Anyone familiar with this area? My wife and I are looking to buy a townhome, but this area is quite strange. You have a bunch of nice houses on one side, and then shady looking apartments elsewhere. Any input would be greatly appreciated. We are looking more at the Hammerly / Gessener area.
You're probably going to like the area near the Beltway 8 more. I know a couple families who are long time friends of mine and they have memberships in the YMCA on Clay. The area by the Y is very nice. By comparison... the area across Gessner is not. Still, Spring Branch is pretty big (that's what SHE said)... but... you think your wife can handle it? EDIT: oops, I thought you were brian_chapman. I apologize.
I liv fairly close to there. I'm more south towards I-10. I like the area. You can't really judge the area off of Gessner. Once you get into the neighborhoods it is actually a really nice place to live and very affordable.
I grew up in spring branch and still have family there. As long as you stay on the south side of the LONG POINT Street area. Youre good. I am being serious.
If you come over a couple more lights closer to Kempwood or Clay and Gessner it gets a lot nicer. Also Antoine by I-10 or Blalock by I-10 is pretty nice. I grew up in Spring Branch and currently live there. I love the area.
I literally have lived my entire life right near Gessner/Hammerly. The neighborhoods are nice, never had a break in or anything. All the neighbors have been nice people, all races and ages. The apartments around here are a little worse though, but it's like most of the city. One block it's nice houses the next it's seedy apartments. But the other posters are right, it gets nicer near Clay/Kempwood and back south towards the Memorial area. There are definitely some shady parts between I-10 and Hammerly along Gessner though. In summation, if you're getting a house you probably won't regret it. If you're looking for apartments look elsewhere.
Just reread your post and noticed you're looking at townhomes, presumably the ones on Hammerly right off Gessner. I have friends who live there, it's actually a really nice complex. The security is great, the guy who patrols has an SMG lol. Plus the rent is relatively low for what are two story townhomes. The only thing is they are privately owned, so you have to get in contact with the individual owner of the townhome instead of just having a leasing office to go to. But overall I would say these are nice townhomes to move into, I live in the neighborhood on the other side of Spring Woods HS.
I have family right off of Gessner between Hammerly and Kempwood. The area is great. Never had any problems at all. Good little local Mexican restaurants, and good Korean ones a little further south off Long Point. The area has always been pretty nice for as long as I've known it, and it's only getting better with Memorial City Mall, Memorial Hermann Hospital having finished its massive renovations, and City Centre being built and booming. I'm also familiar with those town homes as I nearly rented there myself several years ago, and they are nice as well. The central area of the complex doesn't feel like you're right off of busy streets and highways at all. The landscaping is well done with a big ass swimming pool and rec center area thing. As to the apartments you're referring to, I'm guessing you're talking about the ones directly on Gessner south a bit from Hammerly. They are lower income, but near as I can tell they're populated with normal working folks, mostly hispanic. Houston is a massive place, of course, and crime happens, but I've never heard of any real problems at those apartments or anywhere else in Spring Branch area. In short: it's a great area with lots of great stuff going for it and it's only getting better.
Grew up there. Y'all having kids? I don't know if you'd want to send em to those schools. Then again, it'd be easier for them to finish top 10%.
spring branch has some very good schools. very diverse area. those townhomes off hamerly and gessner or okay, about average as far as price and tenants. the neighborhood to the north is actually very nice with some older homes, to the north between gessner and the beltway.
Sorry I'm late. I pretty much agree with everything I've read in here so far. Especially that Longpoint is the "border" between the nice neighborhoods and, well...little Mexico. On the south side you've got large custom homes and everyone driving anything from a Lexus to a Ferrari. On the north side you have low-budget apartments, taco trucks, dollar stores, and lots of people on foot or riding bikes to get around. Personally, I don't mind the area. In 3.5 years I've had a car broken into once, but no other "safety" issues at all. Surprisingly, I haven't seen many "shady" people around, despite the low income demographic.
I grew up on Silver close to where the Ikea is now, attended SBMS and Memorial. I still have aunts and uncles around the whole SB area. Umm..yeah just stay away from the cantinas on Long point or else it will be like that robin thicke song "shooter". " I heard shouts like get down on the floor. Then it got louder we've got shooters."
