"Where are all these people coming from?"

This year has not been the most rewarding for many Sellers due to a challenging real estate market. However, "tis the season" to not only reflect back on what was, yet more importantly, look forward to what will be. And, this report will show just how transformational and amazing that will be. In fact, most will find this "startling". 

As insight, I moved to Fulshear in 1989, and comparatively, it didn't look much different than Wallis does today. It was a tired old town with barely a heartbeat. There was almost nothing here; and truly nothing between Fulshear and Highway 6. Not even a stop sign. Just Pappa Blakely's softball field and endless open space with cattle grazing in pastures. Today, Fulshear is bustling in activity and almost unrecognizable from years past. 

Think the growth is going to slow down? Hardly!  And, that's why many ask, somewhat in disbelief; "Where are all these people coming from?" To provide the answer, we'll first look globally at all of Texas. Doing so, will make it easier to appreciate the factors that will affect the future impact on what once was a small, quaint town known as Fulshear. It is a very special place though, that is reminiscent of the song sung by King Arthur in the 1967 movie Camelot. 

In short, there's simply not
A more congenial spot
For happily-ever-aftering than here
In Camelot (Fulshear).

TEXAS: Since the 2010 census, Texas grew from 25.1 million to an estimated 28.70 million in 2018. Astonishingly, this 3.6 million increase in population was greater than the entire population of Chicago's MSA. Interestingly too, in the five years from 2012 to 2016, a net of 521,052 moved out of California. Their most popular destination? Texas. In fact, 114,413 Californians moved here during those years.

HOUSTON: The next logical question is; "where in Texas did all those people move to?" Below is the answer to this along with where they will be moving to in the future.
A ccording to the 2015 census, Houston is the fastest growing city in America. Houston's population in 2017 was 6,892,427. It will become the Number One city in Texas in just over 20-years; with a projected population of over 11.1 million. Imagine; the additional 4 million new residents will be the equivalent to the current size of Los Angeles proper today. It also means, that on average over the next 20 years, Houston will add about the same population of Baton Rouge; every year! Picture building an entire city of this size year-after-year. This will also necessitate new highways, retail centers, schools, hospitals, offices and homes that will be demanded to support the growth.  

Fort Bend County: Okay, we have looked at the growth of Texas, as a whole, and then narrowed it to the Houston area. Now, let's look even closer to learn what is happening here in Fort Bend County. A s the chart below shows, Fort Bend County's population growth has increased significantly over the last 20-years, and even more dramatically over the last few years to reach an estimated population of 700,000 today. 


However, a ccording to the University of Houston, the population is anticipated to skyrocket and will increase to 2.8 million by 2050. That will make Fort Bend County equal to the size of the current Denver MSA (including surrounding area), which ranks as the 21 st most populous MSA in the nation. That may be hard to comprehend when you look at this photo and then try to envision Fort Bend County looking anything like this. 

That begets the next question; "Why are people moving to Fort Bend County?" It is because it offers a highly-desired lifestyle along with housing costs that are some of the nation's most reasonable. In fact, Fort Bend County was one of the top counties in the nation in terms of housing affordability, boasting an attractive home-price-to-income ratio of just 3:1. This means home prices average 3.1 times the median income. By comparison, the same ratio for Los Angeles County was 9:5. 

Fulshear:  The next logical question to be raised is "W here in Fort Bend County will these 2-million new residents call home?" That should give us pause and finally brings us to Fulshear. With such a huge projected population increase in Fort Bend County, what does the future behold for "Camelot"?  

As insight, Houston covers 8,778 square miles, an area slightly smaller than Massachusetts but larger than New Jersey. (astonished, I had to look it up twice). Over time, the geographic "center" of Houston has continually moved westward along the I-10 corridor and now rests near Dairy Ashford. So, Fulshear happens to be positioned directly in the path of this dramatic westward growth and will be home to many of these new residents. This will result in a virtual "tidal wave" that will wash over the City. In fact, it is projected that the intersection of FM 359 and FM 1093, in the heart of downtown Fulshear, will exceed the traffic count of Westheimer and Highway 6; currently one of the busiest intersections in Houston.  

Another fun fact. Currently, Fulshear is the 2 nd wealthiest city in Texas and ranks both as the 27 th wealthiest and the 4 th safest in the nation. That is why families want to, and will continue to call Fulshear home.  Also, consider the fact that Fulshear is uniquely appealing to developers and homeowners alike. Developers are attracted by the abundance of untouched open space and affordable, unrestricted land, which makes this ideal for development. Residents love the current large-lot communities and the naturally beautiful land that includes the Brazos River, Bessie's Creek, natural meandering lakes and large populations of century old pecan trees and majestic live oaks. It is further complemented by a wonderful lifestyle; including a sense of community and the appeal of a historic downtown. That is why Fulshear is destined to become the "Memorial and the River Oaks of the Future" 
 
However, along with such stunning growth, there will be a metamorphous that will take place as Fulshear is transformed from a small town to a large City. Already, in just the last year alone, the greater Fulshear area has been witness to new mega shopping centers, schools, restaurants and is a mecca for developers that has already attracted some of the finest in the nation. This is far removed from the quaint town I remember when I moved to Fulshear. Now, I look in amazement at the Westpark Toll Road and a divided 4-lane State highway currently under construction that will soon stretch through the heart of downtown. And, this is all happening "today". So, this should provide a glimpse of what the future will bring. 

In short, the future is bright for Fulshear and it will be an exciting time for both current residents and for all of those that will soon be moving here. My message to current residents, is to hold on and enjoy the ride. To Buyers it is simple, there is not a better time to be one, nor a better place to call home. 

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