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Old 11-11-2009, 06:05 PM
 
2 posts, read 4,673 times
Reputation: 10

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Hi, I currently live in Irvine (Orange County, southern CA) but am really considering moving to Houston for a number of reasons. It would be easy for me to relocate because my company has an office there in the 77082 area. I don't necessarily need to live close to this area code as I have the option from working from home. Hubby is in fianance (accounting, business analyst), so we would need to find a location that has these types of jobs available. He is willing to commute 45 mins both ways.

I would like advice on a really good community that has these attributes:

1. Really good school district - very important - public or private
2. Close nit community
3. Very low crime rate
4. Home value under $700,000 - preferably gated - newer or custom homes. I'm tired of cookie cutter communities
5. Big lot sizes but not too big
6. Close to malls, grocery stores etc...
7. Quiet, clean and well manicured neighborhood
8. Lakes, golf courses, parks and beautiful landscape
9. Family oriented

I'm looking for a more suburban vibe community than a trendy, hip community.

I appreciate any advice on the best communities that fit my requirements.

Last edited by snoopy42; 11-11-2009 at 06:21 PM..
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Old 11-11-2009, 10:13 PM
 
Location: Katy Texas
118 posts, read 341,858 times
Reputation: 48
Katy, specially the Cinco Ranch area is excellent, great schools, lakes, golf courses, and is close to Houston.
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Old 11-11-2009, 10:35 PM
 
Location: The land of sugar... previously Houston and Austin
5,429 posts, read 14,901,460 times
Reputation: 3672
Considering that zip code location... wanting great schools, gated subdivision, manicured etc... I'd say look west in Katy or maybe south in Sugar Land.

Not sure of the prices in Royal Oaks, but that might be the kind of subdivision you want. Of course it's next to a not-so-nice or safe area, and you'd want to use private schools.

I think there's a big new gated development in 77077, but not sure of the name or price range.
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Old 11-12-2009, 08:44 AM
 
2 posts, read 4,673 times
Reputation: 10
I don't need to live close to 77082 as I have the option of working from home. I'll look into Katy.

Any other areas I should look into. I keep reading about the Woodlands area. How are the schools there?
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Old 11-21-2009, 01:33 AM
 
1 posts, read 2,085 times
Reputation: 10
we are also in Irvine, CA looking at a potential move the Houston and my google search brought me here with the same question. Funny sounds like you are similar to my search in looking to find an Irvine like city in Houston.... Any tips from people who moved from the OC to Houston? Any major regrets?
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Old 11-21-2009, 09:06 AM
 
Location: Houston/Heights
2,637 posts, read 4,488,701 times
Reputation: 977
Quote:
Originally Posted by snoopy42 View Post
Hi, I currently live in Irvine (Orange County, southern CA) but am really considering moving to Houston for a number of reasons. It would be easy for me to relocate because my company has an office there in the 77082 area. I don't necessarily need to live close to this area code as I have the option from working from home. Hubby is in fianance (accounting, business analyst), so we would need to find a location that has these types of jobs available. He is willing to commute 45 mins both ways.

I would like advice on a really good community that has these attributes:

1. Really good school district - very important - public or private
2. Close nit community
3. Very low crime rate
4. Home value under $700,000 - preferably gated - newer or custom homes. I'm tired of cookie cutter communities
5. Big lot sizes but not too big
6. Close to malls, grocery stores etc...
7. Quiet, clean and well manicured neighborhood
8. Lakes, golf courses, parks and beautiful landscape
9. Family oriented

I'm looking for a more suburban vibe community than a trendy, hip community.

I appreciate any advice on the best communities that fit my requirements.
Doesn't sound much like Houston.--Maybe one of the suburbs though.
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Old 11-21-2009, 09:43 AM
 
6 posts, read 15,043 times
Reputation: 10
The Woodlands schools are excellent. It's a great area that fits all of your criteria.

A lot of people like to bash TW, but it really is a wonderful place to live.
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Old 11-21-2009, 10:02 AM
hsw
 
2,144 posts, read 7,190,706 times
Reputation: 1541
Direct comparable is Irvine vs Cinco in Katy

CA has ~10% state income tax; TX 0%
Very little new stuff in Irvine for $600Kish; lot sizes are microscopic in Irvine at any price; Cinco is ~3K sf on 0.25 ac for new stuff in that price range
Culturally and socio-economically, Houston's energy industry is far more powerful than anything in OC (or LA for that matter)...consider how many >$20Bn mkt cap cos. are HQd in Hou vs entire LA region (incl OC)....and most of Hou's high-income jobs are an easy <45 min drive from Katy
OC is all about Broadcom, Pimco and lots of lil scam shops; Houston is effectively the SiliconValley of the energy industry which entails many high-income jobs in that industry and among service providers (law firms, acctg, doctors, etc); attraction for talented, new college grads; smarter parents/kids at upscale schools; and better high-end amenities like grocery stores, restaurants, etc in upscale corridors
Irvine public schools are prob stronger than Katy's (% National Merit SemiFinalists)...but TX income tax and housing cost savings (and more powerful economy in high-income jobs) easily pay for excellent pvt schools if desired
Weather/topography/insects of TX create a modern indoors-oriented culture with proper HVAC mandatory (like rest of world aside from coastal LA or SF)
Hurricanes can cause hassles of need to periodically flee Hou for Dall
Just as one needs to carefully eval land and build quality of any house for seismic strength/resistance in CA, in Hou need to carefully analyze land/build quality vs hurricane/flooding risks
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Old 11-30-2009, 04:09 PM
 
Location: The Greater Houston Metro Area
9,053 posts, read 17,279,803 times
Reputation: 15226
The Woodlands, Kingwood, Cinco, Greatwood
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Old 12-01-2009, 12:59 AM
 
Location: Upper East Side of Texas
12,498 posts, read 27,129,698 times
Reputation: 4890
The Woodlands would be way too far.

Look into Cinco Ranch in Katy or New Territory in Sugar Land.
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