Champion Forest vs. Woodlands (Houston, The Woodlands: home search, places to live, professionals)

[crone]

London Lady, I grew up in Houston. DH's job moved us in and out for 30 years. We have owned many, many houses in lots of towns.

Years ago when we had 2 kids in college, a cash flow problem loomed. I started rehabbing. Did it 17 times. My houses in Webster Groves, Kirkwood and Glendale, Mo. and Dallas sold for full price the first week on the market. Houston usually took a month or more. You are correct about the same subdivision going in a mile up the road and depressing values of pre existing homes. Not like that in most other towns

Having lived here nearly 15 years, DH retired at 52, IMO Huntwick, real Champions and Greenwood Forest can't be beat. The young families who bought in my neighborhood purchased houses that have not been touched since they were built. I have lost track of the rehabs in my little subdivision. Those who have cash to invest figure they are better off buying old and needing updating rather than a house that has already been done.

The like new house has a much higher tax burden. Unincorporated counties in Texas have no building codes to speak of. Nobody need know what updating was done for tax purposes.

The Great state of Texas can get into your uterus, but not your house.

[lukevoigt]

Originally Posted by London Lady

Went up to The Woodlands and felt rather ripped off immediately. Decided there was no need to pay those prices when I'm no longer concerned about kids in school.

Born in The Woodlands, work in The Woodlands, now I'm raising a family in The Woodlands. Some say I drink the koolade; I don't disagree. Watching The Woodlands hold true to the same centralized theme over the last 3 decades gives me solace in investing in a home here. You might pay more for the houses, but it's for a reason. There is finite space in The Woodlands proper. The original villages (Alden, Sterling, Indian Springs, Cochrans, Panther Creek, Grogans Mill, Creekside) are for the most part built out. That means no new roads will intersect or expand (depending on the village; Cochrans and Panther Creek are safe bets). Point being, people want to live in The Woodlands proper, and the supply cannot keep up with demand, especially as companies relocate to north Houston. A huge benefit of living in The Woodlands proper is stability of home price. My mother-in-law sold her house last month in Alden Bridge. She listed it on Friday and had 6 offers by Sunday; 3 of which were above asking price. Inventory doesn't stay on the market very long in Houston as it is, but in The Woodlands, the average on-market time is but a fraction.

I'd definitely recommend giving The Woodlands a second look.

[sxrckr]

Spring and the general FM 1960 & Louetta Rd areas have some nice neighborhoods, but it can be a real crapshoot if you plan to stay long term and you may be taking a risk. Too unzoned/messy (as unincorporated Harris County often is) and there may be starter communities, poorly aging communities or developers nearby knocking down forests to build more apartments or billboards, that will lower your home value or the value of homes near you. Also, Spring ISD is bad now.

I think you are safer going with The Woodlands; it's like a little city. If I were ever to move back to Houston, for suburbs it would be SugarLand or the Woodlands (or just outside them); in Houston it would be West university Place, Museum District, Bellaire if I could afford them. Or maybe The Villages or Spring Valley. Looked at West Memorial/77079 but thought the prices were inflated for the small old 60-70's homes with no sidewalks, no zoning and almost as far out in distance from downtown as central SugarLand... just wasn't for us.

Between Spring and the Woodlands, I'd take the latter for sure.

[Isabelkathrynsmom]

Hi, Our family is facing a possible iMovie to the NW Houston area..... And I found this thread from 2007.... And wanted to find out how this played out for your family. We have visited and heard similar comments.... Please let me know where you moved to and your opinion on that decision after living there several years. Thank you!!!

[Mom77379]

We moved to Champions Forest in the Summer of 2010, after almost a year of research between Champions and the Woodlands. Now - 5 years later we are SO HAPPY to have chosen Champions Forest as our home. It's very easy to get anywhere quickly, and a much better quality of life in my opinion. After looking at MANY homes in both areas, we also noticed a much higher quality of homes in Champions than in the Woodlands, as well as lower tax base/Homeowners fees. The Vintage area makes it such a treat to live here, and there is a Beautiful New Neighborhood just across from the Vintage.
The Falls at Champions is great spot as well.

I recently spent a week in the Woodlands sitting for a friend, and OMG - the traffic makes it impossible to get anywhere quickly, and its so far out. Hated it !

No regrets here.... We have previously lived in Sugarland & the Cinco Ranch area. Now after 5 years of living in the Champions area - I can't imagine living anywhere else.

[BCEagles01]

The traffic here is not perfect, but it beats anything along 1960 from - choose a point - From 290 to 45 or 59.

If the Mall, Grogan Mills or Gosling on Woodlands Parkway or Research are as far as you're going,then yes...traffic bottles up. Even then...nothing like 1960 from 45 to Willowbrook pretty much anytime between 7am-7/8pm. All day.

[DejaBlue]

Originally Posted by BCEagles01

The traffic here is not perfect, but it beats anything along 1960 from - choose a point - From 290 to 45 or 59.

If the Mall, Grogan Mills or Gosling on Woodlands Parkway or Research are as far as you're going,then yes...traffic bottles up. Even then...nothing like 1960 from 45 to Willowbrook pretty much anytime between 7am-7/8pm. All day.

But to go further than that you still have to cross all of that to get out.

I was up there yesterday and good grief! It had been awhile but this was 4:15pm I thought I was getting on the feeder at Rayford/Sawdust then all of a sudden I was back on 45. The feeder is a hot mess because of all that construction.

I took Spring Cypress to 45 and that was a mess too. Getting back home was easier as usual.

I'd take Champions any day. TW is still building and that's out of your control. With 1960 and Champions you can detour and be okay. Detour in TW and construction is blocking you and construction doesn't move. Cars blocking move eventually within 5-10 minutes.

[crone]

FWIW, the guy who bought my Champions house lived in Conroe and worked in Houston. He wanted out before the Woodlands traffic became a real nightmare. I could have had a backup by another Conroe family wanting south of the traffic.

[Cabot]

I drive along 1960 A LOT. It can be backed up around Willowbrook somewhat at lunch and 5 ish or if a train crosses but it is nothing like BCEagles01 says it is! Pure exaggeration, or if you prefer, BS! Since they put in the medians it has made a huge difference to the traffic flow.

[DejaBlue]

Originally Posted by Cabot

I drive along 1960 A LOT. It can be backed up around Willowbrook somewhat at lunch and 5 ish or if a train crosses but it is nothing like BCEagles01 says it is! Pure exaggeration, or if you prefer, BS! Since they put in the medians it has made a huge difference to the traffic flow.

^^^This. Willowbrook can be a mess but TW and 45 North is in a class all it's own....it's in the 290 nightmare class variety.