Which one Austin, DFW or Houston???? (Dallas, Brownsville: tornadoes, place to live, vs)

[Rocket City]

1983. But It's not like Houston ever had to suffer though 30 consecutive days of over 100 degree heat like Dallas did in 1998. Almost as many people died in that climate disaster than Alicia. And it lasted a whole lot longer.

Don't let the Dallas and Austin guys fool you. It's pretty humid in DFW and Austin too. Not as much as Houston, but Dallas isn't exactly the most comfortable city in the world either in the summer or winter. I lived in Dallas for 8 years, the only time DFW feels nice to me is in the fall. Winters can be icy and I went through some very scary thunderstorms in the springs there - sometimes tornado watches everyday. Don't get me wrong Dallas has its pluses, but coping with bad weather is a fact of life all over Texas all year long. - of course, there are good days too.

I wouldn't base my decision on where to move in Texas based on weather or bugs. You take your chances anywhere you go.

Most of the populated areas in Texas are pretty humid, obviously some places more than others. But like bugs, humidity is a way of life anywhere within 400 miles of the Gulf Coast. It all depends on your own tolerance level. And obviously, the humidity in Houston has not stopped the city from phenomenal growth. People are moving to Houston at an increadible rate. Humidity is obviously not a real factor. Like those killer heat waves in Dallas, people find a way to cope with the weather all over Texas. If you can't stand humidity, it's best to look out west - like El Paso or Phoenix.

[Lakewooder]

check out:

Terilli's Italian Restaurant and Bar for Dining in Dallas and Frisco

Brooklyn

Deep Ellum, Dallas, Texas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[teatime]

Hurricane Rita affected Houston, didn't it? Thought so, anyway. Lord knows everyone in the Houston sector is paying hurricane risk rates on their home insurance, grrrrrr.

Queenshiaren, I mentioned Rockwall (outside Dallas) as a really nice city and I noticed there's a thread on Rockwall going in the Dallas section. You might want to check it out.

[Rocket City]

Originally Posted by teatime

Hurricane Rita affected Houston, didn't it? Thought so, anyway. Lord knows everyone in the Houston sector is paying hurricane risk rates on their home insurance, grrrrrr.

Yes, Houston is one of the most expensive places in the country to own a home. That must be why no one is moving there anymore. Many had to give up their homes because hurricane risk insurance is so incredibly high. There is hardly any home construction going on in the Houston area anymore because of the huge risk that hurricanes pose to every part of the metro area all year long. And no companies are hiring anymore either, because hurricanes hit so often.

My friends who live in the Woodlands (80 miles from the Gulf of Mexico) lost their home in a gigantic storm surge which wiped out most of Houston so they now pay huge rates for their hurricane insurance. In fact, the tide is rising so fast in downtown Houston right now that I think a hurricane may be on the way tonight! Oh God!

I'm not Houston will ever totally recover from all the damage that Rita did. You better stay in DFW, where they don't have any beaches - that sounds like a lot more fun.

Just kidding.

I think Houston is still a more affordable place to own a home than Dallas, but I could be wrong. You may have to do some research that doesn't involve taking advice from Chicken Little.

BTW, Brownsville is 25 miles closer to the Gulf of Mexico than Houston is. It's also about 350 miles to the southwest of Houston, it has also been affected by hurricanes more often than the Houston region has over the last 100 years. Maybe thats why you were paying high hurricane risk insurance for your house in Brownsville. - Duh.

[norge44]

"queenshiaren"

What is your career field? Just curious, because it seems you're moving here without a job. Do you work from your home?

[teatime]

Rocket City,
I was giving my opinion. There was no need to drown in sarcasm and rudeness. The insurance company told me our rates rose because we were categorized in the Houston sector so instead of being rude to me, why don't you take your "Duh" to Allstate.

Also, I can't go to the beach because I have Systemic Lupus. So, yes, I'm quite happy near DFW. Do you have a problem with people who don't fancy the beach?

Sheesh.

[Rocket City]

Sorry about your Lupus. But I still think that catagorizing Brownsville in any zone involving Houston sounds absurd. Sure they are both near the Gulf coast, but I have never heard of anyone living inland in Houston paying significantly higher insurance rates because of hurricane threats. If it were true, you would hear people commonly griping about it, which you don't. You might even see less homes being built near the coast. But housing in Houston and Galveston is booming right now. They can't build the houses fast enough in Galveston right now. It sounds like something someone made up. Just another way to bash Houston. There are lots of legitimate ways to bash Houston, no need to start making things up.

You seem to be warning people that their home insurance will be high in the Houston area because someone at an insurance company in Brownsville told you that you were in the Houston sector. Did you ever think that maybe you were being scammed into buying more insurance? Brownsville is almost as close to Mexico City as it is to Houston, did the insurance agent try to sell you earthquake insurance too? People add on crap all the time in the insurance game. And something about this just doesn't add up.

Brownsville and Houston are too far apart. Brownsville is closer to the Gulf than Houston. If anything, wouldn't Houston be in the Brownsville sector instead of the other way around? If someone at Allstate told me this, I would have asked to speak to their superior or done a little more research on my own, because it sounds like they don't know what they are talking about.

Sorry that my post came out sounding so rude, don't take my comments too personally, Teatime, I'm sure your fine human being, and you have every right to your opinion, but your post made it sound like hurricanes are something that Houston has to deal with often, and that's just not the case. DFW deals with far more tornado threats every year than Houston has to deal with wind damage from hurricanes.

I thought the sarcasm in my previous post would make people realize that Houston may have its problems, but unaffordable housing is NOT one of them. Don't believe me, do a little research. A house in DFW will cost more to get and maintain than in Houston, at least for the time being. It could change.

No problem with folks who don't fancy the beach, just pity for those who can't get there in an hour or less when they need a quick beach fix. I personally hate feeling landlocked, but to each his/her own.

Take care.

[queenshiaren]

rocket city - thank you. i plan to check into this... :-) do you know of any home rental companies or a means for looking into this. i don't think i want to buy right away? thanks.

[queenshiaren]

norge44 - i work in the office administration field. yes, you are correct i do not have a job. however, i have been checking with many of the local area hospitals, baylor, dallas children's hospital for career opportunities in my field. i currently work for a well known teaching hospital in my state and have excellent experience and recommendations as well. my husband has put in for a job transfer with his job warehouse field, he is a logistics technician.
i would like to have a job in place for one of us before moving, so i plan to continue to seek and hopefully get some interviews and secure a job a month before moving.
any suggesstions, tips, etc. on employment avenues?
or
rental housing avenues????

[vinniejack]

My family and I thinking relocating from Florida To Texas Area. We looking at
the Cleveland, Texas Area how ever we wondering why you don't suggested
the Cleveland School District although you live there.

Originally Posted by sealymills

I live about an hour north of Houston, up 59 in Cleveland. I have lived here most of my life. If I were choosing one of those options to move to, I would go for Austin. It is so pretty there and lots of things to do. I have only visited Austin a few times, but have enjoyed every visit. Dallas... too confusing, didn't care for it much. Houston is not so bad. The thing with Houston, and may be in other places as well, is that there are smaller communities all around Houston that are great. For example, if you travel north on 59 away from Houston, you come across Humble; schools are ok, shopping in good, away from the "city", then there is Kingwood, the "Livable Forest", good schools, expensive, but beautiful, then Porter, New Caney, Splendora, and Cleveland. I shop a little in Porter sometimes, but don't know much about the community or schools, I think Porter and New Caney all go to the same school...I think. Then Splendora, I worked there at the school for about six years. I loved the people, the school has great potential and they just hired a new Super for the district who is supposed to be straightening things up. Like I said, I live in Cleveland, it is a small community, but I would not send my child to the schools in Cleveland. I teach high school art in Tarkington Prairie which is about 8 miles north of Cleveland; a very rural community big on sports and agriculture. Tarkington ISD was voted the best school district in Liberty County. It is a small rural 3A school. Our graduating classes have anywhere from 85 to 125 each year. Everyone knows everyone else or is related...if you like that kind of thing.

Now there is also I-45 north of Houston that has communities like Spring, the Woodlands, and Conroe. I-45 has terrible traffic, however the Woodlands is really nice, great schools, but can be expensive. Conroe is nice too, they have "Lake Conroe", but I don't hear that the schools are too good.

Try this website; Houston Texas - School Districts, it will give you the listings of Harris County and surrounding counties.

I used to live in Atascocita, right outside of Humble. It is really booming there. If you check on Belt Way 8 headed east toward Beaumont, there are some really nice subdivisions going up. My brother is an Houston Police Officer and he lives in Tomball. He loves it there. However, as a police officer, he wants to leave the Houston area and maybe even the police force. It seems that the closer you move to downtown Houston, the worse the neighborhoods seem to get.

I have several friends that work for Cy-Fair ISD and they all love it.

I hope some of this helps you out.