Jib Jib

Hi there

I wonder if any of you could please give us some feedback with regards to living in Houston. For example Pros and Cons, what are your motivations to leave the UK for Houston, crime rates, holidays, jobs etc...

Interested to hear your comments

many thanks in advance

Peddie

Bob

Might want to have a search, been plenty of threads recently about Houston

big_fish

I've been in Houston for all of 3 weeks now. My reasons for coming over were partly work, partly family (my wife's from Texas).

Pros so far include being able to buy cars that we couldn't have afforded back in the UK and the ease of every day life (grocery stores open late on Sundays, able to park everywhere). My 20 mile commute is also turning out to be easier & quicker than I expected.

Main con is the general frustration of being an expat, not having Social Security number etc but of course that would be the same anywhere. Other than that I'd have to put the weather down as no.1 - was expecting plenty of heat but it's rained nearly every day since we got in!

Jib Jib

Thanks for that - if it helps its raining here in the UK for the past 3 weeks! I've got sand bags at my door as I type!

Jerseygirl

Wellcome to BE...where in the UK are you living?

There are several folk here from the Houston area...no doubt one or more will be along before too long.

Jib Jib

Hi Jerseygirl
We are from North Yorkshire. Trying to research about Houston, looking on youtu be for some clips where are some that are put off. I am from Bangkok originally so I love city life. My hubby is from North Yorkshire and lives in the countryside all of his life. We could have gone to Calgary but he turned down the offer as it wasnt the right for us at the time but now he wants to continue the search for job experience abroad.

Any story about Houston you want to share with us? I love baseball, my hubby loves hockey so thats a bit tricky already hehe

Peddie

SarahInTX

Hi Peddie,

I've lived in Houston and Houston area for nearly 25 years. I've about 25 miles outside Houston proper for most of that time, but lived "inside the loop" for the first 5.

I originally came here with ex-hubby who did his post doc here, and then we moved to Iowa. After five years (and divorce and graduate school) I came back.

Do you know where you'll be working? Many people commute long distances so they can live in the newer, nice subdivisions outside Houston proper. A lot of people commute an hour and a half each way on crowded freeways. (Traffic can be horrible.) I really like parts of the city -- the Museum District, the Heights -- both of which are older parts of the city. There are tons of apartments/condos/townhouses all over.

Houston is one of the cheaper parts of the US to live. Housing prices are very reasonable. Petrol prices are among the lowest in the country.

Statistically, crime is quite high, but my only experience (so far) was getting some stuff nicked out of a garden shed.
School districts vary in quality. (I don't too much about schools as I never had kids.)

The weather will change. This rain we've been having is unusual this time of year. It will be hot, hot, hot and steamy. Relentless between now and September. Mid 90s plus very high humidity. But everywhere is air conditioned.

50 miles from the coast. Galveston is not a great place, but it's there. Also recreational lakes within striking distance if boating is your thing.

Theatres, art galleries, etc. Ballet, opera. Pretty good culturally.

I could go on, but probably shouldn't. Do you have any specific questions? Several web sites, but this one should help: http://www.houston-guide.com/.

Sarah in TX