Seattle to Houston (Sugar Land, The Woodlands: live, land, commute)

[just4ivaylo]

Originally Posted by fnh

Though, if I win the lottery it will be California instead of Washington.

Haha, yeah, same here. Unfortunately, I'd have to win quite the jackpot to be able to afford a nice house there.

[just4ivaylo]

Originally Posted by FantasyFootballGuy

What is Katy, Texas like? I know the name but nothing about it.

It's a suburb of Houston. I'm not exactly sure what I could compare it to in the Seattle area. It's not a small place, but there really isn't anything except for houses and national chains. To experience big-city Texas, you'd definitely want to live closer to Houston or in the city itself.

My advice would be to find a house in Houston if you're younger!

[300zxtwinturbo]

Originally Posted by Topaz

But Seattle's cookie-cutter homes don't have cookie-cutter prices. If you compare what you can buy for $350K in Seattle suburbs with what you can buy for $350K in the Houston suburbs, there's a tremendous difference.

See thats the beauty of houston right now tho, the only thing is that in houston 350K will get you in a very nice neighborhood with walkable areas with all the city amenities within walking distance including the museums and everything else, all sports teams ect, all for under 300K, there are not many cities that will offer the amount of city life that houston can at a cheap price. The only cities that are beter will cost at least twice as much. or at least a couple hundred thousand more for a relative lifestyle

[MIBS98]

Originally Posted by FantasyFootballGuy

I live in Seattle but I am thinking about moving. I have never been to Houston but I have heard lots of good things. I am curious about Houston neighborhoods and suburbs. I would love your opinion and any thoughts on places like River Oaks, West University Place, Montrose, Sugar Land, Downtown Houston, and The Woodlands. I know the Woodlands is far from Downtown Houston but it still sounds like a good option and a nice place to live.

That is an incredibly broad (both geographically and financially) set of locations you have come up with there. To put it in terms you'll understand better, it is like saying, I am looking at: Queen Anne, Madison Park, Belltown, Ballard, Bellevue, Lynnwood, Issaquah and Snoqualmie.

What is best for you depends on your budget and your likes (do you want to be in the city, suburbs, etc.).

[SouthmoreAve]

Ok, I think the recent weather has clouded people's perception about Houston's climate. Summers are usually wet, contrary to what people have posted, it's just this recent drought is highly extraordinary.

To put it in perspective, February is the driest month, with usually 3 in of rain, and June is the wettest with upwards of 6-7 in. And it doesn't come in waves like people have said, it may not be constant, but it's not breaks of 2 weeks, followed by a thunderstorm. Usually, we get light showers and drizzles, the various thunderstorms, and the occasional tropical system; that's a typical summer/early fall in Houston. Remember in a normal year, we get between 40 to 50+ in of rain.

[mrman78]

Interesting... I'm in the opposite situation. I'm trying to move to Seattle from Houston. I just don't fit in here. If you like the outdoors, it is not a good place to be - too hot, flat and no scenery without a considerable drive. I've lived here twice - first time 96-01 and now since 05. I have family here, so that's why.

If it wasn't for this economy, I would have been out in 07. It's just really hard to find a job out of state and there's no way I'm moving without an unemployment check or a job, so it's a waiting game for me. Can we just swap places?!

[FantasyFootballGuy]

Sure, we can swap places. I could help you find a place to live and maybe a job here in Seattle if you helped me get a job in Houston.

[Sunderpig2]

Originally Posted by mrman78

Interesting... I'm in the opposite situation. I'm trying to move to Seattle from Houston. I just don't fit in here. If you like the outdoors, it is not a good place to be - too hot, flat and no scenery without a considerable drive. I've lived here twice - first time 96-01 and now since 05. I have family here, so that's why.

If it wasn't for this economy, I would have been out in 07.

That sounds quite a bit like me, and I strongly agree with the boldfaced part. I have family in Houston too, and I've let that be a limiting / controlling factor as well.

I ruled out Seattle though because the overcast crappy weather that glooms up the place much of the year. Add to that the long nights in the winter time (due to being so far north), and the two together reduce a significant amount of needed sunshine.

As far as jobs go, I've seen many give up their ideal locations (and optimal quality of life) for jobs. Ultimately, a person needs to choose their priorities. What good is decent money and living if you are unhappy where you are at. A better change of direction might be to choose the place you'll be happy at, and make the job situation work, whatever that means. It might be a challenge, but even challenges can sometimes be good, and make us stretch ourselves and grow.

People these days are putting money and jobs and the rat race ahead of whatever makes them happiest deep down. Basically living as slaves to money. The result is disappointment and regret. Are you living to work or working to live? If you let society and the world rule you, you'll continue to live by their ideas and failed priorities. Best to jump off the bandwagon and forge a better path.

[MIBS98]

Originally Posted by SMUelitist

UHM....What kind of a house can you buy in Houston for 350? An outhouse? LOL

Loads of townhouses in the Montrose, West Gray, Rice Military areas as well as places in the Heights.

[MIBS98]

Have you ever actually been to Houston? Take a drive south of West Gray, north of Westheimer, west of Montrose and east of Shepherd. The area has loads of nice townhomes under $400k. I used to live in the area, we had an extremely nice 3000 square foot 3 bedroom townhome with a swimming pool for $400k. We could walk to all of the shopping on West Gray. There are plenty of places for less than that.