Relocation from San Diego - 550K house near Downtown (Houston: rent, mortgage)

[Schumacher713]

Wow, I read through here so far. Not much good advice. What you really want is starting in 800+ range unless you get a townhouse. The only suburb commutes that are 20-30 minutes are Pearland and Sugar Land. You don't want to live in Pearland. 30 minutes in rush hour for Sugar Land is probably pushing it. The Woodlands is 45minutes without traffic. If you want to live close to downtown and want the best bang for your buck. Oak Forest and Garden Oaks are your best bets because of the schools. Though they will stretch your budgets. Both those areas should appreciate more. I would also peak around the Heights and Montrose. Timbergrove does not have good schools. West U and Memorial are out of your price range. Royal Oaks is in a crappy location. You really need a realtor.

As for cool places to go near Houston. That is in the hill country. There are lots of wakeboard wireline places near Houston. Lots of people wakeboard the river. None of the lakes near Houston are good for it though. You can fish and hike in the area. Hunting will be farther away depending on what you want to hunt. Snowboarding is obviously not in the cards. Don't expect the outdoors stuff to match San Diego. One thing we do have is a social and food scene. It will be different here. I will say that the suburb life vs the city life is very different. If you like the quiet country life live in the burbs. If you like all the things a city has to offer then live in the city. I will say that most young people I know are miserable in the burbs and hate Houston. Then they move in the city and fall in love with it. Though this is obviously not for everyone. Then again lots of suburb people have no idea what it is like living here. I know tons of people that have lived in both. Garden Oaks and Oak Forest are 10minutes from downtown. They are 10 minutes from most of the fun in Houston. It is a newer area that is turning over extremely fast. It is because it is a pretty area that has very good elementary schools. Oak Forest Elm is one of the better in the city. My advice is you need to find a realtor. Also, get used to bidding wars and flash sales. Houses stay on the market for a day or two here.

[screwpeter]

Originally Posted by Schumacher713

Wow, I read through here so far. Not much good advice. What you really want is starting in 800+ range unless you get a townhouse. The only suburb commutes that are 20-30 minutes are Pearland and Sugar Land. You don't want to live in Pearland. 30 minutes in rush hour for Sugar Land is probably pushing it. The Woodlands is 45minutes without traffic. If you want to live close to downtown and want the best bang for your buck. Oak Forest and Garden Oaks are your best bets because of the schools. Though they will stretch your budgets. Both those areas should appreciate more. I would also peak around the Heights and Montrose. Timbergrove does not have good schools. West U and Memorial are out of your price range. Royal Oaks is in a crappy location. You really need a realtor.

As for cool places to go near Houston. That is in the hill country. There are lots of wakeboard wireline places near Houston. Lots of people wakeboard the river. None of the lakes near Houston are good for it though. You can fish and hike in the area. Hunting will be farther away depending on what you want to hunt. Snowboarding is obviously not in the cards. Don't expect the outdoors stuff to match San Diego. One thing we do have is a social and food scene. It will be different here. I will say that the suburb life vs the city life is very different. If you like the quiet country life live in the burbs. If you like all the things a city has to offer then live in the city. I will say that most young people I know are miserable in the burbs and hate Houston. Then they move in the city and fall in love with it. Though this is obviously not for everyone. Then again lots of suburb people have no idea what it is like living here. I know tons of people that have lived in both. Garden Oaks and Oak Forest are 10minutes from downtown. They are 10 minutes from most of the fun in Houston. It is a newer area that is turning over extremely fast. It is because it is a pretty area that has very good elementary schools. Oak Forest Elm is one of the better in the city. My advice is you need to find a realtor. Also, get used to bidding wars and flash sales. Houses stay on the market for a day or two here.

$500 - 600 k can still get you a decent-sized single family house in many of the mentioned areas, even in West U.

Reasons I recommended Meyerland (to some extent Bellaire and West U but it'll tougher to meet the OP's budget):

1) At the moment, there are a number of older homes being torn down to make room for new homes in the million dollar range or being rennovated/rehab. I expect this trend will continue if not accelerate in the near future. Great from an value appreciation standpoint
2) Some of the best schools in Houston (Bellaire High, Johnston Middle, Lovett Elementary, etc)
3) Close proximity to fine dining, shopping malls and major amenities (Think Galleria, Rice Village, Meyerland Plaza, etc)
4) Only 5-20 minutes away from Galleria, downtown, medical center, energy corridor, Greenway Plaza, Rice Village, etc
4) Lot sizes >10,000 sf are not uncommon so you can get a big yard. In real estate, it's the lot size in a prime location that drives long-term appreciation.
5) One of the safest neighborhood in Houston
6) Very desirable demographics and tight-knitted community. You'll be surrounded by friendly and highly educated young families

[nervouslaughter]

Originally Posted by screwpeter

$500 - 600 k can still get you a decent-sized single family house in many of the mentioned areas, even in West U.

That is really stretching it, unless you consider the size of a decent sized house around 1,400 sq ft. Even if that, there is hardly any of those.

[ToyYot]

Agree. Inner loop or near loop with good schools all the way through is not realistic, i.e. you WILL be sacrificing something important like significant sqftage, tear down condition or fronting onto a busy street.

Kingwood might be a good option. The MPC has its own boat ramp into Lake Houston and I understand the commute is pretty good.

[Schumacher713]

Originally Posted by screwpeter

$500 - 600 k can still get you a decent-sized single family house in many of the mentioned areas, even in West U.

Reasons I recommended Meyerland (to some extent Bellaire and West U but it'll tougher to meet the OP's budget):

1) At the moment, there are a number of older homes being torn down to make room for new homes in the million dollar range or being rennovated/rehab. I expect this trend will continue if not accelerate in the near future. Great from an value appreciation standpoint
2) Some of the best schools in Houston (Bellaire High, Johnston Middle, Lovett Elementary, etc)
3) Close proximity to fine dining, shopping malls and major amenities (Think Galleria, Rice Village, Meyerland Plaza, etc)
4) Only 5-20 minutes away from Galleria, downtown, medical center, energy corridor, Greenway Plaza, Rice Village, etc
4) Lot sizes >10,000 sf are not uncommon so you can get a big yard. In real estate, it's the lot size in a prime location that drives long-term appreciation.
5) One of the safest neighborhood in Houston
6) Very desirable demographics and tight-knitted community. You'll be surrounded by friendly and highly educated young families

Ummm I used to live there and have built in there. 500-600K gets you a barely livable house that needs to be bulldozed. The exception might be near the railroad tracks. If you can find a house that you can stand there. Live in West U! It is the best elementary in Houston, the safest neighborhood in houston, amazing location with everything you will want. It will also appreciate like mad. Expect the land to appreciate 10-20% every year. The house you will live in will need some remodeling. I would put 20K or so into it. Just enough to make it liveable, but realize that it will be bulldozed when you sell it.

[deckhanddavy]

Originally Posted by Schumacher713

Ummm I used to live there and have built in there. 500-600K gets you a barely livable house that needs to be bulldozed. The exception might be near the railroad tracks. If you can find a house that you can stand there. Live in West U! It is the best elementary in Houston, the safest neighborhood in houston, amazing location with everything you will want. It will also appreciate like mad. Expect the land to appreciate 10-20% every year. The house you will live in will need some remodeling. I would put 20K or so into it. Just enough to make it liveable, but realize that it will be bulldozed when you sell it.

HAR has quite a few properties at all of those locations, both homes and townhomes. All pretty darn nice.

[sxrckr]

Seems like a decent family home in the good neighborhoods (decent schools) of central/inner Houston run $700-800k and up. But, you may get a few suggestions.

For your outdoor hobbies, all of those except snow boarding are available in various spots just outside of Houston. Probably even groups for them. But you probably already know Texas in general is not as good for the outdoors as CA, the weather and terrain just isn't as favorable, not even in the TX Hill Country.

[screwpeter]

Originally Posted by nervouslaughter

That is really stretching it, unless you consider the size of a decent sized house around 1,400 sq ft. Even if that, there is hardly any of those.

5319 Valkeith Dr
7003 Academy St
4811 Saxon

Just to name a few <600k decent sized SFH. There are many more, you just have to be meticulous in your search.

[nervouslaughter]

Originally Posted by screwpeter

5319 Valkeith Dr
7003 Academy St
4811 Saxon

Just to name a few <600k decent sized SFH. There are many more, you just have to be meticulous in your search.

I was referring to the part about West U. You can definitely get some nice townhomes in that range in the loop, but as far a house with a nice yard, it's going to be tough esp w/ it being a sellers market.

[Mr. Krinkle]

The Heights would be perfect for you, but I hear the schools aren't good after elementary. I think this is changing though.

Garden Oaks and Oak Forest would be your best bet.