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Galveston/Bolivar current housing market

3,037 Views | 10 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by jaggiemaggie
TopFlightReject
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The wife and I have been discussing the idea of buying a beach house on and off for the last few years. Here recently its back on again pretty strong.

Just curious if anyone here as a pulse on the current beach house market? Also looking for some insight from people that have owned or currently own down on the beach. Pluses/Minuses that sort of thing. We are looking primarily on Bolivar/Crystal Beach and also down towards the Jamaica Beach/West End areas.

We are looking for a 3/2 minimum, not necessarily with waterway or direct beach access, with a budget around 275k. Which, from perusing HAR and Zillow it seems we could make that work somewhere between a shanty and a decent space. We do not plan on short term rentals for the house.

Any idea on the market down on the beach? With the current times taken into account should we expect major changes in the market in the coming year or two if we wait to pull the trigger? (I know if we all had the direct answer to this question we'd all be millionaires). Thanks!
Yesterday
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AG
I have to imagine the oil market would hit that price range pretty hard down there. No hard information for you other than we stayed at a house on the peninsula last June and enjoyed it.
JP76
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Not sure on the current market but if you have never owned coastal property before then I would check insurance rates as I have personally heard of some crazy annual premiums post Harvey
normaleagle05
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AG
No advice other than this: If you buy on Bolivar get it surveyed by Michael Hoover at High Tide. Great guy, very talented surveyor, with coastal knowledge, and knows the crap shoots that are Bolivar peninsula subdivisions.

You couldn't pay me enough to make me take my license into that title (sic) wave.
jjdavis85
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AG
The Air B&B and vacation rental market is taking a huge hit because of COVID-19. You could take advantage of those homeowners who relied on a strong rental season to pay their mortgage. I recently helped a client purchase in Sea Isle from a seller in a similar situation.
Beckdiesel03
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AG
Look into insurance rates like stated above. There were changes made where you have to have flood to get windstorm. And if it's a second home you don't get a discounted flood rate so it can be insane. To insure my parents coast house it was pushing $20k a year. Most of our neighbors ride without insurance now.
EclipseAg
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AG
I used High Tide also, Stephen Blaskey. Great company.

If you are serious about shopping for insurance, contact Brad Spurgeon at Spurgeon Insurance in Texas City (409.877.7755). He saved us many thousands of dollars on our flood insurance. He knows the FEMA maps much better than most agents.

We no longer own our home in Pirates Beach but it was a great experience and I really miss it.
bloom
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I don't know about Bolivar, but if you do not need to be on the water (beach, bay or canal) then you can find something decent in that price range on the West End. As far as insurance, make sure you talk to someone who does Galveston on a regular basis. Sometimes you can keep the current owners flood rates. Jamaica Beach is my favorite, but Sea Isle is nice also. I believe they sell bait at their marina if you fish. Jamaica Beach is an incorporated city, so it has some things that are different such as its own police force and building codes.
MadDog73
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AG
We are looking at Pointe West. We rented there last week and loved it. Anyone on here own a property there?
Diggity
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AG
My folks do. Love the community but the fees are killer.
water turkey
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As stated, your taxes and insurances can be more than your mortgage payment .
jaggiemaggie
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AG
OP, curious if you pulled the trigger on a house ? If so, who did you use as a realtor? Family is looking somewhere between surfside and Jamaica beach and trying to help them
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