Texas real estate and the big beat

[Al Fernandez]

The little lady and I have been here in Houston for about five days now looking at houses. I think we've looked at about 12-14 houses each and every day, all up and down Spring, Cypress, Tomball...northwest Houston. Now, coming from California, I expected three things: huge houses, good size pieces of land, and absolutely no issues with parking a race car trailer. You gotta understand in Norcal, even a 1200sf house on a 6,000sf lot has an RV slot between the house and the privacy fence.

So obviously there are big houses to be had on the cheap here (though some are just that: cheap!) but boy was I wrong on the good size pieces f land and RV parking. I mean, even in the $400K+ price tag range the houses are still about ten, maybe fifteen feet apart on 10,000ft lots. What the hell?? We've found a two "large lot" developments, but man, this has really been eye opening... Of course we've also found a few really really large lots, but these are cow farms really and we're city folk :lol:

Oh well, we're pushing he commute envelope this morning and heading out a little further to see what happens.

[Rob Liebbe]

I don't know if you already have an agent, but I will recommend Crystal Graham at ERA Whitaker in Tomball. She's a native to the area and sells a lot of what you are talking about. If you are working with an agent from the Woodlands or Spring, tthey will show you exactly what you have been seeing. Tell her Rob Liebbe sent ya'.

Also -

http://www.har.com/5490347

sounds more like what you are describing, in my neighborhood and not far from Todd's place

[Rob Liebbe]

I and sells a lot of what you are talking about.

I meant sells a lot of what you are wanting and not what you are being shown.

Also see PM

[chris-CMC#35]

I'm with Rob - I think your agent is taking you to the wrong places. I moved to Houston from Silicon Valley in 2003, and went through a similar kind of shock: "where the hell is the open space?!"

In the end, we used HAR.com to identify the kind of places we wanted to see, and then went and found it. For us, that turned out to be in Lake Windcrest, out in Magnolia, though there are restrictions about trailers in open view. (I was the proud recipient of more than one 'love letter' from the Home Owner's Association...)

HAR.com is by far the best real estate website we ever found, better than anything in California, which surprised us.

For what it's worth, we used Sybil Hodges, at Texas Country Real Estate. (281) 356-4499 X24

Good hunting.

-chris

[Al Fernandez]

Thanks a lot for the advice guys. Actually I think our realtor has been doing a great job, we just asked for too much. Too much land, too close to downton, too new, and too cheap! hahaha 8)

We've seen a lot of places that will work, I was just exhausting all options to keep the commute under 30 miles. That's just unrealistic as it turns out. What did I know!!

[Rob Liebbe]

As far as pushing the commuting envelope is concerned, the far north is quite a drive to downtown as it is. This will only get worse as Houston continues to grow. But you probably knew that already. Traffic has gotten significantly heavier in the northern areas in the 6 1/2 years that I have been here.

Good luck

[Al Fernandez]

Yeah, thats why I was hoping to be closer to the city. I just cant stomach being here and having the same house as I had there...so I guess I'll just sit a bunch of time in my car every day. :)

We made a deal on a house in Magnolia today; the east side, close to the 45 to try to keep the commute from getting too rediculous. We'll move in early March. :D

[Rob Liebbe]

Congrats on finding a house. But a short lesson in regional acclamation - you have to drop the word "the" before highway numbers. That either Interstate 45 or just 45 - not "the" 45. It will expose you as a non-Texan and lead to cruel and unusual ridicule.

8)

[David Love AI27]

I don't know if you already have an agent, but I will recommend Crystal Graham at ERA Whitaker in Tomball. She's a native to the area and sells a lot of what you are talking about. If you are working with an agent from the Woodlands or Spring, tthey will show you exactly what you have been seeing. Tell her Rob Liebbe sent ya'.

Also -

http://www.har.com/5490347

sounds more like what you are describing, in my neighborhood and not far from Todd's place

ERA Whitaker Realty is owned by my Step-brother and I went to High school with Crystal.... ohhh and I was a REALTOR/Appraiser for 18 years... if you need so help, I can hook you up....