Not sure how to feel about it...?

[Pineywoods]

I live in (former small town) of New Caney in eastern Montgomery County. There are big changes happening fast around here and i'm torn on how I feel about it. The Grand Parkway (99) just came through here and the growth has been fast to say the least. Right now there are things being built everywhere and the population and my taxes are growing exponentially.

Here is just what has been built very recently or is being built...A total of 1.5 million square feet of shops and restaurants is planned, plus a 10,000-seat amphitheater, a multi-attraction entertainment venue, 1,000 multi-family residences and the newly-opened 8,500-seat Texan Drive Stadium at New Caney ISD. a medical district, Wal-Mart Super Center, Kroger Marketplace®, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Hobby Lobby, Sam's Club, Party City, Chili's, El Pollo Loco, Chick-fil-A, Freebirds, Sports Clips, Supercuts, GNC, Subway, Sally's Beauty, Nails of America, T. Jin's Asian Café, First Choice Emergency Room, Bank of America,Taco Bell, Whataburger, and Panda Express. This is just the beginning...

For this East Texas country boy, this is a nightmare. As a Youth Pastor of a growing church, more people to minister to is what you want to see. It's been truly exciting seeing what God is doing in our church but I am beginning to truly hate the area.With the home values around here going through the roof, we now have about 100k equity in our home/2 acres after only 2 years of living there. The temptation to sell and head back up to East Tx is strong. My wife and I just semi-inherited 100 acres and her Grannies old 1930's farm house (fixer upper) just south of Henderson so that makes it even harder. I'm truly torn because I absolutely love my church because what we have here is rare these days...but I'm not sure I want my kids raised in what this area is becoming. Pray for me because I am struggling with this right now!

[AntlerCollector]

New Caney will be as busy as Humble in 5 years or so.

[mev002]

Man, I know how you feel. I grew up in New Caney. Lived there since '97. I've lived elsewhere the past few years and recently moved back to Kingwood. Its not even the same town that I grew up in at all. Its kind of cool to see all the new growth, but it is not the HOME it used to be.

[systemnt]

I'd be on Grannys land quicker than you can say "commute to the church".

[buckmastertexas]

You are needed wherever you go. Prayers sent.

[hcshooter]

Don't know if this helps or not but we do not plan to be in Kingwood, Porter or New Caney for another year , we are packing up and going north ward further from all this expansion. Unfortunately at the rate things are expanding it will not take long to reach out to more of the country areas. I hope this next move will be the last and the expansion does not reach me again until my days on earth are through.

[mev002]

Don't know if this helps or not but we do not plan to be in Kingwood, Porter or New Caney for another year , we are packing up and going north ward further from all this expansion. Unfortunately at the rate things are expanding it will not take long to reach out to more of the country areas. I hope this next move will be the last and the expansion does not reach me again until my days on earth are through.

We are looking to buy a house this coming year sometime, and neither one of us wants to stay in the Kingwood, Porter, New Caney area. We want to go farther North, but I also don't want to battle any more traffic than I have to, as I go downtown everyday...

[bloodstick]

I live in (former small town) of New Caney in eastern Montgomery County. There are big changes happening fast around here and i'm torn on how I feel about it. The Grand Parkway (99) just came through here and the growth has been fast to say the least. Right now there are things being built everywhere and the population and my taxes are growing exponentially.

Here is just what has been built very recently or is being built...A total of 1.5 million square feet of shops and restaurants is planned, plus a 10,000-seat amphitheater, a multi-attraction entertainment venue, 1,000 multi-family residences and the newly-opened 8,500-seat Texan Drive Stadium at New Caney ISD. a medical district, Wal-Mart Super Center, Kroger Marketplace®, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Hobby Lobby, Sam's Club, Party City, Chili's, El Pollo Loco, Chick-fil-A, Freebirds, Sports Clips, Supercuts, GNC, Subway, Sally's Beauty, Nails of America, T. Jin's Asian Café, First Choice Emergency Room, Bank of America,Taco Bell, Whataburger, and Panda Express. This is just the beginning...

For this East Texas country boy, this is a nightmare. As a Youth Pastor of a growing church, more people to minister to is what you want to see. It's been truly exciting seeing what God is doing in our church but I am beginning to truly hate the area.With the home values around here going through the roof, we now have about 100k equity in our home/2 acres after only 2 years of living there. The temptation to sell and head back up to East Tx is strong. My wife and I just semi-inherited 100 acres and her Grannies old 1930's farm house (fixer upper) just south of Henderson so that makes it even harder. I'm truly torn because I absolutely love my church because what we have here is rare these days...but I'm not sure I want my kids raised in what this area is becoming. Pray for me because I am struggling with this right now!

I know what you mean. I moved to the country (bedias) with my wife from a decent sized town in Louisiana. Huntsville and College Station are growing inwards towards each other and Houston is traveling north. Its only a matter of time until i am in the same boat you are getting closed in from all sides. Traffic has tripled in Huntsville in the last 2-3 years and steadily growing.
I'll lift a prayer up for you.

[texan4ut]

I feel you pain. I moved to Round Rock it was a small community and the big city was Austin. I am a real estate appraiser so growth is good for my business but I hate what the area has become. Way too much traffic, construction, higher taxes etc. The good lord will send you in the right direction you just got to listen when you pray about it.

[bloodstick]

We are looking to buy a house this coming year sometime, and neither one of us wants to stay in the Kingwood, Porter, New Caney area. We want to go farther North, but I also don't want to battle any more traffic than I have to, as I go downtown everyday...

It seems alot of folks have that same train of thought. More and more people are going north and its expanding at an alarming rate.

[ladybluearm]

Go to grannies land, you won't regret it! Get your kiddos out of there!

[hcshooter]

We are looking to buy a house this coming year sometime, and neither one of us wants to stay in the Kingwood, Porter, New Caney area. We want to go farther North, but I also don't want to battle any more traffic than I have to, as I go downtown everyday...

I hear ya, we both work down town and times like now where I am in Katy at an engineering house. I told the wife, to me the extra drive is worth it, the crime is getting worse around there, neighbors are becoming more of a burden and the traffic just getting around KW, Porter and NC any more is a freakin nightmare. We are pretty much done with it and ready to go.

[Smart]

How does one semi-inherit something?

[Pineywoods]

How does one semi-inherit something?

It technically got left to my mother-n-law who told us to treat it like ours because it will be. She decided not to sell it, because they didn't need the money and my wife was very sentimentally attached to the place. They have 160 acres in Elkhart so they don't need the land. She told us a few months back to do whatever we want with the house and land.

[BURTONboy]

Growth isn't for everybody. I live in Brenham and it has been expanding because of Houston for years. It will only get worse. All I can say is take the money and run if you don't like the change/growth. If you stick it out though I bet you grow use to it and actually will enjoy all the new restaurants and stores. I don't care to be in town either and we are in the process of trying to buy our little quiet place in the country nestled back in where it should never get loud. Still within 10 minutes of town, but that's plenty far away.