Where to live communting to Baytown (Houston, Austin: real estate, crime, houses)

[austin girl]

My husband took a job in Baytown, and moving from Austin I am unfamiliar with that area. His family lives in Seabrook/Clear Lake area, so I know a little about that. Please throw out some ideas of places to live that wouldn't be a horrible commute to Baytown, but would suit a young family of Austin
quasi-liberals.....i.e. just a park, places to take the family, neighborhoods to walk around in! Thanks in advance!

[PhD]

While Baytown has nice houses it's not thought of as a nice area. Probrably because of the rednecks and petrochemical plants that dot the area.

Kemah-Seabrook-Clearlake are good areas. Shouldn't take you anymore that 20 minutes to get to Baytown. There's highways that take you directly to it. Kingwood-Humble-Atascocita is also a respectable area that's not far out the way It too should take no more than 25 minutes and there are major highways connecting. Summerwood would be your closest to Baytown in the Northeast area.Other than that you'd have to live in the inner city. The Heights, Montrose,,The Medical Center, West U,and Downtown have all had recent developments. This is also good cause you'd be close to the cooler parts of town and The Westside.

There is also Northshore-Channelview. It's on the way to Baytown, New high dollar houses but no mall nor many anementies. Crime is risng in some parts of Nortshore and Channelview is halfway trailorparked. From Channelview you could get to Baytown in 10 minutes as well as Downtown Houston. Then there's also Pasedena-Deer Park. Not really a suburbs as much as it's own town it does have pockets with new highdollar suburban styled houses. There are malls in the vicinty but htey are both not far from closure. Spencer Highway has lots of anementies. From Est Deer Park you could get to Baytown in uncer 10 minutes. But Pasedena like most of Southeast and Northeast House is filled with trailorparks. Like I said it's more of a city that a suburb. So while you do have some proffesionals it's miked in with hicks and inncercity people. there are direct links to Baytown. And although Baytown has refinieries Pasedena is home to oild and chemical plants. Practically the whole 225 drive is tanks,plants,and smokestacks. While not making the area scenic it does contribute a smell. Don't move anywhere in East or Southeast Houston is you don't like trailors and 18 wheelers bombarding you all the time.

Don't know how you like but I like it more proffesional with lots of activitites and anemenities. So I'd go with Clear Lake.

[modster]

It really depends upon whether or not you are tied to the need for good public schools. If that is the case, then probably Clear Lake would be your best bet.

Of course like most suburbs, it may not be as progressive an environment as you would like.

If you look at more urban areas, again I would check http://www.eastwood-houston.com Eastwood, btw, is having a home tour this month. I think it's around the 21st. Also check out http://idylwood-houston.org as well as http://www.houstoncountryclubplace.netfirms.com/ and http://www.glenbrookvalley.com

All of these areas are convenient to downtown & midtown, as well as Baytown. Despite their location in southeast Houston, they are far from being over-run with trailer parks or 18-wheelers. Idylwood has always been popular with people from Austin because it is one of the few places in town with some topography.

[dodiehall]

We live a few minutes east of Baytown in a neighborhood called Plantation on Cotton Bayou. We were in the Friendswood/Clear Lake area for 13 years and loved the F'wood area--great schools. The big drawback is the traffic in that area. With kids grown and gone, we longed for more space, trees, and a slower pace so built our dream home in the country. As previous posters have mentioned, Baytown schools are not good but we are in Chambers County and the Barbers Hills ISD which has very good schools. My husband retired in January but prior to that he worked for a NASA contractor and commuted to Clear Lake each day--about 25 minutes. I work in the med center and drive in daily--about a 40-45 minute commute. We go downtown often to eat, ballgames, and the theatre--30 minutes straight down I-10. Not bad at all. Our home is currently on the market and when we sell, I'll retire and we will head to north Alabama and grandchildren. See Plantation 5902 Cajun Way Barbers Hill Schools (broken link). Check out Mary Dunn's web site for homes in the Baytown area. Index of Baytown Real Estate (broken link). Best of luck to you.

[texas7]

I would go with the area your family already lives in - Seabrook/Kemah/League City/Clear Lake - great places for young families - great schools - parks - outdoor amenities - armand bayou nature center, etc.

[DaisyFaye]

Originally Posted by PhD

While Baytown has nice houses it's not thought of as a nice area. Probrably because of the rednecks and petrochemical plants that dot the area.

Kemah-Seabrook-Clearlake are good areas. Shouldn't take you anymore that 20 minutes to get to Baytown. There's highways that take you directly to it. Kingwood-Humble-Atascocita is also a respectable area that's not far out the way It too should take no more than 25 minutes and there are major highways connecting. Summerwood would be your closest to Baytown in the Northeast area.Other than that you'd have to live in the inner city. The Heights, Montrose,,The Medical Center, West U,and Downtown have all had recent developments. This is also good cause you'd be close to the cooler parts of town and The Westside.

There is also Northshore-Channelview. It's on the way to Baytown, New high dollar houses but no mall nor many anementies. Crime is risng in some parts of Nortshore and Channelview is halfway trailorparked. From Channelview you could get to Baytown in 10 minutes as well as Downtown Houston. Then there's also Pasedena-Deer Park. Not really a suburbs as much as it's own town it does have pockets with new highdollar suburban styled houses. There are malls in the vicinty but htey are both not far from closure. Spencer Highway has lots of anementies. From Est Deer Park you could get to Baytown in uncer 10 minutes. But Pasedena like most of Southeast and Northeast House is filled with trailorparks. Like I said it's more of a city that a suburb. So while you do have some proffesionals it's miked in with hicks and inncercity people. there are direct links to Baytown. And although Baytown has refinieries Pasedena is home to oild and chemical plants. Practically the whole 225 drive is tanks,plants,and smokestacks. While not making the area scenic it does contribute a smell. Don't move anywhere in East or Southeast Houston is you don't like trailors and 18 wheelers bombarding you all the time.

Don't know how you like but I like it more proffesional with lots of activitites and anemenities. So I'd go with Clear Lake.

While Baytown does have some refineries, the "rednecks" are usually confined to the outer city limits and surrounding rural areas. I've lived in Baytown all my life, I was raised there and to be honest, it's not a bad place to raise a child.

Clear Lake, Kemah and Seabrook are all nice areas, but one problem working against them is if you have to take 146 North to get to Baytown (going through La Porte). They have several lights, a notorious one at Shoreacres and they can delay the commute considerably.

I would recommend looking at Baytown a little more in-depth to be honest, to make sure it really isn't for you before you decide against it. There are some not-so-great parts, but then again, there are in all towns. Whispering Pines is a beautiful, established neighborhood and I believe it's zoned for Gentry Junior School (a state recognized school) and Sterling High School. Both of them quality schools.

If you find Baytown isn't for you, you might want to look at possibly Mont Belvieu or maybe Crosby? If you want to look west of Baytown, Pasadena and Deer Park wouldn't be bad alternatives either. Hope this helps!