Working at Shell (Pennzoil Building)--best suburb commute (Pearland: live in, rain)

[vegankris]

I would agree with what everyone said about being in the suburbs and commuting into downtown. It won't be fun and if you hated it just that one time.... well... just consider you have to do it day after day after day....

But, the park and ride option is nice if you have your heart set on a suburb. I know Kingwood has it and so does the Woodlands. Clear Lake also has a park and ride.

If you would be willing to look to the inner loop, I would second CityLove's recommendations. We have bought in Eastwood and have our three kids in the Eastwood schools. So far so good! I have a child in Lantrip Elementary, Jackson Middle School, and Eastwood Academy. My husband has been to a couple social events held in the neighborhood and had nothing but wonderful things to say about the people there.

[houstonfan]

"Transitional" is older, more run-down looking neighborhoods that is tansitioning into a more gentrified area. Usually associated with greater chance of home appreciation but maybe also more crime. There's a usually a mix of older houses with newer multi million $ constructions.
Do you want new and uniform looking neighborhood like those masterplanned neighborhoods? If so, you might want to look in the NE side like Summerwood or a townhouse inside the beltway. If you don't mind older houses, look in zip code 77055 too in addition to the ones others have suggested.

[HUM398]

North East Houston (Kingwood, Humble, Summerwood, Fall Creek). All relatively short commutes. Hwy 59 is the best commute in the city.

Fall Creek is 15 mins from downtown with no traffic about 25- with.

[a_guerrajr]

I worked there, from Spring to there at 6am i was there in 20 min
left work at 3:30 and was home by 4

really depends on your hours, but 59 north is usually the best, you also have hardy as an alternative.

[texas7]

Transitional is going from a bad neighborhood to an urban, trendy neighborhood but still has a way to go and is a work in progress so still a mixed of good and bad. Do you need to be in a surburb or would being near town work for you - such as the Heights? Kingwood on 59 north is a pretty sweet commute though - they widened that freeway and its one of the better rides now.

[davidrod8]

Move to Katy and take the bus! Works like a charm!!! 250K will buy you a nice home there, but not inside BW 8 or 610...

I take the bus every morning, takes me about 35-40 minutes depending on traffic... I can relax, read the news on my ipad, sleep, listen to music... it's very nice!!!

I work a couple of blocks from your building... You would have to walk about 1-2 blocks to the stop...

[texas7]

Except if you consider Kingwood - taking a bus would be a choice and not a necessity like it would be to live in Katy because traffic in your own car would be unbearable whereas your own car from Kingwood is a good commute.

[hayesch3]

Thanks to everyone for the help. We are looking at Fall Creek and really like it so far. The commute was great Tuesday. I know it is only one day but I had to fly back to Ohio.

[a_guerrajr]

Summerwood is also a nice neighborhood.

[JimBaker488]

Originally Posted by Supermac34

Every suburb is about a 45 minute to an hour commute to downtown. My advice is to find a neighborhood close to a Park and Ride and utilize that. While it doesn't cut down on the commute time, it cuts down on the stress tremendously.

The P&R is the way to go. Back in the '90s I was working contract for Pennzoil (before Shell bought them), and I took the Park & Ride from Clear Lake downtown to their offices, which is farther out than Pearland. On the other hand my wife worked for SW Bell and had to commute to the Gallery area where there was no P&R, and that commute was a killer. Unless you just like to punish yourself by driving in traffic, buy a house outside the Beltway and take the P&R and read, sleep, whatever on your way to work downtown/home.