londonguy123

Hi,

It looks like I'm moving to Houston from London, in September. I work for a major oil company in London, and my new job will be based in downtown Houston.

I am a bachelor in my mid 20's and I'm not too bothered about living with/near my fellow british expats, I'd rather get to meet Americans, and do american stuff like go to college basketball games.

Where might be a good location for me? I don't want to commute more than 15/20mins to work, and I'd like to be reasonably near nice bars/clubs. An international atmosphere is what I'd like (I'm caucasian but I have a thing for latino women . The company should provide me with an apartment for 3 months or so, but I'm thinking of getting a flatmate, someone (an american perhaps) who knows the city well and can help me meet new people - is that pretty common, or am I best getting a 1 bed flat.

What are rents like, my salary should be somewhere around the $70/75k mark. No idea at this point what all those layers of tax might leave me with, but I'd like to think I wouldn't be paying more than $1,400 a month in rent.

Mr Weeze

I believe you want to be looking in the midtown area, montrose or the heights (though the commute might still be closer to 30 mins, depending on time). There is a light rail system that goes to downtown, so you may also want to look on the route map for that.

As far as rents go, apartments are more reasonable than houses in my opinion.

Are you local payroll or expat? If that's local (and assuming you're a petrotechnical person) then I'd suggest you're being underpaid - we pay new hires near enough $100k. However, that's in line for a UK salary. If you're expat then I presume you'll be getting a living allowance? Will your gas, water & electric also be paid for?

Can't comment on how common it is to share. I know 1 who does, and 1 who doesn't. Everyone else I know is in a relationship.

I know someone who was working for Hess and they were put up in some apartments off Kirby, near 59. I can't remember the name though.

londonguy123

Thanks for the response. apologies I meant £70/75k (and expat) so that works out at $110-120k... I'm not sure what the other details are, this has been in the pipeline for the past 6 months, its only now that the move is very likely. Shall meet with my manager this week to iron out the details.

Moxie

Agree with the other poster. My daughters lived in Midtown when single and then married until they bought a house in the 'burbs.
If you zero in on downtown Houston, Midtown is the area just south of I-45 which loops around "downtown". It rose out of the blight starting around W. Gray, Bagby, Smith, Louisiana, Travis, McGowen. I think wide areas claim to be "midtown now". I still think it's pretty creepy around Main@Webster. Homeless people, Greyhound bus station, and El Centro bus station which I think is busses coming straight from Mexico.

I watched the gentrification of the area starting around 1999. Now there are many restaurants and clubs and the light rail into downtown. Also clubs/restaurants along the light rail in downtown (north of where I-45 loops around the central business district).

Must visit Spec's on Smith St, probably the biggest liquor store you will ever go to in your life. Description http://204.128.208.250/cgi-bin/people

Here's a map of Midtown http://www.houstonmidtown.com/cmsFil...Map_012011.pdf

And a website http://www.houstonmidtown.com/midtown.cfm#

Brigette

Here ya go... before deciding to return home I was looking into moving to Houston and got invaluable information from this site:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/houston/

Yorkieabroad

If you're looking for a short commute, there are plenty of apartments in downtown. If I was young and single, I don't think I'd want to be right in downtown - somewhere more like Midtown or the Heights (although depending on where, you might stretch that commute time).

That being said I've got a young single Italian expat from Exxon Mobil in an apartment I rent out in downtown at the moment (decent size Studio/loft, close to a light rail station, pool and good gym on site). He took a 6month lease to start with and I expected him to quit after that, but he's extended and is now coming up to the 3 year mark this summer, so he obviously sees something in downtown. Off the top of my head his lease is at 1250 plus electric.

Bink

When I first moved to Houston I lived downtown in a nice privately owned loft and payed $1,500/month all inclusive of bills. I loved it. I wanted a true loft and the ones in midtown aren't so hence why I was downtown. There are a few good bars downtown and Washington etc is only a $10 cab trip (not even).

Cape Blue

Healthcare, healthcare & healthcare.

Plus company starting green card app straight away.