What are the best cities or areas to live in Houston, Texas or Just outside Houston?
November 8, 2010 | 
Author Question by killerlegs: What are the best cities or areas to live in Houston, Texas or Just outside Houston?
Seriously considering relocating to Texas. Answers from those who knows Texas really well would be appreciated.
Would like being close to an area which would provide great job opportunities (like Houston), but don’t want to live directly in the business area.
Would like to buy a home at a reasonable price $ 100s – $ 300s, but in a very nice, quiet and friendly area as we are very friendly and outgoing and where the crime rate is not high and don’t have to be scared to be outside at any time of the day or worry about my son being outside alone. Yet, not too far away from the business areas so my husband won’t have a long commute to work. Also, close to High Schools, restaurants, parks, entertainment and such. I do notice everything seems to always be far away from where one lives. Please also list other areas such as Austin, etc. that would be very nice areas for us to consider as we really don’t know much about Texas.
Thank you all so much for you help and have a great day.
Best answer:
Answer by Alex
Sugar Land was voted one of the top cities in America for housing (as in more bang ofr your buck). Pearland is blowing up right now and is looking nicer everytime i get out there. As for the commute, as long as you live close to the major highways you will have about a 20-45 minute commute depending on what time you leave. i’m in Missouri City (Sienna) and the Fort Bend tollroad gets me anywhere in town. I pretty much only know about the south side of Houston, but i do know the if yuo’re coming from like the Cy/Kingwood/Spring area that the commute is almost double (according to the traffic reports). if you have any further questions, you can feel free to email me. good luck
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My familiarity is with Houston’s west side. Specifically the Memorial area. 100k will get you a condo and 300k would get you a small house in the back of a decent subdivision. Go farther west into adjoining town Katy and you can get something quite nice for 300k. Your problem would be the commute for a while, but Interstate 10 construction is due to be complete at the end of this year (and not a damned moment too soon)
That being said, I work on the southwest side (in the City of Stafford, right next to Sugar Land). Many of my co-workers live in Sugar Land (on the east side of 59) and love it.
I agree with Memorial, Sugar Land & Pearland, & Katy they are all nice and you could find something in your price range but they are all very far from Downtown. I would add the Heights, it’s inside the Loop and parts of it are very nice.
You don’t say where your husband will be working so I would choose the area closest to where he will be working.
I absolutely LOVE The Woodlands. Great Schools, Great Community, Great Shopping and Entertainment.
There is The Woodlands Express Bus that will take you to most of the major working communities (Downtown, Greenway Plaza, Galleria and a few others) for $ 8 round trip. Saves many of the residents stress and money.
Or you may even get lucky and find a job in The Woodlands.
http://www.woodlandsonline.com/
Try to find out where the job is first, then work from there. Find the closest suburb. North: Woodlands area is the best. South: Pearland is growing, but I would not send my son to school there if you paid me, so move to Friendswood. They have nice teachers and students. They had some bad press lately, but they are still by far the best south of Houston, and the newer neighborhoods are very safe and you have that small town feel. There’s even Concert in the Park on Friday nights in summer. Anywhere off Sunset Drive is great. New subdivsions off Hwy. 518 are nice as well.
West: Sugarland.
Whatever you do, do not work or live in East Houston.
It’s too bad you won’t consider the inner city. The cultural centers are there. Private schools cost the same as commuting, and there are many after school activities to pique the interest of young minds and give kids good things to do. Old Victorian homes are being remodeled, along with bungaloes. There are some very nice subdivisons, such as Memorial, Tanglwilde and River Oaks that have gated communities where you can feel safe. Housing in Houston is very reasonable compared to the rest of the US. You’d be surprised how well you can manage here.
Houston Realtor’s Association
http://www.har.com/
move down to Pearland Texas.They already have 3 high schools.They are building the second largest mall in the U.S. =) and there is plenty of things if you have children