A little advice from transplants? (Houston, Alvin: renting, hotel, house)

[jfre81]

IT here is mostly tied to the other big industries (petrochemical, medical). But even smaller businesses need IT help.

Without straying far from Midtown you can golf, go to the park and all that good stuff. There's Memorial Park and Hermann Park (both have golf courses too), and you can get to Hermann Park from Midtown on the light rail so you don't have to drive. You can bring a bike on board during non-peak travel times, and I'd think you can bring a bag of golf clubs.

You need a yard for a proper garden, and apartments don't have those. But there are neighborhoods with nice houses with yards - they tend to get bigger the further out from the city center you go.

Webster Groves is a place I've never been, but I know that's in suburban St. Louis County. The equivalent here would be something like Sugar Land or Cypress. The commute from those places to the center of Houston is going to be tougher than getting into STL proper from where you are. River Oaks is pretty much the domain of millionaires, but I've seen townhome listings in and around there for under $200K. You'd need to add another $100-150K before getting in range for a house inside the loop that doesn't need a lot of work. Where you want to live really depends on where you're working.

If you're coming here without a job, make sure you have some funds to get you through. It may take you a few months to get something. If this is the case, you might look renting somewhere else besides Midtown. Rents lean high there compared with the rest of the city. There are less expensive apartments in Montrose, Upper Kirby and near the Medical Center (all of which are still very accessible to the city center). Just do your homework before signing a lease, as much as possible. That can be tricky when you're not here.

[ManFromMissouri]

Thanks! I hope that they expand the light rail and don't make it be the same case as is here in the lou. What do I mean exactly? Well, there were ballot proposals in the past to extend what we call here "the metro" out to the burbs and I mean, way out to the burbs but the people in those communities turned it down because they didn't want the rift raft riding the metro out to them. It's quite a shame... I ride it here as much as I can and I'll ride in there as much as I can too.

Thanks for the advice!

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by ManFromMissouri

Well, there were ballot proposals in the past to extend what we call here "the metro" out to the burbs and I mean, way out to the burbs but the people in those communities turned it down because they didn't want the rift raft riding the metro out to them. It's quite a shame... I ride it here as much as I can and I'll ride in there as much as I can too.

Well, there's a little of that here too *coughcough*PEARLAND!*hack* *spit* Sorry, that was a little rude, wasn't it?

But first we need to get the Inner Loop connected with rail. Then it's time for commuter rail - we can't just bring them in without anything to get them around since they rode a train into the city. By then the burbers will be begging for it, because God only knows what gas will be then. The East End line is supposed to start construction in a few weeks, with three other lines to follow.

[ManFromMissouri]

sweet, the more the better. You'd have to think that at some point, houses in the loop will appreciate faster than outside of the loop because of gas. I mean, seriously, what if gas goes to $5/gallon? I don't know about you but suddenly that 3000 sf home in Katy doesn't look all that great when you have to drive to Midtown to work.

[jfre81]

I'll have to order the Imo's-on-dry-ice when I've got a little more money to spend on pizza...

And I agree, I do think people will start buying closer in as gas continues to get more expensive.

[latetotheparty]

webster is probably more equivalent to the highland village area of houston....

river oaks = ladue or huntleigh ......

[gold dust]

If only there was Metrorail everywhere that was possible, Houston may be the greatest city in my book. But since you need to drive EVERYWHERE and spend HOURS in slow traffic I am miserable here.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by gold dust

If only there was Metrorail everywhere that was possible, Houston may be the greatest city in my book. But since you need to drive EVERYWHERE and spend HOURS in slow traffic I am miserable here.

Where are you?

[gold dust]

Northwest - Copperfield aka suburban hell

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by gold dust

Northwest - Copperfield aka suburban hell

Oh, sorry. I thought you said you lived in Houston.

So it's 290 into town for you, huh?