Houston business journal and Rice on housing affordability in Houston (transplants, for sale)

[texas7]

Good read for those who put on their rose-colored glasses and think they are going to move here and live for peanuts. Not to mention that if you also need social services, it is said that Texas is one of the worst states to live in for social services - I have no idea if that part is true or not, just what I've read in the past. Often people looking for a fresh start are the ones who need that low cost housing the most.

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/m...f-housing.html

[PedroMartinez]

Houston is more desirable than NYC, so it should be no surprise that it costs more to live here.

[texas7]

Judging by a few of the posts on this forum, There are still so many moving here in search of a new start with no job prospects when they arrive and thinking they will find a rock bottom priced home close in the city. This article really refers to housing in the city proper. There are still affordable houses farther out -- as we saw in one of our other threads with some even in the below 199k category.

[detachable arm]

There are thousands and thousands of homes available between the loop and the beltway and in the east side of the inner loop that are affordable and close. This could be considered the "real" Houston because over 75% of people who live inside the city limits live here.

What people are looking for in this forum are the "elite" white areas. That is what this article is really about. I am saying it, everybody knows this, and these closet racist professors May as well come out and say it too.

But Tell me - In what large city are these areas affordable?

[ipuck]

Originally Posted by texas7

Good read for those who put on their rose-colored glasses and think they are going to move here and live for peanuts. Not to mention that if you also need social services, it is said that Texas is one of the worst states to live in for social services - I have no idea if that part is true or not, just what I've read in the past. Often people looking for a fresh start are the ones who need that low cost housing the most.

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/m...f-housing.html

I personally think the low social service is one of the big reasons people are interested in this state and city.

Who do you think paid for all those services?

[MumHouston]

Originally Posted by ipuck

I personally think the low social service is one of the big reasons people are interested in this state and city.

Who do you think paid for all those services?

To be honest, it is not appealing to me to live in a city, or state, which fails to provide healthcare for those with the lowest income. I don't know about you, but the thought of being served food, or assisted by workers who lack healthcare for treatable communicable diseases is frightening. A lack of social services is a drain on resources for those at the top.

[Ghost Town]

Well, it depends.
Houston still has some super affordable areas even within 610 loop.
Somewhere close to Scott St and 288. A year ago I saw 20-30K houses there for sale.
Don't think the situation changed much over a last year.
If I was a thug and a drug dealer, this would probably be kind of dream area for me.
But unfortunately I have to search for less affordable options. And traffic makes everything much worse.

[ipuck]

Originally Posted by MumHouston

To be honest, it is not appealing to me to live in a city, or state, which fails to provide healthcare for those with the lowest income. I don't know about you, but the thought of being served food, or assisted by workers who lack healthcare for treatable communicable diseases is frightening. A lack of social services is a drain on resources for those at the top.

Basic social service are already provided for by the federal government. Additional benefits that some of the liberal states in coastal states are the issue here.

There has been too many 5 million civic center, 10 million contract to help the poor with xxxx, to know most of them doesn't work and end up only benefiting the connected and the politicians. Think of it as MUD here but with they take it out of your paycheck instead of your mortgage payment.

Would you be happy with that?

[txdemo]

I think a lot of transplants here are probably surprised that our public transportation system stinks.

[texas7]

Agree. I think many move here thinking they can get around carless until they arrive and have difficulty getting from a to b without one.