Where to move In Houston? Income? (home, live, car)

[houston lover]

everyone who lives in Sugarland, Katy, Kingwood or Spring say that the commute time is 30 minutes everywhere. The thing is - even living inside the loop and working just outside the loop, it takes me roughly 30 minutes to get places including traffic. I'm just saying that I think people are being overly optimistic about commute times.

[iamCraigHenry]

Depending on the kind of condo/house /loft you are coming from, you might like Midtown. I live there and it's a VERY short commute to downtown. Also you can look at The Heights and Uptown. All are 10-15 minutes to downtown.

$190,000 will take you far here. Based on what your Household debt to income should be which is 31% you can afford a total mortgage payment of about $4,908. I used to modify mortgages at a 31% interest rate and that leaves plenty of income. Now of course you don't have to buy that much house since its only 3 of you but you can afford a very nice home in Midtown.

[iamCraigHenry]

I would NEVER live in Kingwood if I worked Downtown, Houston traffic is miserable and I would prefer a short commute than a long one and pay a little more in housing. My mother lives in Sugarland and the drive from Sugarland to Downtown is AT LEAST a 45 minute drive baring rain or accidents or just normal Houston traffic.

Look at zip codes 77002, 77006, 77019, 77008, and 77056. Those are nice areas with good commutes. School district wise, it depends on which level of school. Elementary, middle, or high school.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by iamCraigHenry

I would NEVER live in Kingwood if I worked Downtown, Houston traffic is miserable and I would prefer a short commute than a long one and pay a little more in housing. My mother lives in Sugarland and the drive from Sugarland to Downtown is AT LEAST a 45 minute drive baring rain or accidents or just normal Houston traffic.

Look at zip codes 77002, 77006, 77019, 77008, and 77056. Those are nice areas with good commutes. School district wise, it depends on which level of school. Elementary, middle, or high school.

I know several that commute from Kingwood to DT. They say it's just over 30 minutes. In fact, chris_ut posted above you - he lives out there. Schools are good, more house for the money, family environment - as opposed to a more "single" environment, etc.

If you look on a map, Kingwood and Cypress look roughly the same distance - however 290 is a parking lot vs. going to Kingwood. That's the difference.

[iamCraigHenry]

well i hate a commute. So I'm biased. I want to sit in traffic the least amount of time as possible.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by iamCraigHenry

well i hate a commute. So I'm biased. I want to sit in traffic the least amount of time as possible.

Yes, but you have to consider what happens once you get home. A family in Midtown vs. a family in a neighborhood with other families.

Yes, a 20 minute commute is better than one of 35, BUT you live at the end of that commute.

[iamCraigHenry]

Well actually Houston lover said this

everyone who lives in Sugarland, Katy, Kingwood or Spring say that the commute time is 30 minutes everywhere. The thing is - even living inside the loop and working just outside the loop, it takes me roughly 30 minutes to get places including traffic. I'm just saying that I think people are being overly optimistic about commute times.

If I understand that correctly, he's saying 30 minutes is undercutting how long it actually takes. I've done the drive from Sugarland to DT and it takes 45 minutes in 8am traffic and that's leaving at 7am. Google Kingwood to Downtown and tell me what you got. I got 36 minutes with no traffic. Again, I am admiting I am biased to inside the loop. It has EVERYTHING and its all within an actual 30 minutes. Lol

There are plenty of families as well as young professionals in Midtown and surrounding areas. Kingwood has that as well. It's all about Eatonswife and where she prefers to live with her husband working downtown.

Eatonswife here is a link to look for the best schools for your 2 year old. Welcome to Houston. Although New York is the greatest city I've ever been to, Houston is a close second :-)

Houston School Information and Houston School Rankings: HAR.com - School Districts

[houselooker]

$1000 a month? I'm assuming you don't have vehicles as you currently live in NY. On just your husbands salary you could afford a very nice house, but plan on buying (2) vehicles if you want to do anything during the day. 2 cars + gas + insurance + maintenance = an additional $1000 assuming you buy decent vehicles.

[chris_ut]

Timing is certainly a factor in commutes but I commute DT daily from Kingwood and avg. 35 minutes drive time, obviously an accident or bad weather will extend that. Kingwood also had a Park and Ride so you can just take the commuter bus right to your building if you don't like to drive. Heck at 190k you could afford to hire a personal driver to drop you off and pick you up for the low cost of living in the suburbs.

[EasilyAmused]

190 k a year they can live IN town, with families and have a reasonable drive to work.

Try Briargrove, parts of Tanglewood,West U, Pinehaven Estates,and Bellaire/Southdale areas.