Sigh

I am so torn. I really miss the Sugar Land/Missouri City area, and really don't like Crosby. The land is a hell of a lot cheaper out here, though. Big time cheaper. Lots of space, lower prices. I suppose we'll have to bite the bullet and pay a higher price, because I don't want to take the chance of being completely miserable in a part of the area I hate, even though we'd be in our own house, built the way we want, with more "bells and whistles." Building out here would enable us to divert money that would've been spent on land into the house itself. On the other hand, it pretty much sucks out here- no culture, no diversity, etc. And, on the off-chance my daughter decides to move back during high school, well... the schools suck here. I guess this makes my decision pretty easy, but still...

On another note, questions for any of you who may have built a house: How much (ballpark, obviously) does it cost to clear a lot? Is the "pain in the ass factor" higher than paying more for a lot that is already cleared? Thanks for any guidance you can give.