The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Of Houston - Thinking of Relocating to Houston and Want Honest Opinions (apartment, rent)

[sxrckr]

Originally Posted by texantodd

Go look at the green belts they keep around the city. Maybe the country areas outside of the city are not as green but the city itself is far more green. Also has vastly superior and far more attractive parks and far more lakes. The fields for youth sports are immaculate and pristine compared to the utter crap that most of our/Houston's leagues make use of.

Nope. I don't live in Dallas. I did for a time, but not that long really. I'm curently in Midland, and working on moving to Austin actually. My business moves me around alot. You however sound like someone who has never been to Dallas.

I'm from Austin and have spent plenty of time in Houston and Dallas. Yes, I think you're full of it. Outside of what you said about lakes, the rest of your claims about Houston with regard to Dallas are hogwash.

[NYC_transplant_in_Houston]

Traffic in Houston is not worst than NYC ... by far. During the weekend and past 7PM, Houston traffic is reasonable. NYC traffic is horrible 7 days a week. Despite NYC's reputation as being a great commuter town, getting into the city during weekends to enjoy nightlife is horrible - many of the subway lines are closed and traffic is a stand still. If you can stomach $500-$1000 per sq ft living in the city, then yes, it's livable.

[KiaraBoudreaux23]

Im moving to Houston Tx ,77060 area does any one know anything about this area?

[geolvl]

Um, you may as well move to the woodlands being all the way up there.

[barackbff]

From Ohio. Had a fine time living in NYC. Tolerated living in Los Angeles. Love me some Houston.

[palmwind1]

Texan Todd is not accurately portraying the situation. Houston has a dynamic core about 9miles by 7 miles which is comprised of 3 major urban nodes/ downtown areas all within proximity of the other; downtown, the medical center , and uptown/Galleria. This acts like a San Fransisco type low density city with all the sports venues, businesses, restaurants, theatre, museums. Dallas is not set up this way and is not as large and dynamic in its comparable 9 by 6 mile area. It is more dynamic in its central downtown/ Highlands core which is a smaller core than Houston's. Also Dallas does not have the greenery and tree coverage nor the semi tropical , palm tree and live oaks in abundance that Houston has which is a big plus for Houston. Dallas weather is possibly the nations worst in summer with multiple damaging thunderstorms, tornadoes ,hail , did I mention tmperatures as high or higher than Houston but with slightly drier , humidity wise summers and has a colder winter by far , snow, sleet anything Houston does not have. Dallas has a plethora of lakes but Houston has its good lakes and, within 35 minutes of downtown you have access to the beaches. I have vacationed at all the Florida beaches and have lived on Miami beach and Galveston is a great backwater/ historical city with a pleasant beach. The water is not aqua green blue but is ,when I've gone, and most often a pleasant blue grey green. There are times when the surf churns up the sediment and near the breakers the shore water is not pretty but it is during inclement weather and or very high winds when this occurs. Otherwise , Houston has what Dallas has not, a great tropical island extension with pleasant warm breezes and palm trees the likes of south Florida. To the north of Houston is a pine forest and reminds one of the southeast. There are alot of ugly areas to Houston but where it's landscaped and tree covered, it's competitive with any city in the U.S.

[NewYorkiforniainHouston]

Originally Posted by Glossa

Odd grumpy native here. I was born and raised here and if I'm being totally honest, I am not thrilled that so many people are moving here. Not much I can do about it, but he asked for all opinions, so there is mine.

LOL me neither. I've only been here since December 2001 though so i'm no native. It's not so much that people are moving here, but the fact that it's been a MASSIVE INFLUX of bodies and cars upon this city, seemingly all at once. Construction abounds everywhere as the city tries its best to keep up. What used to take 10 minutes is now taking 40 minutes and rising. Rude driving encounters have shot through the roof as people try to navigate the maze that is Houston, and those behind and beside them have to bob and weave to avoid collisions.

Such is life. The only constant is change. Whaddaya gonna do, except keep bobbing and weaving haha. Hopefully when the construction catches up and subsides, things will settle a little (and in the meantime, we will have gotten used to the horrible commute times, long lines at stores, etc)

[curbur]

Originally Posted by KiaraBoudreaux23

Im moving to Houston Tx ,77060 area does any one know anything about this area?

You want to live a little further up along I-45. If you can't afford in the Woodlands, then look at a lot of other cheaper neighborhoods nearby either on the east side of I-45 or west of the Woodlands area like the neighborhoods along Kuykendahl. Another option is too look in the Kingwood area along 59 north of the beltway 8 interchange. The zip code you provided isn't insanely high crime, but there is definitely a criminal element there and the schools are substandard. I would say don't live south of cypresswood dr. or cypress creek parkway/fm1960 along I-45 if you can help it.

[jjbp]

Houston is very friendly to outsiders, and it is by far the most diverse and integrated city that I have ever lived in.

There are lots of social opportunities for people here. There are meet up groups, clubs for people from major universities, bars, sociopolitical groups, arts groups--my husband met many of his post-college friends just from hanging out around his apartment complex (it helped that they were all in O&G).

The crime is fine. I do not feel unsafe here in the least.

In terms of where to live, the traffic is terrible, so if you are unmarried and childless, try to find a place within 10 - 15 minutes of your workplace in rush hour traffic. Amenities are all over the city, so that shouldn't be an issue. I personally favor the south side of the City over the north side and access to 59 over 45 because the traffic is more tolerable on the former than the latter. I would avoid the east side altogether. There is nothing there but the airport.

[UKWildcat1981]

Originally Posted by jjbp

Houston is very friendly to outsiders, and it is by far the most diverse and integrated city that I have ever lived in.

There are lots of social opportunities for people here. There are meet up groups, clubs for people from major universities, bars, sociopolitical groups, arts groups--my husband met many of his post-college friends just from hanging out around his apartment complex (it helped that they were all in O&G).

The crime is fine. I do not feel unsafe here in the least.

In terms of where to live, the traffic is terrible, so if you are unmarried and childless, try to find a place within 10 - 15 minutes of your workplace in rush hour traffic. Amenities are all over the city, so that shouldn't be an issue. I personally favor the south side of the City over the north side and access to 59 over 45 because the traffic is more tolerable on the former than the latter. I would avoid the east side altogether. There is nothing there but the airport.

I like Houston very nice city.