Anyone from Houston, TX area? Need advice/info!

**jennordhavn** · 09-28-2011, 02:42 PM

I am from California (SF Bay Area) and was born and raised here. I am thinking about maybe moving to the Houston area since my employer has an office there and the cost of housing is lower and the public schools in many areas are great. I was just wondering if anyone lived in the area and could give me some information/advice.

I have heard Katy, Spring, and Sugar Land are good areas. Is this true? How are the schools? The diversity? Commute into downtown Houston for work?

Will it be total culture shock for a California girl like me? What about the heat, will I be able to handle it?

Any advice or info would be great. If we did make the move, it would be when the school year ends and I will have one daughter going into 8th grade, and the other going into 1st.

**2ndGenGranola** · 09-29-2011, 04:22 PM

I have a family member that lives there.

You will probably feel it is a step or two towards the small town end of the scale but it is still very much a big city. Those areas you mentioned are good areas. The commute will be a little hairy in my terms but since your are coming from SF it will probably be less than what you are used to. Much will depend upon job hours.

It is not the heat that will get you, it's the humidity. Plan on running the a/c and cutting back else where. You will not be sitting with the windows open. You will have some adjusting to the TX lifestyle just as I had to adjust to leaving the TX lifestyle. Get used to BBQ and TexMex (not a bad thing!!).

**ladykemma2** · 09-30-2011, 05:40 AM

we have 9 month heat. not the kind where you leave the windows open. my august electricity bill was 250 which was pretty good considering we had 30 days nearing 110 degrees.

i live in katy. may i recommend the sundown glen subdivision, or barkers ridge? sugarland is a little too "planned" for me and black people are not "welcome" there.

we don't have state income taxes, but i do pay about 4000 in school and property taxes.

**jennordhavn** · 09-30-2011, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by 2ndGenGranola

I have a family member that lives there.

You will probably feel it is a step or two towards the small town end of the scale but it is still very much a big city. Those areas you mentioned are good areas. The commute will be a little hairy in my terms but since your are coming from SF it will probably be less than what you are used to. Much will depend upon job hours.

It is not the heat that will get you, it's the humidity. Plan on running the a/c and cutting back else where. You will not be sitting with the windows open. You will have some adjusting to the TX lifestyle just as I had to adjust to leaving the TX lifestyle. Get used to BBQ and TexMex (not a bad thing!!).

Thanks for your response. I have only been to Texas once (San Antonio) and I remember the humidity quite well.....lol. As for food, I love BBQ and TexMex....hehe.

I've heard the commute from Katy is pretty bad, but that they are expanding the freeway. I have a friend who lives there and she loves the area and her son loves the high school he is going to. I also have a former coworker who lives in Spring and she takes the park and ride. Takes a total of about an hour, which is about how long it takes me to get to work now.

**jennordhavn** · 09-30-2011, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by ladykemma2

we have 9 month heat. not the kind where you leave the windows open. my august electricity bill was 250 which was pretty good considering we had 30 days nearing 110 degrees.

i live in katy. may i recommend the sundown glen subdivision, or barkers ridge? sugarland is a little too "planned" for me and black people are not "welcome" there.

we don't have state income taxes, but i do pay about 4000 in school and property taxes.

Thanks for the information. I really appreciate hearing it straight from someone who lives there as the information about Sugar Land isn't something you're going to find on a website! $250 isn't bad at all. My electric bill this month was $136 and we don't have A/C (don't need it)! I appreciate the information on specific areas of Katy. I am hoping we can visit (probably in Feb) and my friend that lives in Katy says she will show us around. I will also meet my former coworker for lunch and look at the office where I would be working.

Thanks again!

**ladykemma2** · 09-30-2011, 05:16 PM

yeah, sugarland makes my skin crawl. ick.

**2ndGenGranola** · 09-30-2011, 06:50 PM

It is not just Sugarland. There are several small towns (2-3 hours) all around the area that are just so...??...uhm...outdated?? Houston proper is more with the times but you do have small town people shopping there.

I don't want to make it sound all bad. It really isn't. I just don't want anyone surprised either.