Maplewood South (Houston, Pearland, Bellaire: crime, house, job market)

[gingerlol]

My fiancee and I are looking to move closer to Houston (we currently live in Shadow Creek Ranch in Pearland). The house we're looking at is in Maplewood South near Bob White. While driving around the neighborhood, I noticed that Bob White isn't too far from Fondren, which I've been told to avoid.

I was wondering if the part of Maplewood South near Fondren has more crime issues than the parts farther east (on the other side of Hillcroft) and Meyerland.

Also, any general opinions of Maplewood South are appreciated. We're not planning to have kids so we're not too concerned about schools.

Thanks!

[houston-nomad]

My impression is that there is more crime closer to Fondren. I would try to stay closer to Hillcroft.

[tdhg566]

you may not be concerned about schools for the kids you're not going to have, but the school zone of your house affects your neighbors, the long term value of your property and the resale potential. The further East you can be from the area you described, the better. Hillcroft is the West boundary of Bellaire HS.

[houston-nomad]

No, Maplewood south even further east is still zoned to Westbury HS. But you get a better elementary and middle school east of Hillcroft.

Your point is true, though. Maplewood South overall is still affordable compared to nearby neighborhoods, probably because of the high school zoning. Being zoned to a better elementary would make a home a better investment.

[bamba_boy]

I live in Lakes of Fondren (very close to Fondren Rd) and it's true that you want to be zoned to Bellaire HS rather than Westbury or Sharpstown if you live in the SW. However, I found that you get sooo much more house for your money that it may be worth it to you to live outside the zone. Make sure that, like ours, you have a private security/constable patrol paid for and limited exclusively to your subdivision, as it will do wonders for preventing the crime from cheap apts in the area from spilling into your neighborhood. We had an amazing record of 3 burgleries for the whole year 2009 and they were all outside the house (unlocked bicycles, lawn furniture, etc) with a very strict private patrol run by a former Houston Police Department Assist. Chief.

Resale of your home later to people with kids is better than you might think because of some of the leading private/church schools are in the area - Strake Jesuit, Agnes Academy, Westbury Lutheran - as well as the magnet program in the Houston Independent School District, that allows a good student to attend a school outside his HS district - for example a Maplewood South resident could go to Bellaire HS's exceptional Language Arts campus within a campus which is a magnet offering all the major languages in intense form but also including the "new global importance" languages like Arabic, Mandarin, Hindi, etc that would make your child very competive in the future job market. The money you save on your house could get your kid into a great private school and if he's smart and can get into a good HISD magnet (others in science, leadership, criminal justice, etc) you can just bank the money or get a better house.