Moving to Houston ... have questions about neighborhoods

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Permalink Reply by Shaan Gandhi on January 26, 2012 at 11:33am

Hi,

 

I recently moved from Calgary to Houston back in August 2011. I visited most areas of Houston with a leasing agent.

 

I'm 29 and single, so I chose a non-family location hehe... called City Centre (I-10 and Beltway 8).

 

However, there are plenty of nice communities for you and your family. Very safe.

 

Katy, Kingwood, Sugarland, etc....

 

I would suggest calling my leasing agent that helped me out. Her name is Jessica,

 

713 367 7448

jessica.stjohn@urbanleasing.com

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Boyd and Kathy-Lynn McKay on March 11, 2012 at 8:33am

Thanks very much for the contact, Shaan.

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Permalink Reply by John Wilkinson on January 28, 2012 at 7:33am

I have been in Houston for over 5 years and live in Friendswood- My children both attend school in the Friendswood School District and we are very happy with the decision we made. There are actually 2 school districts in Friendswood and in essence, 2 parts of Friendswood. I would be happy to send you more info and help you make decision. I think a lot of where you live will depend on your place of employment... I am a Realtor and mainly work within the Bay Area and my wife works in downtown Houston. Her drive is 30-45 minutes... I take frequent trips to meet with my clients in The Woodlands and that is an hour trip and sometimes more. Feel free to email me at john@wilkinsonhc.com and I will send you any information I can to help-

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Permalink Reply by Boyd and Kathy-Lynn McKay on March 11, 2012 at 8:34am

Hi John,

THanks for your reply.  We will be in touch.

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Permalink Reply by John Wilkinson on March 15, 2012 at 4:29pm

Certainly...

As for the Heights, it is a quaint part of town the further from the highway you go. I have had many clients buy up there (mostly investors) but I have met some wonderful families there and young couples. My wife and I like to go up there for the fresh produce markets and to look at the decorated homes. There indeed has been a resurgence in the Heights area as investors are buying, remodeling and rebuilding... It is truly a diverse sight to see. I imagine it wont be long until the whole area is designated as historical... Be sure to check that area out.

For neighborhood info, you can check out: www.har.com - that site lists stats on neighborhoods, subdivisions, and homes for sale or lease. You can look up the Heights, Friendswood, The Woodlands, Cypress, League City, Clear Lake... Here is a direct link to Friendswood... Top 5 cities in the US per family circle magazine! http://www.ci.friendswood.tx.us/

I have also attached a sheet on a property I have for sale in the Heights for a reference on style in the area - It's not as ornate as some, but it still has that Heights charm.

Happy hunting!

Attachments:

• Heights Property.pdf, 454 KB

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Permalink Reply by Tom Furmanczyk on February 7, 2012 at 5:06pm

greetings,

I moved my family to Cypress Texas (Harris county) from Ottawa Canada in July 2010, my wife chose the location because of good schools.

Currently there are many properties in the area at very attractive prices.

I can provide more information if you wish

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Permalink Reply by Boyd and Kathy-Lynn McKay on March 11, 2012 at 8:41am

Hi Tom,

 Thanks for your reply.  We looked into this area.  It sounds wonderful but would be a very long commute to work.  We appreciate your help!

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Whitsett on March 15, 2012 at 6:25am

We live in the Heights and refuse to live anywhere else.  Its pricier than the suburbs but in exchange you get a neighborhood built before the car was invented so its very walkable with lots of oak tree lined streets and restaurants and pubs that many dont need a car to get to.  It is very much the anti-suburbia, giving you access to the Theatre District, the Museum District, Downtown, Galleria, multiple parks all less than 10 minutes away.  The neighborhood is inner city so petty crimes, mostly crimes of opportunity, do pop up.  The neighborhood is well patrolled by the police though, with most of the Heights having off duty constables patrolling the area keeping an eye on things.

As far as schools go, we have a newborn and wont think twice about sending him to the elementary schools.  The Heights has had a resurgence in the past 20 or so years and so there are some people that would debate the merits of the Middle School and High School in the area.  Some have no problems sending their kids there because it reflects what real life is about, others prefer a more structured system and will send their kids to private school.

The Heights is definitely family friendly though, the Heights Kids Club has over 700 members and good luck in going to any restaurant at the 5 or 6pm time slot and not seeing all the high chairs being put to good use. 

One final thing you'll find is housing prices are extremely variable compared to Alberta.  You'll be amazed what 250K will get you here, but you're asking the right questions because a huge 250K house isn't worth it if the location doesnt give you what you want and need.  And ultimately a house should be an investment as well, most Inner Loop neighborhoods were untouched by the housing crisis across the area and home prices even appreciated during this time.

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Permalink Reply by Shaan Gandhi on March 15, 2012 at 9:17am

I agree with Jeff. The Heights is great!

 

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Christie Taillon on March 17, 2012 at 2:26pm

I moved to The Woodlands 16 years ago. We love it here. Yes it is a commute to Houston. I go in regularly, but work out here. There are many people who drive in daily. Depending on where you work, there are commuter buses to downtown. The Hardy Toll Road makes the drive very pleasant and easier. As for The Woodlands- there are so many people here from around Texas, the U.S., Canada, and around the world. I have an exchange student this year, and in spite of the very large high school, he had a very easy time adjusting due to the many newer residents. I've heard great things about Friendswood too, as well as many other communities. There are many great neighborhoods in the city too- just make sure you look closely at the school zoning. there. If you are interested in more information on The Woodlands, don't hesitate to ask me more. We have a few Candians on my street- especially from Toronto (including myself) and Calgary. I agree about the Heights neigborhood too. The Heights, West University/Rice area- both great neighborhood with kids.

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Permalink Reply by Tara Birse on April 11, 2012 at 2:48pm

Were moving this summer 2012 as well from Calgary.  I am just in the process of looking into schools.  I have looked into the Katy ISD, and it seems really good.  I was also told the Lakes of Elderidge is a good community as well.  Let me know what you hear as well and where you decided to look.  I am little over whelmed at the moment. 

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Permalink Reply by Shaan Gandhi on April 11, 2012 at 2:54pm

Exciting. Big change from Calgary, and huge change in climate. I relocated from Calgary last summer as well. I lived in the NW Panorama Hills area. You really can't go wrong with Katy, it's very nice there. I have quite a few coworkers that live throughout the city, so let me know if you'd like to speak with one of them over the phone. Houston is a HUGE city!

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