Moving from Seattle to Houston, HELP! (San Antonio, Austin: relocation, property taxes, apartment)

[seattlesoulstar]

Does anyone have any info or advice for a 26 y/o gbm considering relocation to houston from seattle. i will have a bba in accounting when i move. what is the finance ind. like? discrimination againts gays? (im not a queen tho!) outdoor activities? any other info is greatly appreciated!!

[Supernova7]

From what I understand the city pf Houston is very tolerant towards gays and is a good city for African Americans. There is a lot of culture within the city and it's not dominated by conservative politics like many people think. I'm considering relocating there as well. Economy is supposed to be strong but don't know about the financial sector as that's my specialty as well.

Houstonians on this board have been helpful to me thus far. But we're all relocating for different reasons. You have to find a good fit for yourself. An issue for me is sprawl and public transit. Cost of living looks pretty good. However, property taxes are high. So you should be able to find a reasonably priced apartment. This is a good board to help guide you through the process. Yes, it's very scary to move anywhere, especially when you don't know anyone or the culture.

[person]

Originally Posted by seattlesoulstar

Does anyone have any info or advice for a 26 y/o gbm considering relocation to houston from seattle. i will have a bba in accounting when i move. what is the finance ind. like? discrimination againts gays? (im not a queen tho!) outdoor activities? any other info is greatly appreciated!!

It is definitely tolerant towards gays, but don't expect it to be as open as in Seattle.
Sorry, I am not sure of the finance sector in Houston.
Yeah, one thing that kills me is outdoor activites. I use to surf, but its not that big of a culture here, even though one can do it in galveston. The great outdoors stuff around here seem to be fishing, bird watching, horse riding, tubing, boating, windsurfing, hunting, shooting, watching some bull riding.

[seattlesoulstar]

Thanks for the input. supernova, you gave some good advise to me earlier. I think i'll visit sometime. Is the winter a good time to come. That's when Ill have the time and funds to do it, and I dont want to get a bad impression if its oppressively hot in the summer.

[modster]

You might as well come in the summer and see if it is as bad as you fear.

Houston has a very large gay population. It is scattered throughout the inner-loop and just beyond. While Montrose is considered by many as Houston's "gayborhood" it is not really the big concentration it once was. Houston really doesn't have that single concentrated community anymore. It has sort of scattered. Inner-loop areas such as Heights, Timbergrove, Lazybrook, Lindale Park & Eastwood all have strong representations. Areas beyond the loop such as Inwood Forest, Glenbrook Valley, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest and especially Westbury all have a number of gay households. In recent years Westbury seems to have become one of the greater strongholds as people have been priced out of many of the more traditional inner-loop gay haunts.

[Robert123]

GWM here. I've also heard that Houston is good. Whenever I meet new gay people (in different parts of the country) and ask where they are from, we chat about it, and not one single gay Houstonian has had anything negative to say about Houston. I currently live in San Antonio, and to the gays here, a move to Houston is considered a major step up. Hmmm, maybe I'll do it myself. I'm sure SA would be happier without me!!

[millie61]

Houses are cheaper nicer too !!!

[Supernova7]

There are good people and bad people everywhere. In my personal opinion, I don't think that your sexual preference is a big deal in any "city." The only places it's a big deal is in some small select rural/suburban communities and again it's not the norm. I have never been Texas in my life but I believe and have faith that Texans are good people with "better than average" manners.

All the Texans I've met in my life were nice people. Yes, I know, the bible belt conservative stereotype scares A LOT of people away from Texas. From what I hear and know it's NOT a GEORGE BUSH state. Not sure about how strict the laws or the cops are in Texas though?

[irwin]

Originally Posted by Supernova7

From what I hear and know it's NOT a GEORGE BUSH state.

Uhh...not sure where you are getting your information, but Texas is certainly a Bush state. Maybe apart from Utah, I believe he received the highest percentage in Texas.

Don't get me wrong, Texans are nice people but they are very conservative. I grew up there and left and people just assume you are conservative, especially if you are white.

[Supernova7]

Really? Then how come so many Texans from this board state that Houston and Austin are liberal cities? And liberals are not supportive of Bush. I'm very interested to get the facts on this.