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witchdoctor575 wrote:have you looked at pearland? 288 runs straight up into houston

That's new unincorporated pearland. The real pearland is a lot closer to 45. It's definitely worth looking into though.

Also consider parts of Dickinson and League City.

WildBill wrote:I had almost forgot about the lack of zoning laws. This was quite a shock to me when I moved to Houston and found that you could, literally, have a company build a chemical plant across the street from your house.

While this is true in principle, it doesn't happen in the better neighborhoods. Property values are too high to allow residences to be turned into a junk yard or concrete plant, and many parcels have deed restrictions.

The flip side of those master planned communities is that the homeowners association is sometimes run by people who would make soviet commissars blush with shame. They will land on you like a ton of bricks for painting your front door the wrong color or installing some prohibited item like a birdbath or sandbox.

- Jim

seamusTX wrote:the homeowners association is sometimes run by people who would make soviet commissars blush with shame.
- Jim

There is much truth to this. Many HOAs have gotten bad reputations for how they've treated residents. Best to be aware and ask lots of questions.

One trick we would do on previous moves is, if the wife showed interest in a house, we'd go back to the street later, without the realtor, meet the prospective neighbors, walk the side walks, and check out the parks and schools. If a realtor ever got huffy about this practice, I'd quote Regan, "Trust, but verify." Or, I'd get another realtor. If the neighbors weren't at least reasonably open and friendly, we'd probably pass on the house. We would also ask about flooding, HOAs, utility services and all those types of every day items.

The flip side of those master planned communities is that the homeowners association is sometimes run by people who would make soviet commissars blush with shame. They will land on you like a ton of bricks for painting your front door the wrong color or installing some prohibited item like a birdbath or sandbox.

- Jim[/quote]

While you may not get a junkyard you very well could get 3 3 story townhomes on 2 lots next to you that used to be single family homes, and those townhomes are set back from your property line a whopping 12 inches. (happened to a friend of mine)

As an outsider the lack of zoning laws and the fight of people not to enact them is one of the baffling things in Texas.

It's always a question of where to draw the line on property rights.

No one wants their neighbor to burn tires or raise pigs on a small lot in town, but how much power do you want an unelected zoning board to have?

- Jim

They will land on you like a ton of bricks for painting your front door the wrong color or installing some prohibited item like a birdbath or sandbox.

Try flying the American Flag.

That, too.

- Jim

Definitely consider the plus and minus of a HOA. Some are pretty benign while others rival the infamous Condo Commandos of Florida. Personally I'll never own a home where there's maint fees and HOA rules because for me it negates the biggest advantage of owning over renting. Autonomy. Others look at their house as an investment and think a HOA protects their investment. Or they have large dogs or children and need a large backyard. Or whatever. Everyone is different and the great thing about America is the freedom to spend your money your way. For now.

The important thing is to consider what you really need and want from a home and consider all the costs, not just the financial ones, and weigh them against the benefits.

Also consider the economy and where you think it's going. If you think Hopey McChange will rebound the economy in 2010, now is a good time to buy. If you think it will stay about the same, maybe up or down a little, rent for 6 months and take your time deciding where (and if) you want to buy. If you think the ecomony will get worse in 2010, rent and sit on your cash until you find a real bargain.

Like TheArmedFarmer said recently, "As with all investments, you make money when you buy, not when you sell."

jordanmills wrote:That's new unincorporated pearland.

Do you mean unincorporated Harris or Brazoria county? How can it be unincorporated Pearland?

For $200k, Pearland (with a commute) or a small something near Allen Parkway (no commute).

Bart wrote:

jordanmills wrote:That's new unincorporated pearland.

Do you mean unincorporated Harris or Brazoria county? How can it be unincorporated Pearland?

Pearland has jurisdiction over it, but it's not actually in the city limits. I'm too lazy to look up the exact details this late. Suffice to say, Pearland residents don't consider silverlake et al to be part of pearland.

As an outsider the lack of zoning laws and the fight of people not to enact them is one of the baffling things in Texas.

I always thought of it as more of a Houston area thing. San Antonio had some pretty strict zoning in effect. Of course, zoning and HOAs are not mutually exclusive.

NuBer92 wrote:I love the heights area. I went to school in the area and to be honest, its not bad. People mind their own business and are actually quite friendly. Dont let people that are waiting for a bus scare you, they are trying to make a living too they just dont have cars. dont be a xenaphob, just because their skin is a different color does not mean they are up to no good.

+1

Don't be afraid of living near sorority girls either. Or people who drive Hondas.

Thanks to everyone for your comments and advice. We decided to rent a few miles from my job and get a better feel for the city, traffic, et cetera, before locking ourselves in by buying a house. It might cost a little more to wait but there are considerations beyond money and we want to be sure we're happy where we live. On the other hand, we might save some money by waiting, especially with having the time to find a bargain.

I started work this week and we're still getting settled in. Once things get back to normal I'll be back with questions about gun stores and shooting ranges.