best/worst commutes (Houston, Lindale, West: apartment, rent, buying a house)

[tanisandtobysmom]

Please share with me the best and worst areas as far as commuting downtown (basically to the center of the inner loop). What are the best roads to take, and what should be avoided? Approximately how long would the commute take during rush hour?


I decided, based on my other post asking for suggestions of areas in which to buy a home (where everyone suggested that I rent an apartment rather than buy a home since I'd be new to the area and not aware of the different communities), that I needed to ask my question a different way. While I truly appreciate everyone's suggestions, the reality is, an apartment won't work for my situation. I am not necessarily interested in buying THE house I will live in for the rest of my life. I just need a place to live that can accomodate my big dogs, my house full of stuff, and earn equity so I'm not throwing my money away on rent. And a place that won't take me forever to get to work.

[modster]

First off, based on your other posts you have no children, so quit worrying about school districts. That is going to be a while down the road and in the mean time a closer in location will probably appreciate much better.

If you want a relatively safe nice area with a short commute, near the north loop maybe, for under $150,000, then go to Oak Forest, Shepherd Forest (in both cases east of the bayou is better) or Lindale Park. You might also be able to find something nice in Houston Country Club Place in the east end. Westbury & Parkwest might be an option off the west/south loop, but stay north of Ludington and it gets hit or miss west of Hillcroft, (some parts good, some not so much). The closer east the more desirable, but prices reflect that.

[Bike4Life]

The best commute for me is on a bicycle. I respectfully pass through all the cars waiting at a stop light. City drivers know that bicyclist could be anywhere but the suburban visitors might honk their horns as an outsider.

[chris_ut]

If your buying a house in Houston for a few years to build equity then your barking up the wrong tree.

[Poltracker]

Modster gave some very good advice.

[modster]

Originally Posted by chris_ut

If your buying a house in Houston for a few years to build equity then your barking up the wrong tree.

About the only sure fire way to build up equity in a few years is to buy something "cosmetically challenged." A structurally sound place with ugly paint and carpet, a seller that is a poor housekeeper, bad yard, that sort of thing, that is priced enough below market (because of all that) to make it worth your while to do a few things and enhance the value quickly. Sort of a semi house flipper concept.

Unfortunately too many times the house that needs say $20,000 worth of work to bring it up is only $20,000 less than the ones already fixed up. The numbers have to work for the concept to be valid.

I think one reason you see a lot of house flippers working Westbury is because there can be such a wide disparity between the selling price of an older home that was in need of TLC and the ones all fixed up. In some area it is easier than others to gain some ground doing that.