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Where to live in Houston?

Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2022 1:55 pm
by deptrai
Considering taking a new job in the south part of Houston. Location is just west of the 288 and just north of the 8. I'd rather not have >30-40 minute commute to work and, ideally like to live in a direction nearer the coast where the best kayak fishing opportunities may be. Must have 3-car garage and I dislike tandem garages that seems to be so popular there. I spent 2 hours looking around last week and didn't find much to my liking <$700K. My budget is up to $600K. Where do people that have regular boats or RVs park them? Can you leave your kayaks outdoors without them melting? And property taxes are insane, but I guess that is partially offset by lack of state income tax.

Thanks,
Dave

Re: Where to live in Houston?

Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2022 4:51 am
by shoffer
Welcome to Texas.

Shadow Creek Ranch is a nice subdivision near there. Pearland and Sugarland are proximate to your planned work location. If you need a referral to a good builder, PM me. I am a lawyer for the company that does Coventry Homes; they build in that area. Check out Sienna Plantation also.

Further south and closer to the coast, but still within your parameters, you have Manvel (it used to be more of a rural community but now is being developed rapidly).

People park their boats at their house and trailer them, in a rented wet slip at a marina, or stored in a storage area. Wet Slip rentals are 200-400 a month. Dry storage is 100-200 a month. Perhaps you should look around Manvel - lots are much bigger, you get more for your money, and you can build a barn to store your toys in, and that way, you are not so landlocked if you store your boat at a marina or dry storage area. Plus you can have a place to work on it, your kayaks, etc. I love tinkering with my stuff during the offseason or if the weather sucks.

Kayaks don't melt outside, but they can sometimes warp if left on saw horses or the like. Many folks use a rope and sling pully system and store them upside down in the garage.

Hope this helps, Deptrai!

Re: Where to live in Houston?

Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2022 6:37 am
by karstopo
I live just outside of Lake Jackson. 600K generally still buys a lot of house and a good sized lot here. Definitely closer to coast down 288. Angleton, Lake Jackson are due south on 288. Lake Jackson is about 40 minutes away. Angleton is closer. Not much inventory here, though.

Being right near the toll way, you also have options to go west towards Sugarland or East towards Friendswood and even League City areas and be within your commuting range. Lots of stuff around Sugarland should fit the bill. Maybe around Clear Lake, also. You will surely get some neighborhoods that don’t look like the Pearland Area neighborhoods. Might look at HAR website and plug in your numbers and look at some zipcodes/towns to see what’s available.

Super hard it is to pick out houses for people considering tastes, expectations, experiences, cultural differences, budgets.

Homeowners Insurance is also high here with huge windstorm issues.

Some transplants from other regions just can’t make it here, it is what it is. Too much to overcome that is different. I’ve seen it over and over again. I’ve lived in New England, the overall mindset and expectations from the people there don’t generally overlap well here. You won’t be able to recreate a Boston Suburb here or one from Chicago or most any northern, western, or east coast locale.

Life long Houstonians/Texas Gulf Coasters generally know how to do our area. A few transplants figure it out, the rest spend there time here complaining it isn’t like back home. The last category isn’t good for anyone.

Re: Where to live in Houston?

Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2022 6:19 pm
by deptrai
Thanks.
I looked at Shadow Creek Ranch. Not bad, but I'd like a little bit more upscale. Pomona in Manvel looked very nice, but a little pricey and 3.7% property tax. Also, every home seems to be limited to two garage bays. If you want a 3-car garage, you have to do it tandem style. I had a tandem garage once and hated it. The houses with two single garage doors separated by a column aren't even wide enough for my Tundra to squeeze through.

Everywhere has its pros & cons. Originally from SoCal with earthquakes and fires. Now in Oregon with rain, slow drivers, crime & homelessness.

I was unaware of the relatively high homeowner's insurance.

My yak currently hangs from the ceiling of my garage supported by an electric hoist. I have a 15' ceiling and am not sure how one would swing it with a standard height ceiling.

Re: Where to live in Houston?

Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2022 7:33 pm
by deptrai
Finally signed a lease for a house in Sienna Plantation (in Missouri City). Very nice neighborhood and a very nice new construction David Weekley Homes house.

Re: Where to live in Houston?

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2022 1:13 pm
by texican89
deptrai wrote:Finally signed a lease for a house in Sienna Plantation (in Missouri City). Very nice neighborhood and a very nice new construction David Weekley Homes house.
Congratulations, you can catch potential state record gar at the brazos River there.

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