Cinco Ranch it is!

We had a very busy few days in Houston. It was a very productive trip! One of our goals was to narrow down our search by checking out the various communities in Katy, and we have decided that we want to be in Cinco Ranch (www.cincoranch.com). We also looked at Seven Meadows and Grand Lakes, but the amenities in Cinco Ranch can't be beat.

When we arrived on Wednesday night, we met with our Realtor for the first time. We really like her, and we feel she has a good grasp on what we are looking for. We spent the evening touring model homes and meeting with builders. While we are not interested in building a home from scratch, we were intrigued to hear about the inventory homes available. After much discussion, however, we have decided not to go that route. We really do not want to be in a brand new area, surrounded by construction.

On Thursday we toured all of the resale property in which we were interested. We ended up seeing around 15 homes. Needless to say, it was overwhelming. We then narrowed the field to five, which we revisited on Friday morning. From that list we have three strong contenders, with one more that is still an option if all else fails. It is nice to have choices! As with any house hunt, each has its pros and cons, but we'd be happy in any one of the three. The next step is to wait a couple of weeks (still waiting on some company relo paperwork to go through), and then decide if there are additional properties we want to see (depending on what comes on the market) or if we are ready to make an offer. We also have a plan for one more trip in May.

Overall, we are feeling really positive about the move. The community offers so many amenities that will really be great: pools, waterpark/splash pad, kid events, shopping, etc. The area is growing; there are 4 hospitals slated to be opened in Katy in the next few years. There is also a branch of the University of Houston and Houston Community College, so I have some options for adjunct positions.

We did buy a "Don't Mess with Texas" shirt for Henry. I guess that's the first step to assimilation. But don't worry; he'll be inculcated into Notre Dame and U of Michigan football traditions. (And I think we all know who is more likely to have a winning season this year. Clearly, MOM is writing this blog.) In any case, we are NOT raising a Longhorns fan.