77077 - parkway villages inside or outside the gate?

[New_to_Houston]

I know someone moved there and told me took her years to mingle and feel comfortable. People live in there all their life and only hang out with aquaitances...

[ToyYot]

Once you've moved around a few times you come to realize that can happen anywhere.

[LocalPlanner]

It's my impression that Bush Elementary is a major selling point for the area, meaning most parents send their kids there.

We are on one of the ungated streets in Parkway Villages. Our cul-de-sac is a popular children's gathering and play spot for our neighbors (we are childless).

Parkway Plaza Drive and Briarhills / Manderly / Forest Home are the main "cut-throughs" though only Briarhills / Manderly / Forest Home have residential frontage. Parkway Plaza Drive is four lanes (though you can park in the outer lane) and between JP2 and Eldridge people drive a bit fast - close to 40 in a 30-mph zone. I think there should be a stop sign at The Retreat to mitigate this. The stop signs by the schools are generally effective in this regard though too many still do a "rolling stop" (meaning they never really stop). For these reasons you don't often see kids playing along Parkway Plaza Drive. I think the playing happens behind the gates or, in the ungated Briarstone section, in the cul-de-sacs. That said, kids could definitely walk to Bush or JP2 very safely and easily here, a big benefit for the neighborhood I think.

Briarhills has a great HOA club area right next to Terry Hershey Park with a pool, tennis courts, a playground, and a lawn area for football / frisbee etc. Definitely check out Briarhills if you don't mind somewhat older homes by suburban Houston standards (70s-80s). There's everything from patio homes to more standard-sized lots and even a few oversized lots. Nearly all streets are low-traffic enough for "family-friendliness" outside of weekday rush hours. Even during rush hours, I will run or bike along the "cut-through" streets and not feel like I'm about to get run over.

The apartments along Eldridge don't seem to have any negatives - they are full of well-paid Energy Corridor employees and charge pretty high rent. I don't see this changing for a long time, as long as the energy business doesn't completely crash.

The landscaping standards for the area are a big plus too. I'm very thankful that I don't have to endure the visual assault that you get along north Hwy. 6 (I used to live in Bear Creek), Dairy Ashford, or South Mason Road, or heck almost any commercial thoroughfare in the region. Plus there's an unusually high number of pedestrians at times compared to most of suburban Houston (admittedly a very low standard), and I don't mean sketchy characters out chillin' on the block and looking for trouble. I mean regular people out walking or running errands. I like that.

[LocalPlanner]

One more thing - the comments about "diverse" and "international" are spot-on. Our little street has people from Europe, South America, Asia, and the good ol' USA. Going to Kroger, you'll hear so many languages it feels like the United Nations. All ethnicities are represented, though there seem to be fewer Mexican-origin Hispanics than the rest of Houston (lots of South Americans though).

[CorJan]

LocalPlanner's comments are pretty spot on. I know the area well.

[New_to_Houston]

Thank you so much for all the good info. I really appreciate it! It seems overall the supply is not that much for Brair Hills/Mandely area. and it seems we are always just "one step late" away from the "good deals"...

THANK YOU!

[Bily Lovec]

Originally Posted by CorJan

LocalPlanner's comments are pretty spot on. I know the area well.

yup, pretty much nailed it.

if you do move to 77077, be sure and join Westside Tennis Club, even if you dont play tennis
We've met lots of friends there.
As a matter of fact, my next door neighors we met there, one of the reasons I live where I do.

[Bily Lovec]

Originally Posted by New_to_Houston

It's this one:
13910 Roxton Dr, Houston, TX 77077 - HAR.com

the forclosure is 5 houses west.

[New_to_Houston]

I do play tennis, so great news!!!

I saw the forclosure now, thanks, will check it out.