Houston rent is 9% higher than national average

[Keyan]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

Wow, Houston is the Dubai of the US.

Dubai? no way, you can't even walk outside Dubai. It's not even comparible. you can probably walk outside from november - march, it's literally a sauna. their heat is on another level, same with their humidty. dubai is surrounded by water on three sides, houston is an hour away from water. their bus system has enclosed ac's while people sit waiting for the bus. (and its not a luxury thing, its just that hot)

Originally Posted by lipbalm

Hmm..."the hills" as in "hill country" as in and around Austin area? That means they will be running your way. Good, traffic should lighten up around here then. :P

lol right, as if their traffic isn't bad enough

[Yn0hTnA]

Originally Posted by 0825spring

Got that right! I was raised in Texas, graduated from college in Texas and this is second time around living in Houston. Between the high rent, overpriced houses, traffic, heat, humidity, lack of public transportation, poor quality of life, lack of outdoor activities (outside of going to a big park with a lot of other people), bigotry, narrow minds and rude drivers I truly don't understand the appeal in living here other than work. People simply exist here and live to work. How many people do you see with a big smile on their face in the grocery stores, malls or just in general? I see a lot of glum, unhappy people stuck with house payment, hefty car payments, credit card bills, etc. to appear to have it "all."

I miss working with people who actually enjoy their lives and come in Monday refreshed with tales of adventuresome weekends. Driving beat up jeeps, 4 wheel drives, wearing old keens but enjoying the hell out of life. Ah, but Houston is the best place to live in the entire world don't y'all know.

P.S. Yes, I am working on my exit plan. I refuse to just exist. Life is too short.

Actually, plenty of people in Houston do indeed enjoy their lives, and they do "have on big smiles in grocery stores, malls, or just in general." And plenty are "refreshed with tales of adventuresome weekends" come Monday. Quite buying in to the mythology and hype that "Houston has nothing going for it other than work," and you will see that Houston does indeed exhibit the ephemeral allures, and vibes people look for in a city.

Originally Posted by cBach

Isn't it so weird that Houston is such a practical live to work city while the next big city over, New Orleans, is a work to party city? Same weather/climate but totally different attitude. I wonder how it came to be that way.

Because people keep buying into the hypes, and mythologies about Houston being nothing more than a practical city, and then wind up living up to it, ignoring the whimsical, Gulf-Coastal vibe it does indeed share with New Orleans. Basically a form of self-fulfilling prophecy.

Originally Posted by cBach

Houston is regarded as one of the most "indoor" cities in the world.Most cities can bear their weather enough to have outdoor stadiums. Even Miami, which has more humid weather than Houston, has an outdoor pro football stadium.

First of all, Houston does have outdoor an outdoor pro-sports stadium; the BBVA Compass Stadium, home of the Dynamo. So there goes the claim of "not being able to bear the weather."

The other stadiums in Houston, such as NRG, yes, do indeed have retractable roofs, but not because of the supposedly "unbearable" weather. Instead, they just come in handy when trying keep fans in high attendance, and as comfortable as possible, in inclement weather conditions, such as summer rains, which Houston, and Miami get a lot of. That's why the stadium in Miami you mentioned is about to get a roof cover:
Miami Dolphins stadium renovation deal approved by Miami-Dade - Sun Sentinel

Originally Posted by cBach;37683285Houston is a great place for people that want a decent job, cheap living, good food, [B

but they lack depth and character[/b].

If and when the price of oil tanks even more and the economy of Houston falters, people will be running for the hills as soon as possible.

Again, you, like quite a few on here, buy into the canards, and mythologies about Houston offering nothing but jobs. People always keep saying that Houston supposedly lacks this ephemeral depth and character. What is this depth and character to you, and why do you feel that Houston is lacking in that department?

[0825spring]

[quote=Yn0hTnA;37703752]Actually, plenty of people in Houston do indeed enjoy their lives, and they do "have on big smiles in grocery stores, malls, or just in general." And plenty are "refreshed with tales of adventuresome weekends" come Monday. Quite buying in to the mythology and hype that "Houston has nothing going for it other than work," and you will see that Houston does indeed exhibit the ephemeral allures, and vibes people look for in a city.

This is our second time living in Houston. We lived in Denver, London, South Africa and Mumbai before returning. My friend, I hate to break it to you, but it is not a myth or a hype....Houston simply does not have much going for it considering it's size. Also, it's the mindset of most people I meet....I must get ahead, I must climb the ladder, I must go directly from my air conditioned house to car to work and reverse. The life work balance and quality of that life in Houston absolutely sucks compared to the other places I've lived. Well maybe not Mumbai.

I understand why native Houstonians can't comprehend why others don't see the greatness of their city. It's all they know. It's all most want to know. Isn't the center of the universe after all?

I apologize to the broadminded Houstonians who don't believe this. I know you are out there somewhere,

[Keyan]

Originally Posted by cBach

Houston is regarded as one of the most "indoor" cities in the world. Most cities can bear their weather enough to have outdoor stadiums. Even Miami, which has more humid weather than Houston, has an outdoor pro football stadium.

Houston is a great place for people that want a decent job, cheap living, good food, but they lack depth and character.

If and when the price of oil tanks even more and the economy of Houston falters, people will be running for the hills as soon as possible.

Reasons Why Austin Is the Worst Place Ever | VICE | United States



I’ve lived in Austin long enough to know that this city can drive you ****ing crazy. It’s a sweltering, congested sub-metropolis full of slack-asses and yuppies who simultaneously take themselves too seriously and not seriously enough. It's a place where spending $11 on a sandwich is considered a societal good. It’s a place where entitled people claim ownership of everything.

Austin is a place where bad people move. People in Austin actually believe they invented the breakfast taco. People in Austin will tell a Mexican family who has lived on the same street for generations that they’re doing their best to “save the neighborhood.”



lol

[statisticsnerd]

^ Yeah, I get a pretentious vibe from Austin. They try too hard to be "weird" or different or whatever.

[dalparadise]

Originally Posted by NewYorkiforniainHouston

The $600-700 options are still there, I happen to live in one (drumroll.......the infamous Gulfton ghetto )

I've not had any issues here *knocks wood* and i've been here from 2006-2010, then back again from 2012-present (currently in the homebuying process so i'm on month-to-month now though).

The complex I live in (Lantern Village) has a lot of blue collar workers and middle of the road people. There are teachers, cab drivers, a police officer or two, city workers, etc....in other words, people that get up and go to work every day. Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, E. African, etc....seems like there's a little of everyone here. Other posters are correct though, no granite, no stainless steel fridge and oven set, etc. It's clean and things work. When they break, I call maintenance and they come within 24 hours.

My apartment is 1 br. w/d in the unit, electric, gas, water paid for $710. It's 700+ sq ft (probably about 720). There are noises from time to time, as it's part of the territory of living in an apartment setup. I'm picky as EFF and i've heard nothing that would grate my nerves regularly.

Anyway, I shop at the Mexican pastry shops, Seller's Bros. now and again for last minute stuff (I do go to HEB on Fountainview, Whole Foods and Sprouts for 98% of shopping though) and I wash my car at the local car wash. The only encounters i've had there comes from Mexican/Colombian guys trying to spit some game every once in a while I once talked with a bunch of Cuban guys standing around playing music getting their beer drink on while washing the car. Turns out they were from NYC (as I am) and we talked about New York City - subways, different music, places to eat, etc

Halfway decent cheapo complexes are still around, albeit older and not with up to date amenities.

**Disclaimer, if I had kids I wouldn't live around here, although I do see a few kids around the complex. I'm by myself so it's not a big deal**

Take all of this, subtract the in-unit washer/dryer (substitute a corner laundromat) and take out the supermarket in favor of a corner store, subtract 100 square feet and you have a pretty close comparison to the basic setup in The Mission in San Francisco.

The Mission rewards with hip(ster) bars and restaurants, dense urban living and great transit, but fails in seemingly monthly civil unrest and destructive protests, high property crime, vagrancy, and the usual tensions of a neighborhood in perpetual transition and renewal.

The price tag for your nondescript, non-luxury 600 square foot one bedroom in this not-so-desirable area? $2500+.

[Yn0hTnA]

Originally Posted by 0825spring

This is our second time living in houston. We lived in denver, london, south africa and mumbai before returning. My friend, i hate to break it to you, but it is not a myth or a hype....houston simply does not have much going for it considering it's size.

The continued growth, improvement, and prospering of the city at this time refutes this claim of yours right here, as do the many establishments, amenities, and scenes. The city's untapped potential is being utilized surely.

Originally Posted by 0825spring

Also, it's the mindset of most people i meet....i must get ahead, i must climb the ladder, i must go directly from my air conditioned house to car to work and reverse. The life work balance and quality of that life in houston absolutely sucks compared to the other places i've lived. Well maybe not mumbai.

Just because the people you met behaved in that way doesn't mean that the behavior is reflective of the city as a whole; perhaps its just those individuals from the part of Houston you were in. But in any-rate, people all over Houston, and even in the suburbs, from Woodlands, to Sugar Land do indeed exhibit a great balance between work, and enjoyment. Plenty of people take time to enjoy themselves outdoors, even in the heat of summer, which is supposedly miserable in Houston.

Originally Posted by 0825spring

I understand why native houstonians can't comprehend why others don't see the greatness of their city. It's all they know. It's all most want to know. Isn't the center of the universe after all?

I apologize to the broadminded houstonians who don't believe this. I know you are out there somewhere,

Just because I am challenging your ideas about Houston does not mean that I am a Houston native. I don't blame you though; its a mistake Houston naysayers are prone to, especially on these forums.

Houstonians, true broadminded Houstonians, acknowledge the downsides to their city in comparison to some others across the country (albeit in an un-exaggerated manner, unlike the naysayers), but, at the same time, take note of the comparative positives as well. None of that translates to them having no experiences outside of Houston, and having no incentive to undertake such experiences.

Again, if people psyche themselves into the belief that Houston has nothing to offer other than work, then they will miss they miss the enjoyment Houston does indeed offer. Again, its basically a self-fulfilling prophecy.