Looking for an apartment with public transport (Metro) or walking distance to downtown (no car) (Houston: for sale, apartment complex)

[zuozuo9192]

My husband and I will be moving to Houston in April with a toddler. We are new to Houston. We will rent an apartment for 6 months before we buy a house. Greatly appreciate suggestions for apartment complexes that fit the following criteria:

1) Frequent public transport to Downtown (i.e., Metro) with maximum one-way commute of 30 minutes or walking distance to Downtown – My husband will be working in Downtown (he will have late hours) so this is key. We will not have a car for the first 6 months (no flexibility on this as we need to re-learn how to drive after living in major cities for ages!)
2) Furnished but just looking for the basics (bed, chairs, table, etc.)
3) Maximum rent of $2,000 per month but of course, more than happy to pay as little as possible :-)
4) Minimum square footage of ~750 sq ft (1 or 2 bedrooms both fine)
5) Open to Downtown area but happy to live anywhere on Metro line as long as commute is less than 30 minutes on-way – I understand living in Downtown will mean the nearest major grocery store is Randall’s in Midtown. Not the most convenient especially with a toddler but I think we can make do if the other criteria can be met
6) Would prefer an area that is kid-friendly (play areas in the building, parks nearby, other moms/kids in the area) but not mandatory

Based on my preliminary research, I found an apartment complex called Humble Towers in the downtown area but the recent reviews aren't great. Any thoughts on this? Would love suggestions for apartments that may meet the above criteria. Thanks!

[zuozuo9192]

Can anyone help? Much appreciated on any thoughts on this. Thanks!

[DJboutit]

Here are some town homes for sale walking distance to the Fannin south light rail station

9413 Southwest Fannin St HOUSTON for Sale Here

2041 Fannin Station Houston for Sale Here

Here in Houston you need a car mass transit is not good enough to not have a car

[theSUBlime]

Other than Downtown/Midtown, you really want to look at the Museum District and Montrose. I think these neighborhoods have the best connectivity. If it's after 12 am though, you will have issues, as the buses stop running then. Get Your Walk Score - Find Walkable Apartments and Rentals might be able to help you. Being a pedestrian in Houston is not for the faint of heart, and it's not easy I will reiterate, but it can be done, especially if you're not used to a sedentary lifestyle. However, you will have to put up with drivers who have never seen pedestrians (lots of unsafe driving), bad/no sidewalks (residents pay for them) and summer heat (what we've been blessed with). To be honest, I wouldn't advise it for someone with a toddler, but those are your options.

[Mr. Krinkle]

One Park Place is located downtown and next to Discovery Green Park. Great spot, but It may be out of your price range though, not sure. I know of a family living there right now until they get their house built.

These places have good reviews:
Houston Corporate Apartments
https://plus.google.com/109790306207...ut?gl=us&hl=en

These are nice as well, but not sure about a bus stop close by. You can always get a bike. Just minutes from downtown and there is a bike trail that leads to downtown:
Memorial by Windsor
Houston, TX Apartments - Memorial by Windsor - Windsor Communities
edit: I just checked and you can walk a couple of blocks to Washington Ave. or W. Dallas and get a bus. It may be tough to get a bus late in the night though.

I'm sure there are a few furnished apartments in the Museum District due to all of the hospitals and visiting families. The medical center (right next to the Museum District is basically another downtown, but the zoo and park is close by.
Got to Houston Hotels, Houston Motels, Houston Apartments, Houston Furnished Apartments, Houston Housing

Montrose is a great neighborhood, but I don't think you will find much furnished living there.

[zuozuo9192]

Thanks, I hear the point about the difficulty of living in houston without a car but we are without a car for the first 6 months by necessity. We have lived in major east coast cities for 10+ years where just about everyone takes mass transit so we need to relearn how to drive. We have also been living abroad the last 2 years so moving from overseas where it is not possible to learn how to drive or own a car. We hope to learn how to drive and rent in the first 6 months and then buy a place. Keep the suggestions coming!!! Will research every one of them. Anyone have thoughts on humble towers apartment in downtown? Thanks.

[winkosmosis]

The bus isn't going to be very pleasant. Light rail is better, but I don't think it goes by any groceries. This isn't really going to work. You need a car.

And you aren't going to find the parks and such you're looking for. This is Houston, not New York and not Austin. The good urban neighborhoods are few and small.

[imback]

You are trying to replicate a young-family urban lifestyle that might be viable in Manhattan or Kensington, but which is not really possible in Houston - at least not at the prices you are proposing to pay. Several posters have told you this, and have also pointed out the limitations of Houston publlc transportation and the necessity of having a car. But you brush aside the good advice you have been given, and persist in chasing a fantasy of - at $2000/month rent no less! - a First Arrondissement-type life and let's walk over to the Houston equivalent of the Luxembourg Gardens to so the child can play with the other enfants... (Well, reality will bite...)

A previous poster has made a good suggestion about the furnished apartments near the Medical Center which cater to families of patients. Considering your highly unusual situation (not just no car but not even a driver's license), this might be your best bet, even if the rent is higher than you might like. These kinds of apartments might be close enough to a metro rail or busline to allow commuting to downtown (not too far from the Medical Center), and should have the shorter term leases you want.

You could then focus on what should be your number one priority from the 24 hours (not the first 6 months) that you arrive in Houston - getting a driver's license and a car.

[Mr. Krinkle]

Originally Posted by winkosmosis

The bus isn't going to be very pleasant. Light rail is better, but I don't think it goes by any groceries. This isn't really going to work. You need a car.

And you aren't going to find the parks and such you're looking for. This is Houston, not New York and not Austin. The good urban neighborhoods are few and small.

You have no idea what you are talking about.

There are two major grocery stores along the rail line in Midtown along with one of the best liqour stores in the US, which also happens to sell excellent food. There are many beautiful parks in the area. Hermann Park and the zoo(also along the rail line, Discovery Green (close to the rail that has been mentioned), and Memorial Park.

This park is bigger than Central Park in NY. It goes from Shepherd to Sabine St.https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=&ie=...d=0CPYBEPwSMAM

Both Memorial Park and Buffalo Bayou Park are located close to Memorial by Windsor within their price range. That and pretty close to Whole Foods. It may be a bit of a walk to Whole Foods and hassle, but it's doable.

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by Mr. Krinkle

You have no idea what you are talking about.

There are two major grocery stores along the rail line in Midtown along with one of the best liqour stores in the US, which also happens to sell excellent food. There are many beautiful parks in the area. Hermann Park and the zoo(also along the rail line, Discovery Green (close to the rail that has been mentioned), and Memorial Park.

This park is bigger than Central Park in NY. It goes from Shepherd to Sabine St.https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=&ie=...d=0CPYBEPwSMAM

Both Memorial Park and Buffalo Bayou Park are located close to Memorial by Windsor within their price range. That and pretty close to Whole Foods. It may be a bit of a walk to Whole Foods and hassle, but it's doable.

I thought she was talking about little neighborhood parks to walk to, not a place to hike like Memorial or a big complex like Hermann.


Isn't Randall's pretty far from the rail line?

BTW OP note that it's called a rail line... because it's literally just one line