Posted on 06/10/2004 12:13:18 PM PDT by Rate_Determining_Step
I second that. Tom DeLay is your US Rep. Close to everything in Houston without having to live there. Reasonable proberty values. Many golf courses. I don't know about the cost of the golf clubs, but a membership came free (no initiation fee -- just monthlies) with our Quail Valley house. The club has changed ownership and I don't know the rules any more. But if the old rules are still in effect and you buy a home that still holds an original membership, they can pass it on to you without an initiation fee. That was the incentive for keeping up your membership.
I don't know about Quail Valley property values, but the houses still looked good when I was last there in 2000. Suger Creek (which was a little fancier when it was built) looked deteriorated by comparison. However, there are many newer subdivisions.
The homes in Quail Valley were lovely when they were built in the 1970s-80s. I'm sure some are newer. But the original ones had every amenity. I've owned much more expensive homes since without some of the amenities that were standard in my Quail Valley home.
The homes are very pretty architecturally. You can find every style imaginable. Most of the homes were started as "specs" but were sold before they were finished and customized with some pretty nice things.
I had a 2500 square foot, pink brick home with board & bat cedar siding in the rear, 4 bedroom 2 1/2 bath + study home; and I had more than 35 linear feet of counterspace with a built in desk in my kitchen. Double ovens (no built in microwave because they weren't on the market in 1972 but it could be easily added as an after market item.) I have never owned such a well designed kitchen any other place.
I had full inter-com system and a built-in vacuum cleaner throughout the house, as well as the detached garage. Separate laundry room with space for a freezer, although I made another desk out there for my newspaper work. Elegant floor to ceiling arched windows upstairs and downstairs across the front (7). Only a two car garage, but many homes in the neighborhood had 3 car garages -- especially if they were located on a corner. I had 4 teenagers, so we always had a lot of cars that didn't fit in the garage. Built-in gas light and built in gas barbeque. View of the golf course.
We paid about $62k in 1972 and sold it for around $167k in 1982. Houston was hit with a terrible oil crash and property values slid drastically later that year, so we were lucky to get out when we did. I think we were the last people to get out with all of our money out of the real estate market for a while.
It's recovered now, and I imagine those houses probably sell for $200k now. However, I have a house the same age in Wisconsin (on more acreage) that isn't finished nearly as nice in some respects -- but just a little bigger and on more land -- and it would probably be priced in the $700k area, if I were to put it on the market. My daughter's home in NJ just sold for $762k, and in workmanship it doesn't hold a candle to my Ft. Bend County home, although it is about the same size and age. She did put in a granite countered kitchen, however.
There are so many subdivisions in the Fort Bend area you could probably make a really good deal. Seriously, the homes are all beautiful. Just look at a lot of them so you get a feel for prices. You don't want to over pay. Coming from an area with high values, you could get entranced with the beauty of the homes and pay too much.
I'll drink to that!
I'll bet she's lovely. Lucky you to know her. Does W ever come to town?
I can't imagine that Lubbock would have cicadas and Midland none. Don't they share?
Seriously, I'll never forget that August orientation with the cicadas. My children graduated from Baylor, University of Texas, Texas Tech, and University of WAshington. Tech was the only school that invited (demanded) that the parents come with their students for Freshman orientation. It was quite an experience.
We had to stay in the dorm (they had a parents dorm and a students dorm) and eat in the cafeteria. Then we had to visit the appropriate "schools" and listen to presentations by the department heads. This was in 1979.
Our assignment was the Engineering School, and we were armed with a supply list we had been sent by the school that we had to fill for our student. On the list as "mandatory" was a slide rule. My husband raised his hand and asked what brand (how precise) slide rule is suggested.
The Dean looked startled and said, "A slide rule is not required equipment, why would you ask?"
"Well, it's listed right there in the official Engneering handbook," says my husband.
The Dean blushed and said, "Parents, please cross off the slide rule because no one in the College of Engineering will be able to show your student how to use it -- we are definitely using calculators now and these are the two acceptable models!"
Everyone had a good laugh, and then it was outside to the next building accompanied by the hum of the cicadas. BTW, they were not using computers yet. My sone learned to work with a computer in a lab and in the library before graduation, but the students did not have personal computers at the time (1979).
Check out this nooa climate site.
Also, Amarillo coming onto my radar.
The problem with Charleston (and Savannah) is that you will always be an outsider if your family hasn't been there at least 200 years.
There's a lot of Texas that's east. What citys/towns are you referring to?
I was specifically referring to Houston, but just about anything north of Houston and east of Interstate 45 through Dallas. The Plano suburb of Dallas is a really nice place. Reminded me a lot of Orange County California thirty years ago, clean and new and prosperous.
Another good thing about Houston is that it is so damn big and there are so many businesses there that you can always find a job. The bad thing is the traffic, but if you can arrange it so that you don't have to get on any highways to get to work and back it's not a problem. If you live in Sugar Land and work 35 miles away on the northeast side of town like I did near the end, though, it sucks.
I'll second that. The Piney Woods are beautiful but there's nowhere to work. And the payscales are rock bottom.
The exception to that is if you are a nurse or doctor.
There are many affluent retirees out here who need health care.
The engineering schools at Tech are excellent. I briefly worked at the Institute for Disaster Research in the Civil Engineering Dpt. while I was a student and was impressed by the faculty and quality of students. I was, unfortunately, an Advertising major and only after I graduated realized what a waste of time it was. To get a job in advertising, agencies wanted writers (English majors), graphic artists (Art majors) or salesmen (Marketing majors). I wasn't specialized enough. Wish I would have known that 3 years earlier...
Midland was W's last stop before Washington and taking the oath. But he generally only comes to town to raise money.
Don Evans still lives here; so, of course you can see the Secretary of Commerce at Wal-Mart. Somewhat surreal.
Laura does come to town quite a bit to see her mom, but it is very low-key.
Tyler and the surrounding area are "East Texas" in Texas speech.
Regarding Amarillo. Very nice town, but LOTS of trucks. One local called it the world's largest truck stop --- being in the middle of the country, FLAT, and nearby Interstates.
Tyler and the surrounding area are "East Texas" in Texas speech.
Regarding Amarillo. Very nice town, but LOTS of trucks. One local called it the world's largest truck stop --- being in the middle of the country, FLAT, and nearby Interstates.
Xena, you have a dang good point there!! I take back my ugly comment. Xena....I mean Houston.... is hot!!
Ssshhh.....
Don't let it out!
I'm having a hell of a time dragging my NY born other half down/over to even look at my favorite part of the earth.
There's place called Cerro Azul (trad. 'blue hill') about a couple hours east of Panama City and the canal, but I live at the west end of Panama near the border with Costa Rica where the big mountains are.
There's all kinds of info available, but this is where I live.
Yes that is the place. I had a customer in Panama and he introduced me to that area back in the mid 80's. He thought I ought to retire there. According to him I would not have to pay any taxes and lots of other benefits. Beautiful area. Very tempting, but I'm afraid it's too late now.
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