Single Mom moving to Victoria, Tx (Houston, San Antonio: apartment complexes, to rent, car insurance)

[katyb829]

Hello,

I am a 29 year old single mom relocating to Tx for an awesome job. I am relocating from Miami, Fl. I grew up in south Florida and at this point I'm so over it. The city is filled with crimes, wannabe socialites and just a bunch of wannabe rich people or simplily stuck up rich people. I am naturally the type of person who is somewhat a loner and being by myself doesn't bother. I have been a single mom since I was 6 months pregnant so I kind have been doing this mommy thing on my own for a while. I don't have a lot of friends so honestly being alone doesn't bother me however I feel bad because my baby who is 18months love his grandparents and aunt and uncle. He is a happy loving kid because he's around nothing but love and support. I live with my parents who have been a huge help. I am very close to my sister and parents and we are a small family. It hurts to leave them but I need to build a future for myself and my son. I finished college and I am working per diem and barely making it. This new job is paying me almost $70,000 per year (I am an Occupational Therapist) with guaranteed hours and benefits. My best friend of almost 19 years live 2hrs away with her hubby and two girls and she is beyond excited to have me somewhat closer to her. I also have a good guy friend who was also crazy about me in the past live in Houston.

Now my question is this am I crazy for doing this? Am I ambitious to want to make a better future for my child or am I selfish for pulling my son away from the only family he knows?

Also, is Victoria, Tx a nice place for a single mom ?

Can anyone suggest a good pediatrician?

Daycare suggestions please ?

What are your opinions on the following apartments:
-Hawthrone at Victoria
-Oak Forrest
-The Duke
-Latigo Crossing
My budget for a 1 bedroom or maybe 2 is nothing over $1000 per month

Thank you all 😊

[Refrain]

Victoria does an annual "Best of the Best" that is found here: https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/new.../best-of-best/

I disagree with the highest voted pediatrician which goes to show you that everyone had a different opinion of what is best. I would recommend Dr. Resendez and Dr. Arquisola.

Every time I drive by The Duke I think I would live there if I were apartment hunting. They look like they are still being constructed and are located near the busiest and most developing part of Victoria. If traffic bothers you I would go with Latigo Crossing or Oak Forrest next followed by Hawthorne (Remington?). Remington apartments look nice enough but are located in an older part of Victoria and also by our university so there will be more of a college population. There is also a train right behind these apartments. They have installed quiet zones but they would still be my last pick.

I don't have much for daycare suggestions but the the best choices IMO would be an in-home nanny or an in-home daycare. I would ask parents whose children go to Trinity, OLV, and Nazareth academy for preschool starting at age 3. Those are the best private preschools and I would trust their judgement. Perhaps the school offices would recommend something.

Houston is close enough to visit friends and there is plenty to do there. Good luck and message me if you need any more help/info!

edited to add: we've had so many new apartment complexes it is hard to know which is which. What I thought you meant by The Duke (which are still a great location in newer Victoria but not located right by HWY 77) are still being developed across from The Whittington apartments. I don't know the name but they are brand new and look almost finished. I would check those out too!

[habanerosoy]

Hello Katy,

I'm myself from Miami, Fl and I have lived in Texas for several years now. Although I never lived in Victoria I could give you a little bit of good inside about the culture shock of coming over here. I know exactly what you are talking about when you mentioned people that want to be rich in Miami. I dont ever remember seeing so many Bentley's and Maserati's as when I go down there. I could see the pros and cons about both places but at the end of the day is going to be up to the kind of person you are and what you like and dislike. Texas is a great place to raise a family, even tho I dont have any. However I dont feel is home. I miss Miami every single day of my life yet I must acknowledge that Texas have an overall advantage over Florida period. Opportunity wise you are going to be only a few hours away from Houston which currently have the largest medical center in the world, lots of opportunities.
I'm still in my 20's and I try to keep a balance between assets and liabilities and living in Miami was definitely a liability in this economy unless you were a business man or woman.

Cost of living here is so much cheaper. Your car insurance premiums will drop considerably. We all know the fraud situation down in Miami and why is so expensive. No such thing as the Monopoly established by FPL(Florida Power Line) in Florida. We have several electricity companies here in Texas(TXU, Reliant, etc) that they are always competing with each other so you could always get better rates. You do not have to get stuck with the same company. We both know that most places in Miami when you are trying to rent ask you for first, last month and security deposit? Forget that here, most apartment complexes the most I have seen them charging is like 300 dollar deposit for an apartment. However, if you do want a house that is different. You are not going to be that far from San Antonio or Houston which is also amazing. FYI Yes, it might seem you are not that away from the ocean but forget the blue water you have back home. If you think you can make it without your family, the blue ocean, La Carreta and the Dolphin Mall I would say is a very wise decision. Feel free to email me with any questions you might have. I have lived in 3 different cities in the state and I know how difficult it could be. You could verify all the information I have said.

Good Luck to you!