godisaclog

Hi everyone,

Well relocation to Houston is a little closer now. We've settled (in the short term at least) on office space in downtown. I'm in Houston trying to get a feel for some of the areas I may want to end up living. I've booked a few nights in a hotel in Galleria and also a few nights in a motel out in Katy. These were two (obviously quite different) areas recommended by some friends. I had a day looking round some apartment complexes today in the galleria area and the choice is frankly overwhelming.

All this isn't helped by the fact that I don't really have a budget yet - I just have a feel for what I'm comfortable with - so in galleria I've been looking at ~800 sq ft apartments which are coming in the range of $1000-1400 depending upon how luxurious they are. Ideally I'd have a house of course, but I think that would be rather unaffordable in this area.

I guess if anyone has any advice for me, that would be really appreciated. I'm quite concerned about the commute (although my journey at home currently takes 45mins each morning anyway), so perhaps something closer to downtown would suit - but obviously that would come at an increase cost. I'd consider further out for more space (hence why I intend to have a look round Katy).

I'm about to turn 30, and don't have children. I hope my fiancee, soon to turn wife (I hope!) will join me in due course.

I appreciate this is still really vague - but if anyone has any advice on must see areas for the couple of days that I have in Houston to scout around - that would be really appreciated. Tomorrow I plan to look at places around memorial and musuem district. But other recommendations welcome. Then during the week I'll be out in Katy/suburbs for a slightly different view of life in Houston.

I'm also struggling with the idea of a furnished apartments. I've only had ballpark quotes from the rental girls, but they suggest $100/day, which seems quite expensive compared to some hotels! Are there other options you can think of. I'm loathed to ship furniture across - so do you just budget 1000s for this when you arrive?

Anyway, any advice gratefully received!

Thanks.

Michael

Furnished rentals are generally for corporations for short term rentals so they will likely be expensive. If you don't want to buy furniture, use a furniture rental company and then return the furniture when the rental agreement is up if you want to purchase some of your own. Or just rent the basics and purchase the remainder at your leisure.

If you want to be very flexible, try to find short term furniture rental agreements even if the price is higher.

Weeze

If you don't have kids you probably don't want to be out in Katy. We are and I love it, but we moved here for the schooling. If you don't need to be worrying about the school districts, then I'd suggest memorial/museum district/west u/galleria/montrose. For that money you are looking at apartments only, but your commute is going to be shorter and you are going to be more in the action.

Renting in the Houston area is expensive. We thought we had a huge housing budget, but we still need to put in extra every month. You probably have already found it, but HAR.com is the place to look for property.

If you are looking at Katy then bare in mind it's huge, a city on it's own. You need to be near either i10, westheimer parkway or west park tollway to cut down on your commute. If you can have options of using all 3 to commute, then if their is trouble on one, you can change route. Commute to the Galleria from us in East Katy is 35mins AM and 45mins PM.

Good luck!

godisaclog

Thanks both - very useful

I had a look around the North part of Bering drive and quite liked it there. Is that the tanglewood area? Also did some loops through the memorial villages and then took memorial into towards downtown. There seemed to be a lot of outdoor activity around River Oaks/Rice military. That seems a nice area too and very close to downtown. I suspect it comes at a cost.

What is North of there like? Houston Heights area? It seems convenient to both downtown and the airport.

Weeze

Houston Heights is ment to be the more kooky area. We have friends there so it must be okay. You get million dollar plus houses next to little shack houses.
I'd have thought Bearing would be in the heights too.
Tanglewood/River Oaks are the posh bits. George Bush Snr lives in Tanglewood. If you do house renovations you have to build a little house to hide the portaloo. I suspect your budget would need to increase, but HAR.com would tell you.
It'll come down to what you want. We needed a house, so on our budget, that pushed us out to Katy. We also wanted a pool as we thought if we were living with the heat, we were going to do it in style. We had friends that had a nice 2 bed apartment in the Galleria. Think that was about $2500/month.
We were put up in a serviced apartment in the Galleria while we settled in and looked at areas. That was $170/night, but it was 3 bedroom in a posh complex. Plus, we didnt pay. I would highly recommend it as it gave us chance to look around more before settling on an area.

Bomjeito

We stayed our first months in a furnished corporate apartment in Memorial. It was fabulous - however hubby's job is in Memorial.

If your job is to be downtown, then forget Memorial. The commute is actually a bear depending on where you are located.

If you aren't a family (yet), then Katy is a huge waste of time for you. We are child-less and did take time to look out there...but its very geared toward families and has great schools. In fact a bunch of houses we went to look at took forever as the schools had just let out. Its all about the schools and school activities in Katy. We have friends with kids who love it there. We'd have been too isolated there; its too far to pop down to Flying Saucer, for example, which is downtown for a few drinks. Or even to go over to stroll in Rice Village (and stop at Gingerman and sit outside and watch the world go by.)

Heights is a great area, just be sure you are looking in the 'right' areas of Heights. Its an easy commute downtown and the neighborhood is funky.

At your budget, I can see that you could afford Kirby, Upper Kirby or Montrose (these boundary River Oaks, which you can't afford, few can...) - or think about Rice Village. These all have pubs, shops, coffee houses, theaters, etc. Very happening areas. These areas are closer to downtown, and always a good bet is Bellaire, but it is farther SW from downtown. Bellaire is more families and larger homes. I also like the Highland Village area, if I was single or young married; that is closest to Memorial Park and Downtown. Or very peaceful are the apartment villages near the Museum District.

Get onto City-data.com for Houston. The folks there are spot on with advice. They sure helped us!

Also, you can rent furniture from Cort for cheaper than a furnished apartment.

We ended up in one of the three gated communities near Eldridge/Tanner above I-10. Its a breeze drive to the companies in Energy Corridor for hubby. His commute is only 10 min. But, since we are close to I-10, we can be in Rice Village in 20 min. And I shop in Highland Village often, and still have everything between me and there with Ikea, HEB, and the lovely areas of Bunker Hill, Piney Point, etc. It works for us because we don't go out much, and when we do, its for pubs and restaurants, which we know we have to drive (to Kirby or Montrose, for example) for as there aren't any around here. Oh, btw, if you want cool pubs and unique restaurants, forget Katy. Its all regional or national chains out there.

Our closest place for stuff like that is Town and Country. We'd have considered living there if we were younger, hipper and wanted activity of people around us. I don't think Town and Country will be good for you if you work downtown. However, if your wife/gf doesn't/can't work, then is may be a better place for her and you suck up the commute, which wouldn't be that bad, but not fun.

ETA: Highland Village is east of Galleria under the 610. Its cheaper than Galleria area and has better shops/amenities. Cross under 610 on Westheimer. There are hip restaurants/bistros, Crate & Barrel, Central Market (great wine selection) and other upscale joints, including a Sprinkles cupcake! But you also get Target too.

texasjan

We live in the Galleria area and love it! We can walk to pubs, restaurants, shops, instead of always having to get in the car. We have gone from a 4 bed detached in the uk, to a 2 bed apt and its still great - also means we get amenities like pools and dont have to worry about the garden dying in the heat. You also get to meet plenty of people in the lifts - who turn into good friends

GCPony

We live in the West University area. Nice thing about it, is you'd be close in on Rice Village, and in Houston, that's as close as you're going to get to something a little "UK'ish". It's in between the Galleria and downtown and has easy access to just about everywhere.

Get a leasing agent involved, they'll take your requirements and make informed decisions. Bamboo (not linking anything, not sure about website policy) helped me find the place I'm currently in, and they sure know the town.

Brigette

Before deciding to go home I was looking to move to Houston. I found this site very helpful. http://www.city-data.com/forum/houston/

. I too am young, with no children and I started a thread on the site and was so grateful for the many responses I got from people who have lived their for years. Good luck