house on the coast?

[Raleigh]

As mention in a earlier post you should rent home in some of the areas you are considering to evaluate. We have a home in Sea Isle Galveston and love it. Far enough away from the hustle of Gtown but close enough to have a nice dinner. We selected Sea Isle due to the all the neighborhood amenities such as; private fishing pier, well stock marina, nice bar and restaurant, playgrounds for the kiddos, swimming pool and tennis courts.

I think our HOA is only $150.00 per year.

[Roy D Mercer]

Do it! After we paid off the ranch a few years back and realized that the twins would be graduating college soon (and had jobs, lol ...We bought a beach house over in Crystal Beach and absolutely love it! I can leave my house in NW Houston and be sitting on my deck at the beach house looking at the ocean in about 2hrs. We were lucky and found a place that is about 200 yards from the beach with good views. The fishing is great around here (Rollover Pass/East Bay/North Jetties) and all within a few miles or a short walk down to beach to fish the surf. The biggest "downside" (other than the expensive taxes/insurance) is that Felicia is "early retired" so I'm a beach widow most of the time during the summer months as she camps out down there, lol. Seriously, you can PM me sometimes and I can share more info with ya. I'll leave a few pics to entice you and your wife to Salt Life living

K-Man



p.s.

We caught the Reds last weekend!

I like your style.

[rvd]

How much more is insurance in general for a house on the coast Vs. in town?

Our house is 3400 sq ft, pay roughly $3500 windstorm, $1200 prop, $700 flood. We’re not in flood but carry it and will forever.

[junior]

What if being 20-30 mins away from coast , would it make much of a difference as far as insurance, weather, mosquitoes??


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[brokeno]

Port alto.

[rvd]

What if being 20-30 mins away from coast , would it make much of a difference as far as insurance, weather, mosquitoes??


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Cheaper yes, maybe on the weather and bugs. Our primary residence is 38 miles from the coast, we grow some pretty good bugs here too.

Have you spent any extended time at the coast in any seasons other than the summer?

[rvd]

Port alto.

Country Coastal living at it's finest

[locolobo]

Stay away from the Brazosport area. Too many people movin here already. Besides, Take heart about the mosquitos, hurricanes/tropical storms and such, and there ain't no fish within 50 miles. All the good land is taken. What's left floods fiercely. Not to mention, chemical plants everywhere. Move on, nothing to see here!


Just kiddin, somewhat. Place is growin too fast for me. We'll be " South Houston " before too long! Otherwise, I've been here for 45 yrs and only had 2 hurricanes which did minor damage in the area but several tropical storms which causes major flooding, But overall I like it and plan on staying here.

[Notaguide]

There are a lot of variables involved in insurance costs, but a fully insured cost for a house on the beach can be 5X the cost of the same house in Houston.

If you don't have a mortgage you can go with higher deductibles or self insure some pieces of the insurance.

I tell people all the time living on the coast isn't cheap.

5x is way high for something on the middle coast. Flood can vary based on zone and or also the certificate height for property. Windstorm pool for what it is....is very reasonable. If it doesn't qualify, then the secondary markets charge what they will and get it if a mortgage is necessary. Yes, there are multiple lines involved (flood, wind, and fire with endorsements) not typically necessary, but 2-2.5x would be a closer number in my experience. This is based on two WP8 certified structures vs. a primary residence in Central Texas I currently own.

[Mule Skinner]

Ive got a canal house in Tropic Isles in Flour Bluff. Canals arent near as nice as the island but the prices arent near as high either. For the most part houses run 250 to 300 grand.

I’ve got one in Tropic Isles as well. Gotta love the quick access to the Laguna!

[junior]

Cheaper yes, maybe on the weather and bugs. Our primary residence is 38 miles from the coast, we grow some pretty good bugs here too.



Have you spent any extended time at the coast in any seasons other than the summer?

No, just a few days during the summer with the kids. Why?


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[rvd]

No, just a few days during the summer with the kids. Why?


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If you're thinking to reside here I'd spend some time here other than summertime before you do. Not to that the other seasons are bad but they are different.

[junior]

If you're thinking to reside here I'd spend some time here other than summertime before you do. Not to that the other seasons are bad but they are different.

Can you explain how they’re different?


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[kyle1974]

house on the coast?

Yeah. We have to pay these insane windstorm rates on the coast because a hurricane might happen.

Meanwhile tornados and hailstorms cause billions in damage in north and central Texas every year. The state needs to level the playing field.

[Capt Glenn]

I'd also recommend making some week long trips and in all the different seasons and areas you'd be interested in.

We do have times the mosquitos are horrible but it isn't all the time. But the times they do get bad they are like nowhere I have ever experienced. I'm talking clouds of them. But they fog for them and you can spray your yard for them and that knocks them back some. You learn to deal with it. At some peak times you just give up and have to stay inside most of the time but that is usually only for a few days at a time maybe. Or at times when there is no breeze. But then we also have lots of times they aren't an issue at all or maybe just a minor annoyance. It comes and goes.

I've been through a few storms over the years and generally they are not as bad as you might think. Most of the severe damage is going to be right on the beachfront. If you are 5 miles inland from the gulf beach you won't see much or any damage unless it is a HUGE storm. Also alot of the time when you see the damage from a storm on the news the news crews seek out the worst stuff they can show you. That is often old and poorly built structures that were torn apart. And often it's pretty small areas that get hammered. Now I'm not talking about the really big hurricanes. You get a cat 5 and you are going to see some major damage over a big area. Tropical storms and smaller hurricanes usually just push up a bunch of water and you get some wind but not many structures get damaged. And yes, evacuating is a pain in the rear.

The other thing that is tough to get use to is the humidity. Yeah, it's bad. Which also brings mold and mildew issues. Not so much in houses with central air and heat but if you have a garage, barn or storage shed you can have problems with it. Everything is damp all the time. And anything that can rust will rust. It's just a fact of life.

But it is sure nice seeing the sunrises and sunsets. Fishing when you want and going on the best days. It's nice to be able to run out and fish for 2 hours in the morning or evening and just catch enough for dinner. In the heat of the summer you run out at daylight and get in early before it gets brutal.

People live at a little slower pace and may be a little friendlier. BUT, you have to be open to some colorful folks too. Coastal towns tend to be a haven for misfits and colorful characters. There are a bunch of folks living along the coast who just can't fit in elsewhere. Not necessarily drifters but just folks a little more on the fringe of society. Many are good honest folks who just like to live they way they want to live. Some are not good honest folks. As long as I have been around coastal towns it's been that way. And while the houses get nicer and the property gets more expensive there are still areas in which they congregate and live. There is alot of poverty in many of the coastal areas. You'll have $400k houses and then a quarter mile away folks living in falling in trailer houses. Most of the smaller towns are not zoned, they don't have HOAs or anything like that. You'll find that if you are friendly and accepting a whole bunch of those folks who look rough as a cob and maybe even down right scary are just really good people who'd give you the holey wife beater shirt right off their back. Or their white boots off their feet.

Weekend crowds are a problem and a headache for sure. But that is generally only from Spring break until school starts back. The fall is busy but a different busy. It's more of a fishing crowd. Winter and early spring are extremely quiet and peaceful.

I live 20 min from the coast and plan to move closer in about 4 years. My kids will both be out of the house and momma and I are going to downsize and get ready for retirement. It's not for everyone but for those who love it they wouldn't be anywhere else.