advise how I can pretend my property isn't worth what I myself actually paid for it and anyway isn't it illegal for him to know since TX is a non-disclosure state thanks to the realtor lobby?

Rising property values anywhere are a benefit ONLY if you plan to sell your current property in the foreseeable future. Otherwise they mean only one thing - rising property taxes. But NO ONE comes on these forums asking for nice, stable neighborhoods that AREN'T the next hot thing, lol.

[PedroMartinez]

Originally Posted by chris_ut

HCAD allows the elderly to defer property tax payments so nobody is getting forced out of their houses.

So, HCAD would consider someone who is 55 and has been in their home for 30 years to be elderly?

How do they defined elderly?

[PedroMartinez]

Originally Posted by fnh

Also, in these discussions people always point to residents displaced by rising taxes (fewer than we might think) without regard to the very same residents cashing in on the windfall of their rising property values through absolutely no productivity on their part.

Why do people pay a ton of money to move to these areas for typically smaller homes with smaller lots? Why don't these people in the higher socioeconomic groups buy in the burbs and save a bunch of money?

Why? Because not everyone necessarily wants to live in the burbs or be forced to move.

If you grew up in the Heights and have a job not too far away and like the area, you might not want to "cash in" and be forced to move to a completely different area of town. You might not only enjoy your little bungalow close to the park, but you might not want to part with the memories of where your kids grew up or where you had so many wonderful times with your spouse before they died.

I could sell my home and rent an apartment and have a big old cash windfall. I don't want to do that.

Not everyone is driven by money.

And in regards to "no productivity on their part", if you owned a house in the heights for 25 years and have not sold it, what "windfall" is received? NONE! There is no "windfall" until you sell. If we were to ditch property tax in exchange for a consumption tax and other fees, I'd have no problem if they added a tax on the "windfall" when the property is sold, minus inflation of course.

[txstate]

what about Hispanic flight cause i see more Hispanics in the wards and heights not those lofts but houses.

[curbur]

Originally Posted by txstate

what about Hispanic flight cause i see more Hispanics in the wards and heights not those lofts but houses.

I can't really speak on that, but I am noticing a lot more Hispanic families moving out to SW, W, NW, and N suburbs than there were even just 10-15 years ago; more power to them if they've got the disposable income and have a better opportunity for their family out here than inside town.

[testmo]

More disposable income would mean moving inside the city where its nowmore expensive than the suburbs

[DejaBlue]

Originally Posted by curbur

I can't really speak on that, but I am noticing a lot more Hispanic families moving out to SW, W, NW, and N suburbs than there were even just 10-15 years ago; more power to them if they've got the disposable income and have a better opportunity for their family out here than inside town.

Here in NW Houston it's not sterotype but just common, very common to have at least 2 families in a 4 bedroom house. I'd imagine that's common in the suburbs. Not saying all but when you see non driving age kids but at least 4 cars it's a pretty good guess that's at least 2 families it 2 kids each.

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by ipuck

I think the stats is misleading because the city is growing, doesn't mean the white flight is going away. Let me know when you start seeing strollers everywhere inside the loop and then maybe i am convince white flight is not happening. Because as it stand now, it is the childless professionals moving into Houston and living inside the loop, the minute a child come into picture, "white flight" is happening.

If you go to the right neighborhoods you can see strollers everywhere. In fact it's been this way for awhile in Bellaire/West U/Southside Place.

What I must point out is: The outerlying Houston neighborhoods have seen white flight while the inner city is getting whiter

[ipuck]

Bellaire/West U/Southside is the exception. Those neighborhood have always been kids friendly and the good schools is a big difference. Plus the fact they always been a family neighborhood for many many years already.

I dont think you see too many strollers in the heights or midtown, etc.

But i do agree with you inner city is getting whiter. Minorities are not moving into the loop.