Attending school in Houston. Really need help with relo!! (Dallas: insurance, low crime)

[Daniel_T]

Hi, I have been considering coming to Houston for awhile now to attend a two year college and transfer up. Everyone I have been talking to that has been to Houston or has lived there, are warning me not to come. I was speaking with a good friend of ours from Houston the other day, and he was telling me all this negative stuff about the city. Nothing good. Here are some of the questions i have. I will try to keep short.

1. Is the city trashy? How would you rank it on a scale of 100(being the best)?

2. Is crime really as bad as everyone says it is?

3. I know summers can be hot, but is it tolerable?

4. The city is supposedly REAL spread out. Does public trans. work well? Is it best to have a car?

5. Is the city affordable?

6. FINALLY, what are some nice things about Houston?? I want to hear some.

Thanks and I really would appreciate your response.

Daniel

[Mr. Football]

1. Is the city trashy? How would you rank it on a scale of 100(being the best)?

The city is actually very cool. Especially in the Downtown, Midtown, Memorial Park, West U and Uptown Galleria areas. The suburbs are also nice, but not as exciting for college age kids who want to be where the action is. Midtown is where its at.

Rank: 82

2. Is crime really as bad as everyone says it is?

Yes & No. It really depends on what part of town you're in and how smart you are at avoiding bad situations. The East, Southeast, South and Southwest sides are notoriously bad, with the Southwest being atrocious. Stay away from this area (59 South b/w 610 and the Beltway). Still, it has gotten worse since Katrina and the absurdly high numbers of illegal immigrants don't make it any safer.

3. I know summers can be hot, but is it tolerable?

Just like Northern states, we have our extreme seasons too. Our Summers are hot and humid, but tolerable if you have A/C (which everyone has). Our springtime weather is beautiful and our Winters are mild. It's always green here. Best times are Late October through April. It heats up in May and is hot as hell June through August, finally cooling in Mid-October. So we get about 7 nice months, 2 so-so months, and 3 hot as hell months.

4. The city is supposedly REAL spread out. Does public trans. work well? Is it best to have a car?

Yes, this city is a driver's city. You must have a car.

5. Is the city affordable?

As far as rents go, it is relatively affordable (when compared to NY or LA). Utility prices are ABSURD. Insurance prices are higher than in other states. Overall it's said to be affordable though. There are a lot of options in a lot of price ranges.

6. FINALLY, what are some nice things about Houston?? I want to hear some.

It's beautiful this time of year through May. Fun to get outside and go to the Houston Zoo, the Museum District, Memorial Park, the numerous Festivals, Rodeo Houston (largest rodeo in the world), go to the Beach or the Bay, Kemah Boardwalk, Lake Conroe, World-Class Shopping, Nice homes, lots of trees, and best of all - The Food. We have TERRIFIC restaurants.

[AK123]

Originally Posted by Daniel_T

Hi, I have been considering coming to Houston for awhile now to attend a two year college and transfer up. Everyone I have been talking to that has been to Houston or has lived there, are warning me not to come. I was speaking with a good friend of ours from Houston the other day, and he was telling me all this negative stuff about the city. Nothing good.

Yeah, well that's what happens when you ask outsiders about Houston, or people who lived here a long time ago... you'll get stupid feedback. Houston probably gets the worst publicity of any major city, and for some reason people love to exaggerate the bad and forget about all the good.

I'll tell you this: I moved here from Austin (which has the opposite problem and is overrated), and it would be hard to get me back there anytime soon. Not that it's bad... just very overrated, and limited in the number and variety of things to do compared to here.

[AK123]

Originally Posted by Daniel_T

Here are some of the questions i have. I will try to keep short.

1. Is the city trashy? How would you rank it on a scale of 100(being the best)?

2. Is crime really as bad as everyone says it is?

3. I know summers can be hot, but is it tolerable?

4. The city is supposedly REAL spread out. Does public trans. work well? Is it best to have a car?

5. Is the city affordable?

6. FINALLY, what are some nice things about Houston?? I want to hear some.

Thanks and I really would appreciate your response.

Daniel

1. Not exactly sure what you mean by trashy - dirty, sleazy, unclean? But I'd have to say no. I'd give an 85 out of 100. Some particular areas bring down the rest of the city.

2. No, it's not. I don't know why people have this idea that crime is so terrible here. There are very specific areas of town where it is bad, but that's it. For a city of this size, it's pretty average on crime. Tell your buddies, or whoever is telling you that, to go check some stats. The only Texas city to rank on this high crime list is Dallas.
http://www.governmentguide.com/commu...rouscities.adp

3. It is very hot and humid in the summer. People's ideas of tolerable are subjective. Some find no problem with it, others can't take it. But the rest of the year is usually quite nice.

4. Yes, the city is spread out and you'll need a car. There is a light rail line, but it is very limited to where it goes -- Reliant, Medical Center, Downtown

5. In general, yes. Housing is inexpensive, but utilities and insurance can get expensive.

6. Diversity. International feel... only two other cities have more foreign consulates. LOTS to do... anyone who thinks it's lacking in that didn't bother looking. Nice weather for much of the year. All the perks of a large city. Great restaurant scene. Top-notch arts, culture, museums, etc.... only NYC has a larger theatre district. Our museums often attract traveling exhibits that only go to a handful of cities. Pro sports. The beach (Galveston) is only an hour away! Water recreation on the southeast part of town - fishing, boating, Kemah Boardwalk... only two other cites have more pleasure boats. Go north and there's Lake Conroe as well. Lots of lush greenery and trees because we do get a good amount of rain. Lots of shopping. Plenty of neighborhoods to choose to live, depending on what you're looking for. Good job market. The Texas Medical Center is the largest grouping of hospitals and medical research in the country. Lots of interesting people. Hop on a plane and Cancun or Cabo in Mexico are just 3 hours away... also, lots of direct flights from the airport... don't have to deal with stops and changes like when I lived in Austin.
I could go on but....

I think the people you've been talking to are overly negative and don't know what they're talking about. I recently saw a rating of colleges, which was voted as having the best quality of life, and #1 was Rice University, in HOUSTON. Also, a Houston area suburb (Sugar Land) was recently ranked by Money Magazine as the #3 best place to live in the country.

[Daniel_T]

Thanks for the information. I do appreciate it. What i meant by trashy was: trash, abandoned buildings, vacant lots, overgrown lots. The city sounds nice so far. I really love the downtown skyline.

As for traffic, since it is a major city, I imagine it is bad. What is it like?

Also, for a first time Houstonian (or whatever the name is) what section of the city would be nice to live in, that is close to the city? That has alright to good transportation, low crime, and affordable rents? I don't care about nightlife. Not really into that.

Thanks again for the great info. I look forward to hearing from you all.

Daniel

[Mr. Football]

Trying to figure out the best place to live really depends upon where you are in life. Its different if you single, a student, employed or have a family.

If you're a student. I would live in the Midtown, Downtown, Museum District or Galleria Areas. They offer the most fun in terms of nightlife and have a high concentration of students and young professionals. I would probably suggest Midtown as being the best option as you're right between Downtown and many of the other cultural offerings the city has. You could also catch the train if need be.