Houston-Good for Young Professionals? (Dallas, San Antonio: real estate, apartments, rental)

[CajunCutie]

Hello everyone,

I am considering relocating to Houston after I finish grad school in Louisiana for speech pathology. I'd like to move to a city that is culturally diverse and tolerant with a variety of activities to do/goto/see, but not too far away from my family back in La. I've been to the Medical Center several times throughout my lifetime, but am wondering what does Houston have to offer a young, single female professional? Here are some questions that I have:

- Housing: What areas around Houston are relatively safe and offer the
opportunity to meet a variety of people? What can I expect to pay to
rent a 1 or 2 bedroom apt in these areas as well as insurance?

- What festivals/art exhibits/museums does the city have to offer?

- Food/Restaurants: I enjoy ethnic cuisine like indian and middle eastern and am a bit health-conscious

- Outdoor activities: parks, camp sites, bike trails, etc.

- Volunteer organizations: both local and Houston-based international orgs.

I know Houston has the Rockets and Texans for sports (even though I'll always be loyal to the Saints, lol) so I'm looking forward to that. I'm originally from Lafayette, LA but am living in Baton Rouge. BR's OK, but it's not very diverse and doesn't have the Cajun flair like Laf. does. People are a bit more prejudice too. But even so, I want to settle down in a city where I can work and socialize with people from all backgrounds and ages. Also, please let me know if there are other factors that I need to consider. I won't be moving for another two years, so I have plenty of time to research and visit Houston. Thanks!

[kpoeppel]

It's got a great job market for engineers. It's a fast growing area, so there should be lots of good jobs in other fields as well.

[ayannaaaliyah]

Houston has everything that you're looking for, although it probably won't be as festive it you were to compare it to Mardi Gras in N.O. You will definitely have a lot more opportunities in Houston than you will in LA.

In terms of apartments, there are an abundance to choose from, it just depends on what area you want to live in. If you're not moving for another 2years then it's going to be difficult to determine what the condition and/or quality of life would be in an apartment community.

[Kotter891]

Get here if you can....I grew up here, and I'm coming back with wife and children. Bay Area, south of city. Friendswood, Pearland, Clear Lake, Webster, Fresno, Manvel, etc....must come see.

I left a while ago, coming back and can't wait, no matter what the derogatory comments are. "You never know what you've got 'til it's gone."

The best thing about Texas, and especially Houston, is that whatever you want, you can find it here....Houston more than any other major area in the state. No matter what anyone boasts about their particular metropolitan area, the Houston metroplex offers the most in terms of employment, entertainment, housing, and education, than any other place in the state. It's the Best Of All Worlds, no matter what anyone says.

Austin is ok, but not the "end all" at all. You'll give up alot to live there.

San Antonio is ok, but it's not Houston, or Dallas, which can be much more beneficial than San Antonio.

It all depends on what you're looking for in your home.

As far as I'm concerned, parameters for the life of my wife, myself, and our 2 young children, are....good:
schools, neighborhoods, shopping centers, cultural experiences, entertainment, restaurants, beaches, and a cost of living that's not anything like that of LA....wtf!?!~

[Ivygirl]

Hi there CC,

I've lived in Houston for 10 years and I must say that Houston is a nice city to live in. The cost of living here is unbeatable for such a large metropolitan city. We have a burgeoning social scene depending on what you're into. There are various museums, a cluster of theaters in the downtown area, good places for live music, etc. It's a very comfortable city to live in.

I'm sure you know there's crime everywhere, regardless of the area you live in but some of the safest areas are indeed the Medical Center as well as River Oaks, Upper Kirby, Galleria, Midtown and parts of Southwest Houston. But you must know that the cost of living in these areas can be pricey. Rent for a 1-2 bedroom would probably be $1100+ depending on how much luxury you need. You may be able to find something cheaper of course for less square footage. The reason these areas are so pricey is because they are considered what Houstonians call, "inside the loop." The Loop is any area inside Hwy 610. This is the area where all the happenings are. You can certainly live for cheaper the farther outside the loop you are. But if you've already been to Houston I don't have to tell you how spread out it is, so it could take you 30-45 minutes to get to the hot spots depending on where you live. And let's not talk about how insane traffic is. That's one of the biggest headaches for me.

We have an annual International Festival that takes place in the summer. The Houston Jazz Fest, The Renaissance Festival, etc. We have various museums. There is even a park (Miller Outdoor Theater) that hosts free concerts in the park (very nice provided you can stand the heat). I don't do a lot of camping and hiking so I can't tell you much about that.

Anyway, check out these websites for more information:

Welcome to the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America ( http://www.mfah.org - broken link)
The Houston Museum of Natural Science
www.alleytheatre.org
www.milleroutdoortheatre.com
Apartments.com - Free Nationwide Apartment Search with the Most Visual Rental Listings Online. (once you're inside the Houston area on this site, click Inner Loop and search all of these areas to get an idea on pricing).

Also, if renting from a private owner is an option, go to Houston Real Estate - Houston Homes, Houston Home Value and Houston Relocation. Go to the rental tab and put in some of the areas listed on the apartments.com website to get an idea of how much rent would be for privately owned apartments and homes.

Check out AOL City Guide for more happenings.

For restuarants go to Houston Restaurants - B4-U-EAT


GOOD LUCK on your move. Houston welcomes you!