https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 25 Apr 2026 05:44:17 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-advice-on-moving-to-houston-good-places-to-live#post-953156 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 13:53:50 +0000 MrsSCB 953156@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you all so much for the tips, I really appreciate it! We don't have kids yet but are planning to start TTC within the next year. We definitely want to rent for a little while, just to make sure we like the area. The $1500 budget is pretty conservative because we don't know how long it will take for me to find a job. We're thinking of maybe even doing a six-month lease at that budget to start, and then we could move to a nicer place assuming I get a job (yikes, I hope so!)</p> <p>@travellingbee: @corilyns: @lawbee11: @T-Mom: @BabyBoecksMom: I'll be studying all the neighborhoods you all suggested. I'm also so glad to hear so many of you love it there because I'm pretty nervous about moving to such uncharted territory. It definitely makes me feel better to know that people like it!</p> <p>@Thenetexan: I think we will try to stay more in the city at least at first to ease culture shock from moving away from such a crowded place, haha. Although, more space and fewer people is a definite plus about Houston over NYC for me. I think DH and I are both getting sick of being so crowded all the time.</p> <p>@wheres_c: Congrats on your move! I've heard Austin is a really cool place, I've always wanted to visit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-advice-on-moving-to-houston-good-places-to-live#post-953109 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 13:43:17 +0000 Thenetexan 953109@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree that you might want to consider long term family plans, but if I recall you don't have an LO yet. It would be much less of a shock to move from NYC to Houston if you stay close in. You probably don't need a lot of space given where you are coming from. A big house means a big electric bill, house cleaner bill, and a lot of furniture shopping. For what it's worth, I live in one of the neighborhoods I mentioned. It is extremely family friendly; the mom's group has about 1200 members. Every house on my block that has a married couple living in it has kids or one on the way. That equates to about 70% of the houses. Families are out and about all the time; playing in their yards or walking to the park or a local restaurant. Families are in bidding wars for housing because the public elementary school is highly sought after. Admittedly though, you will not be able to rent a 4-bedroom single family home for $1500. But many people stay here after having kids and many are trying to move here with kids already in tow. You can get a lot more house and yard for your money, if you go further out of the city. But you don't have to have all that to happily raise a family. Many close in areas are very family friendly. It just depends on how much you really want and need. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-advice-on-moving-to-houston-good-places-to-live#post-953051 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 13:30:32 +0000 travellingbee 953051@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would add to those neighborhood, Spring Branch. We live in SB and it is close in, but better schools than HISD. (I am a teacher, so I know!) There should be rentals. And there are apartments and townhomes out in this area. Look at zip codes 77055 and 77080<br /> There are also some nice condo/townhouses for rent on the Memorial side of I-10 and that is one of the nicest areas in Houston. Check out Bayou Bend Condos and others in 77024. HTH-- Welcome to Houston! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-advice-on-moving-to-houston-good-places-to-live#post-953025 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 13:24:11 +0000 MrsMed 953025@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with the Netexan. I moved there from the northeast in 2007 and absolutely loved it. We only stayed for two years and I was so so sad to leave. We bought right before the recession in the Museum District. It's a terrific neighborhood. We had friends who lived in Montrose and The Heights. I'm not at all sure about rentals. But we did live in mid-town before we bought. And I thought it was nice and convenient. Living in Montrose, West U, Museum District are true community neighborhoods (i.e. easier to meet people) and should make your DH's commute quick. I think Houston is a super-friendly, fun, quirky city. And this is coming from a self-described "big city rat" who has lived in a lot of places. Have a great time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-advice-on-moving-to-houston-good-places-to-live#post-952969 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 13:14:59 +0000 lawbee11 952969@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: Yay! Another Houston bee! I agree with the neighborhoods that @Thenetexan recommended. I think you could definitely rent an apartment in those areas in your price range. A single family home in those neighborhoods would likely be more than $1500 (though I am not positive). It also depends on if you are looking for something temporary, or if you are planning to start a family soon and are looking for an area with good public schools, etc. I live in a northern suburb (great schools, very family-friendly, you could easily find a home to rent here within your budget) and have one of the better commutes in Houston (my husband works downtown and it usually takes him about 30-35 minutes to get to work). Feel free to write on my wall if you want more info! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-advice-on-moving-to-houston-good-places-to-live#post-952909 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 13:02:48 +0000 T-Mom 952909@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Congrats to your DH on the job! I agree with @Thenetexan: on neighborhoods close to downtown. Those are the closest ones, but many people find themselves moving farther out as their families grow due to space and cost. We live in a southeastern suburb 20 miles from downtown, but I wouldn't particularly recommend it for a commute to downtown (it takes an hour during rush hour, although many people including my family do the commute and take the bus). However, $1500 is what you would pay to rent for a single family, 4 bedroom home with nice yard in my community. If you would like more details, feel free to write on my wall. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-advice-on-moving-to-houston-good-places-to-live#post-952692 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 12:16:10 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 952692@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yay!!! Well, welcome to Houston :-) </p> <p>I think @Thenetexan pretty much summed up what I would tell you. As I mentioned before, a lot of people that work downtown live in The Woodlands and commute (either by driving or by taking the bus). <a href="http://www.thewoodlands.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.thewoodlands.com/</a></p> <p>Keep us posted as you figure out your plans so that we can give you more info. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-advice-on-moving-to-houston-good-places-to-live#post-952667 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 12:11:06 +0000 wheres_c 952667@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How exciting! Congrats! I'm moving to Austin this week, so hopefully will get to meet you at a Texas get together! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-advice-on-moving-to-houston-good-places-to-live#post-952190 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 09:59:18 +0000 Thenetexan 952190@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You will likely miss the smell of fall, the crisp air, and the turning of the leaves. Fall is more like summer in the NE. In the winter it may only drop below freezing a few nights, if any. There will be a few cold damp days that you will probably complain about until you realize 50 isn't really cold! I don't recall the last time I wore more than a fleece. The people here are very friendly, partly Texas hospitality and partly because it is a great melting pot of people from all over. </p> <p>Houston is booming. It really didn't not suffer during the economic downturn. Job creation is high, so the housing market is tough. The demand for housing, especially close in has driven up the prices in both rentals and sales. Close in, bidding wars are common. Construction is going on all over to try to meet the demand. <a href="http://Www.HAR.com" rel="nofollow">http://Www.HAR.com</a> has rental listings that you can search by map or neighborhood. Montrose, heights, midtown, rice military are good close in areas. I am not sure about rental pricing though. East Downtown is a up and coming area, but I haven't been over there in a few years to tell you much about it. Also try oak forest, garden oaks and timbergrove. </p> <p>I am not a native Houstonian, but love it here. I hope you do too. Good luck with the move. Let me know if you have more questions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-advice-on-moving-to-houston-good-places-to-live#post-951986 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 09:05:00 +0000 MrsSCB 951986@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Thenetexan: We will be renting, at least in the beginning. We'd love to be in a single family home (no more sharing walls!) but are open to apartments as well. Our budget will probably be about $1500 or less, if that helps.</p> <p>What's it like in the fall and winter down there? Does it cool down? I feel like I'm so uninformed about the place that will soon be my new home, haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-advice-on-moving-to-houston-good-places-to-live#post-951976 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 09:00:32 +0000 Thenetexan 951976@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Tell me a little bit more about your plans; renting or buying? What type of place do you want (townhouse, single family, condo, apartment)? Sorry you are coming in August. It is not Houston's prettiest month... Trust that come October, it will be lovely and you will enjoy the winter and spring months too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-advice-on-moving-to-houston-good-places-to-live#post-951901 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 08:42:30 +0000 MrsSCB 951901@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I posted a few months ago that there was a possibility we'd be moving to Houston and got lots of great replies from Houston bees. Well DH was finally offered the job he's been interviewing for, so we are officially moving from NYC to Houston in THREE weeks, eek! Do any Houston bees have advice on good neighborhoods? I've never even been to the city before! We'd like to be at least somewhat close to his work, assuming there are good places to live nearby. He'll be pretty close to the downtown area. I appreciate any advice! We're excited for something new, but I'm a little nervous about finding a job... :-/ </p>