Unsure where to buy first home (inside loop vs Woodlands) (Houston: mortgage, how much)

[chris_ut]

You can absolutely raise kids in the loop although the neighborhoods being discussed here, GOOF are just outside the loop similar to Memorial area (honorary innerloopers). For people who think Houston is some crime infested hellhole where your children would be instantly murdered I wonder if they spend any time in the city at all. Go take a blanket and watch a show at Miller Outdoor theatre on a Saturday night and tell me how Houston isn't family friendly.

[radiolibre99]

Yes it's weird how a lot of posters think the inner loop is a haven for criminality and debauchery. It has some of the best neighborhoods the city has to offer hands down.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

Yes it's weird how a lot of posters think the inner loop is a haven for criminality and debauchery. It has some of the best neighborhoods the city has to offer hands down.

I think most have come to accept that the west half of the Inner Loop, and adjacent neighborhoods to the northwest (GOOF) and southwest (Meyerland / Bellaire / Westbury) are perfectly OK places to raise children - which of course means those areas are out of the financial reach of most as well.

At this point the middle suburbs, apart from the Memorial corridor, have the bigger problem being perceived as "family friendly". Despite the fact that when I was growing up that's where most middle class families lived.

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

I think most have come to accept that the west half of the Inner Loop, and adjacent neighborhoods to the northwest (GOOF) and southwest (Meyerland / Bellaire / Westbury) are perfectly OK places to raise children - which of course means those areas are out of the financial reach of most as well.

One thing to add is that there are eastside neighborhoods that are themselves family friendly, but it may be necessary to go to magnet schools for middle and high school.

One classmate went to R. P. Harris on the eastside of Houston. He was a white guy born to Canadian parents, and he loved it at R. P. Harris. He knew that schools like River Oaks Elementary had much better funding (his words was that it "blew R. P. Harris out of the water") but his school was perfectly fine. Then he went to Holland Middle and it became clear that the school was strictly isolating the Vanguard kids (including him) from the general student body for a good reason

A white girl who went to my high school went to Dora Lantrip in the East End, but for middle school she went to Pershing in the magnet program.

[bloodwings19]

Originally Posted by FTWRunner

Commute to the Woodlands would still suck

I left the house at 7:30am, I got to UH (main campus) at 8:00am. I drove fast just like every car in the toll road, but I made it to my work place in 30 minutes from The Woodlands. Commute is not good if you don't research areas of easy passage. If I was single, I would live in Houston, but for kids sake playing outdoor and doing activity, I choose suburbs. If you give your kid a bike, do you feel safe riding in Houston? I used to ride around UH after work to every place, I stopped when I see strange-looking people (with jacket on during summer) on paths. Good luck in your choosing.

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by bloodwings19

I left the house at 7:30am, I got to UH (main campus) at 8:00am. I drove fast just like every car in the toll road, but I made it to my work place in 30 minutes from The Woodlands. Commute is not good if you don't research areas of easy passage. If I was single, I would live in Houston, but for kids sake playing outdoor and doing activity, I choose suburbs. If you give your kid a bike, do you feel safe riding in Houston? I used to ride around UH after work to every place, I stopped when I see strange-looking people (with jacket on during summer) on paths. Good luck in your choosing.

But you wouldn't live near UH. There are neighborhoods inside the loop that have ample yards and outdoor activities, proly more so than the Woodlands. Sigh, OK different strokes for different folks, but the inner loop is oddly looked at by people from the exurbs.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

But you wouldn't live near UH. There are neighborhoods inside the loop that have ample yards and outdoor activities, proly more so than the Woodlands. Sigh, OK different strokes for different folks, but the inner loop is oddly looked at by people from the exurbs.

The big problem is that most everywhere between 610 and SH 6 / FM 1960 is now considered "inner city" by folks despite those areas having been built as 1960s - 1980s suburbs. Somehow it's no longer OK to raise your kids there. It's either spend beaucoup $ to live in preferred Inner Loop semi-suburbia (or GOOF or Meyerland) or live 20+ miles out. Shouldn't people broaden their horizons?

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

The big problem is that most everywhere between 610 and SH 6 / FM 1960 is now considered "inner city" by folks despite those areas having been built as 1960s - 1980s suburbs. Somehow it's no longer OK to raise your kids there. It's either spend beaucoup $ to live in preferred Inner Loop semi-suburbia (or GOOF or Meyerland) or live 20+ miles out. Shouldn't people broaden their horizons?

Yes, I agree. I for one wouldn't even mind giving the Energy Corridor area a chance too. Memorial is gorgeous. I would love to live there too.

I guess I think like a typical millennial. I'd rather spend the money to live in the loop and get less sq footage in exchange for access to the big city amenities among other things. I'd want my kids to experience the parks, museums, culture and the like. But that's just me. I respect other people's decisions but the exurbians are perplexed by this because they have this notion that the kids need a backyard the size of Discovery Green or something to enjoy life. It's as though raising your kids in the city is almost akin to abuse to or neglect.

But I get what you're saying. These are the folks that still call the Galleria area, Downtown. LOL

[Vicman]

University Oaks and Eastwood are nice areas. One with University Oaks is that it's not zoned to great schools. Eastwood's comprehensive secondary schools don't have the best reputation (though there's a poster who likes Eastwood Academy, the alternative academic high school).

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

But you wouldn't live near UH. There are neighborhoods inside the loop that have ample yards and outdoor activities, proly more so than the Woodlands. Sigh, OK different strokes for different folks, but the inner loop is oddly looked at by people from the exurbs.

[WRM20]

I know a number of folks who live in the Greater Heights/Timbergrove/GOOF areas and commute to The Woodlands. It's not bad, from what they say. 30 to 40 minutes, if traffic isn't bad on 45, but there's the option of the Hardy on those days.

Middle schools - Lanier is great, Black has a Vanguard program that's growing, Hamilton is decent, Hogg has a very active Learn Local program, with many zoned students choosing to go there.

Stay in town, you will be fine.