Any Chicago suburb transplants living in Dallas or Houston? (Arlington: condos, house)

[cubssoxfan]

Hi,
My wife wants to move to a warmer climate and lower cost of living area. We currently live in Arlington Heights, IL. We are suburbanites, going into Chicago is only done occasionally for museums and zoo visits. I may have the option of relocating to Houston or Dallas. I will probably be working out of the house and traveling to visit clients.
Any former Chicago suburbanites in Dallas or Houston who can provide a contrast of +'s/-'s of current life vs. life in Chi-town suburbs?

Thanks!

[baggiegenes]

There a large number of Chicago transplants in Houston. I know a Chicago company moved to The Woodlands in the mid nineties when I was in high school and relocated many employees. My girlfriend is from Northbrook, IL. She likes it here, but the complaints I here from her most often are:

1)the crazy drivers
2)lack of public transportation
3)the heat in the summers more than the humidity
4)the unpredictable rain during late summer afternoons
5)finding something to do with all the heavy sweaters and coats she never uses down here

Her likes in the city are:
1)Lots to do at affordable prices. Even the zoo and museums are cheaper. There is also lots of good theater and even improv comedy that is comperable to chicago. Plenty of places to eat and good bars to hang out in.
2)friendlier people in general. She wasn't as used to so many people holding doors and offering to help her with carrying groceries and stuff
3)cost of living. we are buying a good sized house in the burbs for half the cost her friends are paying for one bedroom condos in chicago.
4)the mild winters

hope this helps some.

[cubssoxfan]

Thanks Baggiegenes
Here is my perspective on your thoughts
1)the crazy drivers-Chicago has them, Atlanta has them-it's universal in most large megopolisis. The hardest thing to discover will be to see if there are any reverse commuting patterns going suburb to suburb when I visit clients. In chicago I can start mornings from the north end of I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) and go south and can go south to north around the entire Metro area in the afternoon with only moderate increase in traffic. IF i did this the opposite way, I would be stuck in heavy traffic.
2)lack of public transportation-I will miss Metra, but really don't use it. Maybe this will improve in the future.
3)the heat in the summers more than the humidity. Chicago can get hot. I will miss the free air-conditioning our Canadian friends send during the summer BUT won't miss the fact they keep sending the cold air down all winter
4)the unpredictable rain during late summer afternoons-one of the side effects of a sub-tropical area, I won't have to use as much city water to sprinkle the garden.
5)finding something to do with all the heavy sweaters and coats she never uses down here- A happy donation for the homeless/less fortunate to use during winter. Will need to keep some for possible Christmas visits back home.

Her likes in the city are:
1)Lots to do at affordable prices. Even the zoo and museums are cheaper. There is also lots of good theater and even improv comedy that is comperable to chicago. Plenty of places to eat and good bars to hang out in.
2)friendlier people in general. She wasn't as used to so many people holding doors and offering to help her with carrying groceries and stuff- I lived in Georgia for 8 months and really enjoyed the public manners people displayed. Sounds like Texans are pretty hospitable.
3)cost of living. we are buying a good sized house in the burbs for half the cost her friends are paying for one bedroom condos in chicago. #1-A reason for going to Texas.
4)the mild winters #1-B reason for going to Texas.

hope this helps some.
This does help a lot. Thanks for sharing and for the response AND thanks to all who participated via other threads-I have learned a tremendous amount just listening to y'all's (Is that spelled correctly?) conversations!

[tstone]

Chicago drivers are equally as crazy as Houston drivers, but in Chicago they generally are going 10-20 mph faster on the freeways. And on the city streets in Chicago you have to be much more aggressive unless you want to be run over or stuck while everyone moves around you.

As far as finding reverse commute patterns around the suburbs, I suggest you invest in an EZ tag and get familiar with the tollways around town.

www.hctra.org

Some sections jam up during rush hours, but the vast majority of the toll roads flow at 55+ all day.

[baggiegenes]

I forgot to mention urban sprawl. Things are just farther apart here. Some people from chicago aren't used to thinking of places that are 20 miles away as "pretty close". Most people here don't bat an eye at having to drive 20 to 30 minutes to do things especially if they live out in the burbs.

But you get used to it.

[coog78]

There are a ton of Chicago transplants here. Go see an Astros-Cubs game and at least 25% or more will be Cubs fans. I have some very good friends from Chicago and they do plan on moving back to be closer to where all of their family is. They love Houston for pretty much everything that's been mentioned. They dislike the summers as all those from a cooler climate do, although the wife loves it for her skin.
Rush hours are more of a nightmare in Chicago, but they last longer in Houston.