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Old 11-10-2009, 05:36 PM
 
Location: Charleston Sc and Western NC
9,273 posts, read 26,491,966 times
Reputation: 4741

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Gosh, I'm glad the old house=downhill formula hasn't effected my area...1960's era.

In fact, I would say, established neighborhood, with upper-middle,educated residents=appreciation in Houston. There's a lot to say about an established neighborhood vibe.

PS- There was a great article on the revival of Memorial PArkway about a year ago. It's all about location at the end of the day. And when the westside keeps on trucking value wise, the east side of Katy appreciates...because, well...it's closer.

 
Old 11-10-2009, 06:22 PM
 
Location: Cinco Dinero
967 posts, read 2,609,808 times
Reputation: 1354
My take... I think it is great to acknowledge that you don't have to live in a $200k house to live in a great neighborhood or go to great schools.

And not just a Cinco thing... but yes... in the area there are posers, and keep-up-with-the-Jones snobs.
I see it when I volunteer at elementary school (SAHMs dressed up in designer duds in the workroom)
I see it when I work at Target (cashier/guest service... dismissive boorish attitudes, can't get off their cell phone... just waive their hand at me to say "hush! on the phone here!)
I've seen it at the Cinco waterpark where a boor of a father was allowing his non-swimmer to go down the slides even though the (teen) lifeguard was trying to impose the rule that you have to be able to swim unassisted to the wall. He just ignored the lifegueard.
A lot of posers who feel like they have to "live" the part... you know, live in a $300k house and act like millionares!

Nonetheless, as we all gravitate toward like minded people... my friends are down to earth, low key. Having my 3 girls active in Girl Scouts has been a godsend in connecting with people more interested in character than designer duds.

Kind of helps to laugh off the craziness too.

Not just a Cinco thing I suppose... but certainly a upper-middle-class-lack-of-self-esteem kinda thing that pervades many suburbs I suppose.

Here's the thing. You'll never be rich enough. Someone will always have a bigger house than you and try to set you in your place... true story... working in the PTA room... chatting with a seemingly nice lady about homebuilders. She had just moved into her new house here in Cinco. If you've ever built in a MPC you remember the dizzying days where you compared 55' lots vs 65' lots You knew floorplans by their names "Van Buren vs Sequoia", etc...

HER:"blah, blah, Villiage Builders..."
ME: "oh, yes, we have a VB home, built 2 years ago. Love it!"
HER: what model? I have the ___
ME: (racking my brain to remember) Seqouia, I think
HER: Oh that's just the ___ series. Mine is the Presidential series. It has better upgrades...

My mind: How swell for you. Even living in Cinco someone can make you feel like you live on the wrong side of the tracks lol!
 
Old 11-10-2009, 06:28 PM
 
Location: Cinco Dinero
967 posts, read 2,609,808 times
Reputation: 1354
And on another note I LOVE Mason Rd! Everything I could ever need is over there! On a Wednesday, I pack a cooler and hit Kroger, Randalls, HEB, Fiesta for all the weekly specials, go to my bank, husband's bank, the 99cent store (and dollar store!) in 2 hours hit all my weekly "must shopping"

Mason Road also has my church, my daughters' Dance & Gymnastics classes, many of my favorite restaurants! (mmm Pei Wei)

If only I lived CLOSER to Mason! lol!
 
Old 11-10-2009, 06:38 PM
 
Location: Charleston Sc and Western NC
9,273 posts, read 26,491,966 times
Reputation: 4741
Quote:
Originally Posted by descovy View Post
My take... I think it is great to acknowledge that you don't have to live in a $200k house to live in a great neighborhood or go to great schools.

And not just a Cinco thing... but yes... in the area there are posers, and keep-up-with-the-Jones snobs.
I see it when I volunteer at elementary school (SAHMs dressed up in designer duds in the workroom)
I see it when I work at Target (cashier/guest service... dismissive boorish attitudes, can't get off their cell phone... just waive their hand at me to say "hush! on the phone here!)
I've seen it at the Cinco waterpark where a boor of a father was allowing his non-swimmer to go down the slides even though the (teen) lifeguard was trying to impose the rule that you have to be able to swim unassisted to the wall. He just ignored the lifegueard.
A lot of posers who feel like they have to "live" the part... you know, live in a $300k house and act like millionares!

Nonetheless, as we all gravitate toward like minded people... my friends are down to earth, low key. Having my 3 girls active in Girl Scouts has been a godsend in connecting with people more interested in character than designer duds.

Kind of helps to laugh off the craziness too.

Not just a Cinco thing I suppose... but certainly a upper-middle-class-lack-of-self-esteem kinda thing that pervades many suburbs I suppose.

Here's the thing. You'll never be rich enough. Someone will always have a bigger house than you and try to set you in your place... true story... working in the PTA room... chatting with a seemingly nice lady about homebuilders. She had just moved into her new house here in Cinco. If you've ever built in a MPC you remember the dizzying days where you compared 55' lots vs 65' lots You knew floorplans by their names "Van Buren vs Sequoia", etc...

HER:"blah, blah, Villiage Builders..."
ME: "oh, yes, we have a VB home, built 2 years ago. Love it!"
HER: what model? I have the ___
ME: (racking my brain to remember) Seqouia, I think
HER: Oh that's just the ___ series. Mine is the Presidential series. It has better upgrades...

My mind: How swell for you. Even living in Cinco someone can make you feel like you live on the wrong side of the tracks lol!

Gosh this reminds me of my time in The Woodlands. At the end of the day, you are still working to pay your mortgage in a tract home...sometimes it has a fancy plan name that make you feel more accomplished.
 
Old 11-10-2009, 08:36 PM
 
1,474 posts, read 4,996,475 times
Reputation: 557
ya'all bought the wrong house
 
Old 11-10-2009, 11:37 PM
 
Location: Houston, TX
277 posts, read 368,575 times
Reputation: 92
Can't compare Memorial to Cinco. Cinco is more upscale. Better planned (more private) communities. Better upkeep. New homes and communities. Larger homes. More wealth. Memorial is like any other community north of 1-10 in Katy, that just happens to be just south of 1-10. That part of Mason Rd is not really a good representation of South Katy, Kelliwood, Cinco. Fry Rd South of 1-10 Does...not Mason. Memorial is also a way older community, and more blue collar is you ask me. Nothing really special. But not the worse neighborhood either. It's a nice blue collar, middle/working class area, but nothing that stands out if you drive by the area. But Cinco/South Katy area is better by far.

And you will always have snobs no matter where you live. Some people always want to be better than others....it's a self esteem issue. Then you have great neighbors just like yourself. Life is like a box of chocolate....

Your post does come off like you are kinda jealous of your neighbors to the South. And that is not a great trait either, like the snobs. Being single with 2 dogs, I don't have the need to buy in Cinco, but if I had a family, Cinco would sure be on the top of my list. Memorial is not bad, once again, but not better that Cinco as your post suggests. It's great that you love where you live, but don't put down the other folks because they can afford where they live.

Last edited by John C. H.; 11-11-2009 at 12:02 AM..
 
Old 11-11-2009, 07:40 AM
 
33 posts, read 141,224 times
Reputation: 18
My husband and I lived with some friends who have a house in Memorial Parkway. We had just moved from Austin, and we stayed with them while we tried to figure out what we wanted to do about buying a house (in the end, we realized it would be at least six more months, so we got an apartment). As for the neighborhood itself, I really liked it. We seriously considered buying a home there and fixing it up, but ultimately decided against it. While I had no problem painting, laying tile, etc., I didn't really want to have to deal with replacing plumbing, electrical, etc. So, we've decided to buy something built in this century

But, the neighborhood was very nice and fairly quiet. The house we stayed in was right behind Copper Chase (as in, shared a back fence with it), so things could get a bit loud out there on the weekends. I do love all the trees in that neighborhood -- so pretty, even if they do drop pine needles all over my car!
 
Old 11-11-2009, 08:04 AM
 
Location: Houston, Texas
1,668 posts, read 4,706,626 times
Reputation: 3037
When homes in most of Houston's outter suburbs get to be about 10, they don't get much love from the general population. What's the point in fixing up a 10 yr old house when when the brand new "Fleetwood series" is 2 miles down the FM? Next thing you know the "less desirable" crowd moves on in because the homes are cheaper & next thing ya know the schools go down. It's a never ending cycle in this city. Houston developers have too much land to play with.

It can be rewarding to fix up an older home if it's well built. But I get why people in the burbs don't do it.....
 
Old 11-11-2009, 01:27 PM
 
Location: Northern Scotland
9 posts, read 20,599 times
Reputation: 21
I am relocating with my family (husband, 3 kids, aged 17, 8 and 3 - [the 18 year old is staying at Uni in Scotland - it's free] and I want to live in Cinco Ranch. I looked at Sugarland and it's great but the commute will be a pain. Cinco Ranch is not my choice because I want to show off anything. I just want to live there. It seems like a great place to live. The houses are fabulous and very, very inexpensive for what you get (for us Brits anyway). The amenities are amazing - I have never seen anything like it in the UK. The schools are good, which is very important for me, especially with an international move on my hands and kids at all different ages. Houston has a lot to offer in lots of different neighbourhoods. But Cinco Ranch does seem to tick all by boxes (and I have a lot of boxes)!
 
Old 11-12-2009, 09:42 AM
 
2,639 posts, read 8,287,717 times
Reputation: 1366
Quote:
Originally Posted by LizzySWW View Post
When homes in most of Houston's outter suburbs get to be about 10, they don't get much love from the general population. What's the point in fixing up a 10 yr old house when when the brand new "Fleetwood series" is 2 miles down the FM? Next thing you know the "less desirable" crowd moves on in because the homes are cheaper & next thing ya know the schools go down. It's a never ending cycle in this city. Houston developers have too much land to play with.

It can be rewarding to fix up an older home if it's well built. But I get why people in the burbs don't do it.....
IA Someday Memorial Pkwy will be considered close in and the value will go up... just like other West side neighborhoods in 77042 and 77079. By then Cinco will be old and something new will be out even farther in bfe. Cinco may go the way of Champions in 10-20 years.
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