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We are considering relocating our family from Buffalo, NY to Houston, Tx. We have four small children and think there may be much more opportunity for them in Texas. Does anyone have any thoughts and/or history on moving out of Buffalo, NY to Texas or anywhere else for that matter (out of Buffalo) and is it truly a good move to make for giving our children more opportunity in their future? Any input would be great. Thanks.
Depends on your mentality. If by "opportunity", you mean in the traditional NY way of getting a government or union job, then definitely not. If "opportunity" means an environment where they can succeed based on their own hard work and merit, then absolutely.
My wife and I moved with our son and dog from Buffalo to Houston last August. We moved for a job, and I would not recommend moving without first having better economic opportunity for yourselves. There is more opportunity here than in Buffalo, but jobs are not just dropping from trees. Moreover, if you get a job that pays about the same in Houston as the one you had in Buffalo, you can basically count on your quality of life going down. We lived in Buffalo as PhD students on about 35k per year better than we do in Houston on 75k per year. This is mainly because of the cost of housing. To live in a safe area with excellent schools, we pay 1200 per month in rent to live in a relatively bland and anonymous condo facing the freeway. To live in a similar area in Buffalo, we paid 750 per month, and had great neighbors and a backyard for the dog. Finally, I have found some great friends here in Houston, and generally the people are very friendly. Nevertheless, you will not find the same kind of neighborhood feel in Houston as you do in Buffalo. Yes, Buffalo is struggling economically, but it is also a place where people will really pull together with a common sense of self. Houston is huge and there are a lot of areas (probably even the majority of areas) where you will feel more like a number than a neighbor. Personally, I wish I could have gotten the kind of job in Buffalo that I got here. My son misses Buffalo, my wife misses Buffalo and so do I. That town has heart and soul. Houston has more opportunity, but again, be aware that there is still joblessness here. Don't move without a plan.
Great advice. We are just starting to explore our options and no work lined up as of yet. I keep reading about these "master planned communities" near Houston that sound simply amazing. They seem to be a city within a city but that is just my opinion from looking things up online. There is nothing like that here in Buffalo and it seems like such a wonderful place for the kids as far as activities, etc... Although I just asked them if they would miss the snow if we moved and all 3 (4th is only 1 yr old) said YES!!!! Thanks again for all your input.
We are considering relocating our family from Buffalo, NY to Houston, Tx. We have four small children and think there may be much more opportunity for them in Texas. Does anyone have any thoughts and/or history on moving out of Buffalo, NY to Texas or anywhere else for that matter (out of Buffalo) and is it truly a good move to make for giving our children more opportunity in their future? Any input would be great. Thanks.
Good luck on your decision regarding moving to Houston. I made the move a couple of decades ago, and have spent a good deal of time between Buffalo and Houston over the last several years. I also have family and friends who have moved to different parts of the country, several of whom have moved back to WNY for various reasons.
First off, if you are already employed in WNY why not stick with it? Schools in general are very good in WNY, and along with stability and close family are the most important things that can be provided to children. You can encourage your children to travel as they get older, or attend colleges outside of the area to gain broader experience. They may choose to stay in WNY or move elsewhere, just as they may choose to not stay in Houston if you move there.
Be careful in believing the grass is always greener elsewhere (though it is green in Houston right now). Don’t go to Houston just because its “not Buffalo” but go because it provides the best fit to your needs and desires as a family. Maybe a better fit could be other areas of Texas, or other parts of the country. Leap with both eyes open, because you may be leaping right from one set of problems to another.
If you do decide to leave Buffalo and come to Houston, I wanted to share a few things based on my experience to consider:
- Do not come to Houston without a job already lined up. Although it has been advertised as an area of greatest job growth, it is also experiencing high population growth so there is a lot of competition for good jobs. Also, depending upon what profession you are in, salaries may be higher (engineering, management, finance) in Houston, or much lower (skilled trades, low skilled occupations).
- If you have family that remains in Buffalo, being far away makes it difficult to stay current and close. Of all things I wish my children had been able to experience was more time with the family in Buffalo. Note that the school year here is from mid August to late May, and in my case we missed all of our Buffalo annual family gatherings which took place in late August since our kids were in school.
- Houston is still a boom town, and has gone thru busts before. During the late 80s early 90s unemployment was over 10%, and people were leaving Houston. What the future will bring Houstonians may just be a matter of economic timing, and there are no guarantees.
- Houston is a very spread out. If you are coming from the sticks then it may not be as big a deal, but if you are from the City or an inner suburb it will be a big change. Magnify all distances and travel time x3 from what you may be used to. There is little public transportation. You will need a good car or cars. All your children will need cars when they get older (and insurance is not cheap)
- Most of Houston was built after WW2, and there are almost zero walkable areas (like the city, Kenmore, East Aurora downtown, etc) that are either affordable (under 500k+ housing) or don’t require you to drive to them. You will have to drive your children everywhere. The master planned communities may have walking trails or town squares, but it is definitely not the same, and these communities are generally very far from the main part of Houston.
- You should plan on spending more on a home in Houston than in WNY. When comparing home costs and values between Houston and Buffalo, you need to look at the relative value of the homes in order to better judge the desirability of the property. Houston does not have the thousands of homes under 50K like the Buffalo area that skew the overall values down, so it is not unusual to see trashy areas of 150k-250k homes. For example, the equivalent of a $250k home in Kenmore may be a $1 million home in West University, and the equivalent of a $20K home on the East Side may be a $150k home in the Third Ward of Houston. So, just because you can find a $200k home in Southwest Houston that looks comparable to a $200k home in Amherst, you may also find yourself in a downwardly mobile trashy neighborhood.
- Decent apartments will cost 1000/month and up for a one bedroom. And even that is no guarantee that you will not be robbed or vandalized. That does not include utilities. Apartments inside the Loop are now going for more than 1400/month.
- Summers are brutal. You will be sweating from April to November, and will get overheated from mid May to mid October. There is no relief at night due to humidity. Coming from WNY you absolutely cannot fathom this until you experience it over several weeks at a time. You may come to accept it over time, but you will not get used to it, mainly because there are absolutely no breaks at all. And there are bugs year-round, and huge mosquitoes 10 months a year.
- Your children will become “soft” to cold weather (anything below 60 degrees if you ask them), will either hate or be afraid of snow, and for someone who actually liked the winters up north it is hard for me to fathom. Generally, few swim unless the temps are above 90, and the pool water (or Gulf) are like bath water temperature.
- Your children will become “Texans” in attitude and accent. In some schools they actually pledge allegiance to the state flag of Texas. They or their friends will listen to Texas country music, and expect to have a truck or car when they are 16. Texas and Texans can be stifling, as Texas “pride” often manifests itself into willful ignorance that there is a big wide world outside of their home state, or that there are other ways of doing things than what is done down here. There is a large community of boastful hardcore Texans who will not welcome you – they say they will but only if you act/think/do just as they are and shut up if you don’t – however, most people in Houston will be very welcoming, as the city is built with immigrants and transplants. Most other parts of Texas don't consider Houston to be "real" Texas.
- Houston is a minority/majority city, with no predominant racial or ethnic majority. Neighborhoods and areas are divided more by wealth/class than race (if this is important to you). Hispanic influence and incorporation into the local culture is large and growing (Texas WAS part of Mexico when it was settled)
- Houstonians in general are very racially/ethnically tolerant (osmosis, I suppose), but I was surprised and disappointed that there was a strong current of hard-core racial attitude in some of the schools my kids went to (middle, high school, even college), usually among Texans who do not live in Houston proper
- Many parts of Texas, especially Houston and unincorporated Harris County, have very poor (or inconsistent at best) infrastructure – i.e. bad roads, drainage, sidewalks (if at all), and limited city services (roadside trash is not kept up with, for example). After a while you don’t even notice, until you visit a city with a well managed infrastructure. Comparing WNY with this part of Texas, I would give WNY a B and Houston a D or D- overall. What winter trashes up north, heat/drought/flood do much worse damage.
- There is a very good chance that you or your property will experience damage due to a natural disaster. Houston gets hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. Houston has floods often (except during our current drought which brings along its own problems) .I have had 1 flooded car, and significant wind damage to my home (but just under the windstorm deductable of 5% of the home value). You should carry flood insurance, and coastal counties have high homeowners insurance premiums along with stricter building codes. This includes some areas of Houston proper.
- Unlike many places up north, crime here doesn’t respect city limits. Rural and suburban crime statistics can be as bad as city statistics, and even worse in some small towns. I saw more crime in my nice suburban neighborhood 25 miles from downtown Houston (robbery, murder, shootings, etc) than I did growing up in North Buffalo.
- Although there is no income tax, there are many hidden taxes and fees that add up over time. Property taxes are high (maybe lower per assessed value, but the assessments are higher in TX), homeowners insurance is higher, sales tax is comparable (8.75%), homeowners association and maintenance fees (can be several hundred/yr or greater), tolls (1.75 per toll which could accumulate to a couple $thousand per year), water bills and taxes (about $10-15 per thousand gallons), and extra school fees (sports, clubs, etc).
- Most neighborhoods in Houston are subject to deed restrictions, since there is no zoning. All changes to your home must be evaluated and approved by the local homeowners association (including house color), and many restrict such things as visibly parking in your own driveway overnight, or keeping a boat or trailer parked on your own property.
- There is a huge rich/poor divide in Houston, and it is not uncommon to see million dollar homes a stone’s throw from shacks. Texas leads the nation in most uninsured (over 28.8% vs 13% in NY) and is near the top in poverty. Expect to see over a half-million more poor people here, as Erie County has 14% poverty rate (128,000), while Harris County TX has 17% (710,000).
I live in Houston and I have come to accept all of the above. Of all the cities in Texas I see Houston as the most welcoming and open to new people, and really does provide a great deal of opportunity, and I can't see myself living anywhere else in Texas (sorry, Austin). Houston is not for everyone, however. Most of my friends and family who moved here have since left, either back to WNY or to the next boom city. All of my wife's family (all native Houston) have moved away. Even one of my children has moved out of state, although she is considering moving back (we wish she would stay up north so we could become reverse snowbirds).
Like I said, if you jump in be prepared.
Last edited by RocketSci; 03-13-2013 at 04:59 PM..
Your children will become “soft” to cold weather (anything below 60 degrees if you ask them), will either hate or be afraid of snow, and for someone who actually liked the winters up north it is hard for me to fathom. Generally, few swim unless the temps are above 90, and the pool water (or Gulf) are like bath water temperature.
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As opposed to currently being "soft" to the hot weather (anything above 75)?? And afraid to slap on so sunscreen and go out and play in the sun. Most kids I know will play in the water, regardless of the temps. Usually kids will play in water so cool - their lips will turn blue. Adults on the other hand, they like it warm for the most part. And I have yet to meet one who is "afraid" of snow.
Good luck on your decision regarding moving to Houston. I made the move a couple of decades ago, and have spent a good deal of time between Buffalo and Houston over the last several years. I also have family and friends who have moved to different parts of the country, several of whom have moved back to WNY for various reasons.
First off, if you are already employed in WNY why not stick with it? Schools in general are very good in WNY, and along with stability and close family are the most important things that can be provided to children. You can encourage your children to travel as they get older, or attend colleges outside of the area to gain broader experience. They may choose to stay in WNY or move elsewhere, just as they may choose to not stay in Houston if you move there.
Be careful in believing the grass is always greener elsewhere (though it is green in Houston right now). Don’t go to Houston just because its “not Buffalo” but go because it provides the best fit to your needs and desires as a family. Maybe a better fit could be other areas of Texas, or other parts of the country. Leap with both eyes open, because you may be leaping right from one set of problems to another.
If you do decide to leave Buffalo and come to Houston, I wanted to share a few things based on my experience to consider:
- Do not come to Houston without a job already lined up. Although it has been advertised as an area of greatest job growth, it is also experiencing high population growth so there is a lot of competition for good jobs. Also, depending upon what profession you are in, salaries may be higher (engineering, management, finance) in Houston, or much lower (skilled trades, low skilled occupations).
- If you have family that remains in Buffalo, being far away makes it difficult to stay current and close. Of all things I wish my children had been able to experience was more time with the family in Buffalo. Note that the school year here is from mid August to late May, and in my case we missed all of our Buffalo annual family gatherings which took place in late August since our kids were in school.
- Houston is still a boom town, and has gone thru busts before. During the late 80s early 90s unemployment was over 10%, and people were leaving Houston. What the future will bring Houstonians may just be a matter of economic timing, and there are no guarantees.
- Houston is a very spread out. If you are coming from the sticks then it may not be as big a deal, but if you are from the City or an inner suburb it will be a big change. Magnify all distances and travel time x3 from what you may be used to. There is little public transportation. You will need a good car or cars. All your children will need cars when they get older (and insurance is not cheap)
- Most of Houston was built after WW2, and there are almost zero walkable areas (like the city, Kenmore, East Aurora downtown, etc) that are either affordable (under 500k+ housing) or don’t require you to drive to them. You will have to drive your children everywhere. The master planned communities may have walking trails or town squares, but it is definitely not the same, and these communities are generally very far from the main part of Houston.
- You should plan on spending more on a home in Houston than in WNY. When comparing home costs and values between Houston and Buffalo, you need to look at the relative value of the homes in order to better judge the desirability of the property. Houston does not have the thousands of homes under 50K like the Buffalo area that skew the overall values down, so it is not unusual to see trashy areas of 150k-250k homes. For example, the equivalent of a $250k home in Kenmore may be a $1 million home in West University, and the equivalent of a $20K home on the East Side may be a $150k home in the Third Ward of Houston. So, just because you can find a $200k home in Southwest Houston that looks comparable to a $200k home in Amherst, you may also find yourself in a downwardly mobile trashy neighborhood.
- Decent apartments will cost 1000/month and up for a one bedroom. And even that is no guarantee that you will not be robbed or vandalized. That does not include utilities. Apartments inside the Loop are now going for more than 1400/month.
- Summers are brutal. You will be sweating from April to November, and will get overheated from mid May to mid October. There is no relief at night due to humidity. Coming from WNY you absolutely cannot fathom this until you experience it over several weeks at a time. You may come to accept it over time, but you will not get used to it, mainly because there are absolutely no breaks at all. And there are bugs year-round, and huge mosquitoes 10 months a year.
- Your children will become “soft” to cold weather (anything below 60 degrees if you ask them), will either hate or be afraid of snow, and for someone who actually liked the winters up north it is hard for me to fathom. Generally, few swim unless the temps are above 90, and the pool water (or Gulf) are like bath water temperature.
- Your children will become “Texans” in attitude and accent. In some schools they actually pledge allegiance to the state flag of Texas. They or their friends will listen to Texas country music, and expect to have a truck or car when they are 16. Texas and Texans can be stifling, as Texas “pride” often manifests itself into willful ignorance that there is a big wide world outside of their home state, or that there are other ways of doing things than what is done down here. There is a large community of boastful hardcore Texans who will not welcome you – they say they will but only if you act/think/do just as they are and shut up if you don’t – however, most people in Houston will be very welcoming, as the city is built with immigrants and transplants. Most other parts of Texas don't consider Houston to be "real" Texas.
- Houston is a minority/majority city, with no predominant racial or ethnic majority. Neighborhoods and areas are divided more by wealth/class than race (if this is important to you). Hispanic influence and incorporation into the local culture is large and growing (Texas WAS part of Mexico when it was settled)
- Houstonians in general are very racially/ethnically tolerant (osmosis, I suppose), but I was surprised and disappointed that there was a strong current of hard-core racial attitude in some of the schools my kids went to (middle, high school, even college), usually among Texans who do not live in Houston proper
- Many parts of Texas, especially Houston and unincorporated Harris County, have very poor (or inconsistent at best) infrastructure – i.e. bad roads, drainage, sidewalks (if at all), and limited city services (roadside trash is not kept up with, for example). After a while you don’t even notice, until you visit a city with a well managed infrastructure. Comparing WNY with this part of Texas, I would give WNY a B and Houston a D or D- overall. What winter trashes up north, heat/drought/flood do much worse damage.
- There is a very good chance that you or your property will experience damage due to a natural disaster. Houston gets hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. Houston has floods often (except during our current drought which brings along its own problems) .I have had 1 flooded car, and significant wind damage to my home (but just under the windstorm deductable of 5% of the home value). You should carry flood insurance, and coastal counties have high homeowners insurance premiums along with stricter building codes. This includes some areas of Houston proper.
- Unlike many places up north, crime here doesn’t respect city limits. Rural and suburban crime statistics can be as bad as city statistics, and even worse in some small towns. I saw more crime in my nice suburban neighborhood 25 miles from downtown Houston (robbery, murder, shootings, etc) than I did growing up in North Buffalo.
- Although there is no income tax, there are many hidden taxes and fees that add up over time. Property taxes are high (maybe lower per assessed value, but the assessments are higher in TX), homeowners insurance is higher, sales tax is comparable (8.75%), homeowners association and maintenance fees (can be several hundred/yr or greater), tolls (1.75 per toll which could accumulate to a couple $thousand per year), water bills and taxes (about $10-15 per thousand gallons), and extra school fees (sports, clubs, etc).
- Most neighborhoods in Houston are subject to deed restrictions, since there is no zoning. All changes to your home must be evaluated and approved by the local homeowners association (including house color), and many restrict such things as visibly parking in your own driveway overnight, or keeping a boat or trailer parked on your own property.
- There is a huge rich/poor divide in Houston, and it is not uncommon to see million dollar homes a stone’s throw from shacks. Texas leads the nation in most uninsured (over 28.8% vs 13% in NY) and is near the top in poverty. Expect to see over a half-million more poor people here, as Erie County has 14% poverty rate (128,000), while Harris County TX has 17% (710,000).
I live in Houston and I have come to accept all of the above. Of all the cities in Texas I see Houston as the most welcoming and open to new people, and really does provide a great deal of opportunity, and I can't see myself living anywhere else in Texas (sorry, Austin). Houston is not for everyone, however. Most of my friends and family who moved here have since left, either back to WNY or to the next boom city. All of my wife's family (all native Houston) have moved away. Even one of my children has moved out of state, although she is considering moving back (we wish she would stay up north so we could become reverse snowbirds).
Like I said, if you jump in be prepared.
This post scares me and makes me excited about maybe moving to houston at the same time.
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