Best Neighborhood/Suburb if only in Houston 5-7 years (Bellaire: real estate, how much)

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by philopower

It really depends on the lifestyle you want and the type of commute. 77079 was mentioned from your typical west side fist bumpers and the area is nice, but the area is pretty suburban in style and nature which comes with a hell of a commute. At rush hour driving to downtown from that area can take an upwards of an hour. Also restaurants and amenities are pretty limited. With your budget I would recommend the inner loop like the heights or somewhere just outside like in meyerland. You will get a nice house and be close to the culinary and cultural center of Houston full of shopping, museums, and independently owned eateries.

77079 to downtown is 25-30 minutes at rush hour to or from downtown. Also, as to places to eat, I don't think you've been out here in a while.

But yes, compared to Midtown/Heights/Museum district it's suburban with a successful K-12 school system. Which is why it's appreciating and has been a solid neighborhood for 50+ years.


Meyerland is very suburban as well, yet with schools that can be questionable depending what street you buy on. Bellaire HS gets mixed reviews amongst my peers, it just depends on your child whether it's right for them or not. But it's a nice area and deserves a mention from the typical SW side "fist bumpers." You certainly get more house for the price. But for that price range if you want to be close in, Bellaire/Southdale inside the Loop can be had.

I grew up right along 610, and it does have a fantastic urban, 24/7 pumping traffic and heartbeat feel. The Schools can seriously "suck" after 5th grade though. But I've followed the appreciation trail, and that's why I moved out to invest a few years back, so I could move up yet again to another level of housing within a few years. Kids or not, schools are a very important factor in appreciation. If you have solid K-12 within 30 minutes of downtown, you will get quick turnover and currently a profit.

All the neighborhoods in this thread will be good,appreciation rates will vary. Just do your research on the schools and drive the neighborhoods to get a feel for who lives there, what goes on along the major roads around them, and if the general "feel" of the area works for you. I would always suggest that someone parks and walks a neighborhood and the major roads near them at 6pm-7pm at night. It will pretty much answer all your questions.

[Lost_In_Translation]

Originally Posted by philopower

It really depends on the lifestyle you want and the type of commute. 77079 was mentioned from your typical west side fist bumpers and the area is nice, but the area is pretty suburban in style and nature which comes with a hell of a commute. At rush hour driving to downtown from that area can take an upwards of an hour. Also restaurants and amenities are pretty limited. With your budget I would recommend the inner loop like the heights or somewhere just outside like in meyerland. You will get a nice house and be close to the culinary and cultural center of Houston full of shopping, museums, and independently owned eateries.

An hour to downtown? At 15-20 miles from downtown and right on a major freeway, those must be some awful days.

And I can't think of a time when i've felt like I can't find any good food over here, especially with all of the options in city center next door. No, there aren't the vast options of the heights, but I also won't be living two houses down from an warehouse. Not that there's anything wrong with mixed use neighborhoods. And meyerland is only 4 miles closer to downtown and runs through the gauntlet of 59 inside the loop. I like the area, but it's merely par when compared to 77079 and only if you stay in meyerland proper east of chimney rock.

[cheryjohns]

I am not a "typical west side fist bumper", by any means. Depending on the individual, Sugar Land might be a better fit - or Cypress - or Cinco - etc. However, the OP is only going to be in Houston for a few short years, has kids in school (one in high school), and commutes downtown. 77079 has a healthier appreciation than about anywhere, has great schools, and the commute is about half an hour.

[LizzySWW]

Originally Posted by philopower

It really depends on the lifestyle you want and the type of commute. 77079 was mentioned from your typical west side fist bumpers and the area is nice, but the area is pretty suburban in style and nature which comes with a hell of a commute. At rush hour driving to downtown from that area can take an upwards of an hour. Also restaurants and amenities are pretty limited. With your budget I would recommend the inner loop like the heights or somewhere just outside like in meyerland. You will get a nice house and be close to the culinary and cultural center of Houston full of shopping, museums, and independently owned eateries.

^^

Rush hour to DT from 77079 is under 30 mins. 15 mins if you want to come home for quick lunch at the house.

500-600 won't get you into most desired streets in 77079 zoned to the better shchools, but it's doable.

77079 has plenty of dining/entertainment. Just a few of many:

Brenner's



Lamonte's


Lupes


TX Land & Cattle


Carmellos


City Centre for shopping, dining & fun:



Yard House:



A typical house in 77079


The schools in 77079 can't be beat in Houston for under 600k (unless you you have a student who can get into a top HISD magnet like Debakey Medical High School).

[micmac99]

Originally Posted by philopower

It really depends on the lifestyle you want and the type of commute. 77079 was mentioned from your typical west side fist bumpers and the area is nice, but the area is pretty suburban in style and nature which comes with a hell of a commute. At rush hour driving to downtown from that area can take an upwards of an hour. Also restaurants and amenities are pretty limited. With your budget I would recommend the inner loop like the heights or somewhere just outside like in meyerland. You will get a nice house and be close to the culinary and cultural center of Houston full of shopping, museums, and independently owned eateries.

If I could buy a house I think Meyerland would be my first choice. I live in Westchase now but really, really like Meyerland. That might be my next neighborhood for an apartment.

[philopower]

Lol meyerland a suburb? Maybe 50 years ago hahaha. And mixed reviews about bellaire high? Really? Its easily the best public in the Houston metro. Memorial can't even compete on the amount of languages, ap classes, ib classes, sports, and extra curriculars that Bellaire offers. Dont even get me started on hisd magnet schools. Debakey, Carnegie, and PVA destroy any suburban school in the Houston metro. Besides, the op stated that going private was an option, and even then the best privates are in the inner loop.

I10 can easily become bumper to bumper and the commute can reach up to 45-60 mins. Compare that to the heights, you can be at home from downtown in 5 minutes without even getting on the freeway.

The heights is the next IT neighborhood in Houston. There's a reason why prices there are skyrocketing and the op will easily make a nice profit if they decide to sell 7 years now. All in all, it depends on what type of person the op is. If they are the hip liberal type that appreciates museums, progressive ideologies, and a vast assortment of dining options then go for the heights. If they are the conservative type that prefers generic chain dining and 20 mile commutes then go for 77079. Notice how all of them refer to the neighborhood by the zipcode 77079, it doesnt even have a proper name adding to the overwhelming suburbaness of the area, one without identity.

[philopower]

And lol at city centre, I've never seen so many 30k millionaires in such a small area.

[dejamiller]

Originally Posted by philopower

And lol at city centre, I've never seen so many 30k millionaires in such a small area.

*snickers*

[sxrckr]

The "City Centre" development is in 77024, not 77079.
Because it's in 77024, I highly doubt it's all 30k millionaires.

So, you're all wrong!

[Lost_In_Translation]

Originally Posted by philopower

And lol at city centre, I've never seen so many 30k millionaires in such a small area.

$30k millionaires? I'll grant you that there are alot of young people trying to show off, but the restaurants are nice. And it's not walking around drunk people like Washington ave or midtown crowd. 77079 and meyerland are pretty equivalent. The heights is a completely different lifestyle that's not for everyone.