Thinking about moving to Houston

[millennica]

My spouse and I are considering moving to Houston. I visited Houston in January and looked at some houses and have spent some time learning as much as I can about Houston from reading printed material, consulting the web including message boards like this one. I am looking for information, ideas, suggestions, opinions to consider in planning where we might live. At this point, we think we would like to purchase an apartment or condo in Houston and a house near the water--Bayou Vista, Laguna Madre in Corpus, Rockport, Port Aransas--or a house in Houston and a smaller place--a condo-- near the water. If we went the Houston apartment/condo house near the water route we'd like an apartment similar (or a bit smaller) to the one Parrothead is selling. Alternately if we decided upon the Houston house smaller condo near the water route, we think we'd like to live in the NW not too far outside of the loop, possible Spring Branch because we'd believe we could get to Bryan/College Station more easily than if we lived in the SW or East. However, we are open to hearing about other Houston neighborhoods as well. And we're interested in hearing your views on the Houston condo/apt-house near the water idea versus the Houston house-condo near the water idea. We'd like to spend no more than 430,000.00 on both places. Having spent several years remodeling a 12 room Victorian house in Boston, we don't want a house that needs extensive work as we've already done that. We're looking for neighborhood that is reltively safe, but having lived in the cities, not the suburbs of Philadelphia, Boston, we are well aware of what is entailed in city living and aren't averse to city living. We don't have school age children, so are not overly concerned about the schools except as it may affect property values. We're not concerned about the commute because we would have retired from our current positions and if we decided to work, it would only be part-time university teaching, community college teaching or tutoring. Last, although some may believe that racial/ethnic background isn't an issue, we are African American and don't want to live in a community that is antagonistic, hostile or merely tolerant of African Americans. Thanks in advance for your comments, input and opinions.

[musicman]

i think you have many options. so what is in bryan that you have to be nearby? i think if you take that out of the mix you['ll have MANY options. there are numerous comm colleges all over houston area.

Edited May 20, 2007 by musicman

[millennica]

i think you have many options. so what is in bryan that you have to be nearby? i think if you take that out of the mix you['ll have MANY options. there are numerous comm colleges all over houston area.

My spouse currently teaches at a community college in California and might look for part-time teaching opportunities in the Houston area community colleges. Texas A&M is in Bryan/College Station.

[musicman]

My spouse currently teaches at a community college in California and might look for part-time teaching opportunities in the Houston area community colleges. Texas A&M is in Bryan/College Station.

I guess my question is.....so a&m is definitely in your plans? houston has so many community colleges around that when you made the initial comment about bryan it wasn't clear if there was a definite position there. near the se side there's the san jacinto junior college which is relatively near the water i.e. you would live near the water and commute there. there's also another comm college system nearer to bayou vista called college of the mainland that might be an option.

[millennica]

I guess my question is.....so a8m is defnitely in your plans? houston has so many community colleges around that when you made the initial comment about bryan it wasn't clear if there was a definite position there. near the se side there's the san jacinto junior college which is relatively near the water i.e. you would live near the water and commute there. there's also another comm college system nearer to bayou vista called college of the mainland that might be an option.

I don't think I expressed myself very clearly. Should my spouse decide to teach, it would be at a community college because that's what he does. He would have to figure out which community college had openings, apply for the position, and if he were hired determine if these colleges were within commuting distance from our residence (s). If that weren't possible, he probably would do some ESL tutoring because in addition to teaching English, he also has a certificate to teach English as a Second Language. For me A & M will be the likely institution, not only for teaching (as I am not a community college teacher) but also doing research, which I expect to continue doing. A & M offered me a full-time position a few years ago, but I didn't accept it, in part because I didn't want to live in College Station. Since I would not be working full-time, I figure if I had a place-- either a house or condo-- in Spring Branch I could drive to A & M, one or at most two days a week even catching a ride with one of several faculty members I know who live in Houston and commute to College Station a couple of times a week. The one thing A & M faculty say about living in Houston and commuting to College Station is that it a good idea to live on the west side of Houston because it shortens the commute.

Since the 2 community colleges you mention san jacinto and bayou vista are not too far from the water, having a second residence close to the water might enhance the likelihood that my spouse could secure a position within driving distance.

In reality, neither of us have to work. However, having spent all of our working lives enagaged in academic pursuits, we feel it is in our interest keep our minds in the academic game; otherwise, our brains might atrophy and we might lose some of our intellectual edge.

[musicman]

now i'm with you. you and your husband have many options which is a great position to be in. for me personally, i think the comm college route with a shorter commute would be the way to go. even if you (or him) did just drive 2x/week to bryan, IMO I think you and your husband would prefer to stay closer to home. since you have the option of retiring, driving around se texas isn't the way i see you and your husband using your time.

if you really like the water, there are many options for you luckily. from clear lake down to galveston, water is accessible.

your first decision will no doubt be the job situation. once that is decided, then your housing situation will be narrowed.

i wish you both best of luck!!

[TheNiche]

I don't think I expressed myself very clearly. Should my spouse decide to teach, it would be at a community college because that's what he does. He would have to figure out which community college had openings, apply for the position, and if he were hired determine if these colleges were within commuting distance from our residence (s). If that weren't possible, he probably would do some ESL tutoring because in addition to teaching English, he also has a certificate to teach English as a Second Language. For me A & M will be the likely institution, not only for teaching (as I am not a community college teacher) but also doing research, which I expect to continue doing. A & M offered me a full-time position a few years ago, but I didn't accept it, in part because I didn't want to live in College Station. Since I would not be working full-time, I figure if I had a place-- either a house or condo-- in Spring Branch I could drive to A & M, one or at most two days a week even catching a ride with one of several faculty members I know who live in Houston and commute to College Station a couple of times a week. The one thing A & M faculty say about living in Houston and commuting to College Station is that it a good idea to live on the west side of Houston because it shortens the commute.

Since the 2 community colleges you mention san jacinto and bayou vista are not too far from the water, having a second residence close to the water might enhance the likelihood that my spouse could secure a position within driving distance.

In reality, neither of us have to work. However, having spent all of our working lives enagaged in academic pursuits, we feel it is in our interest keep our minds in the academic game; otherwise, our brains might atrophy and we might lose some of our intellectual edge.

If I were you--and I'm not, so take my opinion for what little it is--I'd go for the water. Between Houston Community College, San Jacinto Community College, Galveston College, and Alvin Community College (and I think another one in Texas City) your spouse will have plenty of opportunities for employment in the academic realm. As for yourself, I'd just bite the bullet, schedule your classes for only a couple days per week and at hours during which your drives through Houston would be least congested, and then relax five days out of the week...but of course, you may always find employment at one of the several universities in Houston, and that could solve some problems right off the bat. None are Tier One, but UH, UH-Downtown, UH-Clear Lake, UH-Sugar Land, Rice, St. Thomas, and HBU are all options.

As for the specific location, you might consider homes in Beach City, Morgan's Point, La Porte, Shoreacres, Seabrook, League City, Kemah, Bayview, Bacliff, San Leon, or Dickinson. These cities offer waterfront that would be most convenient to amenities within the City of Houston as well as to Bryan/College Station. If you go further south than Dickinson, looking at places in Bayou Vista, Hitchcock, Tiki Island, or Galveston, you may as well also look at homes in Chambers County with waterfront or bayou frontage and a more rural setting. In all cases, make sure that you factor in accurate insurance costs into your budget.

I personally like parts of La Porte and Morgan's Point and nearly bought a home in the latter town. It is still relatively inexpensive and has a lot of small town charm, lots of highly amenitized public parks, a new expansive library and public fitness centers, and a few really nice restaurants. I tried eat at Main 101 out there a few nights ago-the name leaves something to be desired, but the chef is from New Orleans and puts out some really good food.

EDIT: Btw, be creative with your home search. The Houston area has a lot of undiscovered waterfront. Who knows...you might find yourself in as oddball a place as Channelview.

Edited May 21, 2007 by TheNiche

[houstonmacbro]

My spouse currently teaches at a community college in California and might look for part-time teaching opportunities in the Houston area community colleges. Texas A&M is in Bryan/College Station.

North Harris College just had a huge adjunct professor's fair last Wednesday. She might want to check around to see if any of the other community college systems are having upcoming fares.

[dfwcre8tive]

I have a possible job offer and relocation from Dallas to Houston. I'm a young designer that has been living in a Downtown Dallas loft without a car (use DART to get to work and everywhere I need to go). I'm just trying to get some ideas to see if moving to Houston would be a step up or a step down in terms of quality of life. I browse this forum but any suggestions would be helpful.

1. Are there lofts/apartments downtown under $1,000/month and in which areas should I search?

2. Is it possible to live in Houston without a car?

[Jax]

I know people who live without cars, but mostly medical students and grad students. People who live near the metro rail can get between Rice, the Medical Center, and Downtown pretty easily. There is a Fiesta Mart on the metro line that you can walk to, and bars/restaurants and a movie theater downtown. And in 2009 the Houston Pavilions should open downtown with lots of shopping and more food and entertainment. But besides Downtown, the Medical Center, and the Museum District, you're pretty much screwed if you don't have a car. If I decide to go to one of these three places though, I'm better off taking the metro because parking can be a pain.

At Rice I have to park a 15 minute walk from my classes and in the medical center, I generally have to drive up multiple stories of parking garage and pay to park there. Downtown I can usually find a place to park on the street, but I prefer to leave my car at home if possible.

If you're going to be doing anything in the Galleria area or pretty much anywhere else in the city though, I think your quality of life would decline unless you get a car.

[jm1fd]

2. Is it possible to live in Houston without a car?

It is possible, but it isn't pretty.

[musicman]

At Rice I have to park a 15 minute walk from my classes and in the medical center, I generally have to drive up multiple stories of parking garage and pay to park there. Downtown I can usually find a place to park on the street, but I prefer to leave my car at home if possible.

If you're going to be doing anything in the Galleria area or pretty much anywhere else in the city though, I think your quality of life would decline unless you get a car.

LOL aren't you one of HAIF's pro-railers? you live near the fiesta and drive to rice u when there's a perfectly good rail system in between?

Edited September 6, 2007 by musicman

[dfwcre8tive]

Thanks. What are the names of lofts for rent downtown or in other urban areas?

[sevfiv]

1. Are there lofts/apartments downtown under $1,000/month and in which areas should I search?

2. Is it possible to live in Houston without a car?

under 1,000 might get you something small or with old shag carpet downtown

do you have a sq ft preference?

it is possible to live here without a car - you just have to plan things carefully since the rail is limited to fannin south to downtown, and anything else will be by bus. for off times, taxis are an option. walking is an option, but most things will too far, unless you have a lot of time and don't mind hauling things like groceries.

Edited September 6, 2007 by sevfiv

[musicman]

Thanks. What are the names of lofts for rent downtown or in other urban areas?

your 1000 may be a little too low for downtown

[dfwcre8tive]

under 1,000 might get you something small or with old shag carpet downtown

do you have a sq ft preference?

it is possible to live here without a car - you just have to plan things carefully since the rail is limited to fannin south to downtown, and anything else will be by bus. for off times, taxis are an option. walking is an option, but most things will too far, unless you have a lot of time and don't mind hauling things like groceries.

I'm not looking for anything "luxury" but I don't want a new building with no character. My current loft in Downtown Dallas is 670sq ft, concrete floors, 16' ceiling, and I pay $750. The St. Germain lofts in Houston look very similar to where I'm living now, but they are condos and not apartments. I was looking for something similar... I just don't know where to search. Also, is there a grocery store downtown?

The same planning could be said of Dallas' transportation. I take the rail most places, buses quite often, and taxis every now and then. I suppose it wouldn't be too much different. I've lived without a car for over a year and have friends that do the same. I like walking and I have a bike.

Edited September 6, 2007 by njjeppson

[Jax]

LOL aren't you one of HAIF's pro-railers? you live near the fiesta and drive to rice u when there's a perfectly good rail system in between?

I didn't say I drove to Rice. I said I did not drive to Rice, and one of the reasons is that even if I decided to be lazy and drive, I'd still have to walk so far from the free parking lot to class (about 1 mile) that it would defeat the purpose. I usually bike to Rice though, and take the rail when I go downtown or to the Medical Center.

Same with the medical center. if I was to drive there, I would have to pay and go up 5 floors of parking to find a spot. It's quicker and cheaper to take the train.

[musicman]

I didn't say I drove to Rice. I said I did not drive to Rice, and one of the reasons is that even if I decided to be lazy and drive, I'd still have to walk so far from the free parking lot to class (about 1 mile) that it would defeat the purpose. I usually bike to Rice though, and take the rail when I go downtown or to the Medical Center.

Same with the medical center. if I was to drive there, I would have to pay and go up 5 floors of parking to find a spot. It's quicker and cheaper to take the train.

At Rice I have to park ...

i guess this threw me off. like i've said all along, people will ride public transportation IF it saves them time. that is why designing a system that will save commuters time should be METRO's goal, not building a bus replacement system.

[sunsets]

There is nothing that could be characterized as a real grocery store in the downtown area proper.

There is a Randalls in midtown a few blocks from the rail, and there is the previously mentioned Fiesta a couple of miles south on the rail line at Wheeler station.

Based on the brief view I had of Dallas downtown and their rail system, I think you would be hard pressed to have a similar quality of life in our downtown. Just my opinion, of course, but it's true that they really "roll up the sidewalks" at 5:00 here. There's after hours activity in the theater district, and if there's a sporting event or concert, but it's kind of sparse, otherwise. If you include midtown in the range, you have more eating and socializing options.

[musicman]

I'm not looking for anything "luxury" but I don't want a new building with no character. My current loft in Downtown Dallas is 670sq ft, concrete floors, 16' ceiling, and I pay $750.

you won't find this in downtown house unless it is a SRO type place, definitely not a loft.

[Jax]

It seems like the Post Rice lofts cost about $965.00 for a 508 sq ft studio. Seems like your deal in Dallas is better.

[dfwcre8tive]

Thanks for all the suggestions... I'll look around at those places. Or maybe I'll just decide to stay in Dallas now My potential employer told me the cost of living is lower in Houston, but not if I have to purchase a car and pay more for the urban setting I would like.

Edited September 6, 2007 by njjeppson

[sevfiv]

the cost of living is lower only if you live in certain parts of houston - i.e. the 'burbs, or certain close-in areas that have yet to be yuppie-ized