I could use some help, new to houston (The Woodlands, Spring: crime rate, how much)

[huynhpc]

Our family is moving to Houston at the end of this month and I'm so confused; I have a couple of friends that live in Houston and they are all eager to give advise but they are all very diferent.

My Husband is still securing work but has many possibilities most near Galleria, one in Katy and one in Woodlands.
we have an 8 yr starting 4th grade and an 11 yr old starting 5th.
One friend lives in Galleria (no children) and she likes that area and recomends it because my husband will probably end up with a job near by;
The other lives in Woodlands (has 3 children between 2yrs and 13yrs)
she mentioned Spring, Woodlands, and Katy.

My husband is in Houston and he tells me that the comute from all those areas seem preatty bad (I don't know how bad could it be, we currently live in Miami and I drive 45 min to work (all HWY), granted he only drove 5 min to work here. My main concern are the schools, I understand they have ratings (here we rate them too) but these rating don't tell me crime rate at schools (if any or not), incidents of bullying or any of the sort.
I am aware that these things happen and even in the best of neighborhoods. Im just watching out for my kids (especially for my 8 yr old daughter).

[EasilyAmused]

The commute to the Galleria from The Woodlands/Spring/Cypress is horrible.

What's your budget? HISD in the Galleria area, aka Uptown, is very good. They're also zoned to Lamar or Westside which are the two of the best High Schools in HISD. Spring Branch (SBISD) is the most desired district but there's a stiff entry price.

Your recommendations will vary because what you will find in Houston are people who want to live near work and compromise on house size and age, or those that're willing to drive upwards of two hours plus a day to get new and big. It's more a personal choice than anything.

With the way this city is growing in population, I firmly believe your proximity to work is most important. Good schools and great neighborhoods can be found just about anywhere. And then there's always private school....

[coog78]

Originally Posted by huynhpc

Our family is moving to Houston at the end of this month and I'm so confused; I have a couple of friends that live in Houston and they are all eager to give advise but they are all very diferent.

My Husband is still securing work but has many possibilities most near Galleria, one in Katy and one in Woodlands.
we have an 8 yr starting 4th grade and an 11 yr old starting 5th.
One friend lives in Galleria (no children) and she likes that area and recomends it because my husband will probably end up with a job near by;
The other lives in Woodlands (has 3 children between 2yrs and 13yrs)
she mentioned Spring, Woodlands, and Katy.

My husband is in Houston and he tells me that the comute from all those areas seem preatty bad (I don't know how bad could it be, we currently live in Miami and I drive 45 min to work (all HWY), granted he only drove 5 min to work here. My main concern are the schools, I understand they have ratings (here we rate them too) but these rating don't tell me crime rate at schools (if any or not), incidents of bullying or any of the sort.
I am aware that these things happen and even in the best of neighborhoods. Im just watching out for my kids (especially for my 8 yr old daughter).

Honestly, it will best to figure out where he will be working before you buy anything. A 45 commute from Katy or The Woodlands to downtown would be a dream come true for people that live there. Expect to spend an hour or more in traffic each way. Houston's metro is dramatically larger than Miami and our freeways can congest pretty bad.

Katy and The Woodlands both have very good schools and your daughter should receive an excellent education as well as be in areas with lower than average crime rates. The Galleria area has good schools also, but it is more expensive and crime would likely be higher than in Katy or The Woodlands. Welcome to the City.

[Wysiwyg]

my whole family is in Cypress and I pretty much negated all their advices. that region is too lame for me. West, SouthWest, like EA said is a good point to start from

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by Wysiwyg

that region is too lame for me.

I thought the whole place was too lame for you. Now it's just Cypress?

Not that I disagree. 290 alone is reason not to be in Cypress.

[Wysiwyg]

Originally Posted by jfre81

I thought the whole place was too lame for you. Now it's just Cypress?

Not that I disagree. 290 alone is reason not to be in Cypress.

boring > lame > jfre81
j/k

[mrsg0809]

We just moved to Katy a couple of months ago. My husband also works in the Galleria area and it takes him about 40 mins to get in. The Katy ISD is one of the best school districts in Texas. Good luck.

[gold dust]

Originally Posted by jfre81

I thought the whole place was too lame for you. Now it's just Cypress?

Not that I disagree. 290 alone is reason not to be in Cypress.

But will be Cypress be great one day once 290 is transformed?

[djdski3]

We are considering of relocating to the Houston area from Brandon, Mississippi. Before we make a serious commitment to purchasing land and/or a house. We're playing with the idea of moving our single wide mobile home with us, just until we decide on where we want to plant our feet. Are there any "nice" mobile home communities in or around the Houston area? The only reason we are considering bringing it with us is because it's already paid for. Which will help out alot in the relocation costs. However, the thought of unseen "trailer parks" is ssscccaaarrryyyy!!! (if ya know what I mean). We are not trailer trash!

Any helpful information would be greatly appreciated. We're planning on relocated in the next 6-8 months and want to start looking now.

[ZeroTX]

Trailer parks are rare in the Houston area and all are questionable and normally only contain small trailers. There are a few, though. Check out the New Caney, TX area. You won't have luck in the Houston, TX city limits. I'm not even sure if they are allowed.

I, personally, would never live in the Galleria area, regardless of how much money I had to buy a house. What a horrible place. Traffic and noise ALL the time. Yuck. I feel it's worth a few minutes extra drive every day to live in a place you like. Plus, you are sacrificing your personal time/gas for your kids to live in a quieter, safer place with better schools and peers who share your cultural/moral norms. Inner-city kids have differences that go beyond money... it's a culture you don't want your kids to absorb. It's the culture that keeps their families in those situations. As an educator, I work hard to change that culture, one kid at a time.... but it's a tough thing when they keep dropping out and popping out kid and training them in poor morals, bad money-management and a "going to jail is normal" mentality. Yeah, avoid that.

If you get a job in the Galleria, look at Katy or Bear Creek or some of the nice areas of I-10 if your budget allows (e.g. the Memorial area). If the job is in The Woodlands, then you're golden. The Woodlands is (IMO), the best "suburb" in the Houston area. My ranking would be 1) The Woodlands 2) First Colony 3) Kingwood. But, pick the one that makes sense for your job.

Good luck.