Trust the change from Houston Unrestricted Property

Sometimes you KNOW it is time

for a change...

Yet taking the next step feels precarious...

It may even feel downright DANGEROUS!

but I am here to tell you that you must

TRUST CHANGE.

Think about the major changes in your life.  Some of the ones that felt the most scary at the time have turned out to be the ones you cherish in retrospect.  Trust that "knowing" part of yourself.  If you know it is time to change then you can be confident that the next steps will take you to greater and greater things.

If you are living on a piece of unrestricted property in the Houston area, then you are experiencing change, whether you like it or not.   Right now, the changes may be happening TO you.  You have the choice to make changes happen FOR you.

Without the help of someone who can show you the options, it may feel like you are jumping off the bridge into unknown waters.  With competant, knowledgeable consultation we can build a bridge that serves you in reaching your ultimate goals.

Many people whose quiet rural paradise is being smothered by restricted subdivisions like The Woodlands would find themselves much happier by moving farther out into the country.  Because the value of their property has increased dramatically, they now can purchase a much larger tract of land and build the new home of their dreams.

This is only one scenario, but you KNOW when it is time for a change.  I would encourage you to also know that I can help you gather all the information you need to consider the next step.  With us working together the move will no longer feel as scary and you can start building your new dream.

Houston Is An Experiment

Houston - Non-Zoning Tradition

is Being Watched by Many Cities

If you were to research urban-planning and the affects of zoning, you will find that Houston's Unrestricted Property is an example of economic and land use freedom that almost no other city experiences.  Feagin [1988] calls the political and economic structure a "free enterprise city".

In Buitelaar's book, The Cost of Land Use Decisions, he states that "Exercising private property rights without much public regulation has always been a key feature of urban development in Houston."  He sites three failed referenda (in 1948, 1962 and 1993) that attempted to introduce zoning.

As stated in his book, middle-income homeowners migrate toward zoning (or deed restricted property) because they believe that it will prevent undesirable externalities and preserve property values.  This is why such Master-Planned Communities as The Woodlands has experienced such growth and popularity.

Advocates of the free use of property claim that it promotes creativity and distributes physical space efficiently.  Leaving "un-claimed" land parcels unrestricted allows for individuals to follow their own individual dream for the property.  It may look like chaos.  But it is a fine expression of liberty and results in economic opportunity that is rare in other parts of the country.

As the nation begins to pull itself out of economic recession people are asking whether the lack of zoning played a part in our relatively light consequences (when compared to many other cities).  Indeed, the cities with the most regulated land use restrictions seem to be the ones that have had the largest downturn.  When there is huge amounts of "red tape" required for a developer to get a project off the ground, it naturally inhibits the natural growth of the city.  Add the fact that zoning gives the powerful interests of a city an additional tool to enforce their power - the result can stunt growth, push up prices and harm the citizens they were charged to serve.

Houston is still an experiment in land use.  Personally, I think the economic freedoms found in this area attract prosperity.  Variety is created when people have the right to chose a deed-restricted structure or a more free spirited way of life.

Restricted and Unrestricted Communities Clash!

Houston Unrestricted Property Clashes

with Deed-Restricted Neighbors.

There are many differences between a "Restricted" community and "Unrestricted" property.  This blog is committed to opening the conversation about such differences.  However, purchasing your home or building lot in a restricted community does not give you all the protections you may have expected.

This photo was taken on FM 2978, the road that runs along the most western side of The Woodlands.  The lot is usually muddy.  The highlight of the property is the large, dimpled and damaged dumpster.  And to the back of the lot, you can see the only plumbing facility...and it is portable.  While the seller of the property is maximizing his right to the "Highest and Best" use of the property until a buyer is found - the situation is not good for everyone.

The sad fact is that the "port-a-potty" is placed very close to a really nice house that you can see through the narrow strip of trees.  Can you see it in the background of the picture above?

When you come around to the other side, this is the home of some unsuspecting family.  Little did they know that the hard work done to create a great, private place in the restricted community of Westwood would become the backdrop for the metal roofed shed you can see beyond the trees from here.

This is one SCREAMING EXAMPLE of how quickly a real estate investment can become worth much less because of the actions of others.  Please know - I do not know the owners of either property.  But I would be willing to bet that the proud people who built this home did not anticipate having a muddy, unsightly commercial tract in their back yard.

Can this kind of financial mistake be avoided? The answer is YES!

One of the many things I have learned from decades serving real estate clients is that purchasing property on the perimeter of a restricted community can often expose the buyer to the risks of unrestricted property.  I spoke about those risks in a previous post, "3 Huge Pitfalls of Unrestricted Property", on November 28, 2009.  Although I am a champion for the benefits of owning Houston unrestricted property, I will be the first to tell you that there are HUGE mistakes that can easily be made by the inexperienced buyer.

3 Darn Good Reasons to Sell Your Unrestricted Property

Have you ever heard of the

"Law of Diminishing Returns"???

When you own unrestricted property in the Greater Houston area,

sooner or later you must ask yourself if it is time to sell. 

THINGS CHANGE

Your life changes and your needs change with it.

Your community changes and it no longer feels like home.

When you see that it may be time to cash in the value of your unrestricted property, it may not be an easy decision.  After all, you may have inherited this property from family.  You may have raised your children on this land and it holds many memories for you. 

A move is never easy...but when it involves something as personal as your private estate in an unrestricted area of Houston...it may be even tougher.  The number of good reasons to sell are as endless as the number of people who are blessed with living in a place defined by them and their family - the UNRESTRICTED tracts. 

Below you will see 3 of the
most common reasons to sell:

• 
  
  The area is too Busy - Crowded - different than when you bought your property.  With the growth in and around Houston, things are changing rapidly.  However, one thing you can count on is the increase of traffic.  Many people who enjoyed the peace and quiet of a country lifestyle near their work are now spending twice the time making the commute and it begs the question about whether it is worth it anymore.  People are moving from the City of Houston into the outlying areas in large numbers.  In fact, these Ruralpolitans are creating many cottage industries providing fresh herbs, cheese, home-baked goods, etc at Farmer's Markets all over the area.
  
  
  
• 
  
  The Land is Worth More than the improvements.  If you have a piece of property that is worth more than the house and other improvements, you may be "throwing away" every dollar you invest in the tract.  It seems unfair that the fact you now own an extremely valuable piece of real estate may be the reason why you really MUST consider selling.  If you put a new roof on an old house located on a property located on a road with high traffic - it could be that every cent you spent would be better invested in a vacation or charity because it will never be recouped in the real estate market.
  
  
  
• 
  
  You have the desire to re-create the Laid-Back Lifestyle you used to enjoy.  People who own unrestricted property are a unique lot.  More often than not, they would abhor the experience of living in a nice, deed-restricted community.  The idea of having neighbors that are very, very close is offensive enough.  But when you add the fact that they use architectural control committees to dominate your decisions about what you do with your property - these hearty, independant souls will run the other way quickly.  These people want to do what they want on the property they have paid for - even if they have to drive some distance to have that lifestyle.
  
  
  

If you are considering your choices about the unrestricted property you own, remember that our team specializes in this specific type of real estate.  We can help you determine the HIGHEST and Best use for the property AND whether remaining owner is the HIGHEST and Best use of your assets.  You may have many more attractive options and we can help you explore them.  There is no obligation - just a conversation.

The Next Hot Home Market May be Unrestricted Property

Interest in unrestricted property surges as people flee from the rat race of a city lifestyle. In fact, people who move to property outside of urban areas is so common that it has taken on the name of "Ruralpolitan".   These pioneer spirited people seek the more self-reliant lifestyle and a sense of value that is real. They may have experienced huge portfolio losses because of the stock market. Placing their investment in a piece of land gives them confidence and peace of mind where the pain of the recent recession imprinted fear.


Retiring baby boomers are the largest segment of the population driving the push for rural living. However, a huge number of 20 and 30-somethings are flocking to the country when they can. What may be different between the two "ruralpolitan" groups is the access to metropolitan areas. The baby boomers may not need access to the employment hubs in the city, but the younger group still needs to have a reasonable drive into the metroplex.

Motivations vary but many of the younger segment have professions that don't require a daily commute into the city. More and more employers are encouraging home offices and flex schedules. This enables families to live the ruralpolitan lifestyle and make a couple of trips into the city each week when needed.

In a recent Wall Street Journal article Wendy Bounds explains the phenomena saying, "Green Acres Is the Place to Be". She tells many stories of people who have taken the plunge into rural living. It is not all the fairy tale vision that people expected.  She states that "For some people, the break to rural living is a hedge against an unpredictable future."

If moving to the country - or atleast out of the crowded deed-restricted communities - sounds good to you, give me a call.  We can find the perfect place for your personal escape without giving up such things as internet access and easy access to the Greater Houston area.

3 Terrific Reasons to Buy Unrestricted Property

#1 - FREEDOM

The most common reason people choose the Ruralpolitan lifestyle and purchase unrestricted property is the ability to do what they want on property they have paid good money to own.  They cannot imagine spending hundreds of thousands of dollars and then surrender their ideas of how to use the property to someone else.  These are the free spirited people who place a high value on their FREEDOM.

I "googled" the phrase - what is the value of freedom - and found an interesting article on this site. http://www.ivu.org/congress/wvc96/freedom.html

Many peopel in the Greater Houston area are committed to an independant way of life.  It is hard to describe the deep emotional attachment we have for freedom.  For some people it is downright essential to their existence...even though the majority of people migrate to the safety of deed restrictions.  They follow the philosophy of Albert Camus when he said, "The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.”

#2 - SPACE - Room to Roam

I have had clients claim that they would not move into a community where they could "shake the hand" of the neighbor from the kitchen window.  Although I'm certain that that activity is a little exaggerated, there are many subdivisions that compress the space between homes in order to keep prices low.  Since many people find comfort in having others close by, the lack of space does not really inhibit the sales in those communities.

But for those that place a high value on space, unrestricted property can be the perfect answer.  Most unrestricted property does not have the luxury of public water and sewer systems.  So that means that the minimum size of the building site must be larger.  For the most part, the minimum size is more than one full acre and sometimes more.  It depends largely on the requirements for sanitation and water supply.

#3 - Potential Value Increase

I know that in the last post, I suggested that purchasing unrestricted property can be a gamble when it comes to equity growth.  But the truth is equity gain potential can be inverse to privacy in unrestricted land.  Let me see if I can make that clearer with an example.

Many people have made huge financial gains by purchasing a tract located on a busy road (...or one that may not be busy now, but has potential to become a big thouroughfare in the future.)  With this kind of vision and forethought, an investor can use the property any way that they wish - including as a primary residence - with confidence that the value is growing rapidly as the traffic count grows.

Unrestricted property not found on highly visible roads can still be the perfect location for small business too.  Although the profits may not be a certain as on a busy road, the peaceful experience of being "off the beaten path" has a lot of value in itself.  As the mass of population moves closer to your unrestricted site, the number of small business owners needing a place to conduct their trade increases.

Selecting an unrestricted property that will meet your current and future needs requires some careful thought and experienced counsel.  If you plan, search and purchase with your ultimate goals in mind - you may find that unrestricted property is the perfect solution to creating the perfect environment for your enjoyment and also your profit.