Houston, Texas

Houston is a melting pot of different cultures, attitudes, religions and colors. Due to the diverse economy, many people from all over the world have relocated to Houston for employment.

Most people in Houston are very friendly and neighborly, with of course a few exceptions. Its very hard to pin down a certain type of person in this city, due to the size. There are many cultural enclaves in the city where groups of people who have immigrated from different countries have established themselves, families and businesses. Even though a few of these enclaves are long gone, they still bear the marks of the countrymen and women who founded them.

Houston is a great place to get to know your neighbor, or just fade into the background, whatever your preference. Due to the size of the city, there is quite a bit of crime, but no more than the national average. Violent crime is not unheard of, but isn't the It really depends on what neighborhood you move into as far as crime goes.

The social scene is huge in Houston. Whatever you want, Houston has it.

Houston has a very high concentration of restaurants, from chains to family owned joints that have been around for generations. It has been said that Houston competes only with New York in the amount of restaurants. Most of them are easy to find, clean and generous on the portions. Your mileage may vary dependent on tastes.

Bars are another thing that Houston has a glut of. There is at least one to cater to your tastes. Quite a few may look rough on the outside, but has a community feel on the inside. The smaller neighborhood bars are the best place to get to know some of your neighbors in most cases. By far the most prevalent of bars are the sports bar variety.

Clubs also have a very large presence in Houston, but are regulated to certain areas of town. If you are looking for the nightclub atmosphere, look no further than the Downtown/Midtown section of Houston, which has been revived due to these clubs. If you are looking for something a little less dress code-ish, head down to Montrose.

Rental prices vary wildly throughout Houston. Due to the housing boom, there are many new developments both inside and outside of the city. The solid rule is that the closer that you move to downtown, the more expensive it gets. If you find what seems to be an incredible deal, take a good look at it. Often times the good deal is enticing you to move into a home that looks very shabby from the outside, or is in an undesirable section of that particular neighborhood.

Luxury apartments are becoming the norm, replacing Boomtown-era courtyard apartments. These apartments can run a pretty penny, but often come with high quality amenities, such as washer/dryer in unit, or conceirge service.

If its a home that you are looking for, Houston has many options to choose from. The reigning style is sprawling ranch, with 1940's style craftsman homes coming in a very close second. The downside of this is that you are paying oftentimes a high amount of money for a smaller living space. Most of these homes have been updated for todays family, with either total renovations to the homes for more space, or smaller changes for those who do not mind living in a smaller space, but want newer appliances or other amenities.

Compared to the national average, you do get alot of house and land for your money in Houston. Just remember, buyer beware. Do your research before plunking down the money on a house that may be in a bad neighborhood, or was flooded during Allison in 2001.

Traffic is the first thing that you will hear a native Houstonian gripe about. Admittedly, the traffic is terrible in the rush hour times of day. The city is in a transitional phase of construction. At this writing, work is being done on I-10 Katy Freeway to the west of the city to reduce the traffic clogs that plague the freeway. If you are considering moving anywhere in Houston, read up on the specific neighborhood or zip code that you are moving into for information on how to get around. Many times you can avoid freeway traffic all together if there are alternate neighborhood routes and surface streets to take.

The public transportation system is also undergoing many changes. The downtown light rail is still running smoothly and is very efficient if you work in the Medical Center or Downtown Houston. If you rely on a bus to get to work, you might want to reconsider your move to Houston. The buses in the city are sometimes few and far between and the scheduled time between trips can be long. Your best option if you do move here and have to take the bus is www.ridemetro.org. Here you can use the "Trip Planner" feature to ensure that you get where you need to be on time.

Park and Ride is fast becoming a popular feature. For a nominal fee, you can drive to one of many hubs in Houston and take a commuter bus usually directly in front of your building downtown. In many cases your employer will reimburse you for this service. It doesn't take any longer than driving yourself usually and will save wear and tear on your car. If you are worried about going to lunch at work without a car, the light rail solves that problem.

Searching for Houston apartments? You can find apartments in Houston in neighborhoods such as Old Chinatown, Greenspoint, Spring Branch, and Upper Kirby. Find an apartment near the local colleges or universities like Rice University, University of Houston, Texas Southern University, and South Texas College of Law. If living near public transportation is preferred, you can search for Houston apartments near the METRO. Houston apartments can also be found near popular spots such as the Bayou Place, Hermann Park, Williams Waterfall, Space Center Houston, and the Galleria. Houston apartments can be located in any area of the city that is desired.

There is no shortage of things to do in Houston.

In addition to having 5 major sports teams (basketball, hockey, baseball, football and soccer), Houston also has a subculture of other less-known sports with leagues for you to join. There is a small rugby league, disc-golf and many many more.

Houston is also home of NASA, which is a 30 or so minute drive from downtown on I-45. The Space Center Houston provides tours and many family friendly activities all year round for a not-terrible price.

The Museum District is home to many forms of entertainment, including the Houston Zoo. The zoo recently raised its prices, but its still worth it to go. The Natural Science museum hosts different special exhibits throughout the year in addition to its core exhibits. It is also home to the Wortham Butterfly Garden and IMAX theater. In walking distance to the main museum hub is the Holocaust Museum, The Childrens Museum and Hermann Park. The park has many features, including Miller Outdoor Theater and a public golf course. The park also provides a large picnic area and a hill perfect for rolling down. A little further down the road and a short ride on the light rail are the art museums, The Museum of Fine Arts and The Contemporary Art Museum. Both of these provide special exhibitions and a very large core exhibit. The prices for the museums vary, but will usually run anywhere from $5-20, dependant on what you would like to do once in the museum. Every Thursday in Houston is Free Museum Day, so if you want to check these out at a nominal cost (parking/lunch), then this would be the day to go.

Houston also has many neighborhood parks, usually with at least a swingset and picnic table. They are of course free to use. Some of these parks also provide a swimming pool, tennis court and gymnasium.

The city offers many arenas for concerts, with many big-name acts touring at any given time. These concerts usually take place downtown, or sometimes at Reliant Stadium on the south side of town. The Reliant Stadium hosts the Houston Texans football team, in addition to the annual Livestock Show and Rodeo, which attracts many headlining acts from all genres of music.

Your milage may vary as far as a recommended neighborhood goes. Anywhere close to downtown is very desirable at this writing, with pricing to match the demand for homes and apartments in these areas.

Most people move to an area that they work near. With Houston having a distinct business center, this can be difficult. Thankfully, there are many freeways to get you where you need to go. The farther out of town that you go, the less expensive it gets, the exception being exclusive gated communities in the outer edges of Houston.

Really, it comes down to what your preference is. Read the individual neighborhood wikis and find what you are comfortable with, price wise and living wise. Houston is a large city, in both population and area size, so there is something out there for everyone looking to move here.

Houston is a huge city, and jobs are usually no problem to get here. If you are in the medical or energy field, this is the town for you. We are home to many huge corporations, including El Paso Energy, Continental Airlines and Memorial Hermann Hospital System.

Most large name corporations are located either downtown or just off of a freeway, so they are very convienent to get to and get home.

The business dress in Houston is still very business casual. Tattoos and piercings are still considered a no-no at many corporations. The times are changing however, and this will not stop you from getting a job in the same industry that you are looking for, perhaps just not at the same company.

There are many schools to choose from in Houston. The Houston Independent School District is highly acclaimed and there are always schools convienent to your home. The school that your child will go to is determined by your address. Sometimes even if you live across the street from a school, you might be zoned to a different one. Middle and high schools are also determined this way, although HISD has a very strong magnet program offering different industries for study. You can apply for these programs to attend the school of your choice, no matter what address.

There are also a plethora of private schools in the area catering to all religions and cultures. You can find more information about these specialized schools in the individual neighborhood wikis.

Houston is also home to many colleges, including University of Houston, Texas Southern University and internationally known Rice University.

Houston real estate has come a long way in a short time. Home prices are soaring, but are still very affordable depending on the neighborhood you are moving to. The average home price for a 2 bedroom one bathroom is $210,000 in the city. Of course, the price of your home depends on location, amenities and condition. Tax prices for homes can be quite high if you live in certain neighborhoods. Visit www.hcad.org to get a rundown on taxes for an address that you are interested in.

The homes around the city tend to retain their value, especially the close to downtown neighborhoods. Many neighborhoods in Houston also have strong homeowners associations, so if this is not what you want, continue to look around.

Houston is a very warm place, with temperatures staying well above 85 degrees for over 7 months of the year. However, with the spawn of air conditioning and indoor entertainment, it is tolerable. The spring and fall is usually looked upon as a pleasant month out of the year. If you ask most long time residences, they will tell you that Houston has two seasons: summer and winter. Winter can be very cold, but not intolerable. The city and surrounding suburbs also rarely recieve snowfall or sleet.