Moving to Houston - need advice! Where to go? (Spring: home, neighborhood)

[testmo]

sounds like robyn is the type of person one would like to get to know and work with! not

maybe the problem is internal...

[d2mini]

Originally Posted by robynimac229

Well, you are used to crime and heat so no biggy there. I have been here three years and I hate it. You may like The Woodlands, Conroe, or out the other way Katy. No matter where you live the commute sucks and time consuming. The drivers here are the worst ever, they even out top LA drivers.

The people here have an arrogence about them, they are entitled to everything, and never tell them you are not native texan and lived anywhere else.

Job promotions are based on the good old boy club so you have to smooze your boss to get ahead, so be prepared. It is a social club here at work too. Texans are lazy and do not have a good work ethic. They come to work, stand around and talk about fishing or drama or what was on some night time soap opera or reality show for at least an hour. They don't really start working until after 40 hours so they can collect their over time.

It will be an adjustment for sure, but if you happen to get a nice neighbor you should be okay on the home front. Oh and eveywhere has HOA's so be prepared for all the rules you have with your new home.

So much wrong with this post I don't know where to begin.
Sounds like this poster needs a friend.

1. You can have a short commute. Compromises may need to be made but you can do it. You can find a 3-4 bedroom house in 77055 (my area) and surrounding for low to mid 200's. Will need some updating. But nice old neighborhoods, tons of trees and home values will go up much faster than out in the burbs.

2. Drivers suck everywhere. Has nothing to do with the commute times. I'm in 77055 and I get to work in the montrose area in 20-25 minutes. 30-35 if there is a small accident. I can take the freeway or backroads. Even ride my bike the 12 miles each way if I want.

3. Arrogance is everywhere and the native texans on this forum will tell you everyone else is arrogant or rude. So dont listen to that. The good thing about Houston is there is probably more people here NOT from Houston than actual native houstonians. Such a diverse place.

4. Sounds like this poster got stuck in a crappy job. What an idiotic response to your thread. I would suggest looking for a new job if you are that unhappy with it. I love my job and I get paid well and have good benefits and good hours. Work is casual, we can feel free to chat and catch up on email but we also get our work done.

5. HOA. My annual dues are $44. And the deed restrictions haven't been updated since 1960. Supposedly, my black servants aren't allowed to live on my property. Me thinks these aren't really enforced any longer! But if you live in a "master planned community" you will have more restrictions to worry about. Overall it's for the better good though.

Hope that helps.

[archimom]

I appreciate the various feed back. You are the first souls I have "met" from Houston, and I really appreciate your help. I am hoping and looking forward to our Houston experience more positive. We'll try to "bloom where we're planted"....right?

I was wondering what the average dailey commute from Memorial NW to Downtown would be? What is "terrible"?

Any suggestions to a place closer in, or with a better commute with our criteria in mind?

[modster]

Originally Posted by robynimac229

Well, you are used to crime and heat so no biggy there. I have been here three years and I hate it.

Maybe "here" isn't the problem?

Originally Posted by robynimac229

You may like The Woodlands, Conroe, or out the other way Katy. No matter where you live the commute sucks and time consuming.

If you limit yourself to the most far-flung suburbs with the longest commutes available, you will have a bad commute. Wow.

Originally Posted by robynimac229

The drivers here are the worst ever, they even out top LA drivers.

I wonder how many of them were L.A. drivers? Do go on...

Originally Posted by robynimac229

The people here have an arrogence about them,

Well, um, apparently we've all just been exposed to one....

Originally Posted by robynimac229

they are entitled to everything, and never tell them you are not native texan and lived anywhere else.

Yes, absolutely, because almost everyone here is a native.

Originally Posted by robynimac229

Job promotions are based on the good old boy club so you have to smooze your boss to get ahead, so be prepared.

Yeah, because that is something that doesn't happen in the other 49 states, it's a Texas thing.

Originally Posted by robynimac229

It is a social club here at work too. Texans are lazy and do not have a good work ethic. They come to work, stand around and talk about fishing or drama or what was on some night time soap opera or reality show for at least an hour. They don't really start working until after 40 hours so they can collect their over time.

Yes, Texans are lazy, that is why our economy is so much better, that is how we handled the evacuees from Katrina when no one else could, that is why so many fortune 500 companies locate here, the lazy workforce. Yup, no "can do" attitude here.

Originally Posted by robynimac229

It will be an adjustment for sure,

Especially if you are coming from someplace with a dead economy, no growth and unfriendly, bitter people, (although clearly we have a few).

Originally Posted by robynimac229

but if you happen to get a nice neighbor you should be okay on the home front.

If you are able to find out where robynmac lives...and avoid it, your chances for that will improve slightly.

Originally Posted by robynimac229

Oh and eveywhere has HOA's so be prepared for all the rules you have with your new home.

Except for all the ones that don't.

[modster]

Originally Posted by archimom

I appreciate the various feed back. You are the first souls I have "met" from Houston, and I really appreciate your help. I am hoping and looking forward to our Houston experience more positive. We'll try to "bloom where we're planted"....right?

I was wondering what the average dailey commute from Memorial NW to Downtown would be? What is "terrible"?

Any suggestions to a place closer in, or with a better commute with our criteria in mind?

Peak times, you would have to leave the houes probably a little over an hour before you needed to be at work. The Hardy Toll Road could help some, but just getting over to it is a bit of a challenge. The "problem" for lack of a better term is those areas are removed from most of the main roads that would get you into downtown.

[crone]

You could go down Champion Forest to the beltway and then 45 into town. Now that the State has removed the center left turn lane, 1960 to I 45 takes about 15m minutes at 8 am. Then on the freeway to town. It will be an hour no matter which route you take. There are carpools and van pools. My across the street neighbor goes to BP in the EC. Next door goes to Bellaire. Another goes to Rice. That is the way life is with kids and suburbs. Driving is part of living in Houston. The dilemma you are facing is getting from whatever subdivision to the freeway. There are nice subdivisions with good schools in the Klein school district closer to I 45. There are still trees. You would be 10 minutes to the freeway.
Some, not all of the houses in Memorial NW were not so well built. Be sure they have added insulation, etc. Check out Huntwick and Champions. Your budget will be tight, but you could do OK.
Of your choices, Champions Forest would be better than Memorial NW. Ask your realtor to check out the discussion regarding the renovations for the clubhouse in MNW.
I am around Strack Road and Champion Forest. We take International Alley (Stuebner Airline) to the free way. It is 50 minutes to the ballpark @ 5:30 PM. It takes 5 minutes more but is easier on the nerves.

[Lost_In_Translation]

Originally Posted by modster

It won't. The commute from the Champion Forest area is a killer, no two ways around it and anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is mistaken.

That said, it is also one of the areas with good schools, nice homes and trees (at least the trees that have survived the drought so far) and a lot of home for the money, especially in Memorial Northwest.

well easier isn't always faster, but less stress in fighting traffic is nice. The commuter shuttles at kuykendahl are Houston's best attempt at a transit system.

[Lost_In_Translation]

Originally Posted by crone

You could go down Champion Forest to the beltway and then 45 into town. Now that the State has removed the center left turn lane, 1960 to I 45 takes about 15m minutes at 8 am. Then on the freeway to town. It will be an hour no matter which route you take. There are carpools and van pools. My across the street neighbor goes to BP in the EC. Next door goes to Bellaire. Another goes to Rice. That is the way life is with kids and suburbs. Driving is part of living in Houston. The dilemma you are facing is getting from whatever subdivision to the freeway. There are nice subdivisions with good schools in the Klein school district closer to I 45. There are still trees. You would be 10 minutes to the freeway.
Some, not all of the houses in Memorial NW were not so well built. Be sure they have added insulation, etc. Check out Huntwick and Champions. Your budget will be tight, but you could do OK.
Of your choices, Champions Forest would be better than Memorial NW. Ask your realtor to check out the discussion regarding the renovations for the clubhouse in MNW.
I am around Strack Road and Champion Forest. We take International Alley (Stuebner Airline) to the free way. It is 50 minutes to the ballpark @ 5:30 PM. It takes 5 minutes more but is easier on the nerves.

Prices in Spring Creek Forest and Spring Creek Oaks are much nicer on the budget they're looking for and you get alot of land with the SCF houses.

[Texascrude]

Look in NE Houston -- the 59 is probably the best of the freeways in terms of traffic. I live in Eagle Springs (just outside of Kingwood) and it takes about 35 minutes to get downtown during the morning traffic hours.

Lots of good housing options in the subdivision -- can also check out Kingwood. Its more mature with LOTS of trees, but it'll add another 5-10 minutes to the commute. How old are your kids?

Oh, and welcome to Houston (hopefully)! I'm originally from Phoenix (moved out in 2006 for work / school) and moved here about a year and a half ago and am absolutely loving it. Great people, great culture, the summers are more tolerable than those in Phoenix (in my opinion at least -- though it's humid, it never gets so hot that you'll get a blister from touching your seat belt buckle), green with lots of trees, great food, the museum district around Hermann Park a perfect day out of the house, and we have some of the best and most affordable suburbs you'll find in any big city.

[DejaBlue]

It will be a tough commute but learn to take the BELTWAY

Beltway is so much better than 45.

Once you cross the Beltway on 45 it's hell. I don't get it. Yes, there's a lot of people and cars but it's more than that. The drivers are just ridiculous.

The Beltway may be visually out of the way but the commute is much better. People actually drive on the Beltway. There's cars everywhere but they are moving.

It gets backed up then after that passes people move their asses. On 45 people drive like grannies to get Downtown even when they have driving room and not bumper to bumper.

290 is a nightmare and 45's little sister. I don't see how people take 290 to 45. Talk about hopping from the frying pan into the fire.

If I lived in the Woodlands I still wouldn't take 45 bumper to bumper on it. I'm get my EZ and be off on the Beltway and go around the grannies. I take 249 to the Beltway and go on in.