Job at Medical Center, commute 30 min or less. Where can I buy? (Pearland: homes, neighborhood)

[bichonsforev]

Originally Posted by Lowexpectations

The hours matter for commute times. 6am to 6pm would be more than fine from a lot lore places than 8-5

I checked with new employer today, and unfortunately I won't be able to do much about switching up my hours of work. 8-5, and when on call, have to be there within 30 min no matter what time. But thanks for the suggestions, that would be ideal.

[OkieEric]

I have to disagree with some of the posters - the Heights / Oak Forest really don't make any sense for someone working in TMC unless you love stress and sitting in traffic. We don't have a lot of info from the OP but if you are looking for a house with a yard I'd 2nd the recommendations for Woodside/Woodshire or any of the neighborhoods west of the TMC. With $500K you would probably have to stick south of Brays Bayou. Just do a map search on har

Whoever said they didn't know about the commute from Meyerland but suggested Oak Forest must not have looked at a map lately. Meyerland is infinitely more convenient to TMC. These "Where to live" threads really don't work as you have a lot of people promoting places they know or like, and that's about it

If schools are a big concern just go with Pearland. You can find decent elementary schools within HISD but you will generally find the prices to be above your budget within those areas, particularly in such areas close to TMC (West U, Southgate)

[tstone]

At that budget you may need to look at condos with a patch of grass. I would consider this more of a 15 or 20 minute rule because you have to adjust for any extra traffic, accidents, ambulances, etc. Remember commute time will also include parking, walking to the building (which may include a slow elevator), a tunnel or skybridge, and then going up some more slow elevators. I wouldn't look more than a couple of miles outside of your workplace.

[PinkLadyK]

If you have to be there within 30 minutes, considering the traffic IN the medical center and the nightmare that is parking, then you might as well draw a 2 mile radius around your building and choose from that. I'm not joking.

[Lowexpectations]

Originally Posted by OkieEric

I have to disagree with some of the posters - the Heights / Oak Forest really don't make any sense for someone working in TMC unless you love stress and sitting in traffic. We don't have a lot of info from the OP but if you are looking for a house with a yard I'd 2nd the recommendations for Woodside/Woodshire or any of the neighborhoods west of the TMC. With $500K you would probably have to stick south of Brays Bayou. Just do a map search on har

Whoever said they didn't know about the commute from Meyerland but suggested Oak Forest must not have looked at a map lately. Meyerland is infinitely more convenient to TMC. These "Where to live" threads really don't work as you have a lot of people promoting places they know or like, and that's about it

If schools are a big concern just go with Pearland. You can find decent elementary schools within HISD but you will generally find the prices to be above your budget within those areas, particularly in such areas close to TMC (West U, Southgate)

Is pearland realistically 30 mins away with an 8-5 work schedule? It's showing 26 mins currently on google maps and that's not door to door

[OkieEric]

Originally Posted by Lowexpectations

Is pearland realistically 30 mins away with an 8-5 work schedule? It's showing 26 mins currently on google maps and that's not door to door

Thankfully, I don't know. I actually live near TMC and work downtown, so I know how hectic the area can be

Be careful just putting in "Pearland" in google maps, though, as it defaults to the older area to the east. I was thinking of the areas just off 288 which currently shows < 20 min (light traffic, I'm sure). I have no idea how the school zoning is down there, but if OP is interested in suburban living there is no doubt that Pearland is the most convenient to TMC

[Lowexpectations]

Originally Posted by OkieEric

Thankfully, I don't know. I actually live near TMC and work downtown, so I know how hectic the area can be

Be careful just putting in "Pearland" in google maps, though, as it defaults to the older area to the east. I was thinking of the areas just off 288 which currently shows < 20 min (light traffic, I'm sure). I have no idea how the school zoning is down there, but if OP is interested in suburban living there is no doubt that Pearland is the most convenient to TMC

Ironic recommendation then isn't it given that you don't know and the comments you made?

[nana053]

Originally Posted by OkieEric

Thankfully, I don't know. I actually live near TMC and work downtown, so I know how hectic the area can be

Be careful just putting in "Pearland" in google maps, though, as it defaults to the older area to the east. I was thinking of the areas just off 288 which currently shows < 20 min (light traffic, I'm sure). I have no idea how the school zoning is down there, but if OP is interested in suburban living there is no doubt that Pearland is the most convenient to TMC

Pearland has good schools, but Shadow Creek Ranch and Southern Trails are zoned to Alvin ISD not Pearland ISD.

The commute is not great on 288 to the med center, but lots of people who work in the med center do live here. My granddaughter's girl scout troop leader is a doc at MD Anderson and commutes from her home in Southwyck. Theoretically, the commute should be better once the toll road is completed, but that won't happen until 2019. I would rather see a commuter train, but.... oh, well.

TxDOT chooses partner for 288 toll lanes - Houston Chronicle

[OkieEric]

Originally Posted by Lowexpectations

Ironic recommendation then isn't it given that you don't know and the comments you made?

Not really as my comments were more about people cheerleading their own neighborhoods when there are seemingly better options but I guess that is human nature. I could care less about Pearland, just mentioned it as an afterthought as an option if schools were a high priority given that's where most med center workers seem to live. I suspect schools do not matter (or else would have been asked about) so in that case with $500K I'd carefully look at the other neighborhoods I mentioned since those would offer both a yard and minimal commute time (and no, I don't even live in the area I suggested)

[Altuve]

I would try Linkwood and the neighborhoods around it (will get cheaper as you go south towards 610, more expensive and you go north towards Braes Bayou). You won't get something that is recently updated, but you can get a decent house with a big yard for that amount.

Note that Holcombe and Braeswood have a lot of medical center traffic at rush hours. It can take 20-25 minutes to get from Stella Link to some of the hospitals on Main/Fannin during rush hour on Holcombe, even though you're only traveling a few miles. So you can live within 5 miles and still have a 30 minute commute. I echo what others have said about the Heights, I doubt you could make it to the heart of the medical center in 30 minutes most days from the Heights.