Housing was massively cheap from what we were used to in Minnesota. You can get a really nice house (new with 4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 bathrooms, about 2600 square feet) for about $170,000 in a really nice/safe area of town (suburbs).
The best places (in my opinion) to live are as follows:
The Woodlands (really nice, but more expensive than other areas)-North of the city
Magnolia (bigger lots North of city)
Spring - North of city near the Woodlands
Conroe - Way north of the city
Katy - West of the city
Sugarland - Southwest of the city
Rosenberg - Southwest of city (past Sugarland)
Pearland - South of the city
Friendswood - South of city (getting close to coastal flooding areas)
If you can afford it, the Memorial area is nice (west side of city)
River Oaks is the super posh area in town (mega rich area)
Bellaire is on south side of city (expensive but nice)
If hurricanes scare you....I would definitely shy away from the South and East sides of town. Even the way north side of Houston lost power for quite a while after last years Hurricane Ike. Areas like Galveston Island, Kemah, Clear Lake, Dickenson, La Marque, and Seabrook are nice....but if a big hurricane comes, you could lose EVERYTHING.
You also need to make sure that the area you decide on is not flood prone. Houston is VERY flat. Some areas flood very easily. I would stay away from anything close to the Bayous. The Bayous regularly overflow their banks during heavy downpours and tropical storms.
Good luck with everything!! Ask someone in real estate to help you make the right choice of area of town to suit you and your family. They tend to be quite knowledgeable and can help you make your decision.
The city itself sucks (no character, bad design, too much traffic, no decent public transportation), but it does have some good points.
Housing is more affordable here than over major cities. You can find good housing in affordable areas, the downside is that you will have to drive far to downtown. Though depending on where you live and work this might not be an issue. There are good school districts here.
Houston does have museums, theatre, symphony, a football team, basketball team, baseball team, and several parks. There are lots of kid-friendly entertainment places here.
Houston doesn_t have warm weather, it has HOT weather. Four months of 90F+ weather, averaging 95F with a few days of 100F+ with 90%-100% humidity. If you have never lived in hot climate like Houston, you may find it tough to adjust at first. You should really visit in late June / early July to see how hot it gets.
On the plus side winters are mild. Snow is rare. It doesn_t get below freezing some nights, but usually not for more than a couple of hours.
You will need a car to live here. You cannot get around the city without one. If you currently have a car, make sure it has A/C in it. In the summer you need A/C in the car.
Traffic is pretty bad during rush hour. You will need to choose your housing location carefully if you wish to avoid hour long commutes.
I love the weather. It does get hot, but rather hot than cold or snow. The housing is affordable. There are a lot of job opportunities. Being close to the ocean is the best. Plus we love the hispanic culture. No state tax out of your paycheck is nice, but they make up for it and tax you on everything else, ie clothes. The tax rate on housing is much higher. On a home we looked at for $250K the tax was almost $5500, it just depends on what county you live in.
Things we hate:
The traffic. The way that it takes almost 1 hour to drive 30 miles across town, depending on where you are going. The traffic lights were programmed by monkeys. They are not timed properly, so there is always traffic and major backups at lights and certain intersections. The bad drivers. People here drive WAY TOO FAST!! It could be 45 and people will be passing you driving 80 MPH.
OH and my car insurance and health insurance went up almost $100 a month just because they say there are more uninsured people living here.
Other than that, we love it.
I lived in Houston for 7 years. I loved it. The weather played a big part in that. So did my location. Everybody drives in the Houston area. I lived downtown/midtown on Main Street in a loft. It was great. I never had to drive. I walked to work, to restaurants, to do groceries, etc.
You have a little girl. It may not be as easy to walk everywhere. The outdoor activities are great though.
If weather plays no part in your decision then I recommend Chicago. NYC is too expensive. Chicago is a great city though. Houston is my overall favorite, but mainly b/c of the weather.
It has never flooded at my home and we are fortunate. Houston is a booming city. Dealing a lot with oil _ oil related things. We have hot summers _ mild winters. Some complain about the humidity but that is what keeps the wrinkles away. We have Galveston _ the Gulf of Mexico about 55 miles away. Lots of nice places to go in and around Houston. If I can be of further help, please go to my profile _ email me _ I will get back with you via my email address. God Bless You
I wouldn_t live in NY for anything, some people love it but it_s crowded and noisy and expensive as h*ll.
I lived in Houston 20 years ago and unless your in the oil business, I wouldn_t live their now.
Too many empty brained republicans
Bad weather
road rage
guns
crime
racism
rednecks
horrible traffic
Cops
The Good:
The food
Galveston
Crawfish
Affordable
Lot of green areas
Good Mayor (Bill White)
