McBoog Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 It looks like my tour of duty (misery) in Washington D.C. is over and I have been offered a promotion to Houston, TX (which I accepted). Any information on where to live (schools are a primary focus), recreating, eating, etc would be appreciated. Also, any opinions on what to expect practically and socially would help! Thank you in advance my Huddle brethren! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsfan Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Driveby and I both live in Houston. I live on the Southeast side, League City, near NASA. The Clear Creek ISD is awesome, one of the best school districts in the state. I am very happy with the education my kids are getting. When choosing where to live, we looked downtown near Rice University and in Clear Lake. We chose Clear Lake because the public schools are MUCH better than Houston, and I work for NASA so the commute is 10 minutes. Houston traffic sucks for the most part, so you may want to limit your search based on that. There is a lot to do around Houston, especially if you like the water. Good fishing, sailing, water-sports, etc. Also, some of the best restaurants in the country. We have very good museums (Natural Science and Fine Arts are my families faves), and the zoo is excellent too. When are you moving down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big F'n Dave Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 There is a lot to do around Houston, especially if you like the Mexicans. Fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Fixed. Mrs McBoog fits that bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 (edited) Oh grrrreat, there goes the neighborhood. Houston traffic sucks for the most part, so you may want to limit your search based on that. Good info here, I'd stay close to where you work. And I assume you're sticking with Uncle Sam so it's probably downtown. That said, there are some pockets of nice neighborhoods with older homes, I think near Rice University (like jetsfan mentioned he looked near). Driveby lives in the northwest US-290 corridor, and that's just suburban Hell. Strip malls and hugh subdivisions. I wouldn't live out that way unless I had absolutely no other option. Welcome to Texas. It's awesome. P.S. I'm in Houston every now and then, and am hoping to get out for an Astros game. We can get together for a assuming you don't talk as much as you write in your posts. Edited June 6, 2009 by darin3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Mrs McBoog fits that bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubfoothead Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 It's better than Garland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBoog Posted June 7, 2009 Author Share Posted June 7, 2009 Fixed. My wife is from Mexico! Attributed to ADD. It's all good brah! We have experienced much worse in our 25 years together. Dipsh!t! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBoog Posted June 7, 2009 Author Share Posted June 7, 2009 Mrs McBoog fits that bill. I would love to get you a job if you move to Houston in my intel section! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBoog Posted June 7, 2009 Author Share Posted June 7, 2009 (edited) Oh grrrreat, there goes the neighborhood. ... Welcome to Texas. It's awesome. P.S. I'm in Houston every now and then, and am hoping to get out for an Astros game. We can get together for a assuming you don't talk as much as you write in your posts. I knew that was coming in some form! Our office is very close to the George Bush Airport. A relief to know I won't have to venture deep into Downtown on a daily basis... unless I get a satellite office (like Galveston) and then who knows? I have been looking at Spring, Humble and Kingwood. All of them have schools rated higher than the one my kids are in here in Northern Virginia (another myth decimated by reality. This area SUCKS in sooooo many ways it would require a ream of paper to list). Spring has some new construction sites with nice community facilities and the office will pay for a toll road pass for the G-ride. Humble's schools also seem to be lower rated than the other two but a little more affordable. Thank you for the welcome! I have been trying to get to Texas for over a decade now (except for El Paso, too many Mexicans ) I wasn't born in Texas, but a part of me has always been from there (if that makes sense). Us at an Astros Game: The Meet:........... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Us The Game:......... >>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~McB~~~~D3 Game Over:....... >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~McB~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~D3 Edited June 7, 2009 by McBoog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBoog Posted June 7, 2009 Author Share Posted June 7, 2009 Driveby and I both live in Houston. I live on the Southeast side, League City, near NASA. The Clear Creek ISD is awesome, one of the best school districts in the state. I am very happy with the education my kids are getting. When choosing where to live, we looked downtown near Rice University and in Clear Lake. We chose Clear Lake because the public schools are MUCH better than Houston, and I work for NASA so the commute is 10 minutes. Houston traffic sucks for the most part, so you may want to limit your search based on that. There is a lot to do around Houston, especially if you like the water. Good fishing, sailing, water-sports, etc. Also, some of the best restaurants in the country. We have very good museums (Natural Science and Fine Arts are my families faves), and the zoo is excellent too. When are you moving down? My boss is trying to make it happen before the school year starts. Very cool of him. BUT, this is the Government, so who knows, I expect before X-mas for sure. The twins start second grade this year, so it isn't as critical as for older kids. I am thinking of sending the family to our condo in Mexico and have them start school there in a private school and bring them all up once I get semi-settled. They are totally bi-lingual and should have no problem with the transition. It will also save the trauma of pulling them away from their friends and what they know after school starts here. For schools, I have heard it is best to stay out of the city. I also understand that the pollution factor is MUCH lower in the burbs. Is this true? LOVE fishing and the water. I can't stand being land locked. How are the beaches? Houston I thought was a pipe dream and when I got the word on Friday, I dang near sh!t myself! I can't wait. We are so excited to get there (and out of here)! Thank you for the info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsfan Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 A friend just moved down here from Humble and liked it a lot. I go four-wheeling in Spring, and some of the neighborhoods on the west side of the freeway (45) are nice. Fishing here is fantastic, the kids and I go all the time. Working at IAH, I think you have a decent selection of places to live. I would also check into the Woodlands. It is VERY nice up there, but it may be expensive. Inexpensive compared to VA though. Spring or Humble would probably be the easiest commutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Us at an Astros Game: The Meet:........... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Us The Game:......... >>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~McB~~~~D3 Game Over:....... >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~McB~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~D3 ... A friend just moved down here from Humble and liked it a lot. I go four-wheeling in Spring, and some of the neighborhoods on the west side of the freeway (45) are nice. Fishing here is fantastic, the kids and I go all the time. Working at IAH, I think you have a decent selection of places to live. I would also check into the Woodlands. It is VERY nice up there, but it may be expensive. Inexpensive compared to VA though. Spring or Humble would probably be the easiest commutes. Good call on The Woodlands. Definitely not out of McBook's price range if he's been living in NoVa. I don't know much about Spring/Humble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big F'n Dave Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 My wife is from Mexico! My wife's half-Japanese. Doesn't mean Houston's not full of Mexicans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt Ryan Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 (edited) Welcome to Mosquito-Ville. Houston is hotter than hell in the Summer, and the humidity is crazy. I live in Rockwall, about 250 miles north of Houston, and its crazy hot here too in July and August. There is nothing like living in Texas. You will enjoy it regardless of the heat. A bit of advice in that area, research your insurance for your home before you just purchase it. Take a look around at all the tarps still on roofs and its almost a year after Ike. Crappy Insurance companies not giving you what you need at your time of loss, and you are stuck with either 2 or 3% deductibles, where your cost is 10-15K per loss, or wind and hail has exclusions that you need. Just something to think about. E2A: The Woodlands is definately the place to live down there. Its dirt cheap compared to DC, so the you can definately afford it. We researched Houston and Austin a few years back, when the office in Dallas I was working at , at that time, was considering closing. Edited June 7, 2009 by Sgt Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yo mama Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 The first rule of Houston is that there are there are "inner-loopers" and everyone else. "The 610 loop" is basically the freeway the encircles downtown and the "cool" parts of Houston. Think of it like a moat. If living closer to downtown is appealing to you, I always loved the Heights neighborhood. It's like a quaint town that's a 10 minute drive to Houston's epicenter. Its hot, humid, and rains year round. Update the shorts and sandals portion of your wardrobe and keep an umbrella in every car. Public schools are sketchy, and I'd defer to Driveby on this topic. HISD didn't have a very good reputation when lived there, and private school was pretty much a foregone conclusion in the Houston "metro" area. There are very likely suburban pockets with good schools, or towns outside of Houston that have better schools (like Katy and the Woodlands). Houston is a sprawling, massive city so picking the location of where you want to be can be an involved decision. But at least housing is cheap, relative to other major American cities. And whether you're looking for a downtown loft or a more rural spread with some acreage, you'll be able to find what suits you because pretty much everything is within a 30 minute drive from everything else in Houston. Its like LA in regards to its well-connected system of freeways, but more sensibly organized and without the 24 hour traffic. Houston won't win any national beauty contests. Its flat, ugly, and one of the only major cities in America without centralized urban planning. But it has many hidden charms, such as its restaurants, arts, sports, and the neighborly feel you get from the ever-present southern hospitality. No state income tax, and property taxes are pretty low in comparison to other metropolitan centers. Overall its pretty easy to live well in Houston. But it may take a little while for it to grow on you, at least it did for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 If Houston was the only town in Texas where I was permitted to live I would move to Tennessee. its hotter than you can imagine and has no upside in anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBoog Posted June 8, 2009 Author Share Posted June 8, 2009 If Houston was the only town in Texas where I was permitted to live I would move to Tennessee. its hotter than you can imagine and has no upside in anyway. Ummmmmm, too late!?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBoog Posted June 8, 2009 Author Share Posted June 8, 2009 Welcome to Mosquito-Ville. Houston is hotter than hell in the Summer, and the humidity is crazy. I live in Rockwall, about 250 miles north of Houston, and its crazy hot here too in July and August. There is nothing like living in Texas. You will enjoy it regardless of the heat. A bit of advice in that area, research your insurance for your home before you just purchase it. Take a look around at all the tarps still on roofs and its almost a year after Ike. Crappy Insurance companies not giving you what you need at your time of loss, and you are stuck with either 2 or 3% deductibles, where your cost is 10-15K per loss, or wind and hail has exclusions that you need. Just something to think about. E2A: The Woodlands is definately the place to live down there. Its dirt cheap compared to DC, so the you can definately afford it. We researched Houston and Austin a few years back, when the office in Dallas I was working at , at that time, was considering closing. Great info here. Thank you Sarge! I have homeowners through Gieco and they have been great. Big company and fast resolution to claims. Do you think they will work out down there? Forbes rates Kingwood, Spring, Humble and Spring as some of the best burb cities for large Metro area cities. I am focusing in on them until I hear different about office location. They all seem to have reasonable access to the airport. Hey Houstonians/Texans, aside from the AWESOME gulf fishing I have found, is there good day fishing in the lakes like Lake Houston and surrounding areas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBoog Posted June 8, 2009 Author Share Posted June 8, 2009 The first rule of Houston is that there are there are "inner-loopers" and everyone else. "The 610 loop" is basically the freeway the encircles downtown and the "cool" parts of Houston. Think of it like a moat. If living closer to downtown is appealing to you, I always loved the Heights neighborhood. It's like a quaint town that's a 10 minute drive to Houston's epicenter. Its hot, humid, and rains year round. Update the shorts and sandals portion of your wardrobe and keep an umbrella in every car. Public schools are sketchy, and I'd defer to Driveby on this topic. HISD didn't have a very good reputation when lived there, and private school was pretty much a foregone conclusion in the Houston "metro" area. There are very likely suburban pockets with good schools, or towns outside of Houston that have better schools (like Katy and the Woodlands). Houston is a sprawling, massive city so picking the location of where you want to be can be an involved decision. But at least housing is cheap, relative to other major American cities. And whether you're looking for a downtown loft or a more rural spread with some acreage, you'll be able to find what suits you because pretty much everything is within a 30 minute drive from everything else in Houston. Its like LA in regards to its well-connected system of freeways, but more sensibly organized and without the 24 hour traffic. Houston won't win any national beauty contests. Its flat, ugly, and one of the only major cities in America without centralized urban planning. But it has many hidden charms, such as its restaurants, arts, sports, and the neighborly feel you get from the ever-present southern hospitality. No state income tax, and property taxes are pretty low in comparison to other metropolitan centers. Overall its pretty easy to live well in Houston. But it may take a little while for it to grow on you, at least it did for me. Here too! Thank you! How are the twins? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsfan Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Great info here. Thank you Sarge! I have homeowners through Gieco and they have been great. Big company and fast resolution to claims. Do you think they will work out down there? Forbes rates Kingwood, Spring, Humble and Spring as some of the best burb cities for large Metro area cities. I am focusing in on them until I hear different about office location. They all seem to have reasonable access to the airport. Hey Houstonians/Texans, aside from the AWESOME gulf fishing I have found, is there good day fishing in the lakes like Lake Houston and surrounding areas? I would stick with those three, and seriously look at the Woodlands too. You don't want a crappy commute here. I live on the Southeast side of the city and there is a lot of day fishing in Clear Lake (brackish water) and Galveston Bay. You can readily fish from shore here. Having moved here from other states, I have grown to like Houston. The city is easily accessible from where I live and there is a ton to do with the kids. The Clear Creek school district is phenomenol and the local city sports, fairs, etc. are a plus for a small town so close to Houston. As mentioned above, we went for the house on the water instead of living downtown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBoog Posted June 8, 2009 Author Share Posted June 8, 2009 (edited) I would stick with those three, and seriously look at the Woodlands too. You don't want a crappy commute here. I live on the Southeast side of the city and there is a lot of day fishing in Clear Lake (brackish water) and Galveston Bay. You can readily fish from shore here. Having moved here from other states, I have grown to like Houston. The city is easily accessible from where I live and there is a ton to do with the kids. The Clear Creek school district is phenomenol and the local city sports, fairs, etc. are a plus for a small town so close to Houston. As mentioned above, we went for the house on the water instead of living downtown. One of those "Springs" was meant to be a "The Woodlands". Too early to type I appreciate your advice on looking close to the workplace, and as mentioned before, the office is near the airport. My preference would be to be closer to the water, but the wife is leery of the Hurricane thingy and I have heard nothing but good things so far about the four communities I am targeting. My sister, who hates "rednecks" (hence we don't get along well and why I am excited about getting there), says that my kids being half-latino, half-white will be shunned by the general population there according to her "research". As far as I can tell there is a lot of "mixed blood" in the area and the two "groups" get along better in Texas than most other places. Any feedback? I keep hearing Cher's "Halfbreed" song going off in my head As a second thought side-note. I have always wondered why my SUPER tolerant, ultra-liberal sister is so much more race conscious than I am. Also, she is much more apt to tell those in our family (as well as anyone else) what is right and wrong and how we should live our lives and how f'ed up we are. She is after all, perfect... all 360 lbs of her! Edited June 8, 2009 by McBoog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBoog Posted June 8, 2009 Author Share Posted June 8, 2009 Any Houstonians willing to give props to their home owners insurance company? Sarge has me thinking about this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_bone65 Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 One of those "Springs" was meant to be a "The Woodlands". Too early to type I appreciate your advice on looking close to the workplace, and as mentioned before, the office is near the airport. My preference would be to be closer to the water, but the wife is leery of the Hurricane thingy and I have heard nothing but good things so far about the four communities I am targeting. My sister, who hates "rednecks" (hence we don't get along well and why I am excited about getting there), says that my kids being half-latino, half-white will be shunned by the general population there according to her "research". As far as I can tell there is a lot of "mixed blood" in the area and the two "groups" get along better in Texas than most other places. Any feedback? I keep hearing Cher's "Halfbreed" song going off in my head As a second thought side-note. I have always wondered why my SUPER tolerant, ultra-liberal sister is so much more race conscious than I am. Also, she is much more apt to tell those in our family (as well as anyone else) what is right and wrong and how we should live our lives and how f'ed up we are. She is after all, perfect... all 360 lbs of her! Thats alot of perfection right there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yo mama Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 (edited) Here too! Thank you! How are the twins? Fantastic. They are wrapping up their bi-lingual immersion preschool this summer and getting ready to enter kindergarten. We opted to go to a fancy-schmancy public bilingual immersion K-8 charter school. We had like a 15% chance of getting in (its a lottery), but it worked out. Otherwise we'd have been forced to go private, which would have cost an arm and a leg for twins. My daughter is already carrying on full conversations in Spanish with the Mrs., and I swear those two plot against me in their Devil-speak. Edited June 8, 2009 by yo mama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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