Official picture thread. (home, living, design)

[rcandelaria]

Originally Posted by Topaz

usc619 posted some great pictures of Katy here.

Really beautiful! Looks a lot like Flower Mound, in the Dallas Metroplex area. (Nice town, too.)

[rcandelaria]

Will somebody please post some pics of Kingwood, and comment on the town?

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by rcandelaria

Will somebody please post some pics of Kingwood, and comment on the town?

I've never been there but I found this Kingwood photo tour online. It looks nice.

Topaz

[rcandelaria]

Thank you, Topaz!

You are very helpful.

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by rcandelaria

Thank you, Topaz!

You are very helpful.

You're welcome. I remember what it was like when I was stuck in the Pacific Northwest with too many logistical challenges to visit Texas and my husband had moved ahead of me to Houston for his new job and I was SO curious about different geographic areas. I had to rely on this Forum and whatever pictures I could find online as my husband picked out a house for us to rent...I had only been to Austin and Dallas so I was rather desperate for Houston area information via long distance!

I sure am glad to finally be here!

[rcandelaria]

Your guidance is really appreciated.

My Spouse flys out to Houston on Sunday for a job interview, in the Downtown area. I wish I could go check things out, too! I'm excited for the potential move to Texas. It's something we've been looking forward to for awhile now.

We've narrowed it down to Sugar Land, Katy, Woodlands, or Kingwood. Are any of those commutes out of the question? (Think 30 minutes, average.) Are any of these cities not safe? (We've got kids.) We will also live in an apartment while we get settled - which town has the nicest apartments? (Short term.)

I really appreciate the reality and vantage point you have, there.

[Kofi713]

Well, Katy is the longest if he just drives on I-10 into Downtown. If you decide on Katy, there are two Park and Ride lots: Kingsland P&R and Grand Parkway P&R. Service is quick into Downtown, and he will most likely be dropped off at his doorstep in Downtown.

But let's just say he drives the car into Downtown, here are the commutes (shortest to longest): Kingwood, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, Katy.

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by Kofi713

Well, Katy is the longest if he just drives on I-10 into Downtown. If you decide on Katy, there are two Park and Ride lots: Kingsland P&R and Grand Parkway P&R. Service is quick into Downtown, and he will most likely be dropped off at his doorstep in Downtown.

But let's just say he drives the car into Downtown, here are the commutes (shortest to longest): Kingwood, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, Katy.

Good order. But remember there will be something slowing traffic down at LEAST twice a week. So I would budget 45 minutes, and be pleasantly surprised when it's shorter.

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by rcandelaria

Your guidance is really appreciated.

My Spouse flys out to Houston on Sunday for a job interview, in the Downtown area. I wish I could go check things out, too! I'm excited for the potential move to Texas. It's something we've been looking forward to for awhile now.

We've narrowed it down to Sugar Land, Katy, Woodlands, or Kingwood. Are any of those commutes out of the question? (Think 30 minutes, average.) Are any of these cities not safe? (We've got kids.) We will also live in an apartment while we get settled - which town has the nicest apartments? (Short term.)

I really appreciate the reality and vantage point you have, there.

It is tough to be the one left behind trying to do all the research online!

I believe there are safe areas of all the cities you are considering. Others have commented on the commute times. I'm not familiar with the apartment communities but I'm sure there are nice apartments in each area, too. The one thing you want to get right is the school choice because you may find that once your children start school somewhere and make friends, you aren't very willing to relocate them when you buy a house. So in that way you limit your options from the very first rental decision.

That is what happened to us. We rented a house in New Territory because that is what was available, and now we find that we don't want to change preschools or kindergarten for either of my children because they've already experienced enough disruptions with our other moves for my husband's job.

It is fortunate that we like New Territory, but my advice is to do as much research about schools as about the other variables like commute and apartment safety and such. That way, you can go from apartment to house without more changes for your children.

I just realized that we are having a rather extensive conversation in the thread that is supposed to be for photos only. Maybe the moderator can move this to a new thread for us?

[Kofi713]

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

Good order. But remember there will be something slowing traffic down at LEAST twice a week. So I would budget 45 minutes, and be pleasantly surprised when it's shorter.

I-10 traffic sucks major. We were trying to go to The Galleria yesterday, and I-10 was SO backed up at Gessner, we decided to just go to Memorial City instead. Speaking of Memorial City, it is EASILY the second best mall/shopping area in Houston (outside of Uptown/The Galleria).