Real estate
Real estate
BY EMILY LINCKE
BY DIEGO COLLAZO
Electricity prices have risen sharply across Texas, and Cy-Fair residents are feeling the eects. The details While statewide issues are the biggest contrib- utor to rising electricity prices, Cypress homes could see higher electric prices due to home size Cy-Fair seeing higher-than-average electricity bills Electricity Plans. Company ocials provided the following tips to help homeowners lower their electricity bills: • Set your thermostat conservatively • Maintain your HVAC system with regular tune- ups and air lter changes • Close blinds in rooms with southern sun exposure • Shop for lower rates up to 60 days ahead of your contract expiration Zooming in Average electricity prices in Texas have increased by over 60% since 2021, according to Electricity Plans. Cypress Cypress Houston Houston Texas Texas
What is a homeowners association?
Zooming out
Criheld said the duties of HOAs can include: • Enforcing community rules
Homeowners associations, which collect resident fees to manage communities, are especially common in the Houston region, 2023 data shows. About 51% of occupied homes in the Houston region, compared to 30% statewide, were part of a property owners association, according to 2023 U.S. Census Bureau American Housing Survey data. Texas HOAs are usually operated as nonprot corporations and are governed by a volunteer board of directors, according to the Texas State Law Library’s website. HOAs are sometimes assisted by an HOA management company, and an HOA’s primary job is to preserve property values, said Savannah Criheld, the owner of Houston HOA management rm CH&P Management, via a June 19 email. “If you receive a violation notice from your
Cy-Fair HOAs by ZIP code
Average home size (in square footage)
• Managing shared amenities such as pools • Maintaining infrastructure such as lights A common myth about HOAs is that they have unlimited power, but the organizations have governing documents and are tasked with enforcing the rules in property deeds, Criheld said. While they are not governed by a state agency, HOAs must operate within laws guiding other nonprots, according to the Texas State Law Library. Under the Texas Residential Property Owners Protection Act, HOA boards: • Must keep meetings open to members, except for certain topics such as personnel discussions • Give notice before enforcing rules
2,800
77429: 64
77070: 37
1,952
290
1960
2,031
and usage rates, according to Cypress-based Electricity Plans, a digital resource that helps homeowners and business owners nd the best electricity plans for them. Cypress homes are larger than the average home in the Houston area, and homeowners have an average monthly electricity bill of $205.79 com- pared to $172.05 statewide, said Rebecca Bridges, chief marketing ocer for Electricity Plans. Why it matters Nearly 60% of Texans said cost was the primary reason for choosing their electricity provider, according to an April survey conducted by
77064: 26
77433: 50
Average monthly electricity usage (in kilowatt-hour)
249
529
77040: 32
77095: 26
77065: 12
1,864
99 TOLL
1,300
N
1,176
SOURCE: WWW.HOA.TEXAS.GOVCOMMUNITY IMPACT
HOA, please don’t be oended. It is actually the duty of the board of directors to enforce restrictions to prevent property values from deteriorating over time,” she said.
SOURCE: ELECTRICITYPLANS.COMCOMMUNITY IMPACT
“Electricity prices used to be very closely tied to the price of natural gas, and we no longer see that,” Bridges said. Bridges said Winter Storm Uri in 2021 was a major turning point, triggering widespread
power outages and shaking public trust in the state’s power grid. The resulting infrastructure and regulation changes have contributed to price hikes, she said.
CYPRESS ROSEHILL 14315 Cypress Rosehill (281) 373-2999
SPRING CYPRESS 22508 Hwy 249 (281) 379-7383 BARKER CYPRESS
HUFFMEISTER 8945 Hwy 6 N (281) 859-5879
17996 FM 529 (281) 656-4200
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