Making the Move - Missouri City or Sugar Land (Houston: real estate, upkeep)

[SistaGirl]

Here is the deal...My family and I are looking for a major change. Maryland is not like it used to be, so now we are looking to take our winnings from the real estate boom and get to moving. I've visited Sugar Land, but I've heard a lot about Missouri City. My kids are 10 and 12 and I feel that it is important for them to embrace a variety of cultures while getting a decent, free education.

Can anyone shed some light on where would be the best place(s) for us to move? I'm open to other areas, but they must be kid friendly and welcoming to Black families. We will spend up to 300K for a home in an area that fits this description. I work for a university as an administrator, so I want to be close to a university or college.

I'm looking forward to the feedback because we want to make this move in June.

[wannamovetotx]

Hello,
my family are making the leap to Houston, hopefully by feb 2008. Looking for excellent schools and from our findings, its looking like Sugar land, Missouri city and Katy. we plan to buy a house (in the range of $300,000 + as well) but will be renting to learn the area. Looking for private preschools (christain/montessori, etc etc) till my twins (with Novenber birthday) are ready for Kindergarten. Any input will be greatly apprciated

[crbcrbrgv]

Best high school in Sugar Land is Clements. Missouri City is rough on the East side and is not exactly full of black professionals. Sierra Plantation is likely where you will be looking if you live in Missouri City. The Sugar Land/Missouri City border along Austin Pkwy is also very nice. North Sugar Land is for us teacher types. Nice, but certainly not 300,000 houses. Missouri City has more black professionals, Sugar Land more white although blacks along with many minorities live in Sugar Land also. The southwest part of Houston and its suburbs are a pretty bad place to live if you are a racist as it gets more and more multicultural every year. I am white and my wife is Mexican-American and guess what? Nobody really cares. When we lived in Chicago....different story (although it was not bad by any means. Just more noticeable). My apartment complex is near Sugar Land and it has blacks, whites, mexicans, lots of indians and arabs, arabs married to indians, blacks married to whites, fat people married to skinny people, eh you get the picture.

[mpope409]

Originally Posted by crbcrbrgv

The Sugar Land/Missouri City border along Austin Pkwy is also very nice...

...i.e. First Colony, Texas. Check it out:
Welcome to First Colony

[alyce]

Originally Posted by SistaGirl

Here is the deal...My family and I are looking for a major change. Maryland is not like it used to be, so now we are looking to take our winnings from the real estate boom and get to moving. I've visited Sugar Land, but I've heard a lot about Missouri City. My kids are 10 and 12 and I feel that it is important for them to embrace a variety of cultures while getting a decent, free education.

Can anyone shed some light on where would be the best place(s) for us to move? I'm open to other areas, but they must be kid friendly and welcoming to Black families. We will spend up to 300K for a home in an area that fits this description. I work for a university as an administrator, so I want to be close to a university or college.

I'm looking forward to the feedback because we want to make this move in June.

This is a helpful post--I am moving from the same area in June and looking for the same things: diversity, good and safe schools (used to work in education field myself), and overall good people to live around and socialize with as families. I'm enjoying everyone's responses so far--I need all of the help and informaiton that I can get!

[wannamovetotx]

thanks for the info. since we plan on renting b/4 buying a house, any input on apts in the sugar land or missouri city area? i will be working at the medical center. will prefer commuting to work ~ less than 30 mins. also input in great pre-k schools or montessori will be appreciated. Happy Holidays!

[AK123]

There are many good neighborhoods in both of these. The better areas of Sugar Land are generally south, and the better areas of Missouri City are generally west.

So, for example, the border area of where these two meet is a very nice location.

First Colony is an established development that's very good as far as the homes upkeeping, land use, parks, and just how things look in general. No hodge-podge of stores, no ugliness, no billboards, etc. First Colony is mostly in central/eastern Sugar Land and extends into some western portions of Missouri City. Many of the neighborhoods in First Colony have "colony" or "plantation" somewhere in their name. If you live in any of these neighborhoods, you have access to the pools/recreation facilities anywhere in First Colony. I think First Colony is built out and the newest homes (5 years old or newer) are in far west Missouri City.
The area mall is named for First Colony.

New Territory is another established neighborhood, in Sugar Land, that's supposed to be good. Sweetwater is another... very exclusive though, even with homes that aren't huge it's hard to find anything for much less than 500k.

Telfair is a very new development in Sugar Land. Looks nice, but it's so new I don't know much about it yet. Good location for sure. 300's and up.

Riverstone, in Missouri City, is a relatively new development. Very nice from what I've seen, also a great location. Homes in the 200's to something like 3 million.

Lake Olympia and Sienna Plantation, in Missouri City, are a little further down from area shopping/eating than everywhere else. Still good neighborhoods, but you have to drive a little extra to get somewhere.

That's most of what I know...

[AK123]

Also, I think this should be moved to the Houston forum...

[Rick4Life]

Piece of cake, Sugar Land.