Moving to Houston from Chicago (The Woodlands, Katy: apartment complex, for rent, crime)

[TammyTiara]

I'm a single woman that is planning on moving to Houston in early October. I have a 3 year old. I'm planning to rent an apartment of townhome. I have been to Houston several times and am familiar with a few areas, galleria, westheimer, and the woodlands. Can someone recommend an apartment complex that's nice, clean and safe that's it the city. I'd also consider moving to the suburbs and have researched sugar land, pearl and and the woodlands, but I'm open to other areas. I prefer an area that's has great shopping, groceries, parks. Not really a water person so that's not too important for me,. Also, please give me the areas to avoid.

[chris_ut]

Budget for Rent?

[NTexas2010]

Originally Posted by chris_ut

Budget for Rent?

(awaits for one of the following typical responses:
1. "Under $1000"
2. "Reasonable"
3. "$800, but I could stretch it to $1000 for a 3 BR / 2 Bath in the Heights area")

[Lbjen]

Where will you be working? That is your number one concern, commute time to your job, especially if there is daycare involved.

[TammyTiara]

My budget is $1200 for a two bedroom. I will be working from home when I first arrive. The company that I currently work for is letting me work for them until January 1st.

[Tassy001]

Originally Posted by TammyTiara

My budget is $1200 for a two bedroom. I will be working from home when I first arrive. The company that I currently work for is letting me work for them until January 1st.

You are moving here without a job lined up after Jan 1st??

[chris_ut]

6 months is a decent amount of time to find a job.

[curbur]

Originally Posted by TammyTiara

My budget is $1200 for a two bedroom. I will be working from home when I first arrive. The company that I currently work for is letting me work for them until January 1st.

This price range for a two bedroom will put you in a far flung suburb in a more remote area or in a less desirable part of town closer in. You're not going to be able to live in or near the galleria, downtown, or the nice parts in between for that price range typically. You can probably make it work if you up your budget to $1500-$1600, but the apartment itself and its' amenities will be outdated. (Avalon Square off of Westheimer is a good example of what I'm talking about, and their smallest 2 bedroom starts at $1600). For instance, I live in Montrose in a relatively new apartment complex in an 800 sq ft 1 bedroom/1 bath and I pay $1400/month.

Do you know where in relation you would be spending your time here primarily? What line of work would you be going into? Are there any family members or friends that you'll be seeing often, and if so, what part of town do they live in? Do you have a car that you can use frequently?

[rockinar]

Originally Posted by TammyTiara

I'm a single woman that is planning on moving to Houston in early October. I have a 3 year old. I'm planning to rent an apartment of townhome. I have been to Houston several times and am familiar with a few areas, galleria, westheimer, and the woodlands. Can someone recommend an apartment complex that's nice, clean and safe that's it the city. I'd also consider moving to the suburbs and have researched sugar land, pearl and and the woodlands, but I'm open to other areas. I prefer an area that's has great shopping, groceries, parks. Not really a water person so that's not too important for me,. Also, please give me the areas to avoid.

"Nice, safe, clean" in my opinion eliminates everything except far out suburbs (Katy, Sugarland, far Cypress near the outlet mall, The Woodlands). You are going to get crime in the inner city Houston even if you were living in a $10MM house in River Oaks. It just comes with living in the city. Your idea of "Safe" and mine might be two different things.

The city area really does not have good parks. Biggest park the city folks go to is Memorial Park. But it's smoggy and creepers and weirdos around. I'm a guy and the creeps still followed me around. I never liked it.

Just my opinion, but the city is not very family friendly. To each their own though. Some love it, some hate it.

Houston is a big city and different areas all have their own good shopping.

Areas to avoid.......75% of Houston. It's easier to name places to look.

City to look at: Only place I would look is inside the loop, west of downtown (River Oaks, Memorial, Washington Ave, Galleria area).

Suburbs to look at: Sugarland, Katy (around the Katy mall namely Cinco Ranch neighborhoods) The Woodlands, Cypress (far out near Mason Rd.).

[curbur]

Originally Posted by rockinar

The city area really does not have good parks. Biggest park the city folks go to is Memorial Park. But it's smoggy and creepers and weirdos around. I'm a guy and the creeps still followed me around. I never liked it.

Although Houston ranks really high in terms of total square footage, most of it is consumed by 2-3 big parks. It ranks quite low out of big U.S. cities in terms of average distance from a home to the nearest park around it. I agree with everything else you've said, and as a slight Cypress booster would like to add that out of all the far out suburbs you mentioned, Cypress still slightly has the best bang for your buck, (with admittedly slightly less retail options than its' counterparts. It's not really hard or time consuming to get to really good retail with 99 open now.)