Hello! Thinking of moving to Houston-area. Tell me about it
Hello!
My husband and I are in our late 30's and gypsies. We're from coastal SC and moved to Seattle after getting married. Lived in Seattle, then rural central WA, back to Seattle, then to St. Pete Fl for a year, then back to Seattle, then Philadelphia, where we are now.
We're both RN's, and we're actually doing a distance program through University of Texas for our Bachelors in Nursing.
After living in cold, wet climates for going on 15 years, we've realized that WE NEED WARMTH. And also affordable housing. We were thinking of heading back to St. Pete (can get a house, with a pool, for under $250k) but just happened to look at Houston and realized that the housing market there is ASTOUNDING. Much better than Fl. More bang for your buck.
Because we've been married for 15 years this year and saving the whole time, we're basically able to buy a house with cash, or put down a sizeable downpayment and have little to no mortgage....therefore, our salaries aren't as much of an issue as they are now, where we live on 30% and save the other 70%. We've never owned a house before and are growing weary of the nomadic lifestyle. We're ready to put down roots, maybe (or maybe not) have a kid. I long to live somewhere that is mine, not a landlords.
So I've wikipedia'ed and city-data'ed and googled Houston.
Tell me what you like or dislike about it.
I know that TX is going to be a political change but really, Seattle's "more liberal than thou" attitude was often tiring. Philly is just...mean. Nasty mean people here. Have no idea what their politcs are but they are nasty, racist, and just on edge. Everyone is ready for a fight. St Pete was niceish. Very geriatric city...that's not dogging on the elders, but things weren't really geared towards people under, say, 65....lots of libretarian RonPaul bots when I lived there (09-10). The idea of living in a heavily republican area isn't frightening to me, as Charleston (where I'm from) was incredibly conservative and religious. The sad truth is that liberal cities on or near the water are prohibitively expensive, or cold, or both.
Oh---one thing I read repeatedly on city-data is that Houston is going through a housing bubble that is expected to burst relatively soon. Basically, the message was "don't buy a house now, wait 18 months or you'll really regret your decision because prices are going to drop." I read mention about gas/oil companies laying off or reducing staff, which would mean an exodus of those workers, causing a glut of houses on the market, which would cause prices to go down.
Any thoughts on that?
Our timeline is pretty flexible---we're thinking of finishing school before moving out there just so we have the benefit of the degree. I'm also considering going to a Nurse Practitioner program through University of Texas, which requires you to do your clinicals in Tx. Most likely we'd move no sooner than August, all the way up through March of 2016.
Thoughts?
Thanks!!
heddi
= new reply since forum marked as read
My brother works in a hospital about 70 miles southwest of Houston tells me stories that there is a lack of professionalism at hospitals regarding issues of innuendo and sexual harassment. If you can roll with the punches then you will be fine, but if you are a delicate wallflower then it could be trying.
Most hospitals have their employees working 3 twelve hour shifts per week with the possibility of overtime or PRN elsewhere. Most of the hospitals are good, but you will want to stay away from Ben Taub (the indigent care hospital) since I hear it is pretty rough.
I suggest that you rent for awhile and wait for the real estate bubble to burst. I think that there will be some great opportunities come open within 12-18 months and it will also give you more time to get accustom to what neighborhoods are desirable, the traffic commute to and from work, and find the desired amenities.
You will also find that people are into religion more than in other cities. Therefore, you might have to curb any A&A discussions to get hired around Houston.
Good luck and let us know when you are here! 
I actually like the humidity. Anything less than 80% and I'm miserable due to my sinuses drying up too much.
Houston is a great city. Most diverse in the nation now, third-largest population of people from India and Pakistan, huge Middle Eastern population, even larger population of people from Central and South America, and so on.
I know people think that being flat is bad, but you won't burn out a clutch waiting at a traffic light! As for the flooding, there is minor street flooding still, but when we get rain, especially in the summer, the skies turn black and it's a torrential downpour for an hour or so. Unless you build your drainage system with five-meter pipes, and whole-street sized drainage grates, nothing drains fast enough. And it drains down in a couple of hours. No big deal. And though we're flat, we're also inland about 60+ miles, so there is elevation (50'-100' depending on the area, such as The Heights.) Where I'm at, near Meyerland, my elevation is 65' according to topo maps. So, we won't be underwater for at least 50 or more years 
Have a look at The Houston Press as they are a good means of seeing not only what's going on, but how we do things, especially politically. It's not as bad as everyone (that doesn't live here!) seems to think. Also, Swamplot, for an idea about the state of real estate here, though it can be depressing, what with the city's lack of concern/love for older buildings.
I do dislike the traffic, but you just have to remain calm, even when someone takes a right-hand exit from the passing lane
Just a quick beauty tip. 
Cheap moisturizer is just as good as the expensive stuff.
