Anyone have any pro/cons on living on Galveston Island? Looking at waterfront properties and driving to IAH for flights. Any areas on the island to avoid or try to live on/near?

We just bought a place in Pointe West on the extreme western tip of the island by San Luis Pass. Not an expert but,...

Waterfront on Bay or Beach? If beach try and get as far away from a beach access point as possible. I was shocked this weekend. There were high six figure homes near beach access points with three rows of cars on the beach behind the houses. Nothing like paying big bucks for a home and having mobs of drunks ruin every holiday. Hell some houses had towed camping trailers parked on the beach behind them overnight.

Dogg

Bay side... Northern edge of Jamaica Beach area is what I've looked at online.

Yea, anything Jamaica Beach on down from the Galveston Island State Park would be good. Watch out for the speed trap there. Bay Front would be sweet too. Then just get a golf cart to go back and forth to the beach.

Wish I could recommend a realtor, but I think they are a waste of time and money. Anything you can do to avoid or cut that commission do it.

Cadence Insurance in League City was who we used for insurance and the bright spot of the whole process was the mortgage agent. Traci Heineman at Supreme Lending 281-778-5802. She did the job of the mortgage agent, insurance agent, and closing agent. She had all the answers the rest of the buffoons should have had.

Dogg

I have a family member who just bought a weekend beach house there. Be prepared to spend some money. Also, you will need some heavy duty insurance to cover hurricanes and tropical storms. Lots of homes one the canal system that aren't water front, so maybe a little cheaper.

I think you should bid IAH as soon as you can. Worry about finding a place to live later.

Tiki island is nice but insane taxes and flood insurance.....


Galveston has some potential but "it aint there yet" and it is not Florida.


Check out Kemah/Clearlake.....3rd largest boating population in the USA. :45-:55 min to IAH. Waterfront homes, canal homes etc....

Again its not Florida but pretty damn close and NO COMMUTE!

I grew up the Clear Lake area. Kemah, Seabrook, Clear Lake Shores have great waterfront places too. Might have to shell out more money though. If you have kids, the schools are way better than Galveston too. I would stay with my parents in Seabrook while on reserve and the drive was a breeze with usually light traffic going up 146, 225 to get on the Beltway. Galveston will be a pretty long drive and bad traffic going through Houston on I-45. But if you don't have kids or don't mind the longer drive Galveston/Tiki Island would be a little more fun I think.

Buyers don't pay commissions, sellers do. If you're not familiar with an area then free advice is worth it, and don't use the realtor on the sign at the house, they work for the seller and are paid to negotiate against you. Get your own buyer's agent and they will split the commission with the seller's agent.

Thanks for all the great insight... realtor said to bypass Tiki Island and East side of Galveston. We are going down next week to take a look at Galveston and Kemah/Clear Lake/Seabrook area... we will not have school aged kids so really looking for waterfront, nice comparable homes to the one we would buy, restaurants and shopping within 45 minute drive.

I have noticed that real estate around Jamaica Beach is about 100K cheaper than a comparable homes in the Kemah/Clear Lake area... probably due to the drive and rental properties on Galveston.