Originally Posted by Pulaski

Your advice isn't much help when the OP's after tax income isn't going to be much more than about $4,500/mth. ...... Given his income his budget is in line with the general guidance in the US to spend about 1/3 of your income on housing. Do you have any suggestions as to what he can do with a housing budget of $1,500-$2,000?

Originally Posted by Bomjeito

Regarding the costs...double pretty much everything. Decent housing in good school districts start at $3k. Research each school, not the entire district for a rating. Katy ISD has hundreds of schools, and building more....so some addresses will be redistricted later. Anyhow, research each individual school for the home you desire. KISD has some marginal ones out there! As does Cypress ISD.

$70 k isn't a lot after taxes are accounted for.

As one poster mentioned, your upfront costs are large. Furniture is cheap by way of IKEA, and a lot of moving expats always have listings on FB, Shell Outpost, etc. But those require waiting and hoping. You can rent furniture...Cort does whole 4 bedroom houses for about $600 a month.

Car insurance...too low...if a corporate car, isn't it covered anyhow? If not, there is a year upcharge premium as you'll be considered a new driver here...and since you have no credit, credit scores come into play for rate decisions.

Originally Posted by Canveydave

And who is insuring your car?! I drive a Hummer here, I have been here a month, I don't even have a social security number and my insurance for my wife and I comes to the princely sum of $94 a month. I got quoted on a brand new 2015 Mustang soft top as well, $120 a month.

Originally Posted by Bob

$1K per 6 months is a pretty safe bet for most people to budget towards, if they want a decentish new car and want decent coverage.

Getting state minimum coverage, which would be shit, everywhere, and you could pay peanuts. Wouldn't be advised though, unless you're driving a beater and have no assets at all.

Originally Posted by Weeze

Glad you liked them! (It was us that referred them). Saved us a fortune in that first year.

Originally Posted by Bomjeito

Has anyone rented recently in Katy? As I typed the post, my friend and realtor showed me listings for Kelliwood at $4k a month for a 4 bed/3 bath with pool. I still think $3k for a big house with pool in a desirable school situation isn't so ridiculous for Katy.

I may be wrong, and the OP has full promise to look onto har.com for their price range and locations.

We pay $120 a month for two cars insurance too. HOWEVER, newly arrived folks DO get the upcharges if they have not verifiable driver record in the USA. A decent broker or simply doing research will again, help the OP.

Sheesh. My husband relocates a dozen or more folk from all over the world and he consistently gets folk thinking cheap and plenty. Especially the last year - prices for accommodation have increased. Since we moved here in 2010, its a large difference. And the OP hasn't mentioned where her husband works, so that is a whole other discussion when we hear, "works in Pearland, want to move to the Woodlands" post.

She asked for opinions, I gave it. Others can too.

Originally Posted by Amy1

Hi

Looking for some advice about me and my family moving to the US. My husband has been offered a job in Houston Texas and we are close to agreeing to move.

VISA

The job he has been offered is with the same company so we are thinking we may get a L1 visa, we can't get a L1A visa because he is only halfway through a degree so looking like a L1b is the only option, His skills are very specific to engineering so this should be an issue.

SALARY

Can anybody who lives in Texas give us any rough idea of take home pay per month if he earns 70,000 US dollars per year. I have read the tax is different in Texas to most other places. We have 3 children under 10 years old.

DRIVING LICENCE

Can you confirm we can drive in the US on our UK licence for 1 year before taking the US test

BILLS

Also is there any costs that are way off the mark below or and costs you pay in the US we haven't thought of

Rent 1500
Gas and electric 300
Water and garbage 50
Car insurance. 150
Food 800
TV 80
Internet 40
Fuel 100
Insurance home 40
Medical insurance 300

HOME

We are looking to live in the KATY or Cypress area in TX for the good schooling etc has anybody got any thoughts or information regarding shipping furniture v buying all new, almost all of the rented homes I've seen are unfurnished.

Thanks for your help

Originally Posted by Owen778

OK.

He may get a company car and phone, but you personally will still need both to do almost anything.

I don't know if a machining specialist would qualify for L1-B. Hopefully his company is making the offer with knowledge that he would be likely to qualify. If he has yet to actually talk to them about it, it's even possible the US office have just assumed he has work authorisation. He needs to ask for clarification.

Almost every company in oil and gas is hurting right now. Without knowing where his company is located in the supply chain, it is difficult to give specific advice. However, if I were to make a guess, I'd say his company is still recruiting because they still have signed contracts with the oil companies to supply components for major projects that mean they have work for, say, 6 months or a year. If the oil price doesn't go back up before those contracts are fulfilled, he could easily be out of work and you would all have to immediately return to the UK. Bear in mind that Texas is an employment-at-will state, and there are very few employee protections.