Moving to Houston from DC?
May 25, 2011, 3:36 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Washington D.C. via Sao Paulo via Houston via Washington D.C. via Boston via New York
Posts: 1,172
Moving to Houston from DC?
Hopefully this is the right forum for this, I am contemplating moving from DC to Houston this year (cost of living/traffic/snow etc..) DC is getting annoying, I've been living here now for 4 years and looking for something different. My wife can easily transfer jobs and keep the same pay which is a huge plus. Her office is located in the Galleria area, I don't have a job lined up yet. We've been looking at buying a house in the Cinco Ranch/Katy area. I know the weather might not be the best, but I can pretty much say I won't get stuck in snow, and the heat I can deal with. Anyone have anything good or bad to say about living in Houston?
May 25, 2011, 10:46 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: KEYQ
Programs: CO PPlus, Amex Platinum, DL Silver Medallion, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,309
I moved here from New England 14 years ago and love it. While I don't like the heat of the summers, the cost of living and house for the money is great.
The commute from Katy is a lot better now with the completion of the Katy Freeway widening project. The worst commute now is from the NW on 290, which is now lining up funding for widening.
I worked in the Galleria for nine years (lived there five) and loved every minute of it.
The people are very friendly and down to earth. Getting around is generally no problem outside of your normal rush hours.
The commute from Katy is a lot better now with the completion of the Katy Freeway widening project. The worst commute now is from the NW on 290, which is now lining up funding for widening.
I worked in the Galleria for nine years (lived there five) and loved every minute of it.
The people are very friendly and down to earth. Getting around is generally no problem outside of your normal rush hours.
May 27, 2011, 7:48 am
#3
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Central Texas
Programs: Many, slipping beneath the horizon
Posts: 9,859
With a daughter(who commutes all the way to the port area daily) in Katy (in process of moving just West of the Beltway near IH10) and a sister wh lived in the Briar Forest area (S. of IH 10, N. of Westheimer, just inside the Beltway) for decades before moving back to Austin, I'd certainly take a look at Briar Forest, housing more expensive than Katy, but more convenient (and well below DC perimeter housing costs). I wouldn't hesitate to look at a couple of the other enclaves/neighborhoods S. of IH10/N. of Westheimer closer to Loop 610 and the Galleria (or the area just West of the Beltway and S. of IH10)
Hot in the Summer? Sure, but then downtown DC Summers are pestilentially torrid. But you can leave your snow shovels and Muk-Luks behind.
Hot in the Summer? Sure, but then downtown DC Summers are pestilentially torrid. But you can leave your snow shovels and Muk-Luks behind.
May 30, 2011, 10:31 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: NYC
Posts: 213
I've lived in Houston most of my life and here is my brief good and bad lists:
Good:
+ Cost of living
+ People are generally friendly
+ Diverse and great restaurants for less than other places (see cost of living)
+ Mild winters
+ World class performing arts if that is your thing
Cons:
- Distances are far so a car is almost needed for everything
- Extremely hot and humid for most of the year and mosquitoes
- Not a particularly visually appealing place and not as many outdoor activities like hiking but Austin is 3 hours away
Good:
+ Cost of living
+ People are generally friendly
+ Diverse and great restaurants for less than other places (see cost of living)
+ Mild winters
+ World class performing arts if that is your thing
Cons:
- Distances are far so a car is almost needed for everything
- Extremely hot and humid for most of the year and mosquitoes
- Not a particularly visually appealing place and not as many outdoor activities like hiking but Austin is 3 hours away
Jun 5, 2011, 6:45 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Washington D.C. via Sao Paulo via Houston via Washington D.C. via Boston via New York
Posts: 1,172
We've decided to bite the bullet and move down there, we're going to rent a nice 1 bedroom for 3-6 months and then search for a house in the mean time. We did drive everywhere, it was a lot like LA in that regard, but it wasn't to bad. We're looking at a second more fuel efficient car ATM.
