High Walkscore Communities (Houston, Sugar Land, The Woodlands: apartment, for rent, townhomes)

[aneev]

Hi!

I'll be moving to Houston this fall from NJ. I want to live in a walker friendly safe neighborhood close to shopping for daily needs and somewhat a noisy area. I'm bored with the large quiet suburban lifestyle of NJ. I want to be able to see people walking the street from my living room window. I'll be renting for the first year and prefer a pet friendly townhome/single family home with 2+bed with a small yard for my two cats. School district is not an issue but the place needs to be family friendly. Commuting is not an issue either since my husband is self employed. I could afford a rent of $2500.

From what I've read in these posts, Montrose, Woodlands, Sugarland which one would fit the bill? I assume Montrose will not give me a comfortable living for my budget. Any feedback appreciated.

Thanks!

[rockinar]

Might be tough to get a townhome with a yard in the city for $2,500 a month. Not in a safe area at least. On top of that, this is Houston. Nobody walks anywhere unless you really love to exercise or like to get robbed. All you will see in the city is endless cars. You would see more people out in the suburbs walking than the city. In the city the sidewalks are bad, the smog is bad, etc. It does not make a good place for exercise. Most in the city go to Memorial Park to do their walking.

You would get more for you money out in the sleepy suburbs of The Woodlands, Sugarland, Katy, etc.

Montrose and The Woodlands are polar opposites of each other. Also note that Montrose is a large gay community. So if seeing two guys hugging on each other at the grocery store or a restaurant offends you, you might want to find another area.

Anywhere in the city is going to be more expensive. I'm guessing by you name, you may be Indian? If so, there's large indian comminuties around Houston. Montrose is not one of them.

[14Bricks]

Originally Posted by aneev

Hi!

I'll be moving to Houston this fall from NJ. I want to live in a walker friendly safe neighborhood close to shopping for daily needs and somewhat a noisy area. I'm bored with the large quiet suburban lifestyle of NJ. I want to be able to see people walking the street from my living room window. I'll be renting for the first year and prefer a pet friendly townhome/single family home with 2+bed with a small yard for my two cats. School district is not an issue but the place needs to be family friendly. Commuting is not an issue either since my husband is self employed. I could afford a rent of $2500.

From what I've read in these posts, Montrose, Woodlands, Sugarland which one would fit the bill? I assume Montrose will not give me a comfortable living for my budget. Any feedback appreciated.

Thanks!

If you're tired of suburban living then no, you don't want to live in The woodlands or Sugar land. If you want a some what walkable neighborhoods inside the loop or close to it. The Heights, Washington corridor, Uptown/Galleria area, Upper Kirby, Montrose, Midtown, Rice Village/Museum District. You mention walk score, so Im sure you're away of the their website.

https://www.walkscore.com/TX/Houston

[14Bricks]

Originally Posted by aneev

Hi!

I'll be moving to Houston this fall from NJ. I want to live in a walker friendly safe neighborhood close to shopping for daily needs and somewhat a noisy area. I'm bored with the large quiet suburban lifestyle of NJ. I want to be able to see people walking the street from my living room window. I'll be renting for the first year and prefer a pet friendly townhome/single family home with 2+bed with a small yard for my two cats. School district is not an issue but the place needs to be family friendly. Commuting is not an issue either since my husband is self employed. I could afford a rent of $2500.

From what I've read in these posts, Montrose, Woodlands, Sugarland which one would fit the bill? I assume Montrose will not give me a comfortable living for my budget. Any feedback appreciated.

Thanks!

If you're tired of suburban living then no, you don't want to live in The woodlands or Sugar land. If you want a some what walkable neighborhoods inside the loop or close to it. The Heights, Washington corridor, Uptown/Galleria area, Upper Kirby, Montrose, Midtown, Rice Village/Museum District. You mention walk score, so Im sure you're aware of the their website.

https://www.walkscore.com/TX/Houston

[KatieKennedy]

This is a city of drivers of cars not walkers. You may see some folks walking for exercise but not as a general way to get around. Our mass transit system leaves a lot to be desired and does not go into the suburbs much except for Park and Ride lots. We have temperatures in the 90s and above from May to October. I second the neighborhoods listed above by 14 Bricks if you want an urban lifestyle close to good non chain restaurants and shops.

[Dahak]

For sheer number of pedestrians and pedestrian-friendly activities, your best bets are probably the Washington Ave. corridor, Lower Westheimer (approximately between Woodhead and Bagby in Montrose), near 19th St. in the Heights, EaDo (just east of downtown) and Midtown/Museum District. The last 2 have/will have light rail connections as well (though the system is limited). A 2 bedroom is easy to find at your price range; a yard and a single family home are more difficult (especially the closer you get to downtown).

[aneev]

Thanks for all the information. No, I don't want to walk for exercise but to run errands in a safe neighborhood without getting robbed or mugged. Neither do gays offend me because I'm moving from NJ, very liberal in fact may be too liberal for Texas. How safe is it to be walking in midtown? Will I get a small outdoor patio with an apartment? One of my cats has a medical condition and needs some sort of outdoor space.

Yes, I'm an Indian and have been living in a 1.8 acre plot with a private swimming pool in a NJ suburb. There are lot of Indians here too. I can walk here only for exercise and all I see is acres and acres of pristine lawns, large suburban homes and parked cars, no human beings. To be fair there's small strip mall a mile away where I could walk for daily needs weather permitting. But it's a very safe neighborhood and I could walk anywhere from early dawn to late night. So safe that cops don't have much work. I also assume not many Indians would be living in midtown or uptown areas or car phobic like me.

I do not want to be having the same lifestyle in Houston all over again.

[LocalPlanner]

I don't regard Midtown as a dangerous place to walk. You will encounter homeless folks - some in Houston think that a single homeless person within a two-block radius means it's too dangerous, but they obviously have a super-low threshold for urban anxiety. Midtown will probably give you the best chance for seeing some pedestrian life (outside of Downtown and the Medical Center at least). Not sure if you can find a townhome for rent in your price range there but it's worth a look. Most Midtown townhomes are located on the quieter east side of the area - east of Main Street. Also check out the Washington corridor, though pedestrian traffic is still more limited there.

I do have to say that the sidewalk conditions in both the urban portions of Houston and suburbs are not infrequently atrocious - they're sometimes entirely absent. And what we consider our most walkable areas pale in pedestrian traffic compared to what you might see in NJ.

[cinfali]

If you are set on moving to Houston, neighborhoods mentioned in this thread are the best Houston has to offer but that is not saying much. I strongly recommend coming over and checking Houston first if your move is not finalized yet.

[Lbjen]

When I first moved to Sugar Land my intention was to walk a lot more, everything was literally on my doorstep, but it's too hot to walk a lot of the time and then when you can get out, you are constantly dodging drivers who just don't think they should have to share the road.