Back to Houston (Sugar Land, Spring, Katy: for sale, HOA fees, new home)

[family5]

Hi Texans,
We should move back to Texas after 3 years in Norway. And happy to do so although we liked it in the north! My Husband will be working close to the intersection I10 and beltway 8. We are looking for an exemplary high/middle/elementary school in the area (we have three children aged 10, 4 and 1). Do you have any suggestion where to look not further than 30mn commute from there? In a nice, safe, family oriented, woody area? I've heard of Memorial but I really don't know... Thanks for your help.

[Mom2Feebs]

Memorial is fabulous. Spring Branch ISD is excellent. The following neighborhoods are your best bet:

Wilchester
Wilchester West
Thornwood and Fleetwood (actually zoned to Katy ISD)
Nottingham
Nottingham Forest
Westchester
Gaywood
Rustling Oaks
Rustling Pines
Memorial Plaza
Memorial Bend

Try a search on HAR.com for those subdivisions and you'll get a feel for the homes and prices.

If I can answer any questions, let me know. I'm a realtor (don't let that scare you ), and I've lived in the area for 6+ years and am very familiar with it.

[family5]

And what about Sugar Land and Katy? Schools seem to be great there, it is our top priority...

[Mom2Feebs]

Ft. Bend ISD isn't as well-rated, currently, as Katy ISD. There are great parts of Katy as well, like Cinco Ranch, Kelliwood, Green Trails, and further out, Grand Lakes, Seven Meadows, etc.

Price range is a factor--for instance, homes in Memorial typically sell for between $90-$120 per square foot. Something in Katy is going to sell for $50-$85 per square foot, depending on the neighborhood. There are exceptions for both, but on average that is what you will see.

I wouldn't hesitate putting my daughter in SBISD or Katy ISD. Ft Bend, well, I'd have to be a little pickier. It's not awful by any means, but I'd have to do a little more investigative work.

[family5]

Thanks for all those helpful informations!
We would love to live in the Memorial area with all those pine trees but I thought houses there were a little outdated...Do you recommend remodeling a house in Mem area?
And what are the ratings for AWTY international, English section?
Thanks for your time.

[Mom2Feebs]

I always recommend the Memorial area, even if the houses are a bit older. The reason is they are classics, hold their value, and many people have updated them beautifully on the inside with new kitchens and bathrooms. It is hard to beat some of the custom features built into the older homes.

Having said that, an older home, or the thought of renovation isn't pleasant for all people. Sometimes newer is the way to go, depending on your lifestyle. There are some new homes in Memorial, due to tearing down of old homes. You'll see that a lot in Memorial Bend and Gaywood.

It's all going to come down to your price range, really, and where your kids will get the best education. If you want something a little more "recent" (15 years to brand new) and you're in a $200K-$400K range I'd recommend Cinco Ranch, Kelliwood, Twin Lakes, Windsor Park Estates, or Green Trails (the Park).

If you want to rehab and have the benefits of living in Memorial, I'd go with something like this: Moderator cut: url and totally remodel the interior (BTW that isn't my listing or even my broker, LOL, I just like that house a whole lot! ). The price is nice (299K), and with 40-50K on the inside you'd be amazed at the value increase when it comes time to sell. There are homes that have been rehabbed in that very subdivision that are selling for $400-$600K, so it's possible to do very well.

*I just want to add that my post here was edited by a moderator, however, I was not advertising, merely showing an example of a home that was for sale in the Memorial area. It was neither my listing nor my broker. I just wanted to clarify so no one thinks I was spamming!

[bbpv]

Hi Mom2Feebs,

I hate to intrude in your threads with family5 but I was hoping you could answer a question I have. I have been looking at listings on line in the Katy area and from what I have seen a lot of properties have HOA fees. I currenltly live in LA and my husband and I might head out that way. I was wondering if all the properties in Katy and in the Memorial area have HOA fees.

[Mom2Feebs]

If it is a legal subdivision with a Homeowner's Association, as is the case for most homes in Houston, you will have Association dues. Depending on the neighborhood, the prices can range from $300-$700 per year.

HOA's pay for maintenance of the neighborhood and grounds, along with assets like pools, playgrounds, etc.

The only way to avoid that is to look for unrestricted land, and even then you still might have some sort of HOA but it would be very limited indeed, so your fees would be exceptionally low (less than $100 a year).

Hope that helps!

[bbpv]

Thank you Moms2Feebs! I was under the impression that the HOA fees where paid monthly. I was actually having second thoughts of moving because of the HOA fees. Once a year I won't have a problem. I really appreciate your help

[Mom2Feebs]

No problem. Many HOA's let you break that annual fee up into monthly payments so it doesn't hit you all at once.