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It is interesting to compare the City of Bellaire (Bellaire) with the City of West University (West U) through the prism of subdivisions, and learn the subdivision make up of each city.

Bellaire trumps West U when it comes to the sheer number of subdivisions.  It has 102 as oppose to only 30 in West U.  The smallest subdivision in each city is similar (3 and 4). While the largest Bellaire subdivision (Southdale) has 764 households, West U’s largest subdivision (West University Place) has 1,264.  The total number of households is somewhat similar, though Bellaire has a lead here too with 5,970 households, vs. 5,063 in West U.  The average number of households per each subdivision is naturally higher in West U given the similar total number of households, but much smaller number of subdivisions, ie. Bellaire averages 59 vs. 169 in West U.

Now, when it comes to the median appraised value, this is where West U supersedes Bellaire.  Its median appraised value (which is generally lower then the fair market value) is: $623,209, almost a $100K higher then Bellaire’s $543,478.  

Lastly, Bellaire seems to have more new construction and/or less old bungalows as the average age is 1983 vs. 1978 in West U.  The oldest subdivision in Bellaire was built in 1950 as opposed to a few in West U that were built back in 1935.

This younger overall housing age in Bellaire is contributing to a slightly larger average square footage at 2,983 in Bellaire, vs. 2,860 in West U.

I hope you found this subdivision overview and comparison of these 2 cities as interesting as I did.

CHILDREN AT RISK released the 8th annual (Public) School Rankings across the state of Texas.  The list is currently published on their site at: http://childrenatrisk.org/research/school-rankings

Top 10 Elementary Schools (though I included 3 more schools in HISD). The 1st number reflects the Greater Houston rankings, the 2nd number reflects the school’s rankings in the state of TX!). I highlighted HISD schools:

1. T H Rogers School, Houston ISD, (#1 in TX
2. River Oaks El, Houston ISD, Harris, (#6 in TX)
3. Commonwealth El, Fort Bend ISD, (#9 in TX)
4. Buckalew El, Conroe ISD, (#13 in TX)
5. Bush El, Conroe ISD, (#17 in TX)
6. Oak Forest El, Houston ISD,  (#18 in TX)
7. West University El, Houston ISD, (#28 in TX)
8. Bush El, Houston ISD, (#29 in TX)
9. Condit El, Houston ISD, (#30 in TX)
10. Tough El, Conroe ISD, (#31 in TX)

13. Roberts El, Houston ISD, (#45 in TX)
18. Herod El, Houston ISD, (#57 in TX)
19. Kolter El, Houston ISD, (#61 in TX)

28. Horn El, Houston ISD (#92 in TX)

35. Twain El, Houston ISD (#119 in TX)

249. Lovett El, Houston ISD (#979)

528. Briargrove El, Houston ISD (#2,357 in TX)

Top 10 Middle School (though I included 4 more to make it top 14):

1. T H Rogers School, Houston ISD, (#2 in TX)
2. Harmony School Of Science – Houston, Harmony School Of Science (#5 in TX)
3. Ser-Ninos Charter Middle, Ser-Ninos Charter School, (#6 in TX)
4. Houston Gateway Academy, Houston Gateway Academy Inc, (#9 in TX)
5. Briarmeadow Charter, Houston ISD, (#10 in TX)
6. KIPP 3D Academy, KIPP Inc Charter, (#13 in TX)
7. Kaleidoscope/Caleidoscopio, Houston ISD, (#19 in TX)
8. Sartartia Middle, Fort Bend ISD, (#30 in TX)
9. Fort Settlement Middle, Fort Bend ISD, (#34 in TX)
10. KIPP Academy Middle, KIPP Inc Charter, (#38 in TX)
11. Wharton K-8 Dual Language Academy, Houston ISD, (#41 in TX)
12. Harmony School Of Excellence, Harmony School Of Excellence, (#51 in TX)
13. Lanier Middle, Houston ISD, (#55 in TX)
14. Harmony School Of Innovation – Houston, Harmony Science Academy, (#63 in TX)

Top 10 High Schools:

1. Debakey H S For Health Prof, Houston ISD, (#3 in TX)
2. Carnegie Vanguard H S, Houston ISD, (#5 in TX)
3. Eastwood Academy, Houston ISD, (#9 in TX
4. Kerr H S, Alief ISD, (#11 in TX)
5. KIPP Houston H S, Kipp Inc Charter, (#13 in TX)
6. YES Prep – Southeast Campus, YES Prep Public Schools Inc, (#16 in TX)
7. East Early College H S, Houston ISD, (#17 in TX)
8. Perfor & Vis Arts H S, Houston ISD, (#18 in TX)
9. Challenge Early College H S, Houston ISD, (#25 in TX)
10. YES Prep – North Central Campus, YES Prep Public Schools Inc, (#28 in TX)

Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC,  has released its annual Home Listing Report (HLR).

The rankings are based on the average listing price of a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home in a given market. States and cities are ranked from most affordable to least affordable.

Texas made the top 10 in terms of most affordable states. A four-bedroom, two-bathroom house in the Lone Star State currently lists at $186,144, Coldwell Banker reports.

At No. 1 on the list was Redford, Mich., which was named as the most affordable market in the U.S. A four-bedroom, two-bath home there lists for $60,490.

The most affordable state is Nebraska, where a four-bedroom, two-bath home lists for $145,360.

Want that same home in Los Altos, Calif.? Get ready to shell out $1.7 million. In fact, you can buy 28 homes in Redford for what you’d be spending on one home in Los Altos.

Joining Los Altos at the bottom of the list were several other Golden State cities — including Newport Beach, where a four-bed, two-bath home lists for $1.66 million; Saratoga, $1.58 million; Menlo Park, $1.51 million; and Palo Alto, $1.5 million.)

For a full report click here

Redacted from San Antonio Business Journal

74 houses sold in Bellaire in the last quarter (July-Sept. 2012). Average sales price was $744K, median $727,450, low $269K, and highest $2,200,000. Average days on market 54.66 with 97% sales price to list price ratio. Email me (maya@cbunited.com) anytime for any residential real estate data, advice, or CMA. Cheers. 🙂

There are 134 Bellaire houses available for sale as of today (June 17, 2012), 97 of which are actively on the market and not under the contract yet.  Most houses (23) are listed between $800K-1M range, followed by 19 houses in $200K-399K, 16 houses between $600-$799K range, 14 houses between $1M-$1.3M, etc.  The average asking price was $806,387, and average sold price in the last month was $787,138, only 2.4% below the asking price.  It took less then 3 months(!) on average to sell the houses in the last month, making it a very strong seller’s market.  The low interest rates and our lovely Bellaire itself are certainly contributing to the buying frenzy.

Don’t forget that the “Bellaire Town Square Family Aquatic Center” a.k.a. Bellaire Pool opens for the summer season today at 11am (we’ll be there! :-)) and will be operating every weekend (Sat.: 11am-6pm, and Sun.: 1pm-6pm) throughout the May.   Summer schedule starts on June 1st.

For the seventh consecutive year, CHILDREN AT RISK evaluated and ranked 150 high schools, 277 middle schools, and 769 elementary schools in the Greater Houston area, released in partnership with the Houston Chronicle.  Greater Houston is comprised of the following counties:  Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller. CHILDREN AT RISK also identified a Gold Ribbon School, or the top urban, comprehensive school, at each level (elementary, middle, and high school).  These ratings were determined using last year’s data.

Greater Houston’s Top 5 Elementary Schools

1. T. H. Rogers Elementary (Houston ISD)
2. Lyons Elementary (Houston ISD) *Gold Ribbon School*
3. River Oaks Elementary (Houston ISD)
4. Commonwealth Elementary (Fort Bend ISD)
5. West University Elementary (Houston ISD)

Greater Houston’s Top 5 Middle Schools

1. T. H. Rogers Secondary (Houston ISD)
2. Project Chrysalis Middle (Houston ISD)
3. Energized For Excellence Middle (Houston ISD)
4. Ser-Ninos Charter Middle (Ser-Ninos Charter School)
5. Fort Settlement Middle (Fort Bend ISD)

Greater Houston’s Top 10 High Schools

1. DeBakey High School For Health Professions (Houston ISD)
2. Carnegie Vanguard High School (Houston ISD)
3. Eastwood Academy (Houston ISD)
4. Yes Prep-Southeast Campus (Yes Prep Public Schools Inc.)
5. Kerr High School (Alief ISD)
6. Yes Prep-North Central Campus (Yes Prep Public Schools Inc.)
7. Harmony Science Academy (Harmony Science Academy)
8. East Early College High School (Houston ISD)
9. KIPP Houston High School (KIPP Inc Charter)
10. High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (Houston ISD)

Greater Houston’s Top High Schools in Science & Mathematics

1. DeBakey High School for Health Professions (HISD)
2. Carnegie Vanguard High School (HISD)
3. Memorial High School (Spring Branch ISD)
4. Clements High School (Fort Bend ISD)
5. Eastwood Academy (HISD)
6. Kerr High School (Alief ISD)
7. Westchester Academy for International Studies (Spring Branch ISD)
8. YES Prep – Southeast Campus (YES Prep Public Schools, Inc.)
9. YES Prep – North Central Campus (YES Prep Public Schools, Inc.)
10. Cinco Ranch High School (Katy ISD)

HISD’s first-ever Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School is accepting applications for the 2012–2013 school year. Students will have the opportunity to become fluent speakers, writers, and readers of Mandarin Chinese, and will gain a multicultural perspective that will prepare them for today’s global economy.

The school is located at Gordon Elementary, 6300 Avenue B in Bellaire, and students currently enrolled at that campus are encouraged to consider this exciting new opportunity. HISD is accepting applications for students in prekindergarten to second grade. Core subjects of language arts, math, science, and social studies will be taught primarily in Mandarin Chinese, with a certain amount of English Language Development instruction incorporated each day.

Students will also have the opportunity to participate in enrichment activities that highlight the Mandarin Chinese culture.

Cited from:

http://dept.houstonisd.org/mandarin-chinese-school/