What is it like to live in Houston, do you recommend it?|177550

Is the housing in good areas affordable? What do you have to say about it in general? Good points and negative points? I haven_t been yet so I_m just asking but we_re planning a permanent move in the near future. I_m a Pharmacist and I have a little girl, we live in Detroit. I_m thinking of Chicago and New York too.

Houston is a great and affordable place to raise a family. We moved from Minneapolis to Houston for work. The city itself has a lot to offer! The jobs seem to be doing well during the economic downturn.

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.

Yes and No.

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.

We just moved to Houston/Katy TX about a year ago. I love it here!
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.

Housing is good and affordable. Far more so than any where else I can think of that offers a true metropolitan area (I have lived in Chicago and NYC as well).

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.

I have lived in Houston about 20 years and I have also lived a year in Michigan and 6 months in Indiana. I love Houston and will never live anywhere else. There are lots of things to do here. The hospital system is state of the art. Of course it has it_s bad areas as well as it_s good areas as does any other city. Traffic can be kind of bad but it depends on where you need to go. I live down I10 and they have recently widened the freeway so my commute from the Galleria area to Katy is virtually traffic free. It used to take an hour in a half but now takes the normal 30 minutes. We have lots of sports. As you see I love it here.

We are Houstonians. Hubby is retired from the Navy and when he retired we packed up our 5 children _ came back home. Houston has been good to all of us. We have been to Chicago _ New York and the west coast. I am proud to call Houston home. We have a huge medical center here. Compared to other lg. cities, we have lower cost housing of all kind.N, NW _ W are the better parts of the city. We live NW in Spring Branch area, 11 miles from the heart of Houston. Our 4 adult children_s families live in NW also but we are more close to the W of NW , if that makes any sense to you. We have been in this house for 40 yrs. My neighborhood has changed. Many Hispanic.
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

please move to chicago..thats where im going as soon as im done with school. Since ur a pharmacist, u should be able to afford chicago just fine..also its waaay too HOT AND HUMID here, u may like warm weather now but in the summer its like 98-100 degrees outside without the humidity, when u factor in humidity thats around 110-120 degrees..if u want warm weather, move to California!!

Well, I_ve lived in Houston since I was born. There are alot of things to do here. Just depends on what you enjoy doing. In the summer it can get up to at least 100-105 degrees and in winter it can get to the 50s. But in Houston, it can get pretty boring sometimes. If you want to live in Texas though, try San Antonio...LOTS of fun!

don_t move to Chicago unless you love Oprah _ snow.

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.

6 million people live here so it shouldn_t be too bad, u should come and find out on your own. The guys here are very handsome. i find many single dads who can cook very attractive. just come. NYC should be hard to find work. Chicago i dont know, but i hate cold and windy weather.

The bad:
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)

I have lived here for 35 years. I would rather prefer Austin or San Antonio, Texas. That_s where we, the locals, run to get away for a weekend.

Well im moving there soon. The houses are affordable and there nice. But ughh i dont wanna move there :[

NO I live here _ I don_t recommend it. I_d rather be in Chicago myself

its a big city hot in the summer floods and hurricanes to

one bad thing..........too freak_n HOT

Houston is the worst **** hole ever! go to Chicago or New York City

Where should a recent college grad look to live in the San Francisco Bay Area?|164467

I graduated college in the midwest a few weeks ago and will be starting my job in SF in August. I know nothing about the area, any recommendations on where to live? Thanks.

In San Francisco the Avenues are very nice, The Marina District, Noe Valley. If you don_t mind a commute and are looking for less expensive area_s the North Bay is Nice Marin and Sonoma County. Really the bay area has so many great places to live it depends on what you want and what you can afford. It is very expensive...

Live in San Francisco or down the Peninsula and avoid bridge traffic and tolls. You can catch the train into downtown SF from as far as San Jose and the BART from as far as So. San Francisco. But live in SF if you can find a nice place. There is a good SF MUNI and BART public transit systems in the city and you can leave your car at home. The Richmond and Sunset Districts are nice and street parking is not that much of a problem in most parts of it Of course, if you do not have a car that wouldn_t be an issue for you.

If you do want to branch out, live in communities served by the BART system and that would be some communities in the East Bay.

How much more the bridge toll will be soon for people who live in the North Bay (Marin or Sonoma counties) is an unknown. It_s already high. Also, driving the Golden Gate Bridge isn_t safe. There is nothing to protect you from headon collisions and the lanes are narrow.

San Francisco is lovely, I_m sure a young, fresh career fellow like yourself will love the environment. Having grown up in the bay area I have a real love for the city. One of the best neighborhoods to live in is the Castro, if you can get over it_s _gay_ reputation. It does have a thriving gay community, but there is a lot more to the district than that. It_s a beautiful neighborhood and it_s a perfect place to live in, it would be a great place to settle in, and once you_re ready, raise a family. Good luck :]

What is the best resort in Palm Springs?|164069

My boyfriend and are looking to go to Palm Springs for a weekend in September. We want a nice hotel, but not too expensive. Somewhere in the 180-250/night range. Neither of us play golf, but tennis courts would be a plus, as well as a really nice outdoor pool area. Thanks!

You_ve got lots of options!

Viceroy Palm Springs

http://www.resideo.com/us/california/pal��

$240/nt (advance purchase discount)
3 pools! One of the highest-rated resorts in the area.

Desert Springs JW Marriott

http://www.resideo.com/us/california/pal��

$199/nt
20 tennis courts, 5 pools, 3 spa tubs!

Rancho Las Palmas

http://www.resideo.com/us/california/ran��

$189/nt

La Quinta Waldorf Astoria

http://www.resideo.com/us/california/laq��

$169/nt
Tennis, pool, etc...

Hope that helps!

Rancho Las Palmas is a pretty cool place, BUT it_s overrun by kids in the pool area, and compeition for the few lounge chairs is fierce. Not really relaxing. Try one of the others.

What is the cheapest way to get from Fort Lauderdale to the port of miami for a cruise to the bahamas?|198553

Southwest doesn_t fly into Miami, it goes to Fort Lauderdale instead, so we won_t have a car, but we need to get to miami for the departure of our cruise. Anyone know the easiest and cheapest way to do that?

For lots of options, and suggestions from people who have done it, go to CruiseCritic.com, click on _Boards_ at the top of the page, then go to _East Coast Departures_.

You can also go to the FLL airport website and click on _ground transportation_ to see what options there are.

Using the cruise line transfer service is probably a good option, although you_ll have to wait for the bus to fill up both ways.

If you_re going down the day before [which is always a good idea] you can stay in a hotel in Miami that has a shuttle to the port. Get a _Super Shuttle_ van from FLL to your Miami hotel.

Your best bet is to go through the cruise line that you are taking your cruise on. Its also more beneficial for your trip that you use their shuttle services. By doing so, the cruise line knows what flight your coming in on and if the flight is delayed, they will know about and do whatever they can to accommodate you. More then likely, there are lots of people in the same position as you flying into FLL for a cruise out of Miami. I know that Carnival Cruise lines has a shuttle service from FLL to the Port of Miami for a fee. DO NOT take a taxi unless its your last resort. I work in downtown fort Lauderdale, and have taken a taxi from work to the airport on several occasions. A short 4 mile trip usually costs w/tip about 20 dollars!! So for a trip from the airport to the port of Miami will cost you a LOT of money.

Not off of the top of my head. However when you decide how you want to do it, go to the below website and put in how you plan on doing it. I have found it to be VERY useful and usually quite a bit cheaper than other places I_ve been to. Just click on the link then go to _book travel_ and it is pretty simple from there.

drive, its only like 45 miles, then you can park your car at the pier and pay the daily parking fee.

Check Brisatrips.com, they often have cheaper prices. I normally book my Travel on sites that offer good deals like that one.
Good luck!

There are shuttles that take you from FLL to the Post in MIA for $30.00 A PERSON,

I am moving to Philly in a few months amp; I need help finding a place in a good neighborhood. Any suggestions?|179927

I am a writer and I like to be surrounded by the arts. As well as a good place for happy hour LOL! Its my husband and I; any suggestions would be appreciated.

Northern Liberties
Society Hill
Fairmount
Fishtown
Queens Village
Bella Vista
Passyunk Square


It really depends how much you cana afford too, but those are the hip areas in the city. Check out craigslist for places to rent.

Art Museum Area
Northern Liberties
Society Hill

If going outside of the city, consider the Mainline suburbs or Cheltenham. Stay out of the Northeast (blue collar working class part of Philly) and definitely stay out of the hoods (North Philly and West Philly).

If going on a budget, consider parts of South Philly for close access to downtown and the arts.

How long can someone stay in the US with a visitor visa?|174560

I_m wondering how long someone can, at a maximum, stay in the US as a visitor (non-student, non-working visa). Also, how frequently can they do this? Can they visit for their maximum time, go home, and then come right back and do it again?

You know the ONE piece of information that is absolutely essential here? Yup, the NATIONALITY of the person in question. A Canadian can spend 6 months in any one year period in the U.S. without a visa. If he is in the states for 3 months, leaves and returns in a day or two, that is fine. If the person is from the UK. or other visa waiver country, he can come for 90 days at a time, must return home and may come for another 90 days, up to 180 days n a year. There is no specified waiting time between trips. If a person has a b2 tourist visa, he may come to the U.S. multiple times during the 5 or 10 year duration of the visa, just must convince the immigration officer that he can support himself , and will return home ..there is no specified time between visits....People from Canada and visa waiver countries have the best chances of not being turned away.

When you arrive, you will be asked the purpose of your visit and your intended length of stay. If it all seems right and plausible to the officer, you will be given permission to stay for that period, or whatever period the officer deems appropriate. You must leave by the stated time. You could then return again, but the point is that it is a big deal in one_s life to come and go, and costly of course, so people do not take this lightly.

If you come in on holiday and say so, and you look like a two-week tourist, that will ring true to the immigration officer, who will grant you that time. If, on the other hand, you are trying to come in and stay on, and you want six months, but you don_t look as if you have the means, they will question you with care and might give you less.

It is all up to the immigration officer they stand in front of at the immigration line at the airport. They can decide to let you stay anywhere from 2 weeks up to 6 months. They will stamp your passport and that is your proof of legal stay here. If you get out of the country within whatever time frame they gave you then you can keep coming back as many times as you wish

Is there overnight parking at the Greyhound Bus Station?|166446

I am driving from Texas and have family from Michigan coming and meeting in Chicago for the weekend. Our hotel is downtown but neither of us want to drive down there or pay the outrageous parking. They are taking the bus from MI to Chicago so i was thinking of just parking at the bus station and all us taking CTA to our hotel. So is there overnight parking at the bus station or near it that is not $30-$45/night?

there are private concession parking lots all over teh city of Chcago but none that are run and operated by the Greyhound bus lines....You can expect to pay bewteen 30-45 for a 24hr period if you plan on parking downtown and you must check before you leave your car. Not all of these allow for overnight parking at any fee. So be sure that the one you place your car in , is one that allows for it...There are plenty of both types to be had...But it isnot cheap of course.......with a little luck your hotel is within walking distance...what is thename of the hotel