Moving Headache! Where to go? (Houston, San Antonio: apartments, lease, new home)

[DB912015]

My boyfriend and I will be moving in December when I graduate. I will be in the medical field. We know we do NOT want to live in the loop. We are planning on finding an area to settle in. We will be in an apartment for the first year and then we will be look for a forever home! I have been doing research online for weeks. I feel like I am spinning in circles. We will be looking in the area in a couples weeks, and I want to have some sort of plan. We are looking for a place that is going to be safe. Also, looking for a place that either has stuff for younger couples in their mid-20's to do or is close to a place with things to do such as dancing, good bars, nice shopping, aquariums, water parks, zoo, etc. Another important thing is a place that is not too crazy that we could raise a family in and definitely a dog friendly area. Our price for houses is about 350k. For apartments, rent around 1050 or less. That is what we pay now for 921 sq.ft. 1 bed in Corpus. We had initially planned on moving to San Antonio, and loved it there. However, we learned my career would have better pay in the Houston area. I have a few places in mind.. Please help us out!
Energy Corridor?
Cinco Ranch?
Sugarland?
Fulshear?
Katy?
Richardson?
Missouri City?
Lake Houston area/Atascocita?

[testmo]

Well for the amenities you wish it'd be inside the loop.... but your budget doesnt allow for that

Energy corridor would be closest and in your price point but if you dont want in the loop for any reason the energy corridor will feel the same

What med area will you be working in? The medical center? Are you okay with a rough commute?

In you list id say sugar land would be the best compromise assuming you already have a job and its in the med center or SW. It has the more young people things and restaurants than the others. Plan on your bf finding a job in that area to the med center if he will work.

[DB912015]

I don't have a job yet. And wont have one until we move. I have already settled with the idea that if we end up in Houston the commute is going to be a pain. My boyfriend works offshore currently ao he is okay with anywhere we settle. When we looked in SA we found beautiful brand new homes 3-4 bedrooms 2-3 baths in the 350k budget the style house we are looking for, cheapest I have found is 730k. Are the other places on the list good parts of the area?

[PedroMartinez]

I do not know the Pearland area as to school zoning or what parts are better than others; however, it has a good reputation, is one of the closer suburbs to the medical center and has newer housing.

Here are two examples of homes that fit your general description that will give you an idea and is within budget:

2802 Spencer Ct, Pearland TX 77089 - HAR.com

3418 Brentwood Ln, Pearland TX 77581 - HAR.com

[Meyerland]

Maybe Pearland or Friendswood. Close in but very suburban. Maybe Sugar Land although your budget is low unless you go far out

Everything else on your list sounds like you should be in the loop, the Heights, energy corridor, or SW neighborhoods.

[Lbjen]

I kind of feel like you are giving yourself a headache for no reason, until you get a job it's really unwise to try to pick a definite location to live. I know you said you're prepared for a rough commute but it doesn't have to be that way (at least it could be less rough if you are smart about it). Pick a somewhat central location to rent, get your job, then spend the next year figuring out what area would really meet your needs long term.

[xiabelle]

Originally Posted by Lbjen

I kind of feel like you are giving yourself a headache for no reason, until you get a job it's really unwise to try to pick a definite location to live. I know you said you're prepared for a rough commute but it doesn't have to be that way (at least it could be less rough if you are smart about it). Pick a somewhat central location to rent, get your job, then spend the next year figuring out what area would really meet your needs long term.

Yes, pretty much this.

Rent near the amenities you want, then figure out where to go from there. Once you get a job, you probably want to live closer to it if possible anyway.

[NickelsTX]

Originally Posted by testmo

Well for the amenities you wish it'd be inside the loop.... but your budget doesnt allow for that

Energy corridor would be closest and in your price point but if you dont want in the loop for any reason the energy corridor will feel the same

What med area will you be working in? The medical center? Are you okay with a rough commute?

In you list id say sugar land would be the best compromise assuming you already have a job and its in the med center or SW. It has the more young people things and restaurants than the others. Plan on your bf finding a job in that area to the med center if he will work.

Don't listen to any of this tired regurgitated BS.

The loop is so overblown on this forum. As you can see by the "you can't afford it" sly, these know-it-all (typically liberal) innerloopers get offended if you don't want to live in their dirty overpriced cesspools.

First of all, as far as amenities go, there is very little difference between the innerloop and burbs. What does the Midtown HEB offer that mine doesn't? Less parking? What super special & secret businesses does the innerloop have that has no suburban alternative? Maybe a few nice bars and restaurants? Many of the times you will visit those establishments is during lunch or after work for happy hour anyways. Where you live is irrelevant in those situations. Most of the fun things to do will happen in the evening or on weekends when traveling from outside the loop is a breeze. So unless your barhopping every night or a food critic, living in the loop for "amenities" is WAY overblown. Delusional innerloopers seem to think they live in Times Square and everything outside of the loop is BFE.

Your commute will totally depend on your route there. I live just east of IAH (airport) in Humble and work downtown. It's an easy straight shot down 59. It takes me less time to get work than ANY of my innerlooper counterparts. While they're fighting traffic and terrible roads, I'm cruising @ 70 the whole way and get there quicker. Now on the other hand if you were to live in Cypress and work downtown, god help your poor soul. My point being the whole inside loop = less of a commute and burbs = long commute is complete BS. It's all dependent on your route.

Also ignore the you cant afford it anyway garbage. Rents have dropped this year. There are plenty of places in many innerloop neighborhoods for 1050 right now. Look on HAR for yourself.

I pay exactly 1050 for a newer 3 bedroom home in the burbs that is exponentially better than anything in the loop for the same price. I also don't have nearly the crime, trash, homeless, excessive regulations, ticky-tack fines, completely useless city employees, stupid hood trash, ect. as the innerloop. On top of that I have roads that are driveable and they even seem to be designed by something with brain cells. I even have police that actually catch criminals every once in while. Hell, it's more diverse too.

My advice - Get the job, move somewhat close and in a year you will have learned the area well enough to know where you would like to buy. I wouldn't even consider areas until you find out where the job is.

Good luck and welcome to Houston.

[theone33]

No need to trash 610 like that lol but i do understand what you mean. Life certainly exists outside of the loop and it is by no means some sort of boundary.

[DB912015]

We are trying to pick an area prior to me finding a job because we don't want to get stuck in another lease here in CC. Being that we will be in an apartment for the first year, and my BF will be offshore most of the time, I want to make sure I am in a nice area. The last time we were in Houston (North Houston), the lady we were speaking to said she is afraid to leave her house every day. And I hear nothing but bad. That's why I need advice from local people who KNOW what it's really like. I just want a nice area.