Old vs. new in Cinco Ranch (Houston, Taylor: for sale, rent, new house)

[The Gem]

We are trying to decide if we should buy in the older, more established part of Cinco (like North Lake Village) or if we should get something new on the other side of the Grand Parkway. We are coming from out-of-state, have no Houston connection, and are looking for a community where we can meet people/neighbors easily.

Here's what we've come up with as pros/cons of each. Let me know if we are off the mark on any of these. Some are our assumptions, so they could be way off! Please comment on things we've missed, or have wrong.

"Established" Area of Cinco Ranch
Pros:
--close to the amenities (Y, golf, pool, etc.)
--No construction in the neighborhood to contend with
--trees/landscaping mature
--Resale easier??

Cons:
--people have lived there longer so may be less open to friendships
--90s style home (brass fixtures, oak kitchens, lots of white, etc.)
--age of kids a concern (we have a toddler, so we want to be around younger families)

Newer Area:
Pros:
--updated home/new with option to build or choose finishes
--everyone is new to the actual neighborhood, may be more open to friendship
--new lake and amenities will be nice when complete

Cons:
--construction in and around the neighborhood
--barren land, no mature trees
--Resale?? Not sure it be as easy to sell in this area

Any comments are appreciated.

ETA: Our budget would be 375-425

[Mr. Football]

I'd go with the older portion with the more mature trees. The more barren side looks like any other neighborhood on the Katy prairie and is pretty devoid of character, IMO.

[meletonmc]

I can tell you that I have the exact same questions about friendships and families with younger children. We lived in a brand new house in a neighborhood with amenities similar to Cinco Ranch. We loved it because everyone was so outgoing and in a similar phase of life. We played bunco, had block parties, and an occasional mom's night out.

When we moved to be closer to my husband's job, we ended up in an older neighborhood. It has a lot of character, but the neighbors are mostly older, and with older children. I hardly ever see my neighbors out, and have never actually even seen my next door neighbors to our left after seven months. My son started Kindergarten, and the elementary school's enrollment is in decline. His friends live several blocks away from our home.

I really prefer some of the older parts of Cinco Ranch as well as other parts of Katy and neighborhoods that feed into Taylor. Older homes have a warmth and beauty that is difficult to replicate. That being said, I don't want to repeat this experience. I want to move into a friendly neighborhood with younger children. I also suspect that this means I'll need to choose a new home. I would love to be wrong about this, but it only makes sense for young couples to have children, and then move into a new home. A lot of younger families are drawn to new homes with open floor plans.

I would also love to hear from anyone about their experience with neighbors either positive or negative. Thanks!

[Mom2Feebs]

North Lake Village would get my vote EVERY time.

[descovy]

If I had you budget, I would love to be in the established part of cinco.

As it is, I live in the "newer part"... Cinco SW. As you can see it is about ready to explode. Dealing with new construction is dusty, sometimes inconvienent, but pretty exciting too.

I think you do have a point that new neighborhoods are easirer in finding new people. My kids are elementary age, and the both sides of the neighborhood come to the entrance to get on the school bus... seems inconievent...once we're built out we'll have closer bus stops... but we met *lots* of neighbors!

My next door neighbors are super close. Close enough that right now their dryer doesn't work... nor my washer... so we do laundry at each other's house... well beyond "cup-o-sugar" neighbors.

So many people from out of state are moving to the new parts of Cinco and seven meadows

[EasilyAmused]

The thing about the burbs, that everyone seems to forget, is that everything that's new becomes old.Only when the subdivisions stop growing farther and farther out will the school districts be able to throw money into improving existing schools. Currently they just have to keep opening more, foregoing some of the services old and established districts can provide.
Unlike Houston, there are no "it" neighborhoods that become the area to live for decades, because basically every time a new subdivision opens its the "it" place for a few years. People run to the "new" schools, even though it takes years for them to get up and running.
Its the quest for the bright and shiney.

[The Gem]

Descovy-- Do you think fewer people from out of state move to the established parts of Cinco?

[descovy]

I don't know if fewer out-of-staters are in "old" cinco... but I know by living in my "new cinco" neighborhood, I can think of 20 families I know (we met each other at the bus stop and only 2 of us are from Houston.

My kids go to Griffin (fed by 7 meadows, grand lakes, cinco west of 99) and just about everyone we meet there is from out-of-town.

My guesses from getting to know some, is that they hear of Cinco's reputation while out-of-state (think of all the threads here labeled "cinco vs woodlands" or "what neighborhood should I move to" threads) and have jobs on the west side of town.

Also they already have kids, and want to buy and settle-in (vs) rent and move their kids again. The options available is higher in a new unfinished neighborhood, to get what you want when you need it. In the established parts, you're limited by what's for sale. I know when we were looking last Jan, we couldn't find what we wanted in resale but were able to find it new.

With a bigger price range, and more homes for sale this year, you probably have more options over there than we did.