Question About Apartments

[mikelee33]

Hi, I was wondering if Midtown is the best place to rent for a young professional? I am moving from So Cal and it seems like I need to do it unseen. Basically, travel or traffic is not too much of an issue for me since I telecommute to work but safety and crime rate however is very important. I also do not want to be too far away from the action or the nightlife but don't have to live next to it either. I would appreciate any input you guys might have since it seems like I might have to move pretty soon. What are the pros and cons of these areas?

Midtown

Downtown

Montrose

Sugarland

Woodland

Katy

I would appreciate any help. Thanks alot guys.

[editor]

Based on what you've written, I think Midtown will suit you well.

[skwatra]

Midtown or Montrose would probably suit you. Midtown is full of young professionals, close to all the action, but you can still stay away from it if you want. you may want to sign a 6 month lease or something to get an idea of that you want. there are plenty of apartments in midtown. i'm in AMLI midtown and i like it.

[travelguy_73]

Midtown: Pros are that it is convenient to many parts of town, good nightlife, restaurants, active residence life. Cons, IMO, are relatively lame housing stock (Post is urban-esque but very basic inside, and I feel the rest to be basically just suburban complexes in the city) and prices are pretty high due to location.

Downtown: Pros are urban feel, cool housing stock (Rice, Herman, Hogg, Bayou, Franklin, Commerce, Dakota). Cons are lack of weekend amenities, pain in the a** for friends to find a place to park, and you still have to drive to get to a grocery store.

Montrose: Pros are that it still has a bohemian feel (though disappearing fast) and housing stock is unique (mostly duplexes and the like from the 30-40's, garage apts), close to everything including Memorial park, Allen Parkway, awesome restaurants, etc. Cons are unique housing stock might not be your cup of tea.

Sugarland, Woodlands, Katy: Pros are new, clean, etc. Cons are lame commute to get to the cool urban places (that's a long drive home after a few drinks!) and rental prices at the nice places aren't much cheaper than what you find in the city.

You mentioned telecommuting: Keep in mind that many (most?) complexes have a deal with SBC/AT&T for service, and you are locked into DSL only and no HDTV. If you want a cable modem service, make sure to ask if it is even available (even in my resident-owned building we only get DSL!).

One of my favorite rental complexes is Sabine Street Lofts, which is near everything and is along the newly refurbished Buffalo Bayou trail. Others of interest are Hogg Palace and Rice downtown. Depending on what your style is and what you have to spend, these might be good to look at.

[mikelee33]

Midtown: Pros are that it is convenient to many parts of town, good nightlife, restaurants, active residence life. Cons, IMO, are relatively lame housing stock (Post is urban-esque but very basic inside, and I feel the rest to be basically just suburban complexes in the city) and prices are pretty high due to location.

Downtown: Pros are urban feel, cool housing stock (Rice, Herman, Hogg, Bayou, Franklin, Commerce, Dakota). Cons are lack of weekend amenities, pain in the a** for friends to find a place to park, and you still have to drive to get to a grocery store.

Montrose: Pros are that it still has a bohemian feel (though disappearing fast) and housing stock is unique (mostly duplexes and the like from the 30-40's, garage apts), close to everything including Memorial park, Allen Parkway, awesome restaurants, etc. Cons are unique housing stock might not be your cup of tea.

Sugarland, Woodlands, Katy: Pros are new, clean, etc. Cons are lame commute to get to the cool urban places (that's a long drive home after a few drinks!) and rental prices at the nice places aren't much cheaper than what you find in the city.

You mentioned telecommuting: Keep in mind that many (most?) complexes have a deal with SBC/AT&T for service, and you are locked into DSL only and no HDTV. If you want a cable modem service, make sure to ask if it is even available (even in my resident-owned building we only get DSL!).

One of my favorite rental complexes is Sabine Street Lofts, which is near everything and is along the newly refurbished Buffalo Bayou trail. Others of interest are Hogg Palace and Rice downtown. Depending on what your style is and what you have to spend, these might be good to look at.

Thanks! I had no idea about the locking into SBC/AT&T, and no HDTV???? You are kidding me, wow once you watched a sporting even in HDTV you can't ever go back. I guess the safety crime issue is pretty much the same across the board? I been reading some reviews and posts and it seems like lots of mention of robberies in Houston esp after victims of Katrina have seek refuge.

I prefer the loft/studio/open space look rather than the carpeted tradional look.

[editor]

Thanks! I had no idea about the locking into SBC/AT&T, and no HDTV???? You are kidding me, wow once you watched a sporting even in HDTV you can't ever go back. I guess the safety crime issue is pretty much the same across the board? I been reading some reviews and posts and it seems like lots of mention of robberies in Houston esp after victims of Katrina have seek refuge.

I prefer the loft/studio/open space look rather than the carpeted tradional look.

There are a few loft buildings in downtown. I lived at Dakota. I wouldn't recomment it, though. Bad bug problems. Bad problems with security and the homeless. Shoddy construction (like common walls that don't go all the way up to the ceiling so your neighbor's lights keep you awake). The maintenance guy is completely overworked trying to take care of Dakota and another building. Had my car vandalized twice while parked INSIDE the building's basement parking garage. Also, it's way overpriced.

But I have heard good things about Saint Germain. I'm sure there are other people here who can run down the lofts downtown.

[ToolMan]

The St. Germain Lofts are for sale now, but you may find someone who will lease them.

For a downtown location a would try The Rice Lofts, The Hogg Lofts, and Humble Towers. There are acouple of others, but I don't know much about them. The Midtown complexes are mainly apartment style.

Oh...almost all cable companies offer HDTV here.

[MiDTOWNeR]

Absolutely Midtown!!!!!

If I knew where in SoCal you were coming from I could compare a bit better for you. Basically, Houston will suck period...but At least in Midtown you have the opportunity to live and walk to nightlife and groceries. Most Post rice Lofts, AMLI Midtown, 2222 Smith are all very well located..2222 Smith probably the best.

[skwatra]

It is true that Post Midtown does not have TW, so no digital cable at the moment. but you can get DSL and dish. They planned to have HD by the end of the summer, so that would be worth checking into. At AMLI, you can get HD over digital, and cable modem. same with 2222 Smith.

I also heard Comcast is taking over the Houston market from TWC starting in '07, so things may change.

[ToolMan]

Post Midtown lofts are for sale now - I doubt they will let you rent anymore.

[Pumapayam]

Cough *uptown* Cough

Uptown is great, and plenty of townhomes that are affordable, or rentals too.

Lots of old building with personality around.

And you have so many choices for grocery stores and pharmacies

Hands down, I have lived there for years and love it.

No crime, unless you count beggers on the intersections of high profile streets a crime.

[barracuda]

Absolutely Midtown!!!!!

If I knew where in SoCal you were coming from I could compare a bit better for you. Basically, Houston will suck period...but At least in Midtown you have the opportunity to live and walk to nightlife and groceries. Most Post rice Lofts, AMLI Midtown, 2222 Smith are all very well located..2222 Smith probably the best.

SoCal is not exactly a pedestrian paradise. L.A. is like a bigger version of Houston. L.A. has fewer trees, but it does have a few large hills, though you rarely see them b/c of the pollution or morning fog. At least that's how it was the few months I spent there. Houston has much better food and more bearable traffic, IMO.

I think Houston will feel somewhat familiar, except you may be shocked by the suffocating heat in the summer, but also by how much more you can get for your money here.

I suggest Midtown or Montrose for convenience and at least a smidgen of character.

Uptown is nice and sterile and feels very new, but it's too commercial feeling for me, and it has the worst traffic in the city.

Downtown still lacks amenities like grocery stores, but it's getting better and it's your best choice for true loft living. You'd be close to Minute Maid Park and the Toyota Center, as well as all the performing arts centers and the Angelika theater. The trails along Allen Parkway run through downtown now, so you can bike, run, etc. along the bayou easily from downtown.

Most of the Katrina evacuees migrated to the southwest part of town in an area called Sharpstown. Most of the crime that migrated from New Orleans has been isolated to a few apartment complexes in that area.

I live in Midtown, and although I've never experienced any theft or crime, there is the occasional homeless person walking around begging for money. There's also a friendly string of homeless camps beneath the Pierce elevated that separates Midtown from Downtime to welcome you when passing through.

Welcome to Houston.

[travelguy_73]

Thanks! I had no idea about the locking into SBC/AT&T, and no HDTV???? You are kidding me, wow once you watched a sporting even in HDTV you can't ever go back. I guess the safety crime issue is pretty much the same across the board? I been reading some reviews and posts and it seems like lots of mention of robberies in Houston esp after victims of Katrina have seek refuge.

I prefer the loft/studio/open space look rather than the carpeted tradional look.

It isn't that we don't have HD here, but that the way the multi-unit buildings are set up, you get Dish/direcTV via SBC Home Entertainment and you are at their mercy to upgrade the main dish to provide the service. I just mentioned it because it is something I would want to know.

As for the loft-style spaces, definitely check out Sabine Street, Lofts at the Ballpark (identical, but in the warehouse district), Hogg, St Germain, 2222 Smith, Rice, Alexan Lofts (sketchy area, but cool units). as well as the others mentioned here. And yeah, don't forget about the Uptown/Galleria area. Lots of amenities, and you can still rent at Lofts on Post Oak for a while longer (they went condo last year, but aren't all sold out).

www.rent.com I think is the main rental website, but I have seen all sorts of places being shown on Craigslist and HAR.com (by brokers). Check them out, and if you need help trying to figure out where a particular place is, post the link here and I'm sure one of us can figure out from their pictures.

[mikelee33]

Absolutely Midtown!!!!!

If I knew where in SoCal you were coming from I could compare a bit better for you. Basically, Houston will suck period...but At least in Midtown you have the opportunity to live and walk to nightlife and groceries. Most Post rice Lofts, AMLI Midtown, 2222 Smith are all very well located..2222 Smith probably the best.

I am coming from the OC, Irvine to be exact.

Cough *uptown* Cough

Uptown is great, and plenty of townhomes that are affordable, or rentals too.

Lots of old building with personality around.

And you have so many choices for grocery stores and pharmacies

Hands down, I have lived there for years and love it.

No crime, unless you count beggers on the intersections of high profile streets a crime.

That's good news to hear. Thanks.

[skwatra]

Post Midtown lofts are for sale now - I doubt they will let you rent anymore.

No, only the Rise is for sale (the midrise you see from Pierce). but they still have several 4-story apartment buildings there (4 buildings i think), that have rentals, still called Post Midtown Square.

[MiDTOWNeR]

I am coming from the OC, Irvine to be exact.

OH NO! Not the Orange Curtain! Just Kidding

Uptown may be more up your alley.