Greetings from Indiana!

A few weeks ago, I posted a thread on here about possibly moving to the Dallas area.  Well, that has changed.  The job location is now Houston, and I believe I have an 80% chance or better of landing the job.  Looking for economical, but safe/clean places to live.  I'm told to avoid the south side of Houston, where my office will be.  

What is traffic like?  MapQuest reveals tons of construction...great!  Any insight?

Gun laws?  Is the Houston area, or surrounding area liberal or conservative on this topic?

Weather?  Is it very humid, or is it dry heat like Arizona?

Thanks fellas, appreciate your help.

Erick

I would move to the Burbs. Try Pearland (east side), and commute in. I used to do Pearland to Downtown and it took 45 minutes. Shouldn't be too rough for you.

Pearland has 1st Ranked Schools in the Houston area if that matters too. Nice, peaceful community.

Pearland...Thanks buddy!!

Very humid!
Pearland, Friendswood, League City, Clear Lake Area, all on south side and all good places to live.
PSC shooting Club Is on the south side too. Between Friendswood and Alvin. Great shooting Club!
Collectors Firearms is a very nice gun shop in Houston.  
A lot of traffic on I-45 south. Construction on I-45 should ease congestion when it is completed next year.

You should be slightly more specific on where your office would be. It can make a large difference in where to look for a place to live.





Are you looking for a house or an apartment? Are you a person with a family who likes to stay in, or are you going to want to have places near by to go out and party, etc.



How long of a commute are you okay with?




 

"South Side" is an enormous area. Let us know a more specific work area, and your thoughts on what your needs are. Buying/renting/house/ apartment/ budget/month.

We don't have state income tax, but we have high property tax rates.

Summer is long, hot, wet, and brutal.

Inside the city limits is more liberal, suburbs are more conservative.

East Pearland might be a great choice for you. I've lived here for four years and love it.

Some days you need scuba gear just to get around....

I've lived here since 1968 and raised two kids here. Wife grew up here as well and is a second grade teacher. There is still open land here and on a clear day we can still see downtown.

Just so you know, After you've lived here a couple of years, when it gets down to the 50's you will be wanting a fire place.

Friendswood ISD has been ranked #1 for the past 12 years (at least), including 2015. Pearland is still #2.

Hey guys,

Sorry for my late reply…been one of those days where you feel like you’ve worked like a dog, but don’t get much done.  

I will be working at JB Hunt: 350 Gellhorn Dr, Houston, TX 77013.

At a minimum, I’m looking for a duplex.  House is preferred, with fenced in yard.  2 dogs.  Single guy.  Kinda prefer a quiet place, suburb, or semi-rural area, but within a 30-45 minute commute to work in traffic/rush hour (350 Gellhorn Dr., Houston).  But…every now and then, I do like to have people over, and really don’t want the neighbors to moan.  Like I said, I know nothing about the area, so I don’t know if this is possible.  

This is just a shot in the dark, haven’t really researched rent amounts yet, but I guess somewhere around $1,000/month if possible.  Don’t really want to pay a whole lot in rent, since I will never have any ownership interest, but I do want the place where I live to be safe.

What I definitely don’t want is to be hassled by gun ownership.  I moved out of Illinois into Indiana for that reason, and that reason only.  

When it comes time to buy a house…decent property taxes….

Thank you guys so much!

Erick  

Yeah man, but it's a dry heat.

You definitely don't want to live anywhere close to where you will be working. Your new job is not in a very good area. You will have the 5th Ward, 2nd Ward just to your west and Jacinto City,Cloverleif, Galena Park, North Shore to your East. Don't stay anywhere near these areas. Lots of trucking companies in that part of 610 though. They whole east side all the way out to Baytown has always seemed gloomy and depressing to me.

that price range to get anything nicer will be an apartment.  I own a lot of rentals in the aforementioned "South Side" In Pasadena and Clear Lake area (Friendswood, League City, etc) and $1250/mo might let you luck out on something in not too run down an area.  However many nice apartments in that range, just put the finishing touches on one in League City.

www.HAR.com   Great web site to look for rentals or to buy.     Free and no sign up required.

Hey NotAFudd: can you send me your phone number / email please? Thanks bud.  Possibly will be in Houston next weekend to look for places.

Hey guys,

Sorry for all the questions but I totally appreciate your help...what can I expect the electric bill to be during the summer with A/C?

Erick

for power rates  it really depends on the rate you pay with usage

http://www.powertochoose.org

I am getting ready  to pick a new plan and found one for 7. 7 for 2 years  ( old plan was   500Kwh = 7.0    1000Kwh = 6.1    2000Kwh= 9.3  )

I am single and live in a 3/2 ( 1150sq)  house and only go over 1000Kwh for the two really hot months ...

Fort bend county has low tax rates ( but really high valuation rates )  an is usually listed as the the most diverse place to be/  fastest growing / safest place   ( think Sugar land / Katy / Fulshear etc )

Ft Bend County is a LONG way from Gellhorn ! Might be better to look up around Lake Houston.

Wow...so many choices for electricity!  I've never had the choice of different price plans before.  Typically, I just pay the bill.  Here in Indiana, we are at 11 cents/kwH.  Down in your neck of the woods I found rates for as low as 8 cents!  Honestly, I called my electric company (NIPSCO), and I use around 400 KwH during the summer.  So, given the warmer climate in TX, I imagine I'd use double?

Thanks guys so much for your help...

Erick

After seeing your work address I would suggest you look into housing in Deer Park. It is a nice area and only a short drive from where you willbe working.

Gun friendly? Some of Houston's suburbs have the highest per capita carry permits in the State. League City tops the list. Other communities near Houston in the top twenty per capita  for carry permits include Alvin, Cypress, Deer Park, Friendswood, Pearland, Laporte, Sugarland and Baytown

Why the hell do people think Texas does not have humid areas?  Do people not have maps anymore.  If they did they would see that very big pond next to us.

Calm down my man...it will be OK!  BREATHE!  

I have a GPS...

Does it show any oceans on the gps ?    It's a commen question I get asked all the time.  Never could understand why people just assume all of Texas is dry.  Here is a fun fact for you.  El Paso is a shorter distance to LA then it will be to your new job.  By the way don't live anywhere near your new job unless you like crime.

Job on the south west or south east side? Makes a big difference.  Either way you do NOT want to live in Harris County.

That address is the northeast side of town. Look in Atascocita.

Lol. We use 2500kwh per month in august.

Look in Crosby area too.

OP, you need to realize how huge Houston is.  The population is 2 million and change, but it's spread out over miles and miles and miles.  Traffic can be tough.  You really don't want to live too far away from where you live, and you want to consider how traffic will be during your commute.  Life will suck if you don't put much planning into this.

2 million ? How about 4.5 million in the region ? Houston  doesn't necessarily end at the Harris County line. That being said if you look hard enough and use a realtor in the area you selected, you can probably find what you're looking for.

Houston is ginormous. If that address is really where you'll be working, you don't want to live in the southern suburbs.



We lived in Houston city limits for 6 years (Clear Lake area). My father-in-law also lives in Houston city limits (right off of 610 on the north side). It took us 45 minutes at 10am on a Sunday to drive to his house. Any other time or day it took us an hour.



 

Ok, I'll throw in $.02.

I know that side of town pretty well. I've lived and/or worked in that general area most of the last 24 years.

The JBH yard is just north of I10 on 610. If you live in Friendswood, League City, Clear Lake or the eastern part of Pearland, your commute route options are I45, 225, or I10. Get too far west in Pearland and you'll look at 288 to get up to 610. 288 during rush hours sucks donkey dicks. Anything west of 288 and you're just setting yourself up for misery. Getting to know commute options can be important. Our traffic is very predictable, but accidents happen, and that slows everything down. Getting to know your alternate commute routes will take the stress out of the event if you ever need to use them. Deer Park (wouldn't be my choice) or Pasadena could be options. Locals say "Pasadena" with a sneer, but there are some nice neighborhoods. Pasadena cops love their speed traps though.

I rented a house in Northshore for a couple years. No issues with crime, I just didn't like the neighborhood that much. I didn't like living in the area north of I10. I don't like the north side. At all. Anything north of your office (to the east, north, or west) is not to my liking. I moved to Clear Lake and am very happy down here. From my house I could get to JBH's yard in about 40 minutes at rush hour. For ex, I'd go north on Red Bluff to Beltway 8, ride the Bwy8 feeder to 225 and take 225 to 610. If the ship channel bridge is bottled up (listen to the radio) cut through the Washburn tunnel and take Clinton Dr to 610. That was my commute for six years when my office was just north of JBH.

I moved here from the Midwest. Best thing I ever did. It was 75F here and I looked "back home" was 5F. Nope, don't miss that. Humidity doesn't bother me, and I work outside. I like the weather here. Even in the summer.

BTW, there's a decent hole-in-the-wall Mexican joint near the JBH yard. Can't swing a dead cat in Houston without hitting a Mexican restaurant, but this one is close enough for your lunch hour. Don Chile at 635 McCarty St. Parking is a bitch and don't park at the bank. But the food is pretty decent and very affordable.

Good luck in your decision.

Needing scuba gear would suggest a very humid area....you know scuba is used underwater....

I do know as I am certified in it.  I personally get the question a bunch.  I have actually discussed with people that thought the gulf was different then a ocean so they assumed their would not be any humidity.

All of you have been tremendously helpful. I was hoping I could find a place around 20 minutes away...but as I'm quickly learning, my commute will most likely be 45+ minutes...

Will receive the "official" decision this week...

Erick