Need help! - Relocating to Houston & Clueless! (Pasadena, Pearland: for rent, home search)

[evenyfl]

Hello Everyone,

My family and I have just recently found out that we are relocating to Houston, TX. We currently have been living in Chicago for only a year and half, and thought we would be moving to PA for a new job. However, my husband has been informed that instead of PA we would be sent to Houston!

With that said, we are totally clueless and need help! We are looking to possibly either rent a home or purchase, our price range for rent would be $1,800 - $2,000. For purchasing we are hoping to stay upper $250K - $300K. We do have a 9 yr. old boy who is special needs but is mainstreamed and so we need an excellent school for him.

Prior to Chicago we lived in Florida for 20 years, so the Houston "weather is not my concern". But any information regarding the best places to live in the suburbs of Houston that at least are within a 35 minute drive to Houston distance would be great! In addition, schools are very important as well, so any help in this area is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for all your help!

[nana053]

You need to tell us where your hubby will be working. Houston is very spread out, so you want to find something where the commute is not horrible.

[v2four]

Originally Posted by evenyfl

Hello Everyone,

My family and I have just recently found out that we are relocating to Houston, TX. We currently have been living in Chicago for only a year and half, and thought we would be moving to PA for a new job. However, my husband has been informed that instead of PA we would be sent to Houston!

With that said, we are totally clueless and need help! We are looking to possibly either rent a home or purchase, our price range for rent would be $1,800 - $2,000. For purchasing we are hoping to stay upper $250K - $300K. We do have a 9 yr. old boy who is special needs but is mainstreamed and so we need an excellent school for him.

Prior to Chicago we lived in Florida for 20 years, so the Houston "weather is not my concern". But any information regarding the best places to live in the suburbs of Houston that at least are within a 35 minute drive to Houston distance would be great! In addition, schools are very important as well, so any help in this area is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for all your help!

there are numerous postings in CD on different Houston area neighborhoods, schools, shopping, family entertainment and nightlife...just do a search or scan the Houston section for details.

also, you probably need to get some internet searching on Houston and find out all you can before you get here...a visit in advance is a must, and unlike Chicago, but just like Florida, Houston does not have a mass transit system, so you will need two cars, one for you and your spouse.

here is a moving or relocation guide to the Houston area, and welcome:

Moving or Relocating to Houston? | Free Relocation Resources

[nana053]

Originally Posted by evenyfl

Hello Everyone,


Prior to Chicago we lived in Florida for 20 years, so the Houston "weather is not my concern". But any information regarding the best places to live in the suburbs of Houston that at least are within a 35 minute drive to Houston distance would be great! In addition, schools are very important as well, so any help in this area is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for all your help!

I lived in Chicago and then in Tampa. Be aware that the weather in Houston is much worse than in Florida, imo. The humidity in Florida is high, but the temps were rarely as high as they are here and it cooled off at night.

We live in Pearland. DS works in Pasadena (so not a bad drive). Many people who live here work at the medical center or the museum district (again not a bad drive, but still can be 45 minutes during rush hour). Traffic here is often a nightmare during rush hour with lots of accidents backing things up and too many cars for the road capacity.

[evenyfl]

Originally Posted by nana053

You need to tell us where your hubby will be working. Houston is very spread out, so you want to find something where the commute is not horrible.

My DH, will be working for Buckeye Pipeline in Houston....I have heard about the north side of Houston being a better place to live but again, I don't know much about Houston. Thanks for your help!

[evenyfl]

Originally Posted by v2four

there are numerous postings in CD on different Houston area neighborhoods, schools, shopping, family entertainment and nightlife...just do a search or scan the Houston section for details.

also, you probably need to get some internet searching on Houston and find out all you can before you get here...a visit in advance is a must, and unlike Chicago, but just like Florida, Houston does not have a mass transit system, so you will need two cars, one for you and your spouse.

here is a moving or relocation guide to the Houston area, and welcome:

Moving or Relocating to Houston? | Free Relocation Resources

Thanks for the link!!! I have now saved it so I can go in there and really start some more extensive research. As for the cars, we have two thank goodness, although Chicago has a mass transit, out here in the suburbs you still need a car to even get to a train station, lol. We came here with two cars from Florida so we are good!

[mikeyyc]

The office is in Greenway.

The thing to remember in your home search is property taxes. While you can easily afford a $250K home, and will get a lot for that money, the property taxes are in the 2-3% range, and potentially even more depending on your neighbourhood.

A 300K home can easily have an additional $750 a month just in property taxes. Of course, no state income tax helps to supplement that, but just something to be aware of.

[evenyfl]

Originally Posted by mikeyyc

The office is in Greenway.

The thing to remember in your home search is property taxes. While you can easily afford a $250K home, and will get a lot for that money, the property taxes are in the 2-3% range, and potentially even more depending on your neighbourhood.

A 300K home can easily have an additional $750 a month just in property taxes. Of course, no state income tax helps to supplement that, but just something to be aware of.

Thanks for that piece of information, I often have wondered though if Texas is anything like Florida & Chicago where the higher the property taxes the better the schools. Is that so for Texas public schools as well?

[Oildog]

www.har.com

Good place to look once you find the address of his office.

[nana053]

Originally Posted by evenyfl

Thanks for that piece of information, I often have wondered though if Texas is anything like Florida & Chicago where the higher the property taxes the better the schools. Is that so for Texas public schools as well?

Yes and no. The state funding formula here leaves a lot to be desired, so some places with high property taxes still do not get their fair share from the state.