Fulshear (pronounced “ful-shur”) is a small community of approximately 14,000 people. It has very limited amenities, so residents of Cross Creek Ranch spend most of their time in Katy TX. Cross Creek Ranch lies between Katy TX (77494) and Fulshear TX (77441). Cross Creek Ranch has a Fulshear address but most of it is zoned to Katy ISD schools.
Contact Sheila Cox for a preliminary price analysis. Your choice: Call 832-779-2890 -or- Email House Details To Me
Meet in-person to discuss your service level options.
Walk-through the home and decide on next steps.
Sign paperwork and get home listed.
That’s the beginning of the process. Getting a home ready to go on the market, marketing the home to buyers and their agents, handling contract negotiations and repairs, dealing with problems in the sales transaction (title commitment, surveys, lenders, inspections, HOA compliance, and more), and then finalizing the sales transaction involves many more steps!
Easiest Way to Sell = VIDEO!
I’m sorry for the rest of the country, but we are still in a housing shortage in 2024! You can expect to get a high volume of showings within the first 5 days of listing your home. If you want to minimize the volume of traffic of strangers walking through your home, and reach the largest possible number of home buyers, then provide a walk-through video! I’m not talking about a slideshow of photos or one of those awful “Matterport” videos that don’t even show the backyard. I’m talking about a thorough walk-through that shows off your ENTIRE home including yard, garage, pantry, and closets. People want to see the ENTIRE home…not just the main rooms.
We have many buyers that are out-of-state or out-of-country who will pay TOP-DOLLAR for “site unseen” homes, if you provide a detailed video walk-through like mine. I’ve sold many homes via HD video and I know the “INs and OUTs” of the process! If you want to get the highest price for your home, then make sure the largest group of potential home buyers can see it.
NOTE: I also staged this home with extra furniture, artwork, curtains, and decorations. At the Closing, the Home Buyer
commented that the decorating was one of the reasons they bought this particular home. 😀
I provide high-quality HD videos with my listings
This is also a great way to advertise your home on social media!
How I Stage to Sell!
This is a short video showing one example of how I staged a home to sell! This home sold in 2021 for full price in 4 days to an out-of-town buyer (who didn’t walk the home in person until the day before Closing). She told us at Closing that the decorating was what “sold” her. Even beautiful homes in HOT real estate markets can use a little bit of staging.
My Seller Testimonials
As you consider how to sell your Katy home, you may want to review what some of my previous clients say about me (below). You will notice in the following reviews that I often help my clients sell their existing home, and buy a new home, at the same time. Let me know if you need help buying a home too!
“Sheila was amazing in every way imaginable. We opted for the full-service package and it was worth every penny. She gave a thorough and detailed explanation of the process with a recent market analysis and how she determined the list price. She staged, took photos and videos of the home herself. We received a full list offer after one day of being on the market sight unseen because of the quality of her work. We really appreciated everything Sheila did for us and highly recommend her services!” — Callahan
“Sheila was the best realtor we could have ever asked for. We could always depend on her to get the job done and she was always looking out for our best interests. I was going through the tragic loss of my mother during the sale and purchase of our home, and Sheila went above and beyond in ensuring that all was being taken care of and everything was moving along smoothly on BOTH ends. Where the other realtor failed during the process, Sheila jumped in to pick up the pieces and kept things moving along. She is dependable and trustworthy, and has great knowledge of the market and lenders. Her superb advice and expertise made the whole process, which could have been very stressful given the circumstances, move along as smoothly and possible. People like Sheila are few and far between, and we are so grateful that we had the opportunity to work with her.” –Worley
“Sheila was OUTSTANDING!!!! Well beyond the call of duty!!!! I could not recommend any service provider higher, in any industry, that I have ever experienced.” –Post
“In an age when good customer service is hard to find, Sheila is a gem. She handled both the sale of our old house and the purchase of our new one, and I was completely pleased with both transactions.” –Compton
“Sheila is simply the best. She was our selling and buying agent and made what I wasn’t sure was possible, happen. This was our second time to work with her and I would highly recommend Sheila to anyone.” –Boykin
“Sheila is an experienced and knowledgeable realtor. She did a great job of shepherding us through the arduous process of a successful house sale. I would definitely recommend her services.” –McNulty
“Sheila does a great job of listening to her clients and then direct them down the right path. She is a joy to work with.” –Veltri
“Have worked with on 2 real estate transactions. Her level of service and knowledge has not waivered. Would recommend Sheila to anyone looking for a good quality service Provider who is honest and willing to ask tough Questions when needed.” –Henry
“Sheila has a very outgoing personality and I found her very easy to get along with. She proved to be very professional and knowledgeable about Katy real estate and I discovered many important things I did not know about before in respect of selling a property and buying a new one. Even though I was out of the country for a while, she took over my house and prepared it for the Open House and other showings until we received an offer. Thereafter Sheila very patiently helped me to find the right house for my needs. I would definitely recommend her to future buyers/sellers.” — Mokwe
How It Works
Once you contact me via phone or email, then:
I create a preliminary price analysis.
Schedule a time to meet with you in-person to discuss price and find out more about your needs.
Once you decide to hire me, we go through the following home sales process:
My Services – What You Get When You List With Me
Complete Walk-Through Video
No matter how good the photos are, home buyers can’t see your home’s layout and floorplan through photos alone. Today’s home buyers love to view video tours (walk-throughs) of potential homes. This is especially true in the Katy area where so many people are relocating from other parts of the country (or the world). In this area, it is very common for one spouse to be viewing properties here, while the other spouse is located far away. A video tour, in that situation, can help encourage an offer…since the out-of-town spouse can view your home online. So, with the Gold plan only, I will create and publish a walk-through video of your home and make it available on your MLS listing and other websites.
Plus, if you are still living in the home, video tours can minimize the number of unqualified showings that you have to manage. It can be a hassle to pack up kids and pets and leave your home for hours at a time, and then get the feedback “floorplan doesn’t work for buyers.” So to try and prevent that, I post a walk-through video so that potential buyers can view it first, and then only set an appointment if it looks like the floorplan works for them.
My walk-through videos are not photo slideshows or those annoying 3D video programs. I actually take my video camera and walk your home as if I were a home buyer…including opening closet doors. This is a great selling technique that very few (less than 10 percent) real estate agents use.
40+ Photos on MLS Listing
High-quality photos are the second most important part of marketing your home to potential buyers. In “the old days,” before we could put photos on the Internet, buyers used to drive by houses and see what they looked like from the street. This is what we call “curb appeal”…how appealing a home appears from the street curb.
Today’s “curb appeal” is how good a home looks via online photos. Instead of driving neighborhoods, home buyers search on the Internet.
If you are also looking for a new home, you know that some photos are much better than others. Ugly photos do not encourage showings. When home buyers have many options, they will “weed out” the homes with ugly photos.
Buyers May Not Tour Your Home If It Looks Bad Online
To help you sell, I upload high-quality photos of your home when I list it to the MLS. I hire a professional photographer to ensure we show off your home’s best features. Research shows that the more photos a potential home buyer sees, the more emotionally attached they become to your home. So the more photos the better!
Decluttering & Staging Advice/Plan
A few home owners do not need help with decluttering and staging their home to sell, but most do. I will walk through your home, take detailed photos, and create a personalized staging plan, so you know exactly what you need to do to show off your home. I will also give you a copy of my 25+ page Home Selling Tips & Checklistswith very detailed, prioritized checklists and other tips for getting your home in top-dollar condition. This helps make the process for preparing your home as quick and painless as possible.
And don’t forget that I can offer Keller Concierge’s “Ready to Sell” program!
Staging Service
If your home doesn’t look it’s best, you may not get top-dollar for it. However, a little elbow-grease and some effective furniture arrangement and staging will go a long way to get your home in top “show condition.” I am an expert in getting your home in show-worthy condition.
If you need help staging your home, or if your home is vacant and you want it to appear as warm and inviting as possible, then I can provide a free staging service (for full-commission listings only, special conditions may apply). This service varies, depending on your home and what it needs to look as good as possible. If you already have furniture and decorations in the home, then my staging service helps to declutter and arrange it to show off the home’s best features. If your home is vacant, then my staging service adds art, decorations, and minimal furnishings to make the home appear more warm and inviting. Sometimes, we use virtual staging…where photos are digitally enhanced by professionals. Whatever your situation, I can help!
In some situations, your home may need some remodeling and updating to compete with other homes on the market. The following video shows an example of how I helped a home owner remodel and stage his home. You will also see the difference between “bad” photos and “great” photos (which includes wide angles and lighting).
I will post your video and photos on various social media accounts to advertise there as well. And you can share those posts with your friends and followers too. Home buyers are not really using social media yet to find homes, but it never hurts to spread the word to more people.
Detailed MLS Photo Descriptions
Sometimes it’s hard to figure out what room you are looking at when you are viewing a photo. Or you can’t tell if the floor is tile or carpet. So I also take the time necessary to write detailed descriptions of each photo so that potential buyers know what they are looking out and notice all the best features of your home. This helps to “sell” your home before a buyer even walks through the door!
Listed on MLS
The most important thing to do to get your home in front of as many potential home buyers as possible is to have your real estate agent list it on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). This is where buyers’ agents in the area search for homes to show their clients. It is also the source of the data that gets sent to all the other real estate websites, such as HAR.com, Realtor.com, Zillow, Redfin, etc. When I list your home on the MLS, it can be found by the 34,000+ real estate agents in the Houston region. It will then be sent out through the Internet (via “Internet Data Exchange” or “IDX”) within a few days (or hours!) so that anyone can do a Google search on your address and see your listing.
However, your listing needs to be added correctly to the MLS…and this is not as easy as it sounds. Many agents don’t know what they are doing and incorrectly list your home…which makes it difficult (if not impossible) to find. For example, if an agent doesn’t ensure the correct subdivision name for your home, buyer’s agents searching for homes in that subdivision won’t see your house listed. (That’s just one example.) Lots of agents leave important MLS fields blank which means your home won’t show up in a search for that field (such as size of garage, 2-car vs 3-car).
Professional For Sale Sign in Front Yard
It is important to put a professional-looking For Sale sign in the front yard, since up to 7% of home buyers find the home they purchase due to a yard sign, plus another 7% when your neighbors see your For Sale sign, and tell their family and friends. I use the the real estate post signs that are the highest quality.
Lock Box on Door
Buyers can’t purchase your home if they can’t view it in person. To make it super-easy, I put an electronic lock box (keybox) on your home so that licensed (and finger printed) agents have easy access to show your home. The lock box that I use records every person who opens it, with the time and date. Only licensed agents and inspectors can obtain the electronic key to unlock these boxes.
Make sure your agent is properly securing your home with an electronic keybox – manual combination keyboxes are not secure. If the buyer sees the code, they can enter and leave your home without permission.
The old-fashioned push button or combination keyboxes that some agents use are not secure. Those combination codes can be easily shared and I’ve heard of buyers unlawfully accessing vacant homes as often as they want (and without supervision), due to knowing the combination code. Plus, there is no record of who is accessing your key and when they are contained in the old-fashioned keyboxes.
Automated Appointment Scheduling Service
Again, buyers can’t purchase your home if they can’t view it in person. To make it super-easy, I am a member of the Showing Time Showing Service which is the fastest and easiest way to enable licensed agents to set appointments to show your home. When an agent requests an appointment, they will automatically receive showing instructions, and you will be notified via text or email (whichever you prefer).
Buyers Can’t Buy Your House If They Can’t See It
If you hire an agent who is not a member of Showing Time, then they require buyer’s agents to call or text them to get permission to show the home, and to obtain the combination or code to the keybox. If that agent is hard to get in touch with, or makes it difficult to set showing appointments, then you miss opportunities to show and sell your home. Unfortunately, you will never be aware that this is going on. Let me tell you, as a buyer’s agent, there are numerous times when I had clients who wanted to see a home but I could not get in touch with the listing agent to show it! Many times, these were vacant homes that had been on the market for months. No wonder, when the listing agent was making it difficult to show the home.
Contract Negotiations
When we receive an offer on your home, we will need to negotiate several aspects of the offer, including:
Price
Inspections & Repairs
Closing Date
Terms and Conditions
Home Warranty
Survey
HOA Compliance
Receiving an offer to purchase your home is not the end of the process…it’s the middle! Even after the purchase contract is signed and executed, other negotiations often pop up. After inspections, there is typically a second round of negotiations for repairs. Plus, other issues can occur in the transaction that will require my help and expertise, such as handling appraisal issues or dealing with lender delays. A real estate transaction is complicated, but I will help you through it!
Online Contracts and Signature Service
Real estate laws in Texas are complex. To make sure your sale is compliant, and to help prevent future litigation, I will help you with the necessary sales contracts and disclosures. I use an online signature service to make it easy for you to review and sign documents online. This saves time and headache…no more scanning and faxing!
Weekly Showing and Activity Reports
If you want to stay well-informed on showings and activity, then starting with the Silver plan, I can provide you with weekly reports so you always know exactly what’s going on with your home listing.
Market Watch Emails (to monitor the competition in area)
When you are selling your home, it is useful to keep your eye on the market activity in your neighborhood, and monitor what your competition is doing. So starting with the Silver plan, I set up a customized Market Watch for you, which will let you know when homes in your neighborhood: go on the market, reduce their sales price, when they are sold, or when they go off the market. You will be able to view the details and photos on those homes as well. Smart!
Monthly Check-Up for Cleanliness (if vacant)
If your home is vacant for more than a few weeks, then dead bugs will start to appear and make the home look unkempt. So, if you select the Gold plan, I will check your home at least once a month to vacuum dead bugs and make sure it stays clean and in top showing condition.
A lot of discount real estate agents are part-time agents and are not easily available or hard to get in touch with. This may make it difficult for buyer’s agents to show your property. Plus, if they are not getting paid a full commission, they are not motivated to pay for all the extra services that a full-service agent offers…those services add to their operating costs. These two things may make it hard to sell your home.
Then, if your house sits on the market too long, the carrying costs (mortgage, insurance, taxes, utilities, lawn service) add up and the final sales price will probably go down. Buyers never say, “This house as been on the market four months? Then let’s offer full price!”
All of this effects a final Seller’s Net. The following illustration shows what I mean.
A lot of home owners do not understand how real estate sales commissions are paid. This image illustrates how sales commissions are paid. Remember that sales commissions are negotiable between you and the listing agent. There is no set commission rate.
The home owner only pays ONE sales commission to the Listing Broker. Then the Listing Broker (and Listing Agent) are responsible for covering the other “costs of doing business” in your 2-6 month (varies) long real estate transaction. This may include paying for professional photography, videography, staging, secured electronic keybox, online appointment service, MLS membership (so your house will be advertised all of the Internet*), Buyer’s Broker fee (which pays the Buyer’s Agent for the 2-4 months they manage the buyer in your 2mth transaction), open house costs, etc.
Home owners do NOT pay Buyer’s Agents.
Think about buying a car. When you buy a car, you pay the dealership. Then the dealership has “costs of doing business” including paying the salesperson, service manager, receptionist, finance manager, etc. You do not pay those individuals when you buy a car…the dealership pays them out of the purchase price.
Likewise, when you sell a house, you do not write a check to the photographer, Buyer’s Broker, Buyer’s Agent, appointment service, MLS advertising service, etc. You pay one sales commission to the Listing Broker as agreed to in your Listing Agreement. Then the Listing Broker pays the other costs of selling your home, as agreed to in your Listing Agreement.
*The MLS is the central/core database for house listings. Listing agents insert your house information in the MLS database, and then the MLS shares that information with other websites (such as Zillow, Redfin, HAR) through an Internet Data Exchange (IDX) protocol. Without the MLS, your home would not be advertised across the Internet on other websites like it is now.
About Buyer’s Agents
Data shows that 86 percent of home buyers use a real estate agent to help them buy a home. This is because a real estate transaction is lengthy (2-4 months or more) and has a lot of legal deadlines and requirements that most home buyers do not understand and are not trained to handle.
Buyer’s agents help guide home buyers through the lengthy process and handle problems along the way. That includes not only showing homes, but also doing price analyses, writing contracts and addendums, ensuring proper legal disclosures and notices, managing inspections and getting through the inspection phase, handling appraisal issues, title issues, survey issues, HOA issues, and more.
Without the guidance of professional Buyer’s Agents, many real estate transactions would never begin and many would never complete at the Closing table.
It doesn’t do a home owner any good to just get “under contract” with a home buyer. Home owners do not get PAID unless the transaction is fully completed, Closed, and funded. That’s what professional Buyer’s Agents are trained to do.
The Truth About Open Houses
Less than 5 percent of all homes sold are done so at an open house. It is very rare for buyers to make offers at open houses. The main reason that real estate agents host open houses is so they can meet prospective buyer clients. They figure that the people who attend open houses are potential clients for buying a house. Plus, a lot of people attending open houses are your neighbors, so they may also be potential selling clients.
Open houses do not (typically) sell houses, but they can lead to two problems: theft and insurance liability. A real estate agent can only be in one room at a time. Sometimes, multiple thieves will attend an open house, split up, and head for your bedroom and bathroom to see what they can steal. Also, if someone is trips or falls at your home during a open house, you can be sued. Always weigh the PROs and CONs before allowing an agent to conduct an open house at your home.
Do’s & Dont’s for Home Sellers
Hire a professional real estate agent (Sheila Cox!) who…
Does this…
Not this…
Price your home correctly based on current market conditions and the condition of the home.
Over price the home so that it never sells or under price the home so that you don’t get every dollar that you deserve.
Help you stage your home so it outshines your competition.
Ignore the basics of real estate and tell you that it’s okay to let your house smell like a vet clinic.
Take and post as many large, high-quality photos of your beautiful home as possible.
Post only a few low-quality photos of your home that are too small to see.
Write descriptions of the rooms presented in each photo pointing out all the special features the home has to offer.
Leave photo descriptions blank…so what if the buyer can’t figure out whether a bedroom is upstairs or down or has hardwood floors or carpet.
Create a real video tour of the home so that potential buyers can “walk” the home ahead of time and get an idea of the floor plan and layout before setting an appointment.
Skip the videos…who cares if the Seller has to waste time and leave the house for appointments with buyers who will not ever buy the home because the floor plan doesn’t work.
Enable you to sign contracts and documents for the transaction online and in the privacy of your home–at midnight and in your pajamas if you so choose.
Ask you to sign, scan, and email pages and pages of documents over and over again when your scanner only does one page at a time.
Helps you negotiate the inevitable home inspection and repair requests so you don’t lose the sale.
Tells you not to worry about obvious repairs and lets your deal fall through due to unreasonable denial of small repair requests.
Ensures that you meet all your contractual, legal obligations (survey, disclosures, resale certificate, etc.) in a timely manner.
Expects you to keep up with your own legal obligations and forgets to order things like surveys and resale certificates.
Help Sell My Home
Send me your address and contact info by filling out the form below, and I will contact you within 24 business hours. Let’s do this! 😀
This page includes a lot of Katy real estate buying tips, but my best tip is: Get the best real estate agent! I would love to help you buy a great home! I specialize in getting home buyers the RIGHT home in the RIGHT neighborhood at the RIGHT price. My clients love me (read testimonials) because they know I’ve got their back! I watch out for defective homes, over-priced homes, and homes that may be difficult to re-sell when the time comes. I focus on getting you a home that meets your current needs but also is (hopefully) a good long-term investment. I have received the Five-Star Real Estate Agent award for the past TEN years because of my client satisfaction ratings. Less than 1 percent of all the agents in the Houston-metro area receive this honor! (see details)
List of My Value-Added Services for VIP Home Buyers
My job isn’t “just” helping you find a house to buy…I’m helping you through the entire 2-4 month process of buying a home. There are over 100 tasks that I perform during the purchasing process. I’m looking out for you every step of the way and keeping my eye on the listing agent, the seller, the builder (if applicable), the lender, the inspector, appraiser, HOA, and the title company. I’m on YOUR side because I’m YOUR agent.
I help with price analysis, contract negotiations, legal paperwork, inspections, appraisal issues, repair negotiations, home warranties, HOA compliance inspections, hazard insurance, surveys, title commitment, home warranties, and more. I have the expertise to help solve complicated problems that often occur in the process and I work to make sure that you don’t lose your earnest money or worse.
Real estate is a huge financial and legal commitment. Don’t you deserve to have a Five-Star real estate agent on your side?
Here’s How I Add Value to Your Home Buying Process:
Premium, customized home search (based on my knowledge of the area school ratings and flood zones) to filter out homes that don’t meet your criteria. You can’t get this level of a home search on your own!
Online home review BEFORE you tour a house, to look for potential defects such as high-risk flood zone, high-voltage power lines, MUD tanks, previous flooding, and other issues…so you don’t waste time touring undesirable homes.
Detailed home tours (in-person or via VIDEO* for out-of-town clients), where I help identify the features and benefits of each home and neighborhood as well as any potential home defects (so you don’t end up with a “money pit”).
*I’ve sold many homes “sight unseen” to out-of-state an out-of-country clients, via my HD video walkthroughs (view sample). I will even video the inspector summary and final walkthrough for you.
Hyperlocal knowledge and expertise so I can point out the amenities, PROs and CONs, and HOA details of most neighborhoods in this area.
My “Ultimate Home Buyer Guide” for THIS AREA (not generic) that includes helpful info about the INs and OUTs of the home buying process here in Texas. Remember that real estate laws are different from state to state.
Detailed pricing data and expert Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) on the house you select to purchase, so you can make a good decision regarding the price. Pricing homes is my superpower! 😊
Expert contract creation and negotiations to help you get the house you want…even in multi-offer situations.
Assistance with hiring home inspectors, reviewing inspection reports, and guiding you on necessary repairs/costs so you make the wisest decision in your home purchase.
Floorplans! I can create a floorplan of any home you purchase, whether provided by the home seller or not.
Project management of all the legal deadlines and requirements throughout the transaction. You’ve got enough to deal with the packing, moving, and job/school relocation activities!
Assistance in managing the title commitment/insurance process and working with the title company (to make sure there are no liens on the property).
Assistance with home surveys and their impact on your transaction.
Assistance with appraisals and their impact on your transaction. I know how to protect you if the appraisal “comes in low” (which can happen in super-hot seller markets like ours).
Assistance with HOA compliance documents, fees, and procedures.
Help with obtaining home owner’s insurance and flood insurance.
Guidance with choosing a home warranty as needed.
Helpful information regarding all the utilities (MUD info) applicable to the home you purchase.
Helpful “Planning the Move” information and “Info About New Home” that will help make your transition easier.
“Moving Survival Kit” provided as my Closing gift. This contains the things you will need on your moving day (but are usually packed) such as: soap, trash bags, paper plates, cups, toilet paper, snacks, box cutter, etc.
Guidance on your homestead tax exemption and how to apply for it in a timely manner to reduce your property taxes.
Helpful monthly home maintenance reminders, to take care of your investment!
Whew! That’s way more than “just” showing houses. 😄
Here are some other articles about “buyer representation”…
I have helped many home buyers purchase a home here while living out-of-state and out-of-country. Here’s how it works:
You get home alerts from my Premium Customized Home Search.
When you see a house you are interested in buying, you contact me to go tour it. I will obtain permission from the home seller to tour the home.
I video-record a very thorough walk-through of the home in High Definition (including pantry, closets, garage, front and back yards, street view, laundry room…everything!) and upload it privately to YouTube (see sample).
You can view the video and even stop and rewind as needed.
You tell me to write an offer.
I put your offer together and send to you for e-signatures.
We go through the negotiation process.
If the seller accepts your offer, then you hire an inspector and pay by credit card (I can provide a helpful list of inspectors or you can hire someone else).
I will attend the last 30 minutes of the inspection to get an in-person summary and I will video it for you, if the inspector allows it. You will also get a detailed inspection report with photos.
We will work together to ensure you want to move forward with the transaction after the inspection.
If you move forward, then I will manage other aspects of the buying process (see list above).
You can choose to do a remote Closing (where you are) or you can fly in to do the Closing here. Sometimes only one spouse flies in and signs for the other spouse at Closing (but this requires special approval by your lender, well in advance).
I will video-record the final walk-through (if you are not able to be here) to ensure the home is still in good shape before you sign the Closing paperwork.
If you Close remotely, then I can get your house keys and hold them for you until you arrive.
The one thing I am not allowed to do for you is any property management after the Closing. It is against my brokerage rules because it requires a special kind of insurance (and more) that most real estate agents do not have. However, I can refer you to a property management company.
Also, most home owner’s insurance will not allow a home to be vacant for more than two months. Make sure you find out about that during the process.
Here’s what some of my remote home buyers have said about the process…
Premium Customized Home Search
If you haven’t already, then send me your criteria for a house by filling out this online form,
so I can help you find the exact type of home you want.
Then you will get automated emails when new homes, that match your criteria, hit the market. My custom search is the most accurate search available! No search you have access to (on HAR, Zillow, Realtor, Homes, Redfin, etc.) is better than my search because my search is directly from the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) which is where all the other websites get their data. (The MLS gets it FIRST!) Plus, I can narrow down your search result to the school level (and more!) and filter out less-than-desirable areas for you to save you time and effort. Since I am the local area expert, I know which neighborhoods flood (for example) and can filter those out for you automatic
ally. If you find that you need me to revise your search criteria, just send me a quick email and tell me what change needs to be made.
When you are ready to tour some homes, then call/text me at 832-779-2890 so we can get you on the calendar and discuss exactly what will be the perfect home for you. As a Katy real estate agent (an expert!) I can narrow your focus and help you find the perfect neighborhood.
Once I set up your custom search, then you will start getting home listings via email and you can mark them with Hearts to mark your favorites. A couple of days before our scheduled tour, I make appointments for your Favorite homes and print out the maps, home data, etc. for our tour. On the day of our tour we will meet at my office and then drive the area together so I can tell you about the area and point out various features while also touring homes. This is a great way to find your perfect home!
There are lots of Cross Creek Ranch homes for sale currently on the market. With other search tools (Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com) it’s hard to find exactly what you are looking for. Plus, they are not always accurate and up-to-date. My homes for sale listings are the most accurate because they come direct from the SOURCE…the MLS database! This is where real estate agents input their listings for sale FIRST…then it feeds out to the other search tools. If you want the most accurate home search, then select one of my custom search types below.
Low-risk of flooding in most areas (except those near the Addicks-Barker reservoirs on far east side)
Not in Windstorm Insurance area (such as Pearland or Friendswood)
Easy access to downtown Houston (during off-peak travel times)
Multiple hospitals to choose from
Multiple private schools available
Close to the Energy Corridor
Plenty of shopping malls and centers available
Katy TX is a very large area on the west side of Houston TX…where the counties of Fort Bend, Harris, and Waller converge. It is hard to explain to people because, technically, the incorporated “City of Katy” is only a small area of about 15,000 people. However, the “Katy Area” or “Greater Katy Area” usually refers to the entire area covered by the Katy Independent School District and various sources quote the population to be somewhere around 300,000-340,000.
According to Wikipedia, “Many people confuse Greater Katy with the City of Katy, however there is no city representation or services provided to people outside of the actual city limits of Katy. Some of this area is actually within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City of Houston the city of Katy cannot annex this area without express permission from the City of Houston. This has occurred on several occasions in regards to relatively small tracts of land. Most recently this came into play with development of the Katy Mills Mall, which sat mostly within the City of Katy but about half was in the Houston ETJ. The developer and city of Katy threatened to build just parking lot on the Houston area depriving Houston of any real property tax value. For 1 million dollars Katy bought the right to annex the area desired.”
City of Katy (incorporated)
Greater Katy Area (Katy ISD)
Since it is such a large area, I like to divide Katy into three major sections:
North of Interstate 10 (not covered in this guide)
South of Interstate 10 but East of Grand Parkway
South of Interstate 10 but West of Grand Parkway
NOTE
My terms “North Katy,” “East Katy,” and “West Katy” are not official terms. They are just how I separate and explain the different parts of Katy to clients.
These three areas are very different in regards to the scores of the schools and the age and price of the homes. Generally speaking, the area north of I10 has lower scoring schools and, therefore, less expensive homes. The areas south of I10 both have high scoring schools, but some parts still have better schools than other parts. The east side of Grand Parkway is older, and has more mature trees (therefore “prettier” than the west side) but also has older homes that may need to be updated. These homes are closer to Houston and, therefore, have shorter commute times than the west side of Grand Parkway.
The area west of Grand Parkway is newer and so there are lots of newer, modern homes zoned to high-scoring schools. However, if you live far-west you will have a longer commute than the far-east side of Katy (to downtown or Galleria).
We could probably separate another area out: the Energy Corridor which, for now, I include in east Katy.
The area of Katy is so large that it crosses two counties (Harris and Fort Bend) and multiple ZIP Codes (see below).
PROs and CONs
The following summarizes the PROs and CONs about Katy:
PROs
High performing schools
Affordable prices
Nearby shopping
Plenty of fun things to do
New construction homes available
Energy-efficient homes available
Beautiful neighborhoods available with lakes and mature trees
Most areas are not prone to flooding
CONs
Commute to downtown Houston during peak drive times may be more than 45 mins
Higher property taxes (to pay for top schools)
East side has older homes that may need remodeling
East side, close to reservoirs, flooded during Hurricane Harvey
Location
Katy is located on the far west side of Houston TX. The following map shows the location of Katy in relation to Houston.
Katy Top Employers
According to the Katy Area Economic Development Council’s Website (www.katyedc.org): “The economy in the Katy area is thriving and growing rapidly. Due to its growth across various business sectors, it has been recognized as one of the most recession-resistant economies in the United States. Multiple office and light industrial buildings are under construction to support the expansion in employment growth. The Katy area also has a rapidly growing employment base in both the healthcare and technology industries.”
Katy is so large that commute times may vary drastically depending on where you live in Katy…and where you are commuting. You can use Google Maps to estimate drive times from various locations.
Katy has two park and ride locations if you are commuting to Houston:
21669 Kingsland Blvd
1030 W Grand Parkway
Visit www.ridemetro.org for more information about other options such as ride matching, ride sharing, METRO lift, and the HOV system.
Highway Nicknames
Katy Freeway = I-10
Grand Parkway = Hwy 99
Westpark Tollway = FM 1093
The Loop = I-610
Southwest Frwy = I-59/I-69
Northwest Frwy = Hwy 290
Commute Times
The following tables shows the estimated commute times from Katy to important places of interest. Times vary depending on route, traffic, wrecks, etc.
Place
Miles Away
Peak
Travel Time*
Off-Peak
Travel Time
George Bush Intercontinental Airport
44
55 mins
44 mins
Hobby Airport
38
54 mins
43 mins
Texas Medical Center
28
46 mins
35 mins
Downtown Houston
30
42 mins
32 mins
Galleria
23
38 mins
26 mins
Energy Corridor
13
22 mins
17 mins
Kemah
61
1 hr
55 mins
NASA
55
62 mins
50 mins
Galveston
79
1 hr 30 mins
1 hr 20 mins
*Peak Travel Time is general 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. Travel routes vary. LaCenterra address was used as the starting point.
The best way to estimate your commute time is to use Google Maps at the time you commute. Simply enter your work address and the address of the house you are interested in, and Google Maps will estimate your commute time. This time is based on the actual time you perform the search, so use it during your expected commute times.
Katy Demographics
It is extremely challenging to get accurate population statistics and demographics for the Katy Area…since it is not all incorporated. According to the Katy Area Economic Development Council’s Website (www.katyedc.org):
“Powered by one of the most acclaimed school districts in the state of Texas, Katy area’s growth is fueled by an abundant and talented population, which is growing at of rate of roughly 5% annually.
Approximately 340,000 people reside in the Katy area and are drawn here by the Katy Independent School District (Katy ISD), which now has over 77,000 students. The Katy area is larger in population than the City of Pittsburgh, PA. Katy’s past growth between the years 2000 and 2010 increased by 84%. This phenomenal growth is projected to continue, fueled by Katy ISD, energy companies and corporations, businesses and entrepreneurs. By the year 2022, projections show that over 391,000 people will call the area home.
Employment in the Katy area continues to grow at similar pace. The civilian employed population is 180,758 persons with growth projected to 217,652 persons by the year 2022 (20.4% increase). The Katy area has a low unemployment rate at 4.6%.
The demographics of the Katy area are grounded in a strong income base with exceptional educational attainment. The average household income is $127,335 in the Katy area and projected to increase to $147,821 by the year 2022. The strong income base translates to strong educational attainment above the national average, with over 44% of the population having bachelor’s or graduate degrees.”
Take a look at the demographics of the schools zoned to the area you are looking at if you want a more accurate picture of the area.
One thing that is very challenging for people to understand about the Houston-metro area is that some schools districts are very large and can have BOTH high-rated AND low-rated schools within the SAME school district. Katy ISD has over 65 schools and Fort Bend ISD (for Sugar Land TX) has over 73 schools! Naturally, with that many schools, some schools are going to be excellent and some may be low-performing. Of course, some school districts are better than others, but a home can be zoned to low-rated schools even if it is in a highly rated school district like Katy ISD. This means that you can’t focus on just a school district in your home search….you need to focus on the individual schools.
Also know that school ratings can and will fluctuate from year to year…generally moving up or down one point each year. For example, Seven Lakes HS was rated a 9 in 2017 but moved up to a 10 (on greatschools.org) in 2018. Some schools stay the same rating from year to year, but some may move up or down.
Another thing to know…a neighborhood may be zoned to multiple elementary, middle, and high schools. So you may want to live in large neighborhood like Cinco Ranch, but just know that your home may be zoned to one of eight elementary schools, six middle schools, and four high schools…depending on which part of Cinco Ranch you live. Or if you live in Cross Creek Ranch, the east side is zoned to Katy ISD but the west side is zoned to Lamar Consolidated ISD. So within the same neighborhood, you could be zoned to two different school districts!
Also know that school zones can and will change over time….especially in new home developments. For example, when Tamarron first opened, it was zoned to Katy ISD schools but quickly got rezoned to Lamar Consolidated ISD, due to over-crowding. And if a new neighborhood builds out quicker than schools are added, then you could be rezoned multiple times…and maybe to lower-performing schools than originally expected. So be very careful about choosing homes based on their current school zones! (This is why you need a local area real estate expert, like Sheila Cox, to find the right home.)
Many people move to Katy because of Katy schools and the award-winning and acclaimed school district: Katy ISD (Independent School District). Katy ISD serves over 70,000 students spread over a 180+ square mile area containing 60+ schools. As one of the largest employers in the Katy area, this school district employees over 9,000 people, including 4500+ teachers. The average teacher salary is $55,000/yr and the average student-teacher ratio is 15:1.
The ACT (American College Test) and SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) scores in Katy schools are above the state and national averages. In addition, most of the high schools in Katy have a 95-98 percent graduation rate. Two Katy high schools are among the top 100 high schools in the state: Cinco Ranch and Seven Lakes.
People often move to Katy for the excellent schools here. The above average schools (8-10) are mostly in East and West Katy…south of Interstate 10. The schools in North Katy are mostly average (4-7) according to GreatSchools.org.
Good To Know
When you register for school you will need the following items:
Proof of residence (sales contract, lease contract, utility bill)
Official birth certificate or passport
Proof of immunizations
Report card or transcript from most recent school
Things To Do in Katy
There are many fun things to do in Katy, including:
Crime is a neighborhood, rather than city-wide issue. Crime in one part of town may be completely different than crime in another part of town. According to Sperling’s Best Places, “Katy, Texas, violent crime, on a scale from 1 (low crime) to 100, is 20. Violent crime is composed of four offenses: murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. The US average is 31.1.
Katy, Texas, property crime, on a scale from 1 (low) to 100, is 53. Property crime includes the offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. The object of the theft-type offenses is the taking of money or property, but there is no force or threat of force against the victims. The US average is 38.1.”
BEWARE! Most online data for crime reports in the Katy area is not accurate. Katy is divided into three counties (Harris, Fort Bend, and Waller). Some crime report sites report only on Harris county (making the side that is in Fort Bend county look virtually crime free) and other sites report only on Fort Bend county (making the Harris county side look crime free).
Being a local area expert, I think you can get a better idea of our higher crime areas by looking at sex offender map locations. Generally speaking, the more sex offenders in the area, the higher the crime rate.
See these articles for more information about how sex offenders effect real estate:
NOTE: Cross Creek Ranch did not have flooding issues during Hurricane Harvey and I am not aware of any known flooding issues within this neighborhood.
People moving to the Katy area are often concerned about Katy flood zones. The good news is that, for the most part and with few exceptions, Katy neighborhoods are located in a 500-year floodplain which means that they have 0.2 percent risk for flooding each year…less than 1/2 percent!
0.2 percent (500-year) floodplain – A 0.2 percent (500-year) floodplain is an area at risk for flooding from a bayou, creek or other waterway overflowing during a 0.2 percent (500-year) flood. Structures located in a 0.2 percent (500-year) floodplain have a minimum of a 0.2 percent chance of flooding in any given year.
Less than 8 percent of Katy homes and businesses (approximately 7,209) were flooded during Hurricane Harvey…so don’t let what you see on TV give you the wrong impression…most of the homes in Katy TX do not flood on a regular basis and did not flood even during this HISTORIC hurricane. The water got high and some of the roads were flooded for a few days (mostly around Fry Rd, east of Grand Parkway), but this was an unprecedented weather event which may never occur again.
I’m not a flood expert, weather expert, engineer, surveyor, etc…I’ve just lived on the Texas Gulf Coast for over 40 years and experienced many floods, hurricanes and tropical storms. Here’s my opinion based on what I have experienced…
Pretty much all areas of the United States (and the world) have to deal with natural disasters. In California it’s earthquakes, mudslides, and wild fires. In the Midwest it’s tornadoes. In the Northeast it’s winter storms and blizzards. Many parts of the country deal with flooding…especially near rivers. Other parts deal with severe droughts. The fact is, you can’t completely avoid natural disasters anywhere…so you need to minimize your risk and prepare for them as best you can.
If you want to live anywhere on the Gulf Coast (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida) or anywhere in the Houston region, then you will need to be prepared for hurricanes and flash flooding. One thing history has shown us regarding flooding…history means nothing! Each time we experience a major flood, you will see many flooded home owners on the news saying something like, “We’ve lived here over 30 years and never flooded before.” Last year (2019) there was a major flash flood and the new thing we heard afterwards was, “We didn’t flood in Harvey, but we flooded this time.”
So just because a home has never flooded before, does NOT guarantee it will not flood in the future. It just means it has a lower risk for flooding. Likewise, just because a home flooded during Hurricane Harvey, does NOT mean it will ever flood again. That was a historical storm that, most experts believe, is unlikely to occur in Katy again in our lifetime.
So, if you are buying a home in most parts of Katy Texas, then your risk for your home flooding is relatively low, especially compared to the rest of the Houston area.
NOTE: In my definition of “flooding” I am referring to your home being infiltrated with flood/surface water.
>> See Katy Flood Zones for maps, graphs, and more detailed information.
Detailed information on these Cross Creek Ranch home builders is listed below but keep in mind that things change quickly! Sections can sell out and model home locations and hours may change.
Trendmaker (now Tri Pointe)
Model Home Hours: Monday – Saturday: 10am – 6pm, Sunday: 12pm – 6pm
Trendmaker is one of the Cross Creek Ranch home builders with multiple sections in the neighborhood:
“Four decades ago, inspired by the Texas families we build homes for, we started something. We envisioned a new home buying experience. It would be simple and straightforward. Homebuyers could put their faith in us, knowing we’d be out in front of the crowd, introducing new innovations, new designs, new experiences and new conveniences to home—every home. And from that baseline, home buying would become a partnership instead of a negotiation: Just you and us, sitting around the kitchen table, dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. We think it should be that easy. Start with a beautiful home. End with a beautiful relationship.
We’re dedicated to the health and wellbeing of our customers and the planet, which is why we created the LivingSmart® program. It’s five components are named to convey how each protects you, your family, and this big blue marble we all call home: HealthSmart®, EnergySmart™, EarthSmart®, WaterSmart® and HomeSmart™.” (Source: Website)
>> Text Sheila Cox at 832-779-2890 to set up a home tour!
Newmark
Model Home Hours: Mon-Sat 9am – 6pm, Sun 12pm – 6pm
“As an innovative homebuilder, Newmark is attuned to market trends and changing consumer demands. Year after year, new products enter the marketplace; new technology replaces old, new ideas emerge to improve the quality of life for homeowners. And, year after year, we offer customers award-winning design and construction in homes that incorporate a nationally recognized energy efficiency program and state-of-the-art technology.
We are committed to providing you excellent service after you move into your Newmark home. Our commitment to each of our clients is to transform their dreams into a lasting reality.
Our state-of-the-art Design Center is the perfect place to get inspired and imagine all of the possibilities when it comes to building your home. Flooring, cabinetry, countertops, appliances, plumbing and light fixtures, the Design Center is a value-added stop along the journey to your dream home.
Newmark has developed many new designs and a wealth of architecturally interesting design elements. More important, we have focused intently on offering customers the versatility they desire in a home, with multi-functional spaces that easily flex to meet the demands of growing families and changing lifestyles.
A green home can do more than help the environment. It can help save you money through energy-saving features that can add up over time. And it can even provide you with potentially greater resale value. Learn more about our Environment for Living program.” (Source: Website)
>> Text Sheila Cox at 832-779-2890 to set up a home tour!
Chesmar
Model Home Hours: Mon 2pm – 6pm, Tues-Sat 10am – 6pm, Sun 12pm – 6pm
Chesmar is a Cross Creek Ranch home builder that has multiple sections: Townhomes (map) and Single Family (map)
Mission & Values: “We are dedicated to being the builder of choice for our customers, contractors, and ‘Chesmarians,’ offering the best new home experience and quality workmanship. We do this with Chesmar pride, integrity, warm smiles, a friendly attitude, and an ENTHUSIASTIC spirit! When you purchase a new home from Chesmar, your experience with us will be truly exceptional. You have our promise on that.”
Value Statement: “At Chesmar, what you see is what you get. We offer standard upgrades included in our base prices. With a no smoke and mirrors approach, you can easily duplicate the look and feel of our model homes at or near the base price of our homes. That means you get the latest trendy designs while stretching your dollar further. If you have specific designs in mind, our design experts can bring your vision to life. We have additional upgrades to make your home, your way. Be sure to visit our New Home Wish List to view a convenient checklist of available options.” (Source: Website)
>> Text Sheila Cox at 832-779-2890 to set up a home tour!
Taylor Morrison
Model Home Hours: Mon-Sat 10am – 6pm, Sun 12pm – 6pm
Taylor Morrison is the builder in the Bonterra 55+ Community. “From start to finish, we create a seamless and inspired homebuilding experience for our homebuyers because we understand that your home is the most important home we can build.
At Taylor Morrison, we work to earn your trust by providing the resources, support and deep industry experience to inspire you, and help you make educated decisions about your most important purchase. It’s this trust that earned Taylor Morrison the recognition of being America’s Most Trusted® Home Builder for five years in a row.*
We approach each home with a discerning eye, ensuring we select locations and amenities that fit for our homebuyers’ lifestyles. We want your home to be a place where you create a lifetime of lasting memories. With more than 100 years of experience building a lifetime of memories for our homebuyers, you can rest assured we’ll build the right home for you.” (Source: Website)
>> Text Sheila Cox at 832-779-2890 to set up a home tour!
David Weekley
Model Home Hours: Monday – Saturday: 10am – 7pm, Sunday: 12pm – 7pm
“When David Weekley Homes started in 1976, we dedicated ourselves to improving the lives of our Customers, our Communities and our Team. We are humbled and inspired by the families who have invited us into their lives to help create the home of their dreams.
In the decades since our inception, we have had the privilege of making nearly 100,000 Homeowners’ dreams come true. More than building homes, we are committed to enhancing lives. We aren’t simply building houses; we’re creating special places called HOME, whether it’s watching first-time Homebuyers unlock their door for the first time, or new families make space for one more, or couples whose nest is now empty.
Home is the place where great memories are made and dreams fulfilled, and we are honored each and every time a Customer chooses David Weekley Homes. We are especially excited to get to know you and learn how we can enhance your life – That’s The Weekley Way. From the David Weekley Homes Team and my family to yours – and from the bottom of our hearts – thank you for that opportunity.” (Source: Website)
>> Text Sheila Cox at 832-779-2890 to set up a home tour!
Lennar
Model Home Hours: Sun-Mon 12pm – 6pm, Tues-Sat 10am – 6pm
“Since 1954, Lennar has had the privilege of helping hundreds of thousands of families across America move into the next stage of life with a new home. We build in some of the nation’s most popular cities, and our communities cater to all lifestyles, with new homes for all stages of life, whether you are a first-time or move-up buyer, a multigenerational family, or Active Adult.” (Source: Website)
“At Perry Homes, we are committed to providing you with exceptional value, quality and customer service. Family-owned and operated, we’ve spent over 50 years building a sterling reputation as one of the largest and most trusted affordable homebuilders in Texas. We offer a variety of new home designs in over 50 communities throughout Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.
In 1967, Bob Perry recognized a need for quality homes at reasonable prices. More than 50 years later, Perry Homes’ success is largely due to the company’s founding values we still uphold today.
Perry Homes recognizes that your home is your safe-haven. It’s where you create life-long memories, experience life events, welcome home your kids from college and meet your first grandchild. Our commitment to quality ensures that you can enjoy every moment – big or small – without the added worry of issues many homeowners face.
At Perry Homes, the Value Built Commitment is a 5-step process to ensure you receive a quality home at an exceptional value. We are committed to building your Perry home to meet and exceed your expectations. Our Value Built Commitment is why we have the highest Customer Satisfaction Rating in the industry. We invite you to experience the Perry Homes Difference. ” (Source: Website)
>> Text Sheila Cox at 832-779-2890 to set up a home tour!
Highland Homes
Model Home Hours: Open Daily
“For more than 30 years, we’ve built award-winning homes throughout Texas, striving to provide a level of quality, customer service and architectural beauty that is unique among homebuilders.
We are honored to be frequently recognized for outstanding customer service and innovative construction techniques. Some of our most recent accolades include:
Eight-time People’s Choice Builder of the Year award winner, 2011-2019
#23 on the 2016 Builder 100, Builder magazine’s prestigious ranking of the top 100 homebuilders in the U.S.
2015 ENERGY STAR Certified Homes Market Leader Award winner
Named the 7th Most Trusted Home Builder in America in 2013 by an independent study of the 29 biggest U.S. homebuilding markets
Recognized as the sixth-largest private homebuilder in the country
Recipient of multiple JD Power & Associates awards
Leading Construction and Design: At Highland, we are passionate about architectural design. We use extensive lifestyle research and customer feedback to ensure our home designs are always evolving – never getting static – resulting in home designs that promote modern living. We also build with the latest energy-efficient construction materials, using cutting edge methods to deliver comfortable, eco-friendly homes.
Unmatched Customer Service: Exceptional customer service defines our culture. We are guided by a set of Core Values that focus on always doing the right thing for our customers, partners and employee-owners. As a result, thousands of happy homeowners agree that Highland Homes provides leading customer service at every stage of the homebuilding process.” (Source: Website)
>> Text Sheila Cox at 832-779-2890 to set up a home tour!
Darling Homes
Model Home Hours: Mon-Sat 10am -6pm, Sunday 12pm – 6pm
Darling Homes (a Taylor Morrison brand) builds in Bonterra 55+ Community. “In 1987, Darling Homes set out to make a difference people would notice. Created by three passionate brothers with a dream to build new homes that would stand the test of time, today the same drive and spirit behind Texas-based Darling Homes is backed by the added century of homebuilding experience and industry-leading reputation of Taylor Morrison. Having earned numerous awards and industry accolades for its continued commitment to design and quality in homebuilding in the Houston and Dallas areas, Darling Homes places the highest value on its customers, where validation means more than satisfaction; it means enthusiasm and pride in where they choose to live. Your life, your style — definitely Darling.” (Source: Website)
>> Text Sheila Cox at 832-779-2890 to set up a home tour!
Village Builders
Model Home Hours: Sun-Mon 12pm – 6pm, Tues-Sat 10am – 6pm
Village Builders is the high-end brand of Lennar. “Village Builders has been fulfilling Houston homeowners’ dreams of exquisite design, unparalleled luxury and premium craftsmanship since 1973. So it’s no wonder our homes are more than just places to live, they’re something to be proud of. From architectural flourishes and exceptional build quality to the very latest in Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ home automation technology, Village Builders elevates modern luxury living to a whole new level.” (Source: Website)
>> Text Sheila Cox at 832-779-2890 to set up a home tour!
Partners in Building
Model Home Hours: Mon-Sat 10am – 6pm, Sun 12pm – 6pm
“Since 1986, Partners in Building has built one-of-a-kind luxury homes designed to fulfill the specific dreams of each, one-of-a-kind customer. That recipe has made us the #1 Custom Builder in the South, building over 200 luxury, custom homes a year in Texas and Tennessee.
Everything about a custom home is about you. It isn’t about cost per square foot. It’s about thought per square foot. You tell us what you want, and together we design a luxury, custom home that incorporates what is most important to you, based on your budget.
STAR AWARDS – 2007-2018 (5-State Region Award – Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana and Arkansas – Presented by the Texas Association of Realtors)
4-Time Winner – Grand Award / Builder of the Year
7-Time Winner – Best Product Design
6-Time Winner – Best Custom Home
Best Interior Design
HOUSTON’S BEST PRISM AWARDS – 2008-2018 (Presented by the Greater Houston Builders Association)
3-Time Winner – Best Product Design
2-Time Winner – Best Patio Home Design
3-Time Winner – Consumer Choice Award – Best Overall Design, Best Elevation, Best Outdoor Living
“Opened in March 2007, this off-leash park for canines of all sizes and is open everyday from dawn to dusk and is one of the city’s most popular attractions. The 14 acre park offer lots of grass and trees with a third of a mile length walking path, a wading pool for dogs, custom dog showers and fountains accessible for both the four legged friend and their owners. Stop by and enjoy our newest attraction- the agility course! Located on the west side of the park, this course was designed for dogs to train or exercise along with their owners with ease. The park is divided into two parts for small and large breed dogs and has public restrooms.” (Source: Website)
This is a 32-acre park featuring a lake with ducks, fish, and wildlife, playground, miniature golf, picnic pavilion, gazebo, walking trail, restrooms, picnic tables and grills.
Open 7am-7pm (M-F), 8am-5:30pm (Sat), and 10am-5pm (Sun)
Fitness center for residents of Harris County (northern portion of Katy) that offers free swim lessons, water exercise, American Red Cross lessons, and other workshops. Fitness classes include yoga, Karate, Qigong, fitness machines, and cardio training.
“In the heart of downtown Historic Katy, Harvest Plaza is set aside to pay tribute to Katy’s beginnings as a rice-farming community. The beautifully landscaped plaza offers a shade structure with night lighting, benches, a water feature and commemorative brick paving. ” (Source: Website)
“This sports facility is home to 2 baseball fields, 2 softball fields, a state of the art sports lighting system, soccer field/multipurpose field, a covered three court basketball pavilion, six ADA accessible tennis courts and many picnic tables for year round use. All athletic fields are available for rentals Monday through Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Incudes the Katy Play Station and Pavilion, “The state’s largest innovative playground for multiple-impaired and profoundly deaf children, is also located within Katy City Park. The all-inclusive 13,000 square foot playground, custom designed as a tribute to Katy’s name sake the MKT Rail line. This play facility is a one-of-a-kind attraction for both able and disabled bodied children and has quickly become a destination within the community for family fun recreation. Katy Play Station was featured in Today’s Playground Magazine and has received several awards for its design and contribution to the Katy community.
The Play Station Pavilion is equipped with permanent picnic tables and benches. Seats approximately 50 and is available on a daily basis for rental.” (Source: Website)
“The Katy Arboretum was developed as a joint venture with the City of Katy, CenterPoint Energy and Keep Katy Beautiful. The three-acre park was designed as an educational green space to promote CenterPoint Energy’s Right Tree Right Place initiative. The Arboretum features various species of trees with educational plaques and is a popular location for families, scout groups and tourists. Inside the park area is The Arboretum Building that can be rented for parties, baby and bridal showers and other events. The park features a play structure, outdoor BBQ grill, patio with picnic style seating and a tranquil walking path. The Arboretum Building is equipped with tables and chairs, can accommodate approximately 50 people and is available on a daily basis for rental.” (Source: Website)
“Established in 2003 as a joint project with the City of Katy and the Katy Heritage Society, Heritage Park is best known for its restored historic buildings, beautiful landscaping, the Tradition Bank bandstand pavilion and brick paved patio. To rent or tour the historic homes, please contact the Heritage Society at (281)391-2550.” (Source: Website)
“A small, historic facility located at the edge of Historic Downtown Katy, Thomas Park is the location of the tri-county marker where the borders of Harris, Waller and Fort Bend Counties intersect. Thomas Park attracts visitors to its tranquil environment, paved walking path, benches, playground and gazebo. Thomas Park is a popular location for photographers, small weddings and family gatherings.” (Source: Website)
“Centrally located within the City of Katy, this wooded park offers an exciting children’s playground, with a large pyramid rope climber, two picnic pavilions with tables, a walking path and public restrooms. This park is the location for the bi-annual Community Campouts and Katy Summer Nights.
VFW Park’s large outdoor pavilion (30′ x 60′) is equipped with permanent concrete tables and benches. Seats approximately 96 and is available on a daily basis for rentals.” (Source: Website)
“True to its name, Woodsland Park is a heavily wooded 8 acre park with amenities that cater to individuals and groups looking for a park with a more secluded atmosphere. The park features a covered basketball pavilion, picnic tables, playground, an outdoor pavilion with large barbecue pit and a community building. Woodsland Park is home to the city’s senior services day activities and community fitness classes.
This Community Center may be rented out on an hourly basis for weddings, parties or other related events. The Community Center is 1,333 square feet (31′ x 43′) and is equipped with a full kitchen, indoor restrooms, tables and chairs. Maximum occupancy is 100.” (Source: Website)
Katy Golf Courses & Country Clubs
The following golf courses and country clubs are nearby.
Award-winning Katy real estate agent and expert in the Katy, Sugar Land, Richmond, Fulshear areas (Fort Bend County). I don’t just work here…I’ve lived here for over 20 years!
Licensed since 2009, I am a high-quality, high-integrity, premium service real estate agent who provides one-on-one dedicated attention and customer service (see my client reviews).
I don’t “just” sell houses; I sell a SERVICE to guide home buyers and sellers through the entire real estate transaction…which usually takes several months. So I consider myself more of a real estate consultant than a salesperson.
Orchard Brokerage LLC
195 Broadway, 25th Floor, New York NY 10007
Afterall, buying or selling a home is not like buying or selling a TV, a computer, or a car. You can’t buy/sell a home in one day with the click of a few buttons. There are MANY legal aspects, deadlines, and requirements that most people are not trained to handle. What’s more…mistakes along the way can cost you thousands and even hundreds of thousands of dollars. The financial risk is much greater than just about anything else you may buy.
That’s why you need your own dedicated, experienced real estate agent looking out for YOUR best interests.
My focus is on guiding home buyers and sellers through the entire, multi-phased real estate transaction, looking out for YOUR best interests, and PROTECTING your interests to the best of my ability. There are high financial risks and legal repercussions associated with buying and selling a home, and I provide the knowledge and expertise to guide you through the process.
My clients are generally amazed with my personal dedication and professional expertise, and they usually describe my services as “ABOVE AND BEYOND” their expectations.
Winner of Five-Star Real Estate Agent award (based on client satisfaction) every year since 2010 and featured in “Texas Monthly” magazine
My job isn’t “just” helping you find a house to buy…I’m helping you through the entire 2-4+ month process of buying a home. There are over 100 action items on my checklist during the purchasing process. I’m looking out for you every step of the way and keeping my eye on the listing agent, the seller, the builder (if applicable), the lender, the inspector, appraiser, HOA, and the title company. I’m on YOUR side because I’m YOUR agent and have a fiduciary duty to take care of you to the best of my abilities.
I help with house pricing data/analysis, contract negotiations, legal paperwork and deadlines, inspections, appraisal issues, repair negotiations, home warranties, HOA issues, hazard insurance, surveys, title insurance, home warranties, and more. I have the expertise to help solve complicated problems that often occur in the transaction and I work to prevent, to the best of my abilities, you losing your earnest money or worse.
My goal is to make the process as easy as possible and to guide you every step of the way. You’re not trained in all the legal deadlines and requirements regarding Texas real estate, but I am! Real estate is a huge financial and legal commitment. Don’t you deserve to have a Five Star real estate agent on your side?
Premium, customized home search based on your criteria and filtering out homes as necessary (based on my knowledge of school ratings and flood zones). PLUS, my search has the “Coming Soon” listings not available on Zillow, Realtor.com, etc. You can’t get this level of a home search on your own because you don’t have my tools or my knowledge of the area.
“You can’t trust everything you read on the Internet. Beware of seriously inaccurate information that can have very serious consequences to your home buying transaction.” (read my expose´ on Redfin’s “Flood Factor”)
Expert counseling on important real estate topics and help with things like obtaining preapproval from lender, understanding agency and representation, understanding the complete home buying process, understanding option periods and inspections, dealing with appraisals, etc.
Preliminary home investigation BEFORE you tour a house, to look for potential defects such as high-risk flood zone, high-voltage power lines, MUD tanks, previous flooding, and other issues…so you don’t waste time touring undesirable homes that don’t meet your criteria.
Detailed home tours (in-person or via VIDEO* for out-of-town clients), where I help identify the features and benefits of each home and neighborhood as well as any potential home defects (so you don’t end up with a “money pit”). You’re probably not familiar with the common house defects in our area, but I am, and I will point them out to you when I see them so we get you the RIGHT house (which includes its CONDITION as much as its APPEARANCE & PRICE).
*VIDEO TOURS: I’ve sold many homes “site unseen” to out-of-state and out-of-country clients, via my HD video walkthroughs (view sample). I will even video the inspector summary and final walkthrough for you.
Hyperlocal knowledge and expertise so I can tell you about the amenities, PROs and CONs, flood zones, schools ratings, and HOA details of most neighborhoods in this area. Getting detailed information about HOA rules and guidelines can be challenging on your own, but I usually know where to get answers for you. Most of our neighborhoods have Home Owner Associations (HOAs) which help maintain property values.
My “Ultimate Home Buyer Guide” for THIS AREA (not generic) that includes a helpful “Checklist for Buying a Home” and information about the INs and OUTs of the home buying process here in Texas (including Option Periods which are unique to Texas). Remember that real estate laws are different from state to state.
Detailed pricing data and analysis and expert Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) on the house you select to purchase, so you can make a good decision regarding the price to offer for a home. Pricing homes is my “superpower”! 😊 Texas is a non-disclose state so you can’t get ACCURATE sales data online…and tax appraised values do NOT equal market values in Texas!
Expert contract creation and negotiations to help you make the right kind of offer on the house that you want…especially in multi-offer situations. And to make sure you get as much protection as you choose on the 20+ negotiable items in our contracts and addendums.
“Yes! There are approximately 20 negotiable items to consider when making an offer on a home in Texas. You probably don’t know them all, but I do!” J
Assistance with hiring home inspectors, reviewing inspection reports, and guiding you on necessary repairs/costs so you make the wisest decision in your home purchase. Help getting you OUT of a contract (without losing your earnest money) if/when you decide to do so after inspections.
Floorplans and videos! I can create a floorplan and HD video walkthrough of any home you purchase, whether provided by the home seller or not. These are excellent tools for making plans regarding your new house.
Project management of the legal deadlines and requirements throughout the transaction. You’ve got enough to deal with the packing, moving, and job/school relocation activities. I’ll make sure you meet all the legal deadlines and actions in this 2-4 month process.
Assistance in the title commitment/insurance process and working with the title company (who checks for liens, tax issues, and past due HOA fees on the property). This includes assistance with getting out of the contract (if necessary) without losing your earnest money.
Assistance with home surveys and their impact on your transaction, especially if any encroachments are found and you need to get out of the contract.
Assistance with appraisals and their impact on your transaction. I know how to protect you if the appraisal “comes in low” (which can happen in a super-hot “seller’s market”) so you don’t end up paying a lot more than you expected at the Closing table.
Assistance with Home Owner Associations (HOAs) compliance, documents, fees, deed restrictions, etc.
Help with obtaining home owner’s insurance and flood insurance to protect your investment.
Guidance with choosing a home warranty as needed. (I typically negotiate that the seller pays for your home warranty the first year, to help give you some “peace of mind.”)
Information regarding the utilities (including MUD info) applicable to the home you purchase.
Helpful “Planning the Move” checklist and detailed “Info About New Home,” (which I obtain from the current home owner) that will help make the transition to your new home easier.
Assistance scheduling the Closing and all that involves including scheduling remote Closings, arranging for Power of Attorney forms, scheduling the final walk-through, reviewing the final Closing Disclosure (costs), etc.
“Moving Survival Kit” provided as my Closing gift. This contains the things you will need on your moving day (but are usually packed) such as: soap, trash bags, paper plates, cups, toilet paper, snacks, box cutter, etc. So helpful!
Guidance on your homestead tax exemption and how to apply for it in a timely manner to reduce your property taxes.
A copy of my “Guide to Home Maintenance” and helpful monthly home maintenance reminders (via email), to remind you how to take care of your house/investment!
Whew! That’s way more than “just” showing houses (#4 on list). 😄
Here are some other articles about “buyer representation”…
Get In-Depth Information Download These Reports — Written by Sheila Cox —
Get access to school ratings and demographics as well as detailed market data for Katy neighborhoods.
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My Reputation
Don’t take my word for it. I have received the Five-Star Real Estate Agent award for the past FOURTEEN YEARS because of myclient satisfaction ratings.
Less than 1 percent of all agents have received this award for FOURTEEN YEARS IN A ROW!
Background
Hey! My name is Sheila Cox, a Katy real estate agent. I have lived in this area since 1998…starting in Upper Kirby, then Westchase, then Sugar Land, Richmond, and now Katy. So I guess you can say I know the area. I wrote every word and took every local photo and video that you see on this website…so I hope that proves that I’m the local area expert. 😀
I have been a Katy real estate agent since 2009 and I really enjoy the complexity of this business. I’m one of those “think outside of the box” problem-solvers that my clients find invaluable when problems crop up in the real estate transaction. (If you have ever bought or sold a house before, you know what I mean.) Before I became a Katy real estate agent, I worked as an instructional designer, corporate trainer, and tech writer in the software industry. That’s how I learned to do websites!
On a personal note, I have a teenage daughter who is my pride and joy. She was a “band geek” (saxophone and oboe) at the awesome Seven Lakes High School and graduated from there in 2022. We enjoy going for walks around our Katy neighborhood with our little Rat Terrier/Dachshund mix “Darla” and visiting Galveston Island. I enjoy Live Music (especially Classic Rock!), healthy green-living, beaches/oceans, reading biographies and historical fiction, Tex-Mex food, college and professional football, and helping other real estate agents improve their business skills. I was voted “Wittiest” of my Senior class in high school (a hundred years ago) so I have a fun sense of humor and speak sarcasm fluently (but not when on the job).
Hiring the right real estate agent is very important, but you need someone that has more than “personality” going for them. This is (probably) your largest financial investment, so please consider these five important reasons why you should work with me:
Even though I have a fun, upbeat personality, I am also smart and analytical…so I can help pinpoint PROs and CONs of homes and situations in a way that truly helps you “cut to the chase” and make the wisest decisions and solve problems quickly.
Because I am analytical, I provide you with important data that you can’t get online…to help with pricing decisions. I hate to say it, but most agents have no idea how to pull all the data, reports, charts, and stats that I will provide you. My goal is to ensure that you always get a good deal in your real estate transaction.
Since I have lived in this area since 1998, I really know the area and can listen to your needs and help you narrow your options so you can focus the best neighborhoods to meet your specifications.
I take my “fiduciary duty” to you very seriously and I’m always looking out for your best interest. You can be sure that I am on your side and that I “have your back.”
I’ve selling real estate since 2009. My expertise and knowledge will be invaluable to you when challenges pop up in the process. Plus, my expertise enables me to make the process as smooth as possible for you…providing you with the help and guidance you need along the way.
Video Introduction of Sheila Cox
I Love My Clients!
I am an equal-opportunity real estate agent and love the diversity of our area.
What Do Sales Commissions Pay For?
There is an old story that goes something like this. A home owner calls a plumber to his home to solve a plumbing problem. The plumber looks around the house for about 10 minutes, and then he grabs a pipe wrench and hits a pipe three or four times in the same place. The plumbing problem is quickly resolved.
The plumber then hands the home owner an invoice. The home owner is shocked to see that the invoice is for $200. The home owner objects, “How on earth can you charge $200 for simply banging on a pipe three or four times with a pipe wrench? I demand that you itemize this bill.”
The plumber takes the invoice from the man, recalculates it, and hands it back.
The invoice now reads:
Item one: Hitting the pipe with a pipe wrench–$2.00
Item two: Knowing to hit the pipe with the pipe wrench–$99
Item three: Knowing where and how to hit it–$99.
So the plumber’s fee compensates him for his service (hitting the pipe), knowledge (know to hit the pipe), and expertise (knowing where and how to hit the pipe).
Likewise, sales commissions compensate real estate agents for our services, knowledge, and expertise in real estate, as well as all our out-of-pocket expenses. Remember that every transaction takes approximately 2-4 months of our time and effort and we only get paid if you buy/sell your house. 😊
Sports Fields/Courts = Lacrosse, soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball, and tennis
Each of these amenities is described below. To get full access to the neighborhood amenities, register online at My Cross Creek Ranch. For more information, sign on as a Guest and read about the Amenity Access System. You can download an App will allow access to amenities with a smart phone or key fob.
View Videos of Amenities on Sheila’s YouTube Channel
Click Image Below
Welcome Center
The Welcome Center is located at the club house at 6450 Cross Creek Bend Ln, Fulshear, TX 77441 (map). It is open seven days a week and has helpful information on the community and the home builders offering new construction homes. You can pick up brochures, flyers, maps and so on. The phone number is 281-344-9882 or contact Sheila Cox to schedule a personal tour at 832-779-2890.
BUSINESS HOURS Monday to Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Club House & Community Room
The neighborhood club house is located at 6450 Cross Creek Bend Ln, Fulshear, TX 77441 (map). Inside there is a Welcome Center, conference room, Italian Maid Café (open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. except Sunday open until 4 p.m.), and a 70-foot observation tower. There is a Community Room that can be reserved for parties, weddings, receptions, or corporate events. It has a commercial kitchen. Make sure you reserve these facilities, at least two-weeks prior to the event, by submitting this form to the HOA.
BUSINESS HOURS Monday to Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Fitness Center
Location: 6440 Cross Creek Bend Lane, Fulshear TX 77441 (map)
One of the best Cross Creek Ranch amenities is the 6500sf fitness center and gym that is professionally staffed. It features workout equipment for all workout levels including cardio equipment, spin cycles, and free weights. Showers and locker rooms are also available for your convenience. You can even hire a personal trainer or take a fitness class (for extra fees) such as:
Cardio Strength: A strength and conditioning class that combines total body movements with the added resistance of dumb bells. The combination of strength and cardio intervals will get you heart pumping and increase lean muscle mass.
Boot Camp: This 30 minute express intermediate to advanced circuit class workout maximizes strength building, muscular conditioning, endurance, and targets weight loss. Modifications are made for participants of all levels.
PiYo Strength: PiYo is a low-impact, high-intensity body-transformation program. It uses the most effective Pilates-and yoga-inspired moves set to a fast pace to help you burn fat while you sculpt long, lean muscles.
Zumba: Zumba is a 55 minute class that combines high energy and motivational music with the unique moves and combinations of Latin dance. Based on the principle that a workout should be “fun and easy to do,” participants are able to stick to the Zumba program and achieve long-term health benefits. Zumba is a ‘feel-happy’ workout that is great for the body and the mind.
Yoga: Yoga is a series of asanas (postures) to increase flexibility, energy, and stillness of mind. Yin Yoga focuses on stretching the connective tissues of the body. In this class, participants will hold poses for longer periods of time, allowing your body to restore itself and return to its balance. Yoga mats are provided.
Core Essentials: Designed to target your torso and work all aspects of your abs and back, the Core Essentials Class will sculpt your abs into shape and strengthen your core in just 30 minutes.
Run Club: Join your neighbors for a run, jog, walk, or crawl along the beautiful trails in Cross Creek Ranch. Leaving from the Fitness Center, the Run Club treks a 5K (~3.1 mile) course along Flewellen Creek. This couch to 5K program is perfect for all levels of fitness.
18 and Over: Full-access to all amenities including Fitness Center during staffed and non-staffed hours.
13yrs – 17yrs: Full-access to all amenities including the Fitness Center during STAFFED HOURS ONLY.
10yrs – 13yrs: Limited-access to amenities (excludes the Fitness Center but gym is available)
Swimming Pools
There are four swimming pools for Cross Creek Ranch:
Adventure Island Pool (Main Pool with 140-ft water slide) at 6430 Cross Creek Bend Ln, Fulshear, TX 77441. This resort-style pool is usually open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (M-S) and Noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Closed Wednesdays for cleaning. Has dedicated lap lanes, wading pool, and splash pad.
Greenthread Park at 3212 Creek Falls Dr, Fulshear, TX 77441. This pool is usually open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (M-S) and Noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Closed Tuesdays for cleaning.
Club at Bonterra (55+ Community) at 5439 Golden Manor Dr, Fulshear, TX 77441. This pool is usually open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (M-S) and Noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. This is for the 55+ Community only.
NOTE: Hours of operation change from season to season so check the My Cross Creek Ranch app or MyCrossCreekRanch.com for up-to-date info.
Waterslide
Adventure Island Waterpark has the 140-foot waterslide is located at 6450 Cross Creek Bend Ln, Fulshear, TX 77441 (map). This is a resort-style water slide that begins at the top of Cross Creek Ranch’s “The Hill.” Children of all ages enjoy this fun and unique waterslide while cooling off in the Texas heat.
Splash Pads
There are splash pads for younger kids located at:
Adventure Island Pool (Main Pool with 140-ft water slide) at 6430 Cross Creek Bend Ln, Fulshear, TX 77441. This pool is usually open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (M-S) and Noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Closed Wednesdays for cleaning.
Greenthread Park at 3212 Creek Falls Dr, Fulshear, TX 77441. This pool is usually open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (M-S) and Noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Closed Tuesdays for cleaning.
Parks/Playgrounds
This neighborhood has several wonderful parks:
Adventure Island at 6430 Cross Creek Bend Ln, Fulshear, TX 77441 has a playground, swimming pool, wading pool, dedicated lap lanes, splash pad, water slide, basketball court, and restrooms.
Flewellen Creek Park at Cross Creek Ranch, Fulshear, TX 77441 is a nature reserve that has a 2-mile stream that meanders through approximately 150 acres of Cross Creek Ranch. Don’t miss the butterfly gardens!
Arbor Park at Morgans Spur Dr, Fulshear, TX 77441 has a playground, tennis courts, basketball court, sand volleyball court, covered pavilion for picnics, and restrooms.
Pine Park at Cross Creek Bend Ln, Fulshear, TX 77441 has a playground, tennis courts, basketball court, pickle ball court, covered pavilion for picnics, and restrooms.
The neighborhood tennis courts are located at Arbor Park at Morgans Spur Dr, Fulshear, TX 77441 and Pine Park at Cross Creek Bend Ln, Fulshear, TX 77441. Please note that you should use the voluntary online reservation system to schedule your time slot which may be reserved up to three months in advance. Reservations are in 30-minute increments with no more than 1.5 hours a day. A time slot is “Abandoned” if not used within 10-minutes of start time.
Basketball Courts
The neighborhood basketball courts are located at:
Please note that you should use the voluntary online reservation system to schedule your time slot which may be reserved up to three months in advance. Reservations are in 30-minute increments with no more than 1.5 hours a day. A time slot is “Abandoned” if not used within 10-minutes of start time.
Sand Volleyball Court
The neighborhood sand volleyball courts are located at Arbor Park at Morgans Spur Dr, Fulshear, TX 77441 and Greenthread Park at 3212 Creek Falls Dr, Fulshear, TX 77441. Please note that you should use the voluntary online reservation system to schedule your time slot which may be reserved up to three months in advance. Reservations are in 30-minute increments with no more than 1.5 hours a day. A time slot is “Abandoned” if not used within 10-minutes of start time.
The neighborhood Soccer field is located at Pine Park Fields at Cross Creek Bend Ln, Fulshear, TX 77441. Please note that you should use the voluntary online reservation system to schedule your time slot which may be reserved up to three months in advance. Reservations are in 30-minute increments with no more than 1.5 hours a day. A time slot is “Abandoned” if not used within 10-minutes of start time.
Lacrosse Field
The neighborhood Lacrosse field is located at Pine Park Fields at Cross Creek Bend Ln, Fulshear, TX 77441. Please note that you should use the voluntary online reservation system to schedule your time slot which may be reserved up to three months in advance. Reservations are in 30-minute increments with no more than 1.5 hours a day. A time slot is “Abandoned” if not used within 10-minutes of start time.
Disc Golf Course – The Links at Flewellen Creek
There is a fun disc golf course integrated around the Flewellen Creek Park (greenbelt). This course has trees, water hazards, slopes and more. The course starts at Arbor Park at Morgans Spur Dr, Fulshear, TX 77441.
There are over 28 miles of walking trails in this neighborhood. Many of these trails include small rest areas and shaded park benches, doggy bag stations, diverse wildlife, and pretty views. There are 9 trails:
This neighborhood has hundreds of acres of lakes to add to the beauty of its surroundings. There is an extensive trail system that meanders throughout the neighborhood lakes and a boat dock located at the base of The Hill (at Adventure Island). Non-motorized boating (kayaks, canoes, and paddle boats) is allowed on the largest lakes and there is also catch-and-release fishing in all lakes.
Boat access points at the clubhouse and at the dock by the Amphitheatre (map).
Make sure you learn about the Polishing Pond with boardwalk (nature preserve). It is a 50-acre natural habitat that functions as an engineered water quality basin to filter and reuse water for irrigation throughout the neighborhood.
Something unique: There is an outdoor amphitheater located at The Hill (map) where the neighborhood occasionally gathers for events such as Movie Nights This is part of The Hill where people sit to view the Amphitheater.
The Hill
Behind the clubhouse and Adventure Island pool is The Hill (map). This is a scenic view point that offers panoramic views of the main lake in Cross Creek Ranch. At the top of The Hill is a shaded pavilion. At the bottom of The Hill is the neighborhood Amphitheater where residents gather for special events such as Movie Nights.
Dog Park
The Canine Commons neighborhood dog park is located at 5727 Flewellen Oaks Lane, Katy, TX 77494. This dog park has approximately one-acre for two fenced areas: one for large breeds and one for small breeds. There is a covered pavilion with tables and benches, gated entry, and a wash-down area for dogs.
Cross Creek Ranch is divided into two different school districts:
East side: Katy ISD
West side: Lamar Consolidated ISD
The map below shows the approximate boundaries.
Katy ISD is one of the highest-rated school districts in the Houston area. Lamar Consolidated is not rated quite as highly, but it is still a good school district. See the charts below.
The following is a list of Cross Creek Ranch schools, sorted by School Name. The Score refers to www.GreatSchools.org ratings which give an overview of a school’s test results based on a comparison of test results for all schools in the state. For the Score, the higher the number, the better the school’s test performance.
NOTE: These ratings and score are as of February 2021 and may change in the future.
3701 Cross Creek Bend Lane, Fulshear, TX 77441 (map)
Greatschools Rating: New
Amy Campbell Elementary is a Cross Creek Ranch school that opened for its first day of school on August 15, 2018. It is named after Amy Campbell, an adaptive behavior teacher at Katy High School. Throughout her career, Campbell invested in ways to make daily school activities more relevant to everyday life for her students. She understood the need for them to be respected members of the community and to engage in activities that enrich their lives throughout their entire life.
“Randolph Elementary opened in August 2014 in Cross Creek Ranch located in Fulshear, Texas. The school was named after James (Jim) E. Randolph. Coach Randolph was a beloved PE teacher who opened Roosevelt Alexander Elementary in Katy ISD in 1998 and impacted the lives of every RAE student until the spring of 2013 when he lost his battle with cancer. What made this man so special is the way he treated every student who entered the gym for his PE class and the relationships he built with not only students, but the entire community. He took a special interest in EVERY child, knew EVERY child by name, pointed out special talents in EVERY child, and made EVERY child feel loved, honored, and appreciated. He taught children the importance of hard work, respect for others, and most of all to persevere no matter the circumstances.
This is our hope for every child who attends Randolph Elementary. We want every child to feel included, honored, loved, appreciated, and special. We want to build relationships with our community and for them to feel welcome and a part of the learning process and environment at JRE. We strive to use innovative, cutting edge instructional strategies to engage our students and prepare them for the future. We will “Unleash the Potential” of every child who attends Randolph Elementary!”
4141 Cross Creek Bend Lane, Fulshear, TX 77441 (map)
Greatschools Rating: New
Named for Joe Adams, who was a KEYS mentor and named Mentor of the Year in 2013 at Taylor High School; read to elementary school children in the Promise to Read program; and worked with students involved in Junior Achievement. Like most parents, he and his wife Donna have been involved in organizations for their children’s schools and activities like the Taylor High Band Boosters and parent teacher associations and organizations from elementary through high school.
“Obra D. Tompkins High School is the newest high school in Katy Independent School District and opened its doors for students in the fall of 2013. The building is named after a legendary educator who dedicated 35 years of service to Katy schools. Mr. Tompkins carries a strong presence and embodies exceptional characteristics that are embedded throughout the hallways and classrooms. In partnership with the parents, businesses and community of Tompkins High School we strive to represent the qualities of integrity, fairness, discipline, modesty, and respect.
Tompkins High School inspires its students to uphold a tradition of excellence and success. The comprehensive curriculum offered provides students with the opportunity to excel not only academically, but also in the areas of Fine Arts, Athletics, Journalism, Business, Technology, and other career -oriented fields.
Named for Obra D Tompkins, Jr, who had originally intended to study law, but both of his parents were teachers, and his father urged him to teach, apparently seeing what so many have over the years – a passion for helping youngsters and an almost uncanny ability to connect with people. Throughout his career, he was a mentor to teachers and administrators, a model for students, and an inspiration to everyone he met. He was always visible – in hallways, on sidelines, and at performances….and he still is at Obra D. Tompkins High School. ”
27500 Fulshear Bend Drive, Fulshear TX 77441 (map)
Greatschools Rating: New
Jordan HS is a brand new school with plans to open in the Fall of 2020 with Ethan Crowell is the principal. Katy Independent School District Board of Trustees have appointed Mike Rabe as head football coach and campus athletic coordinator. The school colors will be black and gold and the mascot will be the Warriors.
Huggins Elementary opened in 1979 and is a PK – 5th grade school in Lamar Consolidated ISD. The school seeks to prepare students for a wide array of careers in the future while engaging them with technology applications and accomplished teachers.
James W. Roberts Middle School opened in August 2019. It is named after James W Roberts. “In 1980, Roberts was elected to the Lamar CISD Board of Trustees where he served a total of 12 years, nine of which he served as president. While on the Board, Roberts helped Lamar CISD welcome four elementary schools, a middle and high school, the District’s first natatorium and the Lamar CISD administration building. He did everything in his power to not only meet the needs of the District, but continually surpass them.
He worked tirelessly to serve his community and balance his roles as a business leader and decision maker for Lamar CISD. From 2006 to 2010, Roberts served his second term as Mayor of Fulshear before moving to Brenham, TX where he and his wife Martha currently reside. Martha, also an educator, taught for seventeen years, eleven in LCISD. James and Martha have three grown children and nine grandchildren. Roberts’ commitment to education, his family and community continues to be undeniable. Where others may have seen a problem and said, “someone should do something about that,” Roberts was the one to say, “I should do something about that.” Which he did- time and time again.” (Source: Website)
Named for Dean Leaman who, “Through the decades, among other accomplishments, Dean was president of the Rosenberg Richmond Area Chamber of Commerce. He was a founding member and continuous leader of St. Marks Episcopal Church in Rosenberg. In 1978-1979, he became president of the National Lumber Dealers Association and, in 1986, was sworn in as president of the National Lumber Dealers Association. He worked tirelessly to bring Wharton County Junior College and the Texas State Technical Institute campus to this area. He served on the board of Polly Ryon Hospital and was on the board of the George Foundation until his passing in 2008.” (Source: Official School Website)
“The campus opened in Fall 2016 with a freshmen and sophomore class only and will grow to add a grade level each year, with our first graduating class being the Class of 2019.
The campus was named after Churchill Fulshear, Jr. The Fulshear family was one of the original 300 families to settle in Texas. Churchill Fulshear, Jr. fought in the Texas War for independence against Mexico. He was also present during General Santa Anna’s surrender. He helped to bring progress to the area by donating land to allow the railroad to bring service through the area. The last family member moved away from Fulshear in 1937, but their legacy remains strong in the area. As is evident by our mascot choice, Churchill Fulshear, Jr. loved horses, especially race horses. He built a horse track called Churchill Downs in Fort Bend. He was fiercely independent and a true Texan. We are proud to be named after such a strong figure in Fulshear’s history.”