Which would you pick? (Pearland, Alvin: low crime, new home, buyer)

[ChocolateBabz]

Both Pearland - Both Same Price ($400K once upgrades included) - Both nice plots overlooking a lake.

Westin Homes @ Stonebridge (non-gated, private pool, low HOA)

Newmark or Coventry Homes @ Lakes of Highland Glen (gated, communal amenities, higher HOA)

Have heard horror stories about all 3 builders but assume that's the internet for you! Anyone with personal experience or insider knowledge that they would like to share? TIA

[DJboutit]

Pearland it is so close in 288 does not have much traffic it is a nice area

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by DJboutit

Pearland it is so close in 288 does not have much traffic it is a nice area

Have you been down there lately?

I live near where you do and if I ever have to go to a Super Wal-Mart I go to the one by Almeda Mall instead of the Silverlake (Pearland@288) one. I used to go to that one four or five years ago when I was living in Alvin, before everything else got built up with the one road leading in and out of it. Now the traffic there absolutely sucks on ice. You'll have traffic in the 518 exit lane backing up halfway to the beltway. And this isn't even at rush hour.

[texas7]

Constant traffic at 518 and 288 even weekends -- and from friends who live in Silverlake and commute downtown - they tell me the daily commute is no picnic either. Yet they still like it despite the traffic because everything they need is right there - restaurants/retail and proximity to downtown and med center. When they were originally selling Silverlake - developers boasted to lookers that the commute was a 15 minute drive into downtown. That was when Silverlake was the only thing out there - not a grocery store, restaurant or retail shop to be had. So Silverlakers - how long does it actually take you to get to work these days - leaving at normal rush hour time and from garage to garage or lot?

[Beto]

Originally Posted by ChocolateBabz

Both Pearland - Both Same Price ($400K once upgrades included) - Both nice plots overlooking a lake.

Westin Homes @ Stonebridge (non-gated, private pool, low HOA)

Newmark or Coventry Homes @ Lakes of Highland Glen (gated, communal amenities, higher HOA)

Have heard horror stories about all 3 builders but assume that's the internet for you! Anyone with personal experience or insider knowledge that they would like to share? TIA

Coventry Homes builds a great product and is one of 4 products that MHI builds. I have several clients who bought a MHI home and have had only good thing to say about the product and great customer service the have had since move in. Newmark recently filled for Homebuilder TOUSA Inc. said it is considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after reporting a deep third-quarter loss. As for Westin Homes I don't know that much about them, but their website and most of the links are not working properly. Hope that helps.

[tstone]

Originally Posted by texas7

So Silverlakers - how long does it actually take you to get to work these days - leaving at normal rush hour time and from garage to garage or lot?

I've been down there several times and it was always about 25-30 mins from downtown to the 518 exit. So you can add time it takes to get to the freeway from your downtown building, and add the time it takes to actually get on 518, and to your house. I'd budget 50-60 mins door to door, which seems like a normal rush-hour commute around here.

[HouTex]

I would pick westin homes, I like their floor plans

[chris_ut]

Coventry is probably your best bet of those 3 builders as far as reputation goes.

[brookeb1119]

Check TRCC.state.tx.us, HADD. org and BBB. You need to research Texas builders exhaustively, as there are many reviews, reports, and standings you should consider.
We just signed to build a new home, and reputation goes a long way - there's a lot of ways a builder can *********.
You have to learn to recognize the 'drama' from the real deal. If there are problems reported, the important thing is to know they fixed it, or that it could just be because of ignorance and lack of involvement on the buyer's part.
I grew up in Pearland and it has gotten way out of control for me. If I'm going to go through the hassle of commuting, I'm going to pick a community with low crime rates, people that have respect for their surroundings, and less traffic INSIDE the suburb. And I did!

[inspector80]

Ive got insider knowledge on Westin homes if you are interested