WNY to Northern VA to WNY to Houston? Any transplants out there? Interested in your experience living in Houston (Atlanta: renting)

[live-fit]

Greetings! I grew up in Buffalo, NY got married in my early 20's and we moved to the Northern VA area, started our family there and was there for 10 years. We really loved it there but we also really missed family so decided to sell our house and move back to Buffalo this past November BAD MOVE!

Love my family, can't tolerate living here. LOVED visiting here over the past 10 years but living here is SO different. Cold, Grey, really ugly parts of the city...people leaving in droves..it's depressing. Buffalo has a lot of great things to offer but high taxes, big government, and lack of jobs has hit the city hard. It's been 6 months and we're ready to leave - our family can jump on a plane to see us!

Any ways, we've narrowed the field of options to three cities, Charlotte, NC - Atlanta, GA - Houston, TX I'm familiar with Charlotte and Atlanta but never been to Houston but it looks great on paper and in pictures. I have 5 very active kids and need a big house, a lot of parks, fitness facility, and lots of things to do.

Are there any other transplants living in Houston? What advice can you give a busy family on your experience with culture, neighborhoods, schools, etc. in Houston. We're planning a visit out there in the next few weeks to scope it out. Thanks in advance!

[BeefSupreme]

You'll love Houston. My wifes family is in the northeast burbs. Its all new and very clean. She's in Kingwood which we love and should be relocating to in August. The biggest downside that I see when I visit is that everything is so spread out. I can drive for 15 minutes in NJ and go past 10 different towns, 250 bars and 500 restaurants. 15 minutes down there gets you past 2 fast food joints. Diversity in the food is defined by corporate chains...Italian is Olive Garden, Seafood is Papas, Pizza is Dominos(awful)...so on and so forth...

However, the area is full of big sunny skies and you certainly won't have to worry about digging your car out of 10' of lake effect snow! (My wife didn't even know what a car snow scraper was the first time she saw one!) Like I said, its very clean, new, and the people are great!

[chris_ut]

Houston is actually known for its restaurants. Get off the major highways and there are a ton of excellent non-chain restaurants out there.

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by chris_ut

Houston is actually known for its restaurants. Get off the major highways and there are a ton of excellent non-chain restaurants out there.

I think he was talking about the Kingwood area.
Houston restaurant scene isn't something I would call chain. That is once you get off the feeder roads.

[gridmatrix]

Originally Posted by live-fit

Greetings! I grew up in Buffalo, NY got married in my early 20's and we moved to the Northern VA area, started our family there and was there for 10 years. We really loved it there but we also really missed family so decided to sell our house and move back to Buffalo this past November BAD MOVE!

Love my family, can't tolerate living here. LOVED visiting here over the past 10 years but living here is SO different. Cold, Grey, really ugly parts of the city...people leaving in droves..it's depressing. Buffalo has a lot of great things to offer but high taxes, big government, and lack of jobs has hit the city hard. It's been 6 months and we're ready to leave - our family can jump on a plane to see us!

Any ways, we've narrowed the field of options to three cities, Charlotte, NC - Atlanta, GA - Houston, TX I'm familiar with Charlotte and Atlanta but never been to Houston but it looks great on paper and in pictures. I have 5 very active kids and need a big house, a lot of parks, fitness facility, and lots of things to do.

Are there any other transplants living in Houston? What advice can you give a busy family on your experience with culture, neighborhoods, schools, etc. in Houston. We're planning a visit out there in the next few weeks to scope it out. Thanks in advance!

Yes, my family is considering moving to Houston in October '08. My wifes company has offered to relocate our family and promote her from middle to upper management.

It's going to be hard because our immediate family is up here, but I do have a cousin in the Houston area. One thing for sure, I won't miss winter for 6 months of the year...or Buffalo economy, or pollitics.

As you know, Buffalo is where great dreams come to die...and if they won't die, the politicians do their best to make it impossible for any real developement, or revitialization. No payola, no dream. Heck we even gave Bass Pro $13 Million dollars to consider locating to our city, then when they said; "No thanks", we said, OK, thanks for the consideration! HELLO!

No wonder its the second poorest city in our nation. As you mentioned it is cold, grey, bleak and dirty. 15 years ago we moved into a nice middle income neighborhood...5 years later all the homeowners sold, and now its become a nasty neighborhood...crackheads, etc...so much for property values.

Heres a city that gets $500 million a year for school and can''t mantain a decent public school district, they say they need more money! HELLO! That's $26,000 per student and another $10,000 a year that could be put away for college...if paided directly to the students.

I'm lookin forward to the move...we need to think of our childerns future, and WNY holds nothing for them.

As far as NY state....we'll lets think of an assinine law and pass it so we can collect a larger tax base. How about if you smoke in a car, or bar, or in public, we'll fine you. If you have a crooked licensse plate thats $120! Beleive me, I just got nailed! We'll permit native americans to have casino's, but just don't build them anywhere. For get a handgun, possing fireworks, or getting cheap gas at the reservations...cause we'll tax that too...

[aToro]

Hello,
I just moved to Houston last month from NYC (where I grew up) after living the previous 15 yrs in Manassas, VA. Houston is great! Things to consider before making your move:
1. You WILL need a car, esp. if you plan to live/travel outside the city.
2. No State or City Taxes! The 10% increase I negotiated with my new Houston employer increased my takehome by 25%!!!
3. Homes are CHEAP!!! I'm renting a beautiful 2700ft2, 5BR house w/pool in Sugarland (30 minute commute) for $1500 mo. (the house is on the market for only $150k). Try finding anything in NYC for $150k!!!
4. The weather is great! Low humidity compared to the east coast and temps still in the mid-80s.

I hope this helps...

[coog78]

I would love to sell you on Houston, but I think you need to visit before you make any life changing decisions like the geographical move you're planning. See it for yourself!

[ShelbyGirl1]

I'm betting you would love Houston, but as mentioned, best to make a trip here and see for yourself. I was born and raised in NJ and this is just our latest stop after moving around with the company.
Weather is 100% better than NY...although the humidity and heat of the summer can be stifling. One does get use to it tho! Just keep thinking....no snow or cold and ice to deal with!!!!!!!!!!! Shorts can be worn a good deal of the time...I have a son who wears them 365 days a yr.
Yes, housing is compartively cheap and no state tax...but property taxes even that out! We broke even coming from Ca..on the property tax vs state tax thing.
Texas is so diverse...you can be in the center of it all living in Houston...or to get away, come on down to the coastal towns. (Do remember this is hurricane country tho) And with lots of little towns/communities in between, your bound to find one to your liking.