Bridgeland/Taxes (Houston, Sugar Land, Katy: house, neighborhood, high schools)

[heydeespanner]

Thanks Htown2013 - you nailed it, didn't want to sound unappreciative, but I actually know Heights, Timbergrove etc really well - we owned in Montrose until Feb, sold out because we have a baby and need more space, have plenty of friends inside the loop....it's just really quite affordable now inside the loop if you want 4000 sq ft, a nice plot (say 10,000sq ft) and good schools. Yes, Master Planned taxes are also crazy, so trying to find a balance. We're actually renting in the Energy Corridor, still keeping an eye on Memorial too, as I say, we found a place back in March on Gessner that didn't flood, but I think we're erring on the side of getting out of town and heading to a community now......

[WRM20]

Originally Posted by heydeespanner

Thanks Htown2013 - you nailed it, didn't want to sound unappreciative, but I actually know Heights, Timbergrove etc really well - we owned in Montrose until Feb, sold out because we have a baby and need more space, have plenty of friends inside the loop....it's just really quite affordable now inside the loop if you want 4000 sq ft, a nice plot (say 10,000sq ft) and good schools. Yes, Master Planned taxes are also crazy, so trying to find a balance. We're actually renting in the Energy Corridor, still keeping an eye on Memorial too, as I say, we found a place back in March on Gessner that didn't flood, but I think we're erring on the side of getting out of town and heading to a community now......

I think you are underestimating how good the HISD schools can be. I don't think that, for the same student, there's any real advantage to going to a Katy, Cy-Fair, or SBISD school. HISD's issues stem mostly from the low SES population, where the parents don't care, or are incapable of helping their kids get through school. I've been involved in Boy Scouts for about 12 years now, with boys from all backgrounds. It's been my experience that kids whose parents are highly involved in their kid's lives will do well in school, regardless of the district.

You may be hard pressed to find 10,000 sq ft lots in the MPC's, since there's not as much money to be made as with the 6-7,000 sq ft lots - the profit is in the houses, not the lots.

As another option, take a look at subdivisions like Northampton. I have colleagues who live there, and love it. It's in Klein ISD, and they are all happy with the schools.

[dd1153]

No one moves to MPCs to pay less taxes. They move to MPCs for the lifestyle and convenience of having everything in the neighborhood.

Bridgeland is the #1 selling neighborhood in Houston and Texas. Every school in Bridgeland is rated A+ excellent. Many of those people who live in town who no longer need to commute are moving out to the suburbs.

Yes your tax rate is higher, however as previously stated you get much more house in the burbs.

When we were looking we considered re sale that was outdated and needed remodel with a lower tax rate. Ultimately we built new for the potential equity capture and not having to deal with re model.

There is 900 acres off 99 and Bridgeland Creek Parkway about to be developed which will be built out similar to city center / woodlands market street.

Imo anything between i10 and 290 on 99 is under valued right now. Huge wave of development on the way.

[heydeespanner]

Thanks Htown - yeah, you're right....plus we used to live in Montrose, and have friends all over Heights, Timbergrove, Garden Oaks - areas we love, but just can't afford for the space we want, as well as the safety, privacy and security and schools. Woodlands has never appealed to the wife.


Definitely coming down on the side of taking the plunge to Bridgeland, despite the taxes - plan to make the most of the community. I don't really see another planned community in the sweet spot for my commute. MIL lives in Humble too, so Katy and Sugarland just push us further away from her.

[heydeespanner]

Sorry - double posted same sentiment - I couldn't find my first reply as it was on page 2 <forum amateur :-)> Doh.....

[WRM20]

Originally Posted by heydeespanner

Thanks Htown - yeah, you're right....plus we used to live in Montrose, and have friends all over Heights, Timbergrove, Garden Oaks - areas we love, but just can't afford for the space we want, as well as the safety, privacy and security and schools. Woodlands has never appealed to the wife.


Definitely coming down on the side of taking the plunge to Bridgeland, despite the taxes - plan to make the most of the community. I don't really see another planned community in the sweet spot for my commute. MIL lives in Humble too, so Katy and Sugarland just push us further away from her.

OP, you keep mentioning schools. Can you tell me why you think HISD schools are not acceptable? Why would Cy-Fair or Katy be better? I am genuinely interested, since I think it's important to find ways to improve HISD's perception.

[heydeespanner]

HAR.com lists school rankings - frankly, HISD don't do as well. So it's just my basic research plus what I have heard from friends.



I'm not from Houston, didn't grow up here, am a transplant, my wife is, she generally doesn't have a great opinion of HISD.



Honestly, it's nothing personal. I'm sure there are some great inner city schools here (Carnegie Vanguard, Lamar spring to mind) but we have one kiddo and we're done, so just want to do the best for her. Everytime we find a house we liked that we can 'afford' it seems to be zoned to a badly rated school. So we'd be considering $20k+ of private school fees.


All of our friends inside the loop send their kids to private schools, but they're all wealthier than we are!



Everytime we look at highly rated schools, the price/sq foot spikes. There is a very clear correlation between good (as ranked) schools and the local house prices.


It's also quirky. I notice Frostwood (Spring Branch ISD) is in Memorial - somehow, Westside (highly rated Houston ISD school) is actually west of Frostwood further out of town and yet falls into HISD.


100% happy to send kiddo to a HISD school that ranks well - and allows us to buy a home in our price range, with suitable size, but the chips don't seem to be falling that way......

[WRM20]

Originally Posted by heydeespanner

HAR.com lists school rankings - frankly, HISD don't do as well. So it's just my basic research plus what I have heard from friends.



I'm not from Houston, didn't grow up here, am a transplant, my wife is, she generally doesn't have a great opinion of HISD.



Honestly, it's nothing personal. I'm sure there are some great inner city schools here (Carnegie Vanguard, Lamar spring to mind) but we have one kiddo and we're done, so just want to do the best for her. Everytime we find a house we liked that we can 'afford' it seems to be zoned to a badly rated school. So we'd be considering $20k+ of private school fees.


All of our friends inside the loop send their kids to private schools, but they're all wealthier than we are!



Everytime we look at highly rated schools, the price/sq foot spikes. There is a very clear correlation between good (as ranked) schools and the local house prices.


It's also quirky. I notice Frostwood (Spring Branch ISD) is in Memorial - somehow, Westside (highly rated Houston ISD school) is actually west of Frostwood further out of town and yet falls into HISD.


100% happy to send kiddo to a HISD school that ranks well - and allows us to buy a home in our price range, with suitable size, but the chips don't seem to be falling that way......

Fair enough. You would be surprised at how well the kids are doing at HISD schools where there is a lot of parental involvement. The Heights area has a program called learn local, which encourages parents to send their kids to their zoned schools, generally Heights HS(formerly Reagan HS), and Hogg MS. I would bet that the ratings aren't great, but the people I know whose kids go to those schools love them. My son transferred from an HISD magnet HS to Waltrip, our zoned HS, and he's loving it, and is making all A's in AP classes. The perception that HISD is a bad district is wrong. There are low performing schools, but my son's teachers for the last 12 years have all been great, and he's done well.

Here's an HISD map that shows how Westside is West of SBISD schools https://www.houstonisd.org/site/hand...02020-2021.pdf

[heydeespanner]

Thanks for the info WRM20 - I do feel somewhat of a fraud, as I went to a very average state school in a very working class area in the UK, and ended up at one of the UK's best Universities. I always thought if it was good enough for me, good enough for my kids, and then I ended up considering private education for our daughter!


I think ultimately we're looking at the whole equation of what we can afford and what return we would get. I would love nothing more than to be able to afford move to the Heights, but that ship sailed a long time ago given we would like some space (we have 2 dogs and a cat too).......

[new to this]

Originally Posted by dd1153

No one moves to MPCs to pay less taxes. They move to MPCs for the lifestyle and convenience of having everything in the neighborhood.

Bridgeland is the #1 selling neighborhood in Houston and Texas. Every school in Bridgeland is rated A+ excellent. Many of those people who live in town who no longer need to commute are moving out to the suburbs.

Yes your tax rate is higher, however as previously stated you get much more house in the burbs.

When we were looking we considered re sale that was outdated and needed remodel with a lower tax rate. Ultimately we built new for the potential equity capture and not having to deal with re model.

There is 900 acres off 99 and Bridgeland Creek Parkway about to be developed which will be built out similar to city center / woodlands market street.

Imo anything between i10 and 290 on 99 is under valued right now. Huge wave of development on the way.

Hey! Where did you see that they were developing the 900b acres to create something similar to City Center and the Woodlands Market Street? TIA!