You’re familiar with Houston, but what about the surrounding areas? One of the most sought-after neighborhoods in Texas real estate is Katy, just 30 miles west of Houston. Katy is a beautiful suburb known for its excellent school system, great home prices, and strong sense of identity.
If you desire a suburban neighborhood that doesn’t have a suburban feel, take a look at Katy. The city’s motto is “small town charm with big city convenience,” and it definitely lives up to that principle.
There’s a little more than 16,000 people in the town, with plenty of amenities to keep everyone busy. The streets are safe and relatively quiet, but many metropolitan activities are available to keep life interesting.
Katy was founded in the mid 19th century under the name Cane Island, after the creek that runs through the area. But at the turn of the century, it became Katy.
At the time it was founded, Katy was primarily a rice-growing community inhabited by wagon-train settlers. It had a railroad depot, which fueled a pattern of steady growth. When an interstate freeway connected Katy to Houston, that spurred rapid commercial and residential growth, which made the city what it is today.
Several nearby corporations provide excellent job opportunities and propel economic growth, both in Katy and in the surrounding areas. Most notable is BP, which is the largest employer in the region.
The oil giant employs more than 5,500 on its Westlake campus. Jobs range from engineering to business support. BP operations extend throughout the region as well as into the Gulf of Mexico, so the company offers a range of unique opportunities.
Igloo Corporation and Academy Sports and Outdoors also have corporate offices near Katy, which feature a variety of quality jobs. As a result, the number of residents in Katy has climbed swiftly, from 11,000 in 2000 to more than 16,000 in 2015.
The city and its resident firms have also talked of expansion. Platting has begun to add more than 20,000 homes to the region in the next few years, which forecasts rapid population growth for the area.
The economy has shown an upward trend since 2009, and that’s opened the door to many supporting businesses. For example, the Katy Mills shopping mall is loaded with familiar chain outlets, plus H-E-B Food & Drug, Costco, and a range of other big-box outfits that have enjoyed success in the area.
A huge factor in Katy’s economic growth and stability is the Houston Energy Corridor. Because most energy activities in the Houston metro region have shifted to the west, Katy has assumed a major role in these changes.
Many of the nation’s largest energy-sector firms have placed headquarters in the corridor, including BP America, Shell Oil Company, Citgo, and Conoco Phillips. The Energy Corridor is key to the rapid growth of the Katy metropolitan area.
If you’re looking for home values that will remain steady or grow over time, Katy’s economic success is a strong predictor of improving values.
In general, the real estate market in Katy is excellent. Thanks to a strong economic structure and rapid growth, home sales are reasonable for buyers, but appreciate quickly for the benefit of sellers.
Even given the recent oil slump, housing prices have held steady and are even beginning to pick up. On average, Katy homes sell for about $119 per square foot, which means the median home price in the Katy area is about $354,990 — a little higher than the Houston average.
The higher prices are largely due to Katy’s handy location near the Houston Energy Quarter and its respected school system. Houses regularly sell quickly in the Katy area: they often go within a month of the listing date.
The vast opportunities for jobs and the high-quality schools are highly attractive to home buyers.
Katy’s school districts are perhaps the biggest draw. Many homeowners choose to live here and commute to Houston or farther because they want their kids to attend Katy Independent School District (ISD).
Even when the oil industry experienced a slump a few years ago, Katy’s residential sector remained strong, primarily due to the solid schooling options. According to recent surveys, statistics, and census analysis, Katy ISD is second on the list of all Houston-area school districts.
The school system’s academic programs, teachers, diversity, and college readiness are top notch; a broad choice of clubs and activities will keep your kids busy. Katy is generally regarded as one of the best school districts in Texas.
When you search for a home in the Houston area, school districts are an excellent indicator of the quality of the community in general. Neighborhoods with strong school districts are considered safer and offer greater opportunities for kids.
If you’re planning to move to the area and have children, you’re guaranteed a strong education that will prepare them for college and life.
The suburban areas of Katy itself are particularly nice, thanks to their master-planned communities. Houses are built in designated residential areas that include tennis courts, pools, walking trails, parks, splash pads, malls, public transit, churches, community centers, and more.
All are designated free or for inexpensive use by Katy residents. There are also community watches and safety and security programs that keep Katy secure.
Katy is also a family-friendly city in the sense that it provides plenty of activities for the entire family. There are parks, water slides, museums, arcades and entertainment, bowling alleys, dinner theaters, day markets, golf courses, and so much more.
One of the biggest local attractions is Katy Mills, an expansive mall that has a variety of shops and activities. Kids’ play places and carousels can be enjoyed both indoors and outdoors. It might not rival some of the largest malls in Houston, but it’s still a great place to shop and relax on weekends.
Now that you’ve read about Katy and its many appealing perks, do you think it could be the right place for your family to settle down? It’s close to Houston and a range of excellent jobs, and the school district is unparalleled for such a comparatively small community.
If you’re interested in looking around some of the homes available in Katy, try our robust home search tool for home buyers and investors. You can filter search results according to area or the most important features to you. For more information, contact our realtors today!
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