Opinions on relocation after Ike (Houston, Killeen: apartments, countertops, credit)

[sbhubbell]

Having just relocated here from Philly, no this hurricane has not changed my opinion that it was a good decision in the least. Natural disasters can happen everywhere, although I know the Gulf coast is very prone to hurricanes. At least we had plenty of warning to prepare! People around us were very helpful and friendly, people here have been so very polite and compassionate in this stressful situation. People aren't nearly so polite at the grocery stores in Philly when we are about to get a blizzard.

[travelguy_73]

Originally Posted by Wysiwyg

Do not buy an old house or the cheaply built ones, ones on a flood prone area, ones with trees that can fall ON your house ... and you'll be fine, if you like houston that is

Funny that my neighborhood of 1920's and 30's homes fared very well. The house didn't so much as shake or shudder during the storm. We have 30 original windows in our old house, and not a single one broke. So take with a grain of salt that "old houses" are somehow less sturdy than ones built to new hurricane standards. Old neighbhorhoods have withstood this type of weather before, and as long as they are maintained, will withstand it again.

[Wysiwyg]

Originally Posted by travelguy_73

Funny that my neighborhood of 1920's and 30's homes fared very well. The house didn't so much as shake or shudder during the storm. We have 30 original windows in our old house, and not a single one broke. So take with a grain of salt that "old houses" are somehow less sturdy than ones built to new hurricane standards. Old neighbhorhoods have withstood this type of weather before, and as long as they are maintained, will withstand it again.

which subdivision is it?

[davidt1]

Originally Posted by travelguy_73

Funny that my neighborhood of 1920's and 30's homes fared very well. The house didn't so much as shake or shudder during the storm. We have 30 original windows in our old house, and not a single one broke. So take with a grain of salt that "old houses" are somehow less sturdy than ones built to new hurricane standards. Old neighbhorhoods have withstood this type of weather before, and as long as they are maintained, will withstand it again.

Older house here too. Not a single problem. The quality of the materials used and the quality of the construction weight more than age. I have seen rows of new houses with roof torn off.

[Wysiwyg]

Originally Posted by davidt1

Older house here too. Not a single problem. The quality of the materials used and the quality of the construction weight more than age. I have seen rows of new houses with roof torn off.

which rows of new, 'high quality' homes got roofs torn off? its good info if you can find out whos the builder. nevermind if youre talking about single story homes - yes i bet windows and roofs of those type of houses get less impact from storms

[crbcrbrgv]

I am a Chicago native. I'm not going back to Chicago. I'll take the occasional hurricane and/or flood over scraping ice off my windshield, weeks of no sun in the winter, short summers, 225,000 dollar houses in neighborhoods where people sell cocaine on the street corner and groceries that run you 100 dollars every time whether or not you shop at Whole Foods or the Co-op on the South Side of Chicago. Are there things I miss about Chicago? Absolutely. That's why I visit.

[kmalone4]

I'm still coming next summer. This summer we had tornadoes come through one after the other (just south of Chicago). My apartment flooded twice in the past year. There's something to be contended with everywhere.

[Winebrat]

We are still hoping to get to Houston ASAP...well maybe after the cleanup...Our holdup is selling our house in the Poconos...But I always figure things happen for a reason and maybe the reason we haven't had any bites on our house here is because of the impending/past hurricane. Maybe the cleanup effort there will give us more time to sell our house without the one I have my heart set on being sold...of course, I don't even know if it sustained any damage yet. We are being relocated, so we don't really have much of a choice, but we jumped at the chance and are still jumping...

We plan on being prepared for natural disasters there, just as we are here...a full pantry, backup water and a generator.

[MissDaisy]

Originally Posted by gold dust

oh my MissDaisy...you are so lucky. I want to say I am happy that it fell away from the house but that sounds weird for some reason. Blessings!

Thanks gold dust!! and no, not weird at all...actually that tree was not our favorite (on the very edge of the property line, the fence was actually built to connect on two opposite sides of the tree...and the neighbors yard on the other side of the fence slopes downward...we always thought the situation precarious at best)

So, the silver lining is....if we ever get hit again, and I pray we don't!...We are no longer in danger from that tree! It was a stand alone tree, the others are in a group, and I am thinking there is strength in numbers???

[travelguy_73]

Originally Posted by Wysiwyg

which subdivision is it?

We have a two-story home in Eastwood. If it weren't for falling trees (which don't discriminate based on age of home), the neighborhood might have escaped more damage.

As for high quality new construction, I don't believe the average consumer could tell the difference between a properly constructed home and a "pile of bricks." All we really know is whether or not the trim work is finished properly. Who knows if their house has properly installed hurricane straps, or if the foundation is sufficiently high?