Suggestions for relocation visit (Houston, Dallas: fit in, sales, house)

[cubssoxfan]

Been reading the threads for several weeks and would like more info, please.
Prospective employer located near Pinemont and 290 (northwest frwy?). I do outside sales visiting clients across metro area. Also may cover San Antonio area as well. Not sure if I will have office out of the home or company location. Looking to keep housing costs under $300K. Have kids coming from very small school (PK-8 430 kids, 9-12 1700 kids) Want excellent schools, prefer smaller schools (HS enrollment less than 2500). Do not want hyper-competitive school, kids need a chance to have time to play and be kids. Do want honors and/or gifted programs as well as good fine arts programs, including choral & instumental music. Looking to public school. Prefer pre-owned house in established neighborhood that will offer good re-sale in 5-10 years. Not sure if we want more rural feel or suburban feel. Need some "space" that a denser city neighborhood may not offer. Neighborhhod HAS to have trees. Prefer walkable neighborhood with "down to earth" vibe & community pool. Don't need golf course. An area conducive to a bicycling enthusiast, where I can use my road bike and not hurt anyone or be killed myself is a bonus. Or a place with trails I can use my mountain bike on. If not, I will join a bicycle club and drive out for group rides.
Coming in from Dallas Mon eve. and will stay in Conroe. Tues will tour Conroe, Montgomery,Woodlands,Magnolia & Cypress. Tues eve. will commute from potential office location back to Conroe to see how bad traffic is. Wed will do commute back down and look around Katy, Far West side of Houston and Sugarland. Time permitting, will drive down to Glaveston to look around and hopefully enjoy some seafood on the beach. If not enough time, then maybe Kemah. Wed morning is extra time for what we couldn't fit in or maybe that's the day we do The Woodlands before our mid-afternoon flight.

Any suggestions of 2-3 specific neighborhoods in each area would be truly appreciated. I have some names already, but with so much info, I was hoping the local experts could help me focus.

Sorry for being so lengthy, the chocolate donuts and triple espresso is enhancing my ADHD tendencies

[citizen_jane]

Concerning your desire to attend excellent but smaller less competitive schools, you might want to consider Tomball ISD, especially the southern end which is located between Klien ISD and Cy-Fair ISD. This would be to the west of SH 249, the neighborhoods on either side of Louetta Road. Very good schools with excellent gifted (GT) programs. Our schools are smaller than Klein and Cy-Fair. When our 2nd high school opens in the Fall of 2011 both our high schools should be under 2500 students. The schools in the Woodlands (Conroe ISD) are also good but are very large. McCullough Jr High has 1800 kids in 2 grades which is twice the size of our Jr high - Willow Wood. Those schools are hyper-competitive. Another thing about Tomball ISD, our kids go to 4 schools. Elementary is K-4, Intermediate is 5 & 6, Junior High is 7 & 8 then High school is 9-12. I love this set up. Our kids are evaluated for the gifted program starting in Kindergarten instead of 3th grade like some neighboring districts.

My kids were in the gifted program and the program at Northpointe Intermediate is exceptional. In both elementary and intermediate the GT kids are clustered into one class and taught by GT specialists. This allows the teachers to focus on their specific needs and teach at much faster pace.

I would focus on neighborhoods attending Lakewood Elementary. Some good places to start are parts of Lakewood Forest, Lakewood Grove and Villaggio. Some parts of Lakewood Forest are in Cy-Fair ISD.

[snappy]

In the Woodlands I would check out Cochrans Crossing(our first house here would be around $240K now I think - 2000sq ft with pool), Panther Creek, Indian Springs and Alden Bridge neighborhoods. Older homes(by this I mean late 80's early 90's vintage) many under $300K. Lots of trees, back yard AND community pools. Great bike paths and public schools. Very central to shopping and highways for commutes.

I've said it before but I loved the Woodlands. Lived there 7 years. Would move back there in a heart beat.