Neighborhood Choices for Family with Kids (Houston, Sugar Land: houses, neighborhoods, preschool)

[DrD76]

Hello everyone,
My family (wife, 2 infants and 2 dogs) & I are planning to move to Houston, TX from Tucson, AZ sometime this year. I work as a consultant, so work location is not very important.
The two places that we will be frequently commuting to/from our future HOME are:
1) (Daily commute) DAV Montessori PRE-School for my kids, located on 14375 Schiller Rd, Houston, TX 77082
2) (Weekly commute) Houston Airport

I have been looking at ZILLOW and TRULIA and HAR and other websites, but was wondering if people in this forum can give me their first-hand experience and advice on preferable neighborhood choices in Houston in terms of:
1) frequent commute to/from this PRE-school and airport
2) close proximity to good Elementary, Middle and High Schools as my kids grow
3) goes without saying, but, safe residential neighborhoods where there's more of 'families with young kids'

As I mentioned before, work location is not going to be a criteria in my search. Once I figure out which neighborhood we want to be in, we will be looking for a home for the next 15+ years with the following preferences:
1) Single Story
2) Max budget of $600k
3) At least a Quarter acre lot
4) At least 2500 sq. feet
5) 3+BR, 2+BA

Hope that is not too much to ask for!

Thanks very much!

[EasilyAmused]

Nottingham Forest 77079.

[imback]

WHICH airport?

The Houston area has two major airports - IAH (to the far north) and Hobby (to the south).

Depending on where and what times of day you are flying to every week, the air services from one one airport might be superior to the other, so living closer to that one might make a lot of sense. (Living on one side of town and having to drive regularly to the airport on the other side of town would be one of the many variants of "Houston commuting hell". Even living sort of "in the middle" between the two airports might still make for a rather unpleasant trek to either one.....).

[DrD76]

Thank you 'EasilyAmused' and 'imback'!
I will be flying out of IAH.
Appreciate your inputs.

[ToyYot]

Your pre-school requirement is a bit limiting; there are many other Montessori preschools throughout Houston. Why not pick the area first then the school? Westside Montessori is popular in our neighborhood.

77079 is a good choice as its equidistance in time and mileage to both airports. IAH isn't too bad to get home to 77079 in rush hour. I fly Southwest domestically but not sure about Hobby as I tend to get in later in the evening.

[ToyYot]

Originally Posted by DrD76

Thank you 'EasilyAmused' and 'imback'!
I will be flying out of IAH.
Appreciate your inputs.

Just saw this, you need a different pre-school!

[DrD76]

HaHa Thanks ToyYot for your inputs. That is the feeling I was getting when searching for homes around that pre-school, so I thought I'd ask folks on this forum.
I have a very personal reason in picking that particular pre-school. If I don't find anything satisfying ALL of my criteria, I am of course, open to expanding my search area.
I must perhaps expand on why that school is of interest to me. I am from India, and that particular school (DAV Montessori School) provides Montessori education along with Indian culture and language, to kids up to First Grade (7 yrs old).
My twins are still infants, but, in planning ahead, I thought I'd have them go to that school, at least till 1st Grade, learn a bit of where I come from, and then move on to whatever's available later.

[imback]

DrD76 - you do know that while Indian people reside all over Houston, there is a substantial community in the more southwest quadrant of the metro area - namely in Sugar Land and other parts of Fort Bend County. Also located along the same southwest trajectory (but in the City of Houston in Harris County) is an area with a very high concentration of Indian restaurants, shops, business, etc.... which is known locally as "Little India" or even just "Hillcroft" (it's actual official name is the Mahatma Gandhi District) - this area is more or less along and radiating from Hillcroft Avenue as it passes north of Highway 59.

I think that in these areas there are Indian cultural centers, classes, events, etc.. including some geared to children, though I am not so sure if there is that particular combination of Indian culture and Montessori (!)

Unfortunately - while not too far from Hobby Airport, all of this is very far indeed from IAH.

[longhorn96]

If you are just commuting to IAH on a weekly basis (e.g. Fly out Monday, fly back Thursday) then Sugar Land or Richmond might be a good choice, as they aren't too far from DAV montessori. The drive to IAH is far, but not too bad if you're only doing that drive weekly. I live in Aliana and that preschool is only about 20 minutes away (my kid goes there). But I don't think you will find 1/4 acre lots in Aliana.

If I have misunderstood and you have to commute to IAH more often than that, then I would definitely consider other areas perhaps between IAH and the preschool.

[Corridor Chick]

Parkway Villages/Lakes of Parkway, Briar Forest between Eldridge and 6 has homes in your price range, and Barbara Bush Elementary may be the best HISD elementary in west Houston. Not sure of the reputation of West Briar Middle and Westside High. I think the houses were built in the late 80s-90s.

Barkers Landing, off of 6 between Memorial and 10 is in Katy ISD. Zoned to Wolfe Elementary in the neighborhood, Memorial Parkway Middle, and Taylor High, both in the Westgreen/Provincial area of Katy. Not sure about those school's ratings.

Both neighborhoods are a straight shot up 6 from Schiller Rd.

But as other posters have said, there is a large Indian population in Sugar Land.