22 to 28 Year Old Young Professionals Step In (Houston, Kirby: real estate, apartment complex)

[Dayne411]

Hi,

I'm a 26 year old male, college educated young professional relocating from the Boston area where I've been working in Finance for the past 4 years.

I've recently been offered a job down in Houston to work around 59 and Kirby Rd. I'm looking to get advice on where to live. I only know one other person in the city and he lives just a little west of the galleria. I'm looking to be right in the middle of it all, bars, clubs, restaurants etc.

Budget is 800-1000/mo if renting. I'm also considering buying a house for 200-300k and renting out some of the rooms.

Can any of you recommend some specific apartment complexes or areas I should look to rent/buy?

[vertigo5110]

That part of Houston is referred to as the Upper Kirby area. On one said you have River Oaks which is a very upscale area of Houston and on the other side you have Rice Village which...well, is also very upscale. Rice Village is near Rice University and so there are a few bars and restaurants in that area. If I were you, I'd check out an apartment complex called 36sixty. 36 Sixty - Apartments in Houston (http://www.36sixty.com/home.asp - broken link) A friend of mine lives there and it's really nice. It's located in the Greenway area which is literally right next to Upper Kirby. Your office would be a short drive (if not a short walk). Houston's "party" scene is kind of spread all over so it's hard to live in the middle of "it all" but as long as you're "inside the loop" (that is inside the 610 loop) you should have easy access to a lot of amenities. Good luck on the move!

[Seoid]

If I were to move here again and be in my mid-twenties, I'd rent in Midtown or Montrose/museum dist/ around Rice University.

With Midtown, you'd be right there with a lot of nightlife, restaurants, etc and there are a ton of apartments.

With the other areas, it depends on where you are in those areas to how close you are to the nightlife/restaurants but if not a walk, a short drive.

My brother in law and wife lived off of Kirby and Alabama when he was working in Greenway and often walked to work. Lots of apartments.

Like Vertigo said, as long as you're inside 610, you will be close to so much of what Houston has to offer.

Good luck!

[dv1033]

Originally Posted by Dayne411

Hi,

I'm a 26 year old male, college educated young professional relocating from the Boston area where I've been working in Finance for the past 4 years.

I've recently been offered a job down in Houston to work around 59 and Kirby Rd. I'm looking to get advice on where to live. I only know one other person in the city and he lives just a little west of the galleria. I'm looking to be right in the middle of it all, bars, clubs, restaurants etc.

Budget is 800-1000/mo if renting. I'm also considering buying a house for 200-300k and renting out some of the rooms.

Can any of you recommend some specific apartment complexes or areas I should look to rent/buy?

Nice man, your job is in a great location. I work and live in the area, specifically I live in Montrose which is less than 2 miles east. I pay about $800/month in rent and utilities and live in an older complex. Montrose is the bohemian/artsy part of town and so you can expect that vibe in the bars and restaurants. Although, Montrose has steadily been becoming more affluent. Midtown may be a little more pricey but seems to be more professional; it is located next to Montrose and south of Downtown. Midtown is my drinking spot, it's far less obnoxious than Washington Ave in my opinion; there are plenty of bars but restaurants and other amenities are catching up with the area. Also, some parts of Midtown can be a little rough and there is a large homeless/transient population. I would recommend living west of the light rail, along Bagby St other similar street. Washington Ave/Rice Military is a few miles north of your work. That is probably the "hottest spot" right now. Finally, Upper Kirby is where your work will be located. I believe prices are around the highest of the areas mentioned; lots of living options and amenities.

Use Houston Real Estate - Houston Homes, Houston Home Value and Houston Relocation to search for places. Go to advanced search and search in the Central MLS region 16. Your renting price range will get you in most places. However, single family houses aren't that cheap in this part of Houston but if you do your research you could probably nab a great condo or townhouse.

[tstone]

Agree with all, you'll be landing in an ideal (if not the ideal) spot for someone your age/status. A fringe benefit is you can tell everyone in your circle of friends that you actually live in ''River Oaks'' and no one will question you. Actually that might be a way to pull some tail... perhaps a high maintenance young lass with a "W-The President" sticker on her car. Congrats and have fun.

[Oildog]

Originally Posted by dv1033

Nice man, your job is in a great location. I work and live in the area, specifically I live in Montrose which is less than 2 miles east. I pay about $800/month in rent and utilities and live in an older complex. Montrose is the bohemian/artsy part of town and so you can expect that vibe in the bars and restaurants. Although, Montrose has steadily been becoming more affluent. Midtown may be a little more pricey but seems to be more professional; it is located next to Montrose and south of Downtown. Midtown is my drinking spot, it's far less obnoxious than Washington Ave in my opinion; there are plenty of bars but restaurants and other amenities are catching up with the area. Also, some parts of Midtown can be a little rough and there is a large homeless/transient population. I would recommend living west of the light rail, along Bagby St other similar street. Washington Ave/Rice Military is a few miles north of your work. That is probably the "hottest spot" right now. Finally, Upper Kirby is where your work will be located. I believe prices are around the highest of the areas mentioned; lots of living options and amenities.

Use Houston Real Estate - Houston Homes, Houston Home Value and Houston Relocation to search for places. Go to advanced search and search in the Central MLS region 16. Your renting price range will get you in most places. However, single family houses aren't that cheap in this part of Houston but if you do your research you could probably nab a great condo or townhouse.

Well said. look on Craigs List as well.

[Dayne411]

Originally Posted by dv1033

Nice man, your job is in a great location. I work and live in the area, specifically I live in Montrose which is less than 2 miles east. I pay about $800/month in rent and utilities and live in an older complex. Montrose is the bohemian/artsy part of town and so you can expect that vibe in the bars and restaurants. Although, Montrose has steadily been becoming more affluent. Midtown may be a little more pricey but seems to be more professional; it is located next to Montrose and south of Downtown. Midtown is my drinking spot, it's far less obnoxious than Washington Ave in my opinion; there are plenty of bars but restaurants and other amenities are catching up with the area. Also, some parts of Midtown can be a little rough and there is a large homeless/transient population. I would recommend living west of the light rail, along Bagby St other similar street. Washington Ave/Rice Military is a few miles north of your work. That is probably the "hottest spot" right now. Finally, Upper Kirby is where your work will be located. I believe prices are around the highest of the areas mentioned; lots of living options and amenities.

Use Houston Real Estate - Houston Homes, Houston Home Value and Houston Relocation to search for places. Go to advanced search and search in the Central MLS region 16. Your renting price range will get you in most places. However, single family houses aren't that cheap in this part of Houston but if you do your research you could probably nab a great condo or townhouse.

Thanks for the tips.

It sounds like I'd like the Washington Ave area, I'm so far from artsy its not even funny. I also noticed a lot of the properties in the midtown/montrose area have security gates at the entrance. I assume this is due to the large transient population in the area. I plan to have friends over and don't want them to be scared to park their cars overnight.

I've been looking around on HAR.com its an awesome site, I feel like every major city should have something like that.

I think I'll focus on the Washington Ave/Rice Military area for now. This is the exact kind of place I'm looking for. 4133 Dickson, Houston, TX 77007 - HAR.com

Is it worth my time to look in the uptown/galleria area just west of the loop?

[tstone]

Originally Posted by Dayne411

I plan to have friends over and don't want them to be scared to park their cars overnight.

One of my buddies in Montrose had some genital-artwork chiseled into his hood. Of course it is always a big laugh (along with the pimps & other vagrants around there), and then they reach a certain age.

My car was almost stolen out of my 'gated & secured' apartment in the Medical Center, and I've had a hole punched in my door & dash torn up for a CD player worth $25 in the suburbs.

Houston (and lots of Texas for that matter) is huge on petty car crime. Doesn't matter where they park in this whole region; tell your friends to get insurance and take everything out of it when they park.

[Seoid]

Originally Posted by Dayne411

Thanks for the tips.

It sounds like I'd like the Washington Ave area, I'm so far from artsy its not even funny. I also noticed a lot of the properties in the midtown/montrose area have security gates at the entrance. I assume this is due to the large transient population in the area. I plan to have friends over and don't want them to be scared to park their cars overnight.

Washington may not be much better than Midtown regarding security gates.

Lots of places have security gates but crime happens on both sides of the gate.

[dv1033]

Originally Posted by Dayne411

Thanks for the tips.

It sounds like I'd like the Washington Ave area, I'm so far from artsy its not even funny. I also noticed a lot of the properties in the midtown/montrose area have security gates at the entrance. I assume this is due to the large transient population in the area. I plan to have friends over and don't want them to be scared to park their cars overnight.

I've been looking around on HAR.com its an awesome site, I feel like every major city should have something like that.

I think I'll focus on the Washington Ave/Rice Military area for now. This is the exact kind of place I'm looking for. 4133 Dickson, Houston, TX 77007 - HAR.com

Is it worth my time to look in the uptown/galleria area just west of the loop?

Yea I would say petty crime is an issue in Houston and Midtown and Montrose does have its rough edges; however Washington Ave does to some extant.

That HAR listing is in a great location, especially if you like to run or bike. You would live by a park that connects to a greenbelt running from Downtown to Uptown through Memorial Park. Memorial Park is a huge asset being so close to Rice Military/Washington Ave.