Moving To Texas (Houston, Howe: real estate, apartment complex, renter)

[StuckOnGorgeous]

I am 19 years old and me and my boyfriend who is also 19 is planning to move to Texas (The Galleria). We are planning to move in together of course and I just wanted to know hows the area and how hard is it to get a job. Also will it be hard getting an apartment because i have no work experience but my boyfriend does. Im planning to move very soon around early September.

[cheryjohns]

An apartment community will require that you have a job, unless you can pay the lease in full up front. The best thing would be to get a job before moving down. What if you were to both get jobs - and each was an hour from the Galleria (which is expensive)?

As to employment, Houston has 8% unemployment. It is better than other places, but jobs are still scarce in certain sectors, especially without skills or a degree.

[groovamos]

How's Houston? or the Galleria? (I call it the west loop as do others) Outside of downtown and the Med center, probably the most expensive real estate in the region. Houston, very dynamic, economy iffy like everywhere else right now.

[Texascrude]

As long as you're realistic about the type of job and wages you'll be able to get you shouldn't have a problem?

I'm assuming that at 19 you have not graduated college and you yourself say that you have no work experience. What kind of jobs does a recent high school graduate (and I'm assuming you did graduate from high school -- if not, that's another story) with no experience qualify for? Chances are you'll be working for less than $10 an hour.

As for living in the Galleria area, I'd forget about it. It's a wonderful place to live -- one of the nicest areas in Houston. But given the type of money you'll probably be making (assuming you and your boyfriend do find jobs quickly) I'd look elsewhere. Finding an apartment within your budget shouldn't be a problem, but remember that most complexes require a deposit and two month's worth of rent up front. You might be best off looking for a private renter off of Craigslist.

[DANNYY]

The economy in Houston is a lot better than other cities in the country, and the unemployment rate is below average by quite a good amount. (1.4%- which is a lot)

But that does not mean that they just hand out jobs as soon as you enter the city, you still have to go through a competitive cycle to get jobs and applications still run their course and interviews (possibly- depending on the employer).

I would suggest that you apply to some places before actually moving here. The economy has multiple sectors you can apply too, best of luck with your choice.

However you say that you're 19, you might want to look into putting together a resume, both of you might want to do that. Get all your experiences down on it, and then apply to multiple places.

I would actually recommend trying to find a much more cost efficient place to live to start off from in your first few years in Houston.

What kind of neighborhood/area are you interested in? Diverse, or dense, or spacious, or near the city life? Also what things about a city do you value most when it comes to living near them? Like a mall, or hundreds of restaurants, or art galleries?

It would be nice to know a little bit about you to be able to help out, even when it comes to picking a place in Uptown, because that area is quite large..

[rb4browns]

Originally Posted by StuckOnGorgeous

I am 19 years old and me and my boyfriend who is also 19 is planning to move to Texas (The Galleria). We are planning to move in together of course and I just wanted to know hows the area and how hard is it to get a job. Also will it be hard getting an apartment because i have no work experience but my boyfriend does. Im planning to move very soon around early September.

McDonald's is always hiring.

[Wonderful Jellal]

It's cxrazy all these threads "Moving to Texas".2010 will be a huge population growth year

[crone]

What does your mother say about this? You are not yet ready to turn loose onto the world.
Nobody is going to rent an apartment to an unemployed 19 year old twosome. Not anyplace I'd let my kid live, anyway. They will want 1st and last month upfront plus a damage deposit. That is $4000.00. Next, they will want somebody grown up to sign your lease. Next comes the utility deposits. Get the picture?

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by RenaudFR

It's cxrazy all these threads "Moving to Texas".2010 will be a huge population growth year

Yes, but it's one thing to have a large number of educated professionals or skilled workers moving in. It's quite another to have a horde of unskilled fast-food workers arriving to "the promised land of milk and honey". I know that sounds harsh, but it just becomes a drain on the city. They will come down with no job, no support system, no money, and most likely, no prospects. It's not going to be pretty. They shouldn't be encouraged.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by Texascrude

As long as you're realistic about the type of job and wages you'll be able to get you shouldn't have a problem?

I'm assuming that at 19 you have not graduated college and you yourself say that you have no work experience. What kind of jobs does a recent high school graduate (and I'm assuming you did graduate from high school -- if not, that's another story) with no experience qualify for? Chances are you'll be working for less than $10 an hour.

As for living in the Galleria area, I'd forget about it. It's a wonderful place to live -- one of the nicest areas in Houston. But given the type of money you'll probably be making (assuming you and your boyfriend do find jobs quickly) I'd look elsewhere. Finding an apartment within your budget shouldn't be a problem, but remember that most complexes require a deposit and two month's worth of rent up front. You might be best off looking for a private renter off of Craigslist.

Individuals are even pickier and require more deposits than apartments. They have to be. If you make one bad decision on a tenant in a 300 unit apartment complex, it is not nearly as bad as if a landlord makes one bad decision on his one or two rent houses. The individual landlord cannot recoup that loss as well. The only exceptions are the slumlords - then that is an entirely different problem.