Moving to Houston - Deer Park ISD area (Pasadena, Baytown: best city, renting)

[nannycee]

Texan here who knows nothing of Houston. Will be working for Deer Park, ISD and will be renting a home until we are sure where we want to purchase. Could anyone share which areas would be best to start our search for a home? Also, is Middlebrook in Clear Creek area a good choice?

Thank you very much!

[texas7]

Deer Park, Clear Lake (middlebrook - older but still nice neighborhood), Seabrook -- all would be good areas to live in to commute to Deer Park. Clear Lake & Seabrook are both in Clear Creek ISD - good district. All have good school districts as well (if you have children). Deer Park is nearest the plants unless you live in the Fairmont Parkway area (some areas of Fairmont Parkway are zoned to Deer Park Schools - Village Grove, Gleneagles, Baywood Oaks) which is the furthest from any plants and closest to Clear Lake.

[Poltracker]

Well Deer Park, Clear Lake, and the parts of Pasadena described above are all good places to live. Clear Lake is actually a part of the City of Houston, so keep that in mind. Unlike Deer Park, Houston and Pasadena do not have zoning laws but HOA's try to keep neighborhood standards in line. In Deer Park they have vigorous code enforcement officers and overall better city services (speaking from experience). IMO Deer Park also has better community programs for kids and adults as well. Clear Lake and the southern Pasadena neighborhoods are closer to a larger variety of entertainment/shopping venues.
Yes, Deer Park is closer to the ship channel and industry but that really doesn't cause a problem except in rare situations. Situations have occurred maybe twice in the last 10 years and then it was only the very north part of Deer Park on alert as a precaution. As a result, the city is equipped and prepared to handle major emergencies pretty well. If you are teaching, you will learn this as the schools are also well prepared and have participated in drills. The north Campus High School and San Jacinto Elem are actually closer to the plants than the majority of neighborhoods.

[nannycee]

Thank is so helpful! So, it's funny you mention the Fairmont Parkway..I will be at Fairmont Junior High...assuming they are connected. Saw there was a community across from the Junior High that looked nice but of course I was looking at Google Maps.

So, I like the idea of being away from the plants.

Just curious...any area to absolutely avoid?

Thanks again..you all have helped so very much!

[texas7]

I guess if you have kids then I would avoid the area of pasadena that looks nice along fairmont pkwy that is in pasadena school district (unless you don't have kids - then it is fine, nice homes convenient, etc. just schools aren't good compared to Deer Park). The area bounded by Space Center Blvd. Fairmont Red Bluff is Deer Park ISD and a very good neighborhood to live in.

[Poltracker]

Originally Posted by nannycee

Just curious...any area to absolutely avoid?

Thanks again..you all have helped so very much!

The rest of Pasadena other than the neighborhoods listed above, LaPorte (their school district is screwed up). Any areas east of Hwy 146 or south of Clear Lake (the actual lake) as home insurance goes up due to wind coverage. The roads always flood but make sure that the house does not have a history of flooding. Good idea to get flood insurance anyway (all areas mentioned are in hurricane storm surge zones).

[nannycee]

You have really helped this newcomers narrow our search area!!! If anyone thinks of anything else we should know, we welcome your input.

[dolemitey]

Buy a house in La Porter. Not only dose it have the best schools in the area it has the best homes, police and well everything. You can sit out on your porch and watch the people next door smoke crack. Get cought in one of the many lovely speeding traps set up by the police . Your childern will make great friends in the locale gang members and maybe get shot. Thats it hands down La Porte in the best city around the area you are moving to.

[amirelez]

Originally Posted by dolemitey

Buy a house in La Porter. Not only dose it have the best schools in the area it has the best homes, police and well everything. You can sit out on your porch and watch the people next door smoke crack. Get cought in one of the many lovely speeding traps set up by the police . Your childern will make great friends in the locale gang members and maybe get shot. Thats it hands down La Porte in the best city around the area you are moving to.

Is it that bad reallly?

[Poltracker]

Originally Posted by amirelez

Is it that bad reallly?

It's not that bad, but a kid did get shot a while back down at the grocery store. There have been some problems with kids in gangs from Baytown that involved kids in LaPorte from what I hear.