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Short background is that I'm originally from KY and my wife is originally from a teeny-tiny town an hour from Omaha, Nebraska. We have lived in New York, NY for 10 years (in Manhattan) and have 2 young children.
While we love NYC in some ways, we don't like other parts of it: high cost of living, high housing costs, cold winters, high stress levels, etc. But the tipping point is really education - our 3 year old is only a year or so from kindergarten, and the education options are in stark contrast - stay in the city and enroll in private school (and all the stress/costs that entails) or move to the 'burbs, pay exorbitant RE taxes and go public. We both prefer not to be in cookie-cutter suburbs, but we definitely don't want to do that outside of NYC.
So, we're looking at a move. My wife wants to explore Omaha since it's close to her family. I also want a smaller city than New York, but am not excited about the Omaha winters and see enormous opportunity in Houston. She is a cancer scientist and Houston has at least 3 large potential employers and Omaha only has UNMC. I am in real estate law and want to sideline in residential rental investments and see tremendous opportunity to do that in Houston.
For those who know both cities, please help me weigh the pros vs cons of both? Anything that highlights the pros and cons well, including culture, economic opportunity, weather, education, best areas to live, quality of life, cost of living, etc.
Anything Omaha has Houston can probably say it has more of and better than. It's 6 times the size after all.
Omaha does have a lot going for it though. I'll just mention a few things that have to do with things you brought up.
UNMC is currently planning a new $370 million cancer research facility. UNMC says they are planning to begin construction within 12 months and it will add 1200 jobs, not all of which would be doctors obviously. I would still assume cancer scientists would be in pretty high demand for them.
Omaha also has a strong real estate development push going on, especially in its urban areas. The house I live in right now in midtown Omaha has risen $25,000 in property value over the past 5 years mostly from surrounding development and renewed interest in the market. 375 apartment units are currently u/c downtown with another ~500 set to start construction by the end of 2012. The last report I saw said there is 98% occupancy rate for downtown and midtown Omaha apartments.
I am sure Houston can claim just as much though.
Have you or your wife visited Omaha recently? I would suggest at least giving it a weekend, if you haven't seen the city for 10 years you wont hardly recognize some parts of it.
Thanks iamjacobm. We've both been to Omaha within the last couple months and drove through some of the residential areas like District 66 and Regency in particular. It's definitely nice.
We've both received lukewarm interest to job inquiries, so just not sure what to make of that (and we're both qualified for the positions we expressed interest in).
How are the winters - have you ever lived somewhere warmer to give a comparison? It's really tough to compare such different places...
Thanks iamjacobm. We've both been to Omaha within the last couple months and drove through some of the residential areas like District 66 and Regency in particular. It's definitely nice.
We've both received lukewarm interest to job inquiries, so just not sure what to make of that (and we're both qualified for the positions we expressed interest in).
How are the winters - have you ever lived somewhere warmer to give a comparison? It's really tough to compare such different places...
I lived in Omaha for over 10 years and living in Houston currently for the past 5 years. Houston's weather is pretty brutal from about May to September where temperatures are consistently 85+ degrees with pretty high humidity. There will be occasional breaks in the summer in the form of showers but that's it. However during the rest of year, it can be pretty pleasant with lows barely dipping below freezing only a few times a year. For me though, I kind of prefer Omaha's weather just because I like having four seasons and I adapt better to cold rather than hot weather. Hot weather hasn't really stopped me from enjoying my time in Houston though. I'm not sure about New York's weather, but I'm pretty sure Omaha can get much colder than NYC where below 0 temperatures in Omaha are not uncommon at all during the meat of winter. So if below 0 temperatures is a turn off, Omaha might not be for you.
As for the education question, I would say Omaha has the edge here. From what I hear here in Houston, primary and secondary education is a hit or miss really depending on where you live or if you choose to go private. I got most of my education in Omaha, and there aren't too many bad schools that I know of in the area. I'm unfamiliar with Houston's schools, so I would ask the Houston board if your interested or need more details about moving here. I wish I could be more helpful on this question.
I lived in Omaha for over 10 years and living in Houston currently for the past 5 years. Houston's weather is pretty brutal from about May to September where temperatures are consistently 85+ degrees with pretty high humidity. There will be occasional breaks in the summer in the form of showers but that's it. However during the rest of year, it can be pretty pleasant with lows barely dipping below freezing only a few times a year. For me though, I kind of prefer Omaha's weather just because I like having four seasons and I adapt better to cold rather than hot weather. Hot weather hasn't really stopped me from enjoying my time in Houston though. I'm not sure about New York's weather, but I'm pretty sure Omaha can get much colder than NYC where below 0 temperatures in Omaha are not uncommon at all during the meat of winter. So if below 0 temperatures is a turn off, Omaha might not be for you.
As for the education question, I would say Omaha has the edge here. From what I hear here in Houston, primary and secondary education is a hit or miss really depending on where you live or if you choose to go private. I got most of my education in Omaha, and there aren't too many bad schools that I know of in the area. I'm unfamiliar with Houston's schools, so I would ask the Houston board if your interested or need more details about moving here. I wish I could be more helpful on this question.
Yeah, REALLY not excited about 0 degrees, wading through feet of snow, etc.
I grew up in Omaha, and we didn't see 0 degrees that often, at all...not even every winter. Obviously, you can't compare winter there to Houston's winter, but you've been living in New York...Omaha's winter won't be that much different. If you don't want snow...move to Houston.
Houston TX. Except for its hot summer, Houston has a lot to offer and is now very diversified economically. Don't know about real estate investments or how they pencil, since rental rates seem low and property taxes are high (at least in the residential sector). But, somehow, they must pencil or people wouldn't be into it.
Location: The land of sugar... previously Houston and Austin
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Originally Posted by Ryves
While we love NYC in some ways, we don't like other parts of it: high cost of living, high housing costs, cold winters, high stress levels, etc. But the tipping point is really education - our 3 year old is only a year or so from kindergarten, and the education options are in stark contrast - stay in the city and enroll in private school (and all the stress/costs that entails) or move to the 'burbs, pay exorbitant RE taxes and go public. We both prefer not to be in cookie-cutter suburbs, but we definitely don't want to do that outside of NYC.
I also want a smaller city than New York, but am not excited about the Omaha winters and see enormous opportunity in Houston. She is a cancer scientist and Houston has at least 3 large potential employers and Omaha only has UNMC. I am in real estate law and want to sideline in residential rental investments and see tremendous opportunity to do that in Houston.
Houston sounds like a good fit. She will get great experience as a cancer scientist, especially at M. D. Anderson which is tops in the country. Depending on your housing budget, there are some very good public schools within Houston (but the prices on the housing in those areas may surprise you with how high it is)... West University Place is a very nice area. Or you could look in Sugar Land which is the nicest outer suburb that still has reasonable access to the Texas Medical Center in my opinion. It has some areas with older historic homes if you're not into the cookie-cutter thing.
Yeah, REALLY not excited about 0 degrees, wading through feet of snow, etc.
Houston is equally as bad in the opposite way. You won't be excited about 100 degrees, and wading through feet of water.
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