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Old 08-09-2012, 02:27 PM
 
12 posts, read 25,778 times
Reputation: 24

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Hey everyone

I am looking to leave NYC after 28 years (of 29 living) and have got some leads on jobs in Houston. I actually have a phone interview tomorrow. Anyways I have been searching and reading here... it sounds like car theft/burglary are recurring themes. We (my wife and I) are looking to start in an apt, maybe in a more urban neighborhood of Houston.

My main questions are

- do thieves break into detached houses more than apartment buildings? Would we be safer in a gated complex?
- seems like car thieves break into cars randomly. Are there any areas that get hit most frequently?

Opinions of Houston seem so all over the place it doesn't seem worth asking... I figure we will just check it out and see how we like it.
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Old 08-09-2012, 02:43 PM
 
Location: Houston, TX
312 posts, read 794,147 times
Reputation: 382
Quote:
Originally Posted by cool the kid View Post
Hey everyone

I am looking to leave NYC after 28 years (of 29 living) and have got some leads on jobs in Houston. I actually have a phone interview tomorrow. Anyways I have been searching and reading here... it sounds like car theft/burglary are recurring themes. We (my wife and I) are looking to start in an apt, maybe in a more urban neighborhood of Houston.

My main questions are

- do thieves break into detached houses more than apartment buildings? Would we be safer in a gated complex?
- seems like car thieves break into cars randomly. Are there any areas that get hit most frequently?

Opinions of Houston seem so all over the place it doesn't seem worth asking... I figure we will just check it out and see how we like it.
- Where will you be working?
- What's your price range? There are decent apartments $6-700/mo and up into the $1000-1200/range and up for real super high end fancy. Anything (mostly) less than $600/mo is in the "watch your back" range as far as safety.
- You do realize Houston is a "car culture" town like Los Angeles (and from what I understand the suburbs of the NYC/Tri-State area like Long Island). Everybody drives on the freeways/toll roads to go to work and they get JAMMED up. People sometimes have an hour or longer commute, driving, one way, depending on where they live relative to where they work.
- However, we DO have a functional bus system that works pretty good once you learn how to use it.
- Many if not most of the desirable urban neighborhoods are west of downtown "inside the loop", which means inside the Interstate 610 beltway that locals refer to as the Loop.
- If safety/good schools is the number one concern, consider living in one of the 'burbs.
- Find a good apartment locator service (do a Google search) and start a phone or e-mail conversation with them, let them know your situation, they work kind of like realtors.

Anyone else please jump in and clarify.
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Old 08-09-2012, 03:27 PM
 
12 posts, read 25,778 times
Reputation: 24
The job is at Louisiana St which appears to be dead in the center of the loop

I am OK with getting a car, I have a motorcycle and bicycle I use in NYC now. I rarely use the subway

I think to start we want to keep it under $800-1000/mo, for a 2 bedroom. It's just me and my wife. If she can get work we might go up to $1200 or so, if that would make a huge difference in the quality of the place. We don't need much, our apt is like 600 sq ft now and we would be good with just another bedroom.

Schools are not a priority right now but we will cross that bridge when we get to it lol.
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Old 08-09-2012, 04:33 PM
 
23,739 posts, read 14,858,155 times
Reputation: 12796
My daughter has lived on the upper west side for 20 years. She thought about moving back to Texas for a couple of years. She decided it was cheaper to stay in Manhattan.

You can get by without a car, but it will not be easy. It will be a large PITA.

Get the job before you come.

Welcome to Houston.
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Old 08-09-2012, 05:32 PM
 
Location: Houston, TX
312 posts, read 794,147 times
Reputation: 382
Quote:
Originally Posted by cool the kid View Post
The job is at Louisiana St which appears to be dead in the center of the loop

I am OK with getting a car, I have a motorcycle and bicycle I use in NYC now. I rarely use the subway

I think to start we want to keep it under $800-1000/mo, for a 2 bedroom. It's just me and my wife. If she can get work we might go up to $1200 or so, if that would make a huge difference in the quality of the place. We don't need much, our apt is like 600 sq ft now and we would be good with just another bedroom.

Schools are not a priority right now but we will cross that bridge when we get to it lol.
Consider the Heights and a neighborhood called Rice Military, both of which are west and north a little of downtown. Possibly Midtown (south of downtown) as well. I don't live in any of these places so others need to jump in who are more familiar and give input on 1) commute into downtown (which for these areas will be done more on the regular surface streets probably) and 2) how affordable the apartments are. I have seen some relatively recent apartment/condo construction in these areas.
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Old 08-09-2012, 06:01 PM
 
23,739 posts, read 14,858,155 times
Reputation: 12796
My son is in the Heights around 10th and Shepard. He gets to town by car in about 8 minutes. Door to door. You probably could do quicker on a bike.
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Old 08-09-2012, 07:46 PM
 
286 posts, read 736,455 times
Reputation: 204
Quote:
Originally Posted by micmac99 View Post
Consider the Heights and a neighborhood called Rice Military, both of which are west and north a little of downtown. Possibly Midtown (south of downtown) as well. I don't live in any of these places so others need to jump in who are more familiar and give input on 1) commute into downtown (which for these areas will be done more on the regular surface streets probably) and 2) how affordable the apartments are. I have seen some relatively recent apartment/condo construction in these areas.
Commute will be good but rent will be a bit out of the OP's budget. I would suggest looking a bit west, maybe the apartments in the Timbergrove area along TC Jester and Ella. If you don't mind a 1-bedroom, you *might* be able to squeeze that in in that price range. Rents in the Inner Loop, even for older places without amenities like washer/dryer are quite high now.

Memorial Club on Westcott might work for you and Bayou Park Apartments on Memorial -- both are in zip code 77007. The Grove on White Oak is near Timbergrove. All of these places will have less than 20 minute commute into downtown (Louisiana St).

As for petty crime, in good areas, it's random, but they do hit apartment complexes a lot because of the number of vehicles, even gated one. My car was broken into in a gated complex and the previous gated complex I lived in for 6 years had multiple car theft/burglaries -- these were *nice* apartments too. So take the gates with a grain of salt and just don't leave anything in your car. I forgot my gym bag on the backseat of my car and that's all the excuse thieves needed to break in.

Last edited by heightsian; 08-09-2012 at 07:59 PM..
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Old 08-09-2012, 08:13 PM
 
Location: plano
7,885 posts, read 11,325,368 times
Reputation: 7789
I lived in N. NJ and visited NYC often over 6 years. Ive been a Houston resident for over 30. I never had any issue with safety nor been robbed in Houston, I was in NYC once in my 6 years there... mid day up by St John's divine.. Houston is much safer than NYC in my view and from my limited experience. Keep your eyes open and alert at all times in any city....NYC or Houston. Talk to neighbors who have lived a long time where you want to land in Houston....this stuff is common sense.... sterotypes abound for no reason oher than an unwillingness to accept things different from our experience and to fear the unknown.
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Old 08-09-2012, 10:28 PM
 
12 posts, read 25,778 times
Reputation: 24
Any places/neighborhoods to avoid, safety wise? Maybe we won't do the inner loop.
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Old 08-09-2012, 11:05 PM
 
Location: Katy TX
1,066 posts, read 2,355,044 times
Reputation: 2161
Quote:
Originally Posted by cool the kid View Post
The job is at Louisiana St which appears to be dead in the center of the loop

I am OK with getting a car, I have a motorcycle and bicycle I use in NYC now. I rarely use the subway

I think to start we want to keep it under $800-1000/mo, for a 2 bedroom. It's just me and my wife. If she can get work we might go up to $1200 or so, if that would make a huge difference in the quality of the place. We don't need much, our apt is like 600 sq ft now and we would be good with just another bedroom.

Schools are not a priority right now but we will cross that bridge when we get to it lol.
I've lived all around Houston, at places that are so-so, and luxo apartments. Myself or my roommates have had our car broken into at all of them. It doesn't matter where you are, there are thieves peeping into cars even at the gated locations.

With that said, based on your needs and work location, I think a GREAT apartment you should seriously look into is 4444 Westheimer Apartments: apartments for rent in Houston rental apartments rent apartments in Houston

Me and my fiance were there for 2 years. It's gated. Has good amenities. Perfect location...seriously, it's next to 610 and Westheimer, and is located just at Highland Village, which is a really great starting point to accessing a lot of what Houston has to offer, great food, etc.. I was paying $680 3 years ago for a 750sf apartment, 1br. Not sure how much it's changed since, so you may wanna check.

I really miss driving a mile away to the village plaza's, taking a quick drive up to Montrose and Rice, then picking up some hot beignets and cafe au lait from Crescent City. Wow...I'm really missing that right about now.

If you have any questions, pls feel free to ask me
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