The Bender's Landing Entrance

It has been a difficult summer for Bender’s Landing Sellers $900,000 and above… for that matter, it has been a difficult 2009 for them.  According to the local Realtor MLS that reports all Realtor home activity, 0 homes have sold in Bender’s Landing in 2009.

The reason is not apparent.  Bender’s Landing is very popular because of a few important unique characteristics.  The two most prominently known are its low tax rate and its large, spacious lots.  The tax rate in Benders Landing is approximately 2.1% as opposed to comparable neighborhoods in The Woodlands and elsewhere in Montgomery County that are more typically 3.1%+

The lots vary throughout the development but average 1 acre which is a rarity in The Woodlands.  Bender’s Landing also has the advantage of its close proximity to the Hardy Toll Road which is the fastest way from the northern Houston suburbs into Houston propper.

I am personally familiar with one custom home for sale at $895,000 that sits on 2 private, well-manicured acres, boasts 6,100 SF, and in-home technology that would impress your most picky gadget-guy or gal. Why this home has not launched a heated bidding war at its asking price of $147 per square foot is beyond me.

It is most baffling when comparing the $900,000+ homes in Bender’s Landing to those in The Woodlands.  In 2009, 45 homes sold in The Woodlands at the $900,000+ price point at an average of $201 price per square foot.  This is an average of 37% higher than the before-mentioned Bender’s Landing gem listed at $147 per square foot that has not sold!  Comparing lot sizes, the average sold Woodlands home is 35,000 square feet versus the 90,000 offered in Benders Landing. Can somebody explain this to me?

I know that some buyers only want to consider The Woodlands but I don’t think that can explain this fully.  To be fair, The Woodlands currently has 148 homes listed in the $900,000+ price range with an average days on market of 196 (yikes) which is no picnic for those home sellers either… but at least they have had the 45 sales this year whereas Bender’s Landing has been shut out.

The world will not seem like a safe or fair place to me until the 2-acre resort at 3415 W. Bender’s Landing sells at its $895,000 “steal me now” price.  Will somebody do something about that?

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