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Old 11-20-2007, 02:36 PM
 
9 posts, read 48,685 times
Reputation: 20

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My wife and I moved here (to Katy, specifically) 7 months ago from Minneapolis for my work. We were excited to try living in a new city and gamely gave it a go.

However, we have had it with this place and need to get out. As a service to others considering Houston, I will offer my reasons here. I am not trying to be overly harsh or insulting; this is my opinion having lived here for less than a year.

1. COST OF LIVING.

Living here is not as cheap as people say. For example, while it is true that housing in SOME areas is "cheaper" (meaning lower listing price) than many parts of the country (such as Minneapolis), those areas are usually very far out in the suburbs, or in extremely undesireable inner city areas. The "nice" areas in Houston are as expensive or more expensive than many other cities in the US.

On top of that, property taxes, homeowners insurance, and car insurance are all about double what they were in Minneapolis, and sales taxes are higher as well. Yes, there is no state income tax, these other items more than make up the difference.

Because of having to drive a lot, we spend 3 or 4 times as much on gas as we did before. The regular freeways are really bad here traffic-wise, but if you take the tollways you are paying even more. We spend about $300-$500 a month on gas and tolls, versus less than $80 a month on gas and no tolls in MN. (More on traffic later).

So, all in all the cost of living is much higher than you might think from looking at the price of houses out in the way-out suburbs like Katy or the Woodlands.

2. TRAFFIC/ROADS

If you move to the Houston area, be prepared to spend a lot of time in your car to do ANYTHING, not just going to work. Pedestrians and bicyclists are a rare sight, probably because the weather and air quality preclude being outside very much anyway (more on the weather later).

The streets of Houston will do major damage to your car. I thought Minneapolis had potholes, but it seems nearly every block in Houston has at least one giant pothole, as well us numerous cracks, bumps, etc, that make it feel like you are driving on an off-road course.

The freeways during rush hour are parking lots. I have learned to leave for work by 6:15am to avoid the worst of it, but if for some reason I leave too late it takes me double or more of my usual commute time.

Houston drivers don't seem better or worse than elsewhere. I don't see as much aggressive driving as I've seen elsewhere, but I do see a total lack of turn signal usage, which is annoying (though not enough of a reason to move away by itself ) The number of F150/Dodge Ram/other giant pickup trucks driven by one person as a commuter vehicle is astounding. What will they do when gas is $8/gallon?

3. WEATHER AND AIR QUALITY

Houston is hot and humid - no surprise there. At least the winters are mild, right? I wouldn't know, because it is still basically summer as far as I can tell (81 and humid right now, the day before Thanksgiving). In the middle of summer, even at 5 am on many days it was 80 and humid. When it wasn't super-hot it was raining.

The humidity and lack of real cold make for a very rich environment for mold, bacteria, etc. On humid days (which is most of the time) there is often a bad smell in the air; it smells like armpits, like dog poop, like mold, etc., depending on where you are. Natives have probably tuned this out, but I am bombarded with it constantly. Not only that, but my wife and I are having health issues (skin and respiratory) that we've never had before living here. My wife's allergist (a native Houstonian) told her that that is just what Houston is like.

4. HOUSTON CULTURE and COMMUNITY, etc.

Native Texans are very friendly and outgoing. I do like that about Houston.

The symphony, museums, restaurants, etc. in Houston are nice, though as I said before be prepared to drive a lot to go to them. We have given up on doing anything during the week other than watch movies at home because of the traffic.

Generally, people here don't seem to care about much outside their own circle of existence. At the grocery store, for example, most people just leave their shopping cart in the parking spot where they parked after they are done with it. So the parking lot is full of abandoned carts blocking access for other people trying to park. Another example: the streets of Houston are full of trash. Everywhere you look there are discarded fast food cups, cigarette butts, and misc. garbage and debris. Natives probably just overlook it, but if you actually look outside you see it everywhere.

The urban design of Houston is atrocious. Outside of a few nice areas, it is one of the ugliest cities I have ever seen. It seems like every block has a strip mall with an adult bookstore, a nail shop, and an abandoned storefront. Then the next block is an empty lot filled with weeds. It goes on and on.

There are a few nice parks in Houston but because of the weather they aren't particularly useful. I have always meant to check out Memorial Park but again, traffic turns it into a major excursion when all I want to do is have a relaxing time at the park.

---

I could write more, but those are the main reasons for wanting to leave. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask.

Last edited by jplotz; 11-20-2007 at 02:58 PM..

 
Old 11-20-2007, 02:47 PM
 
Location: Chambers County
1,132 posts, read 2,114,571 times
Reputation: 1178
You make valid points. I never actually lived in Houston, but we sure visited there a lot when I was a kid. Had season passes to now-defunct Astroworld. The past 10-15 years have seen a terrible decline in the city itsself. It's dirty, expensive and dangerous. As an American, I feel like I am in a forgien land. I have eaten in some regular Houston restraunts, and the staff apparently speaks no English. I hate it when they look at you dumbfounded because you don't speak THEIR language... For the most part, I just stay out now.
 
Old 11-20-2007, 02:53 PM
 
Location: Clear Lake, Houston TX
8,376 posts, read 30,579,566 times
Reputation: 4718
1. COST OF LIVING - I read a few articles that put Houston just barely under the national average when you consider all things. However when you compare large metro areas like ours (over 5 million people), it is very low. This is why you hear people spout off about how cheap it is. Yeah, compared to LA, SF, SD, Phoenix, Chicago, NYC, Miami, etc.

2. TRAFFIC/ROADS - As far as pickup trucks go, when gas is $8/gallon, some people who own them will live in them, if they already don't. Lots of people here have SUV's nicer than their homes. And this native will tell you that a lot of people here (and in TX) have short-term outlooks and anti-intellectual attitudes when it comes to energy or environmental issues. Oh well. A full size sedan (the size of a big truck) is probably the smoothest way to cruise around town. With a small V6 you can get 20-28 miles/gal, too.

3. WEATHER AND AIR QUALITY - Welcome to the Dirty South. Take Benadryl, multiple showers a day, and use that foaming 99 cent bleach cleaner inside your house. Stay away from fast food restaurants and cheap cafeterias in the summer unless you're picking food up. Sometimes they can get pretty ripe. Yes, we natives notice this.

4. HOUSTON CULTURE and COMMUNITY, etc. - Traffic is a way of life here. Take it or leave it, but you'll never get rid of it. Just like Los Angeles. And I agree with the debris and trash, but have you been to LA recently? Houston is clean in comparison.
 
Old 11-20-2007, 03:21 PM
 
Location: Houston
241 posts, read 1,174,924 times
Reputation: 97
You should of been aware of these issues before you moved here. If you actually made the investment into a home in this city and weren't aware of the valid points you made than you made a poor investment by purchasing and leaving so soon. You are moving into one of the largest / most dense cities in the country, all those things come hand in hand. You aren't going to get much country living in a large city... I leave for work at 7:30 in the morning and get home at 6:45 at night. But you know what, my weekends are a blast and my evenings are nice and peaceful. If you live in Katy how can you not find something to do that isn't within 15 minutes of your home... even during traffic hours. Plus, that's pretty far out from the inner city, air quality is fair/good out there. I don't see many adult bookstores, run down outlets, or empty lots of weeds. Katy is beautiful.
 
Old 11-20-2007, 03:28 PM
 
Location: where nothin ever grows. no rain or rivers flow, TX
2,028 posts, read 8,095,222 times
Reputation: 451
its hard to make all the sacrifices living in houston when you dont have a dear family member whos at home in houston. its like doing time in saudi arabia but you have to spend your earnings to operate(housing, transportation etc)
 
Old 11-20-2007, 03:36 PM
 
9 posts, read 48,685 times
Reputation: 20
You should of been aware of these issues before you moved here. If you actually made the investment into a home in this city and weren't aware of the valid points you made than you made a poor investment by purchasing and leaving so soon. You are moving into one of the largest / most dense cities in the country, all those things come hand in hand. You aren't going to get much country living in a large city... I leave for work at 7:30 in the morning and get home at 6:45 at night. But you know what, my weekends are a blast and my evenings are nice and peaceful. If you live in Katy how can you not find something to do that isn't within 15 minutes of your home... even during traffic hours. Plus, that's pretty far out from the inner city, air quality is fair/good out there. I don't see many adult bookstores, run down outlets, or empty lots of weeds. Katy is beautiful.

We didn't buy a house - we are renting a house, which is generally a good idea when moving to a new part of the country. I was aware of some of these issues but didn't think they would be as bad as they are and really did try to make the best of it. Given my experience, I am only trying to help others.

South Katy is very pretty. Other parts of Katy look a lot like Houston (i.e., ugly). The air quality is not just a function of pollution, its also the humidity and organic material such as mold which exists everywhere, not just in the city proper.

For some people, I'm sure Katy is fun. I was hoping to enjoy some golf, but the courses in Katy are all private or semiprivate and cost 3x as much as courses I've played elsewhere. The restaurant situation is pretty grim (unless you like Chilis). There is GWB park, but most of the time so far it has been way too hot and humid to enjoy it. Even in Katy you have to drive to do anything at all and traffic is getting to be horrendous (come see Fry and Grand Parkway at 5:30, the traffic is literally backed up 1/3 of a mile sometimes on Fry...)
 
Old 11-20-2007, 03:48 PM
 
Location: Erie, PA
713 posts, read 1,859,098 times
Reputation: 180
Ewww. Does the Houston area really smell like dog poop?
 
Old 11-20-2007, 03:48 PM
 
Location: Clear Lake, Houston TX
8,376 posts, read 30,579,566 times
Reputation: 4718
Quote:
Originally Posted by jplotz View Post
South Katy is very pretty. Other parts of Katy look a lot like Houston (i.e., ugly).

This part of Texas that is in the "south's west" ... that is: between Beaumont and San Antonio, south of I-10 and east of I-35... generally got the short end of the stick regarding natural beauty. As opposed to say, Georgia and Atlanta. Oh well. The air quality in the entire eastern half of TX will drive you nuts if you're allergic. Some people say the allergies are worse in Austin than anywhere else. It just depends on your body reaction I guess. But researching these things prior to moving helps a bit.

Hey - at least you didn't buy a house!
 
Old 11-20-2007, 03:51 PM
 
Location: from houstoner to bostoner to new yorker to new jerseyite ;)
4,084 posts, read 12,637,633 times
Reputation: 1973
Quote:
Originally Posted by kpoeppel View Post
Ewww. Does the Houston area really smell like dog poop?
Yes, all 600 sq. mi.
 
Old 11-20-2007, 03:54 PM
 
Location: from houstoner to bostoner to new yorker to new jerseyite ;)
4,084 posts, read 12,637,633 times
Reputation: 1973
Quote:
Originally Posted by jplotz View Post
My wife and I moved here (to Katy, specifically) 7 months ago from Minneapolis for my work. We were excited to try living in a new city and gamely gave it a go.

However, we have had it with this place and need to get out. As a service to others considering Houston, I will offer my reasons here. I am not trying to be overly harsh or insulting; this is my opinion having lived here for less than a year.

1. COST OF LIVING.

Living here is not as cheap as people say. For example, while it is true that housing in SOME areas is "cheaper" (meaning lower listing price) than many parts of the country (such as Minneapolis), those areas are usually very far out in the suburbs, or in extremely undesireable inner city areas. The "nice" areas in Houston are as expensive or more expensive than many other cities in the US.

On top of that, property taxes, homeowners insurance, and car insurance are all about double what they were in Minneapolis, and sales taxes are higher as well. Yes, there is no state income tax, these other items more than make up the difference.

Because of having to drive a lot, we spend 3 or 4 times as much on gas as we did before. The regular freeways are really bad here traffic-wise, but if you take the tollways you are paying even more. We spend about $300-$500 a month on gas and tolls, versus less than $80 a month on gas and no tolls in MN. (More on traffic later).

So, all in all the cost of living is much higher than you might think from looking at the price of houses out in the way-out suburbs like Katy or the Woodlands.

2. TRAFFIC/ROADS

If you move to the Houston area, be prepared to spend a lot of time in your car to do ANYTHING, not just going to work. Pedestrians and bicyclists are a rare sight, probably because the weather and air quality preclude being outside very much anyway (more on the weather later).

The streets of Houston will do major damage to your car. I thought Minneapolis had potholes, but it seems nearly every block in Houston has at least one giant pothole, as well us numerous cracks, bumps, etc, that make it feel like you are driving on an off-road course.

The freeways during rush hour are parking lots. I have learned to leave for work by 6:15am to avoid the worst of it, but if for some reason I leave too late it takes me double or more of my usual commute time.

Houston drivers don't seem better or worse than elsewhere. I don't see as much aggressive driving as I've seen elsewhere, but I do see a total lack of turn signal usage, which is annoying (though not enough of a reason to move away by itself ) The number of F150/Dodge Ram/other giant pickup trucks driven by one person as a commuter vehicle is astounding. What will they do when gas is $8/gallon?

3. WEATHER AND AIR QUALITY

Houston is hot and humid - no surprise there. At least the winters are mild, right? I wouldn't know, because it is still basically summer as far as I can tell (81 and humid right now, the day before Thanksgiving). In the middle of summer, even at 5 am on many days it was 80 and humid. When it wasn't super-hot it was raining.

The humidity and lack of real cold make for a very rich environment for mold, bacteria, etc. On humid days (which is most of the time) there is often a bad smell in the air; it smells like armpits, like dog poop, like mold, etc., depending on where you are. Natives have probably tuned this out, but I am bombarded with it constantly. Not only that, but my wife and I are having health issues (skin and respiratory) that we've never had before living here. My wife's allergist (a native Houstonian) told her that that is just what Houston is like.

4. HOUSTON CULTURE and COMMUNITY, etc.

Native Texans are very friendly and outgoing. I do like that about Houston.

The symphony, museums, restaurants, etc. in Houston are nice, though as I said before be prepared to drive a lot to go to them. We have given up on doing anything during the week other than watch movies at home because of the traffic.

Generally, people here don't seem to care about much outside their own circle of existence. At the grocery store, for example, most people just leave their shopping cart in the parking spot where they parked after they are done with it. So the parking lot is full of abandoned carts blocking access for other people trying to park. Another example: the streets of Houston are full of trash. Everywhere you look there are discarded fast food cups, cigarette butts, and misc. garbage and debris. Natives probably just overlook it, but if you actually look outside you see it everywhere.

The urban design of Houston is atrocious. Outside of a few nice areas, it is one of the ugliest cities I have ever seen. It seems like every block has a strip mall with an adult bookstore, a nail shop, and an abandoned storefront. Then the next block is an empty lot filled with weeds. It goes on and on.

There are a few nice parks in Houston but because of the weather they aren't particularly useful. I have always meant to check out Memorial Park but again, traffic turns it into a major excursion when all I want to do is have a relaxing time at the park.

---

I could write more, but those are the main reasons for wanting to leave. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask.
Wishing you a safe and speedy return to Minneapolis. I hear the weather is lovely this time of year!
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