Where to live with kids - memorial or heights? (Houston: houses, neighborhoods)

[ob-doc]

Hello! I am moving to Houston and will be working in the Memorial area. My husband will be in the TMC. We are in our early 30s with 2 small children and want to live somewhere safe with good schools. Memorial seems to be pricey for what we want (4 BR), but the schools are good. Houston Heights has some cheaper options (and can afford newer home), but I hear the schools are not great. We also do not want a commute > 30 minutes. Any input on these two areas for families with kids? Any others we should look into? Thanks!

[EasilyAmused]

What's your budget?

Kids and schools are an easier combination to make in Memorial.K-12 without worries and more family friendly neighborhoods. But it can be done in the Heights as well, it's just not as cut and dry as Memorial.

Depending on your budget, the Briargrove area may work as well. More in the middle of the two locations.

And yes, 4 bedrooms with an excellent school district, in closer to the loop is going to be up there.

[ob-doc]

Budget is $650K. Seems like Memorial, Briargrove, etc. means an older home (1950s-80s). That about right?

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by ob-doc

Budget is $650K. Seems like Memorial, Briargrove, etc. means an older home (1950s-80s). That about right?

1960's. There're really no 80's houses in Briargrove. It's 1960s or 2000 and up, which are over a million.

The 80's houses in Memorial are going for over a million. Even then most of the 1960's houses in the Memorial Villages are over a million. Closer to the Beltway they get less, but that will put you at a longer commute to the Med. Center.

Maybe look at Meyerland and Bellaire or even Spring Valley. But watch the school zoning.

[Lost_In_Translation]

Originally Posted by ob-doc

Budget is $650K. Seems like Memorial, Briargrove, etc. means an older home (1950s-80s). That about right?

Splitting the difference between TMC and Memorial you might look in Bellaire

[Seoid]

Originally Posted by Lost_In_Translation

Splitting the difference between TMC and Memorial you might look in Bellaire

I agree. (I wish I had that kind of a budget!)

My aunt's Memorial Villages home was built in the 60s. I think that's probably a lot of them.

[heightsian]

We chose the Heights over Memorial even though the school issue would be problematic. We did our homework and decided to buy in areas zoned to either Harvard or Travis Elementary Schools -- both of which have a good reputation in the neighborhood. Hogg Middle School is problematic, but it does have a math & science magnet program and I believe Hamilton is a Recognized school. The high school is the real issue, but we figured we could deal with that problem in a decade or so. There is a push in the area to improve the middle schools, especially Hogg, so that made us feel better.

We just really preferred the feel of the Heights to Memorial area -- more restaurants/shops in walking distance and sidewalks (we found it odd that many of the areas in Memorial didn't have sidewalks). For your budget, you could probably get a decent house built in the last 10 years in this area. You won't really have much of a yard. Commute to the Medical Center and Memorial from here is pretty quick (15 minutes to TMC on a Saturday morning but can be longer at rush hour; Memorial is pretty easy to get to and from since it's against traffic).

You won't go wrong with any of the suggestions people have made.

[DJboutit]

Meyerland on the southwest side right near the loop is a good area you can get a nice home for $375k to $500k the area has pretty good schools

[ob-doc]

Thanks, All. Very helpful.

[westres1]

77079