Townhomes Coming to The Woodlands Hills?
Are Townhomes Coming to The Woodlands Hills Master Planned Community? Have you heard the rumor that there are going to be townhomes in The Woodlands Hills? The rumors are... kind of true! While a traditional townhome is a multi-story house attached to one or more similar houses by shared walls, the new home style coming to The Woodlands Hills will look and feel a lot like a townhome, but will not share walls or be attached to any other homes. Chesmar Homes has been offering single family homes on 50-foot homesites in The Woodlands Hills since 2018, with many different floorplans and options. Now, the builder is offering "freestanding villa-style homes" on individual homesites starting in the $300s. These much-anticipated one- and two-story villas are the first of its kind in this community, and in the Greater Houston Area! Named the "Chateau Collection", Chesmar Homes will offer three different one- and two-story villa style floorplans. 1. The Tanlay Villa - The Woodlands Hills 1,628 Sq. Ft. | One Story | 3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths | Optional: Study in Lieu of Bedroom 3 | Covered Patio | 2-Car Garage The Tanlay is the one-story plan, and has a utility room with a separate area for “catch all” items that is accessible from the garage as well as from the primary bath and its walk-in closet. You also have the option to make the the third bedroom a study instead. 2. The Chantilly Villa - The Woodlands Hills (model floorplan) 1,835 Sq. Ft. Two-Story | 3 Bedrooms | 2.5 Baths | Flex Room | Covered Patio | 2-Car Garage This plan includes a powder half-bath and flex rooms, Jack-and-Jill access to the secondary bath, and a covered patio off the kitchen/dining area downstairs. 3. The Cheverny Villa - The Woodlands Hills 1,710 Sq. Ft. | Two Story | 3 Bedrooms | 2.5 Baths | Flex Room | Covered Patio | 2-Car Garage Like the Chantilly (above), this plan includes a powder half-bath and flex rooms, Jack-and-Jill access to the secondary bath, and a covered patio off the kitchen/dining area downstairs. The two-story Chantilly floorplan (#2 above) will debut a stunning, fully furnished model home in October 2022. Stay tuned to this blog and my YouTube channel for a video tour! Each of the floorplans feature three bedrooms, two-car garages, covered patios and range in size from 1,628 to 1,901 square feet. “The Chateau Collection of Villas by Chesmar Homes is an innovative addition of the new home offerings within The Woodlands Hills,” said Steve Sams, Senior Vice President, Master Planned Communities, Residential – Houston Region for The Howard Hughes Corporation. “These villas offer the lifestyle, convenience, and affordable pricing similar to a townhouse, yet they are each separate homes which makes them unique. The introduction of villa-style living complements the wide selection of home products offered to individuals, couples, and families who seek fresh new beginnings within our award-winning master planned community.” Prices for The Woodlands Hills Villas start in the $320s, and pre-sales have recently begun. For more information, PDFs of floorplans, or questions, contact me at (936) 337-3069 or click on the Contact Page on my website. More About The Woodlands Hills in Conroe and Willis Texas The Woodlands Hills is a 2,200-acre forested master planned community, featuring 112 acres of open space, 20 neighborhood parks (at build out), a 17-acre Village park and an array of amenities and activities for the entire family to enjoy. From an activity center with event space and fitness facility (including a lap pool), to miles of tree-lined trails and parks, a leisure pool with lazy river, tennis courts and dog parks, this community offers residents unlimited access to a variety of health and wellness focused amenities for a focus on your "whole life". The Woodlands Hills was recognized as a Quality Planned Development™ by the North Houston Association and West Houston Association in 2021 and ranked #20 among the 50 Top-Selling Master Planned Communities in the Greater Houston area in 2021 by Zonda. Next Steps If you would like to tour any of the model homes in The Woodlands Hills, or have questions about the community or homes, reach out! I am a resident in The Woodlands Hills and am always happy to help folks relocate to this wonderful community! Call/text me anytime at (936) 337-3069. Resale homes also come up every once in a while, which can be a great option for a quick move-in. Builders may also have "quick move-in" homes available, so please do reach out for all of the details and options. You can also download my FREE "Ultimate Guide to Moving to The Woodlands Hills" at TheWoodlandsHillsRealtor.com. Hope to chat soon!
Texas Homestead Exemption: What It Is and How to Use It
If you’re a homeowner or home buyer in Texas, you’ve probably heard of homestead exemptions. Let's learn all about the Texas homestead exemption... what it is, why you MUST leverage this if you're a Texas homeowner, and how to apply for it. If you live in Montgomery County and just want to skip right to the application and filing, go here (MCAD website) and click on "Online Forms" in the top right corner. Select "Homestead Exemption" from the Available Forms drop down menu on the page. What Is a Texas Homestead Exemption? At its core, a Texas homestead exemption is basically a tax break for qualifying homeowners. It’s one of the many perks of buying and owning a home in the Lone Star State. A homestead exemption allows you to “write down” your property value, so you don’t get taxed as much. As you probably know, residential property taxes are a major revenue source for the state of Texas. They help fund public schools, libraries, streets and roads, and more. They also compensate for the lack of state income tax. Texas is one of several states that do not impose a statewide income tax. As a result, they tend to lean more heavily on homeowners to generate necessary revenues. And that’s where the Texas homestead exemption comes into the picture. The “residence homestead exemption,” as it’s officially known, is one of several tax breaks associated with homeownership. The state offers additional exemptions for military veterans, disabled persons, homeowners over 65, etc. But those are the subject of another article. How Does the Standard Homestead Exemption Work? Let’s talks specifics. Here’s how the basic Texas homestead exemption works. Section 11.13(b) of the state’s tax code requires public school districts to offer a $25,000 exemption on “residence homesteads” located within their districts. That’s legal jargon for a home that serves as a primary residence. Other sections of the tax code offer similar exemptions: Section 11.13(n) gives taxing units the option to offer a separate homestead exemption of up to 20% of the appraised property value — but not less than $5,000.Section 11.13(a) requires a homestead exemption of $3,000 to be offered in those counties that collect flood-control or “farm-to-market” taxes.The most common type of homestead exemption in Texas is the $25,000 reduction mentioned above, as outlined in section 11.13(b) of the state tax code. So how does that exemption work? Let’s say the local tax assessor or appraiser in your area determines that your home is worth $200,000. Under the standard Texas homestead exemption, you would be allowed to reduce the taxable value of your property by $25,000. So you would only be paying taxes on a $175,000 property value, versus $200,000. That could potentially save you hundreds of dollars annually. Depending on where you live, you might have a separate exemption of up to $20,000. So this is something you’ll want to research at the local level, starting with your county’s tax website. Look for the “appraisal district” section of the website. That’s where you’ll find the homestead exemption rules and guidelines for your county, as well as any special requirements. Prior to January 1, 2022, homestead exemptions could not be filed until the year after a home was purchased. As of 2022, homeowners may file for a homestead exemption immediately upon closing on their property, so long as an exemption has not yet been filed for that tax year. Who Qualifies for the Texas Homestead Exemption? The good news is that there aren’t any strict qualification criteria for the general ($25,000) homestead exemption. You must have an ownership interest in the property and use it as your “principal residence.” In other words, you can’t use a homestead exemption on a second / vacation home. But that’s about it, as far as requirements go. As it states on the Texas Comptroller’s website: “A homestead can be a separate structure, condominium or a manufactured home located on owned or leased land, as long as the individual living in the home owns it. A homestead can include up to 20 acres, if the land is owned by the homeowner and used for a purpose related to the residential use of the homestead.” Note: The general rules and procedures for a Texas homestead exemption come from state taxation officials. But the individual counties can implement them in different ways. So the exact requirements and exemption amounts can vary slightly from one county to the next. Find your county here on the Texas Comptroller's website.. How Do I Apply for the Texas Homestead Exemption? Applying for homestead exemptions in Texas is fairly straightforward, assuming you meet the basic eligibility requirements mentioned above. All you have to do is file a bit of paperwork. The process can vary slightly from one county to the next. But in general, it works like this: Visit the tax appraisal website for your county to find any specific instructions. Obtain a copy of the “Application of Residential Homestead Exemption” (a.k.a., Property Tax Form 50-114) from your local appraisal district. Complete the application with the required information about yourself and the property you’re claiming as a primary residence. Submit the form in accordance with instructions provided by your appraisal district. Provide any additional items your district might require (e.g., copy of driver’s license). Follow up with your local appraisal district if you don’t receive any confirmation. To learn more: If you have additional questions about this subject, you can refer to the “property tax exemptions” section of the Texas comptroller’s office. Their site offers more information on the topics covered above, along with a helpful FAQ section. You can find it with a quick Google search. You’ll also want to visit the “appraisal district” website for your particular county. Have questions or need more help? Leave a comment or get in touch with me via the contact form on this site. I'm happy to help!