Colorado or Texas ( Houston) (San Antonio, Austin: for sale, real estate, health insurance)

[P.R.ArmyWife05]

Hello and Good Afternoon;

I am a newbie here and I am looking for advice.( so confused my head is spinning) please be patience my spelling still a work in progress)

I married for 18 year to my DH a Major in the Army Reserves and we have been living in the USA for more than 13 years after we moved from our hometown Puerto Rico in 1998. We have lived in Florida, Ohio, Indiana and Mississipi ( North Of M.S.) We have a daughter that is 9 yrs. old at this time and we got transfer to CO when she was 6 yrs. old ( first grade) she has never suffer from asthma before and since we moved here in 2009 she has became sick with the alttitude and the elevation ( my guess) and she has been using inhalers, for her asthma and the winter weather make her very sick..she was borned and raised in Mississipi, we really loved it there I used to teach there in a Head Start program for about 3 years and sadly dh was transfer to CO in 2009.. I am doing my best to like CO but I have going throught so many humilliations in here that it's not even worth to tell since that will be another long story ( We are USA Citizens since 1917,P.R. is a USA Territory since then) and the police has stopped more once thinking that I was some kind of illegal person, I do not have nothing to hide, I got my CO driver's license and my military ID)
Oh, well that;s life..

Now my concerned is that DH might get finally! a permanent job in Texas ( he is an Aircraft Mechanic) and we will have to to moved again and I am loooking for any feedback regarding the schools in the Houston area, looking to be closed from our relatives in Florida and Puerto Rico and my main concerned is that my dd9 has ADHD she is taking "strattera" ( sp? )
and has a very outgoing,vibrant and talktative personality and here the school know how she really "is" she has her IEP and is also in dance lessons i have to keep her busy ALL the time! My other concern is that she really wants to stay here,but her asthma gets very bad in the winter months..she does has friends and goes to b-days party's and other communities activities and going to church ( we're christians)

My dh really wants to stay and buy a house and I would like to moved in order to be closed to family,but what hold me back is that I am afraid that my daughter will resent another move and that I will have to make a "plan" and meet before with school personal in order for them to have an idea of my dd situation..she is a very sweet girl, speaks more english than spanish and is honor roll in her school with a GPA of 3.60.. Also she is concerned that she'll be mistreat it (sorry sp?) since when she was in kindergarten, the school principal back in M.S. almost spank her once.. It's a long story..DH got back from his first deployment overseas and and things were falling apart in our marriage ( ptsd) thank Lord that we reached for couseling with our pastor and things improved.. DD said the word "cr(&^) p and the teacher send her to the office and they made me sign a paper given them permision to spank her if she said this word again!

I was soo upset,it was outrageous and I went ahead and changer her schools..We recognize that she was wrong and we corrected her,she was grounded and we take priviledges away when she missbehaved,but I am very afraid of the southern schools since then and please do not missunderstand me..
We always are very careful how to speak and what we said in front of her.. I know that not all the schools are the same and this was just a unfortunate incident,but I really need the reasurrance that if we move to Houston she will be welcome in the schools there.. we are willing to look for schools for spec. needs children if we have to.. she is not violent,or too hyper to be seated for longer periods of time ( het attention span is short,so you have to keep her engaged all the time) she is very girly and loves princesses!
Like to 'build" her own story books and has a great imagination..

We would like to live in the suburbs,but as close as possible from the airport for dh job.. How is the living in TX? Sale tax? how are the schools and how good are the doctors there? hyperparathyroid patient
here ( need to find an endo asap)

sorry for the long message and I am looking forward to her from anyone soon! God Bless and thank you!
Army wife..

[huma281]

Colorado is a better place to live. I'm from Houston and currently working in Colorado.

[lhafer]

I've lived in Houston for the past 11 years (Austin, DFW, and San Antonio before that), and am looking to move to Colorado. I'm from Texas and have never lived out of state. I hate the humidity here, the bugs, the hot, hot (HOT) Texas summers, Houston is a really large city (spread out), and it takes forever to get anywhere here. YOu have to rely on having a car to get around. Oh, and I hate the humidity (yes, I know I said it twice because it bears repeating).

That said, Houston is a decent city, and it has treated us well. The cost of living is a lot lower here than in CO. There is no state income tax, but property taxes and sales tax are a lot higher - so it pretty much evens out in the end. The economy is decent here - we weren't as hard hit as the rest of the nation. YOu can get quite a lot for your money for a house here, especially in the suburbs. Each suburb is basically it's own little city, meaning you don't ever really have to go into Houston (proper) unless you want to because most of everything you need is around you. The suburbs have malls, stores/shopping, restaurants, extracurricular activities, etc.

Which airport would your husband need - I'm guessing IAH (International). That is in the north end of the city (and about 7 miles from my house). Up here I would suggest looking at Kingwood, Atascocita, and Spring for areas to live. I have no idea what your budget and requirements are for a house.

The schools in the Kingwood and Atascocita/Humble area are good. Kingwood's are probably a little bit better. The elementary school my daughter attends is excellent and is in Atascocita (in Eagle Springs).

www.har.com is the real estate website you can look at to see all the houses for sale in any area in Houston. You can apply filters as necessary.

[Topaz]

My family lived in Colorado in the past (Colorado Springs) and we are much happier in Texas. I don't like snow so that's a big reason.

[P.R.ArmyWife05]

Originally Posted by lhafer

I've lived in Houston for the past 11 years (Austin, DFW, and San Antonio before that), and am looking to move to Colorado. I'm from Texas and have never lived out of state. I hate the humidity here, the bugs, the hot, hot (HOT) Texas summers, Houston is a really large city (spread out), and it takes forever to get anywhere here. YOu have to rely on having a car to get around. Oh, and I hate the humidity (yes, I know I said it twice because it bears repeating).

That said, Houston is a decent city, and it has treated us well. The cost of living is a lot lower here than in CO. There is no state income tax, but property taxes and sales tax are a lot higher - so it pretty much evens out in the end. The economy is decent here - we weren't as hard hit as the rest of the nation. YOu can get quite a lot for your money for a house here, especially in the suburbs. Each suburb is basically it's own little city, meaning you don't ever really have to go into Houston (proper) unless you want to because most of everything you need is around you. The suburbs have malls, stores/shopping, restaurants, extracurricular activities, etc.

Which airport would your husband need - I'm guessing IAH (International). That is in the north end of the city (and about 7 miles from my house). Up here I would suggest looking at Kingwood, Atascocita, and Spring for areas to live. I have no idea what your budget and requirements are for a house.

The schools in the Kingwood and Atascocita/Humble area are good. Kingwood's are probably a little bit better. The elementary school my daughter attends is excellent and is in Atascocita (in Eagle Springs).

www.har.com is the real estate website you can look at to see all the houses for sale in any area in Houston. You can apply filters as necessary.

Thank you so much for the information !!
Perfect! Thaat is what we are looking for,coming back to the humidity,since here in CO the dry weather is driving me insane and my daughter asthma got worst in the winter.. Regarding my husband job,he'll be working @ IAH and I would like to find houses in the suburbs but at the same time as close as the airport as possible...Thank you for the school info and tips I will take a look and do some research to the areas!

What about sales tax? how much is the sale tax in those areas??
here in CO is about 8.% to 9.% ! yikes!

Again thank you for all the info and God bless!
Army Wife..

[lhafer]

Originally Posted by P.R.ArmyWife05

Thank you so much for the information !!
Perfect! Thaat is what we are looking for,coming back to the humidity,since here in CO the dry weather is driving me insane and my daughter asthma got worst in the winter.. Regarding my husband job,he'll be working @ IAH and I would like to find houses in the suburbs but at the same time as close as the airport as possible...Thank you for the school info and tips I will take a look and do some research to the areas!

What about sales tax? how much is the sale tax in those areas??
here in CO is about 8.% to 9.% ! yikes!

Again thank you for all the info and God bless!
Army Wife..

Sales tax is 8.25% on almost everything, except food (in most cases), and that's statewide. Property tax is 2.8 to 4% on the value of your house depending on where you live - for example, my property taxes are ~3.4% and I pay ~$10k in property tax each year. But we dont have the state income tax that you do.

But you rmoney will go further in a house here than in CO. For example, you can get a house like this for ~$250k. 12143 Guadalupe Trail Ln, Humble, TX 77346 - HAR.com

There are many great neighborhoods in the N/NE side that would give your husband an easy commute to IAH.

What is your budget, and what are your requirements for a house?

[Houston_2010]

There is a great latin american influence here (as well as other cultures). There are several puertorrican restaurants as well as a yearly festival. There are many people from many backgrounds so it makes it great to learn a little from each culture (especially their food - many variety of restaurants). United Airlines offers non-stop flights to PR for you to go visit.

I think people here are "simpler" but hard working, friendly and fun. There are plenty of things for families to do. As far as school districts - try to do a search about the better ISDs. I am only familiar with Houston and Spring Branch ISD. Spring Branch is the better one for special needs kids. But again, there are other school districts I am not familiar with. Once you know if you're moving to Houston, I suggest you come visit and if possible meet with the schools around the property you are planning to move to ensure they can meet your kid's needs. Good luck!

[Sunderpig2]

Originally Posted by P.R.ArmyWife05

here in CO ... my daughter asthma got worst in the winter..

Be prepared for different kinds of asthma agrravations in Houston, due to pollution. On humid days (most of the time), the high moisture heavily traps pollution particles from the enormously large city (not just population, but size and sprawl). There's a greater concentration of industry in and around Houston than anywhere in CO. And on drier days - with lower winds - you'll have ozone and ozone watches to deal with.

IAH's is a nice source of pollution too, due to the heavy fumes from the planes constantly coming in and going out.

Get the best possible health insurance, and save your money for health expenses. Good luck...

[goodtymes70]

lot's of good suburbs around Houston...look at The Woodlands, Sugarland, Conroe, Katy are all good places...better to live in the suburbs...cleaner air, better schools and safer neighborhoods. I've always heard that living in high elevations or in the mountains is not good for asthma sufferers as there is less oxygen in high elevations, Houston weather is similar to Mississippi. I've always heard places that are dry and flat are best for asthma sufferers.....and little pollution....that's a problem in Houston or any large city is the air pollution will be awful.

[lhafer]

If you want I be closer to IAH, take Sugar Land and Katy off that list.