Living in Houston 7 months, ready to build. Advice needed on builders (Spring: sales, HOA fees)

[Rynnakat]

I've read a lot of excellent advice on here and thought I would pose my own dillema to you guys. Ive rented a older home here for 8 months, and we are ready to buy or build.

My friend moved to "The Villages of Cypress Lakes" We met the sales consultant in there and like one of the floorplans.

The thing that I am balking at is in the Villages it looks like the property taxes are going to explode upward because of the golf course and more expensive homes being sold in the area.

Also, he is not a custom builder, he can only do a few cosmetic things so I might not be able to have a master up as well, we are going to meet and discuss this soon. I want to do a similar floorplan and have a second master up because my mom will be in the handicapped accessible master down. Apparently the employees have full range of modifying the floorplans, but not me

The incentives the builder is offering are $5000 toward closing since we never had a realtor, 1 Year HOA fees and 1 year home insurance if we go with his preferred lender. 42" cabinets, spindle stair, french doors on the study, radiant barrier decking, front gutters and full brick. 1 year interior warranty, 10 years foundation warranty. One like this just sold for $166,750 in the Villages. We would qualify for the FHA $8000 credit.

The area has 3.5% taxes and HOA is $400.

I also wonder how low the builder would come down on the price since we would be asking him to build it from the ground up. I noticed in November one like this sold for $159,000

What do you guys think, is this a good deal or do you know a comparable builder in this area? I'd love your input on anything I talked about. Builder is Briarwood Homes, also known as Postwood Homes. Anyone know a builder doing 2 master floorplans in 77429 or closer toward the Beltway? I looked all around 290/Huffmeister and 290 pretty much up to Spring Cypress/Cypress Rosehill, where the Villages is.

Thanks!
Miss Kat

[sevfiv]

What $ range are we talking here? Have you considered design/architecture? Or is that a non-issue?

[chris_ut]

One comment on the floorplan you linked to is that there is a straight shot from the front door to the master bedroom door so someone at the door could basically see right into your bedroom with the door open which for me would not be an attractive design.

[tstone]

Yikes, $159k for 3100 sq ft?! Just by that cheapness, it sounds like KB Home quality to me. (2nd floor earthquakes, sheet rock you can bend by pressing on it, etc) Property taxes are known to explode in neighborhood full of those types of houses, and probably same goes for electric bills in the summer.

[westres1]

Postwood/briarwood/ashwood are all the same and they do not have a good reputation. All you have to do is google any of the names and many bad reviews appear
Testimonials for Ashwood, Postwood, ... Long Lake Homes & Builder
As a former Realtor I refused to show them due to bad BBB rating and other issues

[Rynnakat]

My range is anything up to about $170,000. No kids, just my hubby and I and my handicapped mom. I did google Briarwood/Postwood homes, and some reviews I have seen are pretty old and my buddy closed on his house there last month and so far they have fixed everything he asked them to. He also tore into the walls hanging about 15 speakers in the walls and we got the see the guts, ..sturdy materials, good sheetrock, thick paint etc. No sqeaky in the floors...I heard that they were trying to get their BBB reviews up but that might be just a rumor.

I just need 4 bedrooms and a large media room for the built in movie theatre we are planning. Thats why this floorplan looks sweet because its got the handicapped bedroom down for mom near the kitchen, and a few media rooms. Architechure and design is a non issue. I'm happy with just about anything.

If you guys have any recommendations for builders in my range in the NW please let me know, and keep the comments coming!

Chris I got your point...good catch there.

[EasilyAmused]

3.5% taxes would keep me away all by themselves.

[ChosenNYC]

I never heard of this builder. I liked Meritage Homes and I know they have some big floor plans at reasonable prices you might want to give them a look first. We looked for almost a year before finding the right plan and right neighborhood don't rush it make sure it is 100% right.

[rigas]

yes i would stasy away from postwood, briarwood, and any other affiliate. those guys are IMO worse then KB. (well their slabs LOOK good but thats because one of my finishers works for them some)

i suggest custom, a lot of custom builders can build you a VERY nice home how YOU want it for what you would pay a production builder or not much more. www.mcvaugh.com , mcvaugh custom homes will build what ever you like pretty much where ever, laurence-michael homes is another custom builder i have known, well since before i was born. (the owner has been building since the 70's himself and my grandfather did his concrete all the way back then). schumacher homes is another decent builder that will build what you want or they have plans you can use as well.

all of tehse gusy will do you right.

[davidtk]

I doubt any custom builder will work with a budget of $170K, which is what the original poster is working with.

$170K for 3100 square feet actually sounds too cheap. The builder must be cutting corners somewhere to make a profit on a house that large and that inexpensive.

Why would property taxes explode from expensive houses being built nearby? That should help because you have more people to share in the taxes, and the more expensive houses will have to pay a higher share of the taxes.