Best Neighborhood Under $200k

[EasilyAmused]

Ashford Forest,Ashford South and Villiage West in 77077. It's zoned to one of the few Recognized High Schools in Houston- Westside. West Briar I believe is the Junior High and I think it's recognized too.

I used to say Country Village, but it's taken off, and these neighborhoods are next door.

Of course, this would be one of the CITY-ish neighborhoods
that I would look at if I was starting all over again. When the schools take off, so does the price range.

[bamba_boy]

I agree that Meadows is great but pretty far out - almost SugarLand. Westwood (not by Westwood mall but Stella Link at Willow Bend) and Willowbend are great just-outside-the-loop neighborhoods with at least some houses (not all) < 200k.

[DJboutit]

I live right near the loop on the south west side Willow Bend & Westbury have nice homes under $200K I am not leaving this area I love it born & raised & will die here

[AK123]

This one looks nice... on a busy road but has been fixed up
12434 Briar Forest, Houston, TX 77077 - HAR.com

Originally Posted by bamba_boy

I agree that Meadows is great but pretty far out - almost SugarLand.

It's not any further out from downtown than the above home... both 16-18 miles depending on the route. But yes, it's further out than the other places you mentioned.

[modster]

Obviously there are a ton of options in the suburbs in all directions. I don't know all those so I can only speak to the ones I am familiar with. If someone was looking inside the loop or right around it, I would have several options, don't know which would be considered best since they are all different.

I agree with the Westbury & Parkwest nomination. The area is definitely trending upwards, curb appeal is good and seemingly improving. There are a lot of investors really upgrading homes and flipping them, some do better jobs than others, but overall it is driving prices in an upward trend. It is appealing to more & more progressive types. Part of the area is zoned to Kolter, some to Parker, both good elementary schools.

Willow Meadows across Post Oak is now above that price point, some of Willowbend, and the few surrounding areas like Post Oak Manor and Willowbrook also seem to hold a lot of promise. These are very close to the loop and will continue to gain people priced out of Meyerland, especially when Meyerland continues to press upwards.

Also in the general area I would include Braeburn Valley, but not Braeburn Valley West further out. Braeburn has a lot of more custom feeling homes, good sizes, alley ways, and an active civic club.

You can still do under $200,000 in Oak Forest, which continues to trend positively with people priced out of Lazybrook, Timbergrove, Heights and Garden Oaks. I would also include the eastern section of Shepherd Forest there right next to the loop. With some luck and patience I think you can still get into Candlelight Estates that runs along the north side of Oak Forest. Good curb appeal, nice trees, mostly cul de sacs.

I would still include Lindale Park on the list, especially since it is inside the loop and the light rail will run down the west side of the neighborhood, which should be a boost to the area. The main streets in there like Irvington don't look good, but many of the side streets are in pretty good shape. A lot of the homes have good size lots and there are nice wide streets.

There are of course, the east end options. You can still find things in Eastwood and Woodleigh for under $200,000. Really close to downtown, great trees canopy over the streets, light rail going in right by it too. The challenge is most of the houses are either complete disasters needing every thing imaginable and $100 - $125,000 or they are completely redone and $250,000 with not much in between.

Houston Country Club Place still ranks high with me on value. I call it Idylwood light, it is less expensive than Idylwood and while the curb appeal is not quite Idylwood's, it is a good clean setting and many of the homes may need updating, but are still very livable and not total disasters. It has the convent and the golf course shielding at least two sides of it. You can still find something under $200k in Idylwood, but it will be small. Idylwood has great curb appeal too.

Obviously I chose Glenbrook Valley, and you can get some incredible homes on large lots in there for under $200k. Nearby Meadow Creek Village also offers some nice homes on nice lots. Chronicle Arts columnist Lisa Gray did an article on the mod house she bought over there, Chron.com | News, search and shopping from the Houston Chronicle

Sorry I didn't pick one, but that is my list.

[usc619]

North Katy/South Cypress area IMHO

[tstone]

I'll sell up my area as being one. Along Clear Lake City Blvd between Hwy 3 and Space Center Blvd offer some nice homes for about $200k. Bay Knoll, Bay Glen, Bay Pointe -- all those you can get one that's about 15-20 years old, 2000ish sq ft, and 3-4 bedrooms at that price.

At posted speeds it's about 20-25 minutes from downtown, 20-25 to my fishing hole in Seabrook, 25-30 from the TX med. center, 30-35 from the Galleria, and 35-40 from Galveston. There are jogging/biking trails everywhere as well as an area park, protected nature center and a nice, heavily wooded dog park that just opened up. It's a professionally diverse suburban area, and all schools are at least good in Clear Creek ISD. I find no shortage of good & unique restaurants around. They are usually the type you go to a strip mall to stuff your face with good food and that's about it. If you'd rather prefer great ambience where you can be seen & heard (talking left-wing politics) while eating mediocre food, it's not the area to do it. There is also a nightlife present and scattered around, as well as a mid-late 20s college crowd, but this I don't really care about this anymore, with a baby now at home now and all.

I think it's a good place with a lot of things closeby, but the only pitfall is one that scares people off. It's 8 miles from Galveston Bay, and the 77062 zip is a Cat 3+ evacuation zone. But even with Ike's massive storm surge, these areas weren't touched by it. It was all wind damage, and the (underground) electricity was only out for 24 hrs.

So anyway that's my contribution.

[SoHoVe]

If you are willing to look outside the loop, I think you get the most bang for you buck in Kingwood.

Its safe.

Its beautiful.

Good schoools.

Not a bad commute.

Afforable housing.

[Vicman]

The main criteria is: Where do you work?

Try to get a place close to where you work.

Originally Posted by SoHoVe

If you are willing to look outside the loop, I think you get the most bang for you buck in Kingwood.

Its safe.

Its beautiful.

Good schoools.

Not a bad commute.

Afforable housing.

Kingwood is convenient for people working in Greenspoint or by Bush Airport, i.e. in directions north and northeast of the 610 Loop.

Kingwood would not be convenient for people working in Sugar Land, Energy Corridor, Clear Lake, or Westchase.