Advice please on what to look for when purchasing a home in Houston (crimes, how much)

[Johnhw2]

For flood, always determine if a location is in the 100 year flood plain. That just means it is more likely to flood but I believe lenders will require flood insurance in those locations. However any place in Houston area can flood depending on how much rainfall it might get in a short period so my advice is to get flood insurance even if out of the 100 year flood plain which can be and does get updated periodically.

The commute from the Woodlands to Baytown is tough and long. But if the long term job is in the Woodlands it might make sense to deal with the bad commute for the long term benefit.

Bugs and mosquitos are in Houston and not really much worse one area over another one but some areas spray at night which can help and some homes, mostly newer ones, have a built in spray system for mosquitos. Termites can be an issue anywhere just learn how to watch for signs of them as they can be treated easily in most cases.

Welcome to Houston...and Texas....enjoy your 3 year stay or what ever period you are in Houston

[Htown2013]

Originally Posted by BDFP

Oh, forgot to mention the faults, don't buy on one of those!

Where are these?

[fnh]

If you get into Awty, you might try a neighborhood like Woodland Heights (77009). It is equidistant from both Baytown and The Woodlands, with easy access to both I-45 (N/S) and I-10 (E/W), offering reverse rush hour commutes to both workplaces. I know there are several Awty families that live there with whom you could carpool to the school if needed.

If you get into John Cooper, you would want to live in The Woodlands, but the commute to Baytown will be a killer for the duration.

Good luck!

[imback]

1. Ask if the roof has a radiant barrier. The lack of one is not a deal-breaker in my opionion, but they sure help reduce those summertime aircond bills (which will be several hundred a month during the hot months).

2. Budget for regular pest control service indoors and out. No matter how high your housekeepinng standards, in Houston's climate, the battles against the roaches can be won but the war never ends..... If you buy, regular (yearly) termite checks are also a good idea.

3. Ask if the house has ever had mold or "toxic mold" problems.

4. Ask about the wildlife in the neighborhood (so you won't be surprsied if you encounter some in the streets and/or yards, even in closer-in suburbs). Usually at twilight, dawn, or night. Not just squirrels, other small rodents, and rabbits but larger animals like coyotes, raccoons, foxes, and possums (well, the possums are marsupials so maybe their relatives hang out in Australian suburbs so this is no big deal for you). Keep the garbage cans well-sealed. Don't leave food or pet food outdoors overnight. Be careful about leaving small dogs and cats outdoors unwatched if coyotes are around.

5. Once you buy, apply for the homestead exmeption as soon as you can to reduce your property taxes (I'm assuming this is available in other counties besides Harris).

[Melbourne Family]

Originally Posted by Johnhw2

For flood, always determine if a location is in the 100 year flood plain. That just means it is more likely to flood but I believe lenders will require flood insurance in those locations. However any place in Houston area can flood depending on how much rainfall it might get in a short period so my advice is to get flood insurance even if out of the 100 year flood plain which can be and does get updated periodically.

The commute from the Woodlands to Baytown is tough and long. But if the long term job is in the Woodlands it might make sense to deal with the bad commute for the long term benefit.

Bugs and mosquitos are in Houston and not really much worse one area over another one but some areas spray at night which can help and some homes, mostly newer ones, have a built in spray system for mosquitos. Termites can be an issue anywhere just learn how to watch for signs of them as they can be treated easily in most cases.

Welcome to Houston...and Texas....enjoy your 3 year stay or what ever period you are in Houston

Thank-you!

[Melbourne Family]

Originally Posted by imback

1. Ask if the roof has a radiant barrier. The lack of one is not a deal-breaker in my opionion, but they sure help reduce those summertime aircond bills (which will be several hundred a month during the hot months).

2. Budget for regular pest control service indoors and out. No matter how high your housekeepinng standards, in Houston's climate, the battles against the roaches can be won but the war never ends..... If you buy, regular (yearly) termite checks are also a good idea.

3. Ask if the house has ever had mold or "toxic mold" problems.

4. Ask about the wildlife in the neighborhood (so you won't be surprsied if you encounter some in the streets and/or yards, even in closer-in suburbs). Usually at twilight, dawn, or night. Not just squirrels, other small rodents, and rabbits but larger animals like coyotes, raccoons, foxes, and possums (well, the possums are marsupials so maybe their relatives hang out in Australian suburbs so this is no big deal for you). Keep the garbage cans well-sealed. Don't leave food or pet food outdoors overnight. Be careful about leaving small dogs and cats outdoors unwatched if coyotes are around.

5. Once you buy, apply for the homestead exmeption as soon as you can to reduce your property taxes (I'm assuming this is available in other counties besides Harris).

Thanks for the great info!

[Johnhw2]

There are seller disclosures required by law in Texas which will tell you many historic things about the house such as flooding etc. You might get one of these forms on line and add to it a list of other questions you want to be sure to ask about a home.

[cheryjohns]

Here is a link to the Harris County flood zones. Don't buy in the blue areas.


Harris County Flood Education Mapping Tool

Originally Posted by Htown2013

Where are these?

There are about 400 small faults throughout Houston, but only about three big ones. The shifting that goes on affects the foundation.

As to Chinese drywall, I never heard that any ever arrived in Houston. It was a large problem for other states.

[Melbourne Family]

Thanks so much everyone for the tips & information, greatly appreciated!

[houstonfan]

As others mentioned, consider sun, fault, tax&MUD tax&HOA dues, school zone, flood zone, termites, mosquitos, foundation, roof, AC. I wouldn't buy anything that backs up to highways or is close to landfills or fire stations. But I would want to be close enough to highways so that it doesn't add more than 5 minutes to my commute. Obviously check crime stats. I prefer energy efficient homes since it'll save you lots of money...ask to see their utility bills. I wouldn't buy stucco here if you can avoid it, although lots will disagree with me on this. You'll have to decide if you like HOAs or not, gated or not. The grass and weed grow fast and abundant in TX so think about how much you want to spend to upkeep the lawn. There are toll roads here so if you don't want to spend money on toll road, check your commutes. Another oddity for me is I check for animals in the hood...I hate stray animals or even others pets leaving a mess on my property...so i always pefer fences or gates or not transiitonal hood. Proximity to amenities such as grocery is important to me. Garage is also important imo since theres lots of petty crimes here. A lot of stuff above is not unique to Houston, but still things to think about.