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I am thinking about relocating to either Dallas or Houston in the not too distant future. I like Texas because of the warmer weather (humid or dry doesn't matter) and the lower cost of real estate. I live in DC area where it is too cold in the winter, very expensive real estate and traffic is a disaster! I know that traffic in Dallas or Houston is just slightly better but I like the fact that TxDot is building freeways, tollways and nice interchanges all the time is wonderful. At least they are doing something about it in Texas all the time. I feel like the government in Texas value the time of their people.
From what I already researched, I think I may like Houston better because it's a more mature/divers city and has more to offer + the proximity to beaches. Dallas has a lot of lakes and seems to have a little more "newer" feel to it. I also prefer Houston more because the climate in Houston supports more verities of palm trees (which I really like).
Still I am having difficult time choosing. I work in the computer IT field and it seems like Dallas have a little more opportunities than Houston.
Any input will be appreciated.
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Dallas or Houston. Can't decide!
I am thinking about relocating to either Dallas or Houston in the not too distant future. I like Texas because of the warmer weather (humid or dry doesn't matter) and the lower cost of real estate. I live in DC area where it is too cold in the winter, very expensive real estate and traffic is a disaster! I know that traffic in Dallas or Houston is just slightly better but I like the fact that TxDot is building freeways, tollways and nice interchanges all the time is wonderful. At least they are doing something about it in Texas all the time. I feel like the government in Texas value the time of their people.
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If you're moving from "Foggy Bottom" to Texas, you'll feel right at home in Houston. We've lived north of Dallas for 25+ years. Very little snow and even though winters are short...roughly two months...they can get severe, dipping to 0 degrees and below.
As to city life, I believe Dallas has lost theirs. What was once a vibrant city has become a cemetery with lights. Reminds me of all the old jokes that W. C. Fields made about Phildelphia. Of course, if you come here to get into the IT field, you'd most likely live in the northern suburbs, which are far more vibrant...some of the fastest growing cities in the state. At this rate, it won't be that many years before Dallas County becomes a suburb to Collin County.
As an aside, if you're looking to come to Texas for an IT career, why not look at Austin? That's a fantastic city with an active IT community...more than Houston I would wager.
I haven't spent that much time in Houston in recent years but I wouldn't call it a "mature" city, certainly not when compared to Dallas. The Houston area is certainly more diverse.
Good luck in whatever you decide.
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Thanks JimM for your reply. I actually live in the DC metro area not in DC itself. I live in a good community about 30 miles west of downtown where there are good schools and newer homes. When I move to either Dallas or Houston, I would also like to live in the suburbs where usually the good schools are.
The property values here are going through the roof. An average single family home with 3400 sq. feet and a postage stamp lot will cost around $700K+ and the prices are going up in the double digits! It's nuts! Salaries here are not that much higher than in Dallas or Houston. I already checked.
I saw comparable homes in Dallas and Houston with similar convenience to job centers in the $200K range. Now that's more like it. This way one can afford to have a decent life and not put all pay check on mortgage payments
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I have lived in Texas (near Dallas) all of my life, so I am accustomed to humidity. Even so, the humidity near Houston in the summer can be overwhelming. If anyone has any breathing problems, you might take that into consideration. Also, more and bigger bugs (roaches) and bad hair days.
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I have lived in both cities and if humidity is not a problem for you, then I say choose Houston. I prefer Houston because the winters are warmer than in Dallas, also Houston is near the Gulf and I like the ocean. Houston has so much to do, including great museums and theatre. The bad news is that besides the humidity, Houston gets a lot more rain than Dallas.
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If you haven't seen it yet, there is a person named qzseattle on this board who is moving to Houston and she/he has posted asking for advice on housing, areas to live in, schools, etc. So you will want to check out those posts- type qzseattle in the search box above, hit enter, and the posts will come up.
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You might enjoy the more tropical feel of Houston if you are into palms, etc. It does freeze in Dallas regularly. Houston is close to Gaveston, too, which is a wonderful place, IMO.
Dallas is certainly has plenty of suburbs, chain restaurants and malls. Lots of tollways, too... some say too many.
In general, I'd say Houston is more laid back than Dallas.
You should visit and sample both for yourself.
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Thanks emd, I read the posts that you mentioned already. My interest however is in comparing the two cities: Dallas vs. Houston. qzseattle's posts were primarily about Houston neighborhoods and schools, etc.
I visited both cities back in 1999. I spent more time in Dallas though. I had good impression about both cities but I want to get a feel of what people who live or lived there think. Dallas seemed to be cleaner and with a ?newer? feel and local roads had nicer pavement. I remember lots of pot holes in Houston
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You are correct about pot holes. The soil is very soft in Houston, that's why they have potholes. But as you know, there are many factors to consider. Maybe you should visit again soon.
What about Austin? That's where I live and it's great. Come and visit Austin if you get a chance.
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I grew up in Dallas and still have family/friends there. I have a lot of friends from Houston and have spent some time there as well.
I would say in many ways, the two cities are similar. Both are experiencing surburban sprawl where everything is very new but both also have pockets of older areas that to me, are very charming and interesting. Houston does seem more diverse both ethnically speaking and culturally with a good arts scene. Both have great restaurants but I'd have to give the edge to Houston. Another factor for me would be the ability to get out of the cities easily and both cities are hubs for major airlines which is nice.
If I had to pick, I'd pick Dallas. I don't mind heat but the humidity in Houston is absolutely something else. Dallas winters are short and now that I live in Minneapolis and have some perspective on what real winters are like, very painless.
That's about it for my two cents. If you're looking for somewhere that is more laid back than Dallas, Fort Worth is great. Although the two cities are close together, they do have different vibes...
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Ok Falafel. One more thing, have you seen the website I posted about on "Houston: It's Worth It". It's a website where Houstonians post on why it is worth living in Houston (and what they have to put up with to live there). It's funny, but very insightful too. www.houstonitsworthit.com
I don't know if Dallas has enough of a sense of humor to have a site like that.
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If schools are a consideration, I think Dallas has the edge. There are wonderful, nationally renowned public school districts in the area, including Flower Mound, Carrolton, McKinney and Frisco. The community of Southlake (centrally located between Dallas and Fort Worth) has top-notch schools -- the distric is called Carroll ISD and your children would thrive there.
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Well, this is an interesting thread!
I've lived in far north Dallas (Collin County) for 25 years and feel it is so much nicer than Houston. It's cleaner, has zoning which Houston does not, and doesn't have the oppressive humidity. We're also in the top rated Plano schools. Frisco is now the up and coming suburb just north of Plano but they're gowing so fast the school situation is affected. We also have good theater and all professional sports.
Although it may get cold in winter, (we even had snow that lasted three days last year!) it's not the bone chilling cold and it doesn't last. In Texas they say if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes and it will change. The coldest I remember it ever getting was 17 degrees and that was very unusual.
My youngest son, who graduated from U Texas in Austin, lived in Houston for a year and hated it. Austin is great, but the IT business really took a hit there a few years ago and I don't know if they've completely recovered as yet.
Dell is located there and is growing.
You'll find that you'll get much more house for the money here in Texas. If you have kids, I would definitely have a pool since it is so hot in the summer. It gets them out and exercising.
Hope this helps. Have fun!
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I've been in Dallas for 9 years and I can tell you the most important thing about living here is knowing who you are and what type of neighborhood you'll be most comfortable in. There is everything from new-money mcmansions to older established arts and crafts homes. Your neighborhood/city/suburb choice will greatly determine your happiness in Big D.
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Pepper is absolutely right. Don't move to an area just because the schools have a high rating without first feeling it out to see if you'll fit in.
"Know thyself" is the best advice no matter where you are thinking about living.
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Everyone feels rich when they move to Texas because of their low property values. The property taxes are very high, though.
The IT field may be flooded in Dallas with all the EDS layoffs.
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Personally, I can't take the humidity and the summer smog in Houston. And the beaches at Galveston are not very pretty! (I'd much rather get on a plane and got to Mexico or South Padre Island than drive to Galveston!)
One BIG thing to consider before moving to Dallas is that you will want to live fairly close to where you work. Admittedly, Dallas traffic is bad, and spending an hour each way fighting traffic makes one miserable quickly!
If you want a more laid-back lifestyle, do consider Fort Worth. The city has wonderful museums, better property values, and a wonderful "hometown" feel. I'm a proud resident of Tarrant County and I love it!
As for schools, Carroll ISD is good, but it is also suffering from affluenza. Kids there drive brand-new cars and keeping up appearances are very important. (When there are so many $1 million homes in the district, this is understandable!) Carroll has hit the maximum state allowable property tax rate, so the district has to find alternative methods to finance the schools. Elementary art and music programs have been cut way back, and secondary students have to pay extra to do any extracurricular activites, such as sports, drama, or band. Hopefully, when Robin Hood (Texas' unconstitutional school finance scheme) is finally revamped, things will improve in Carroll ISD.
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Wow. A lot of responses. I saw this thread earlier, but didn't have time to respond then.
I live in Houston, and while I have not lived in Dallas, I have visited frequently (as my firm is based there). I MUCH prefer Houston to Dallas. First, Houston is a very laid back, open city. By that, I mean it completely welcomes newcomers. Most Houstonians grew up somewhere else. You can get as involved as you want -- whether it is in civic associations, the arts, or politics. By contrast, Dallas tends to be more conservative, closed and religious (primarily Southern Baptist).
Yes, Houston is more humid. I grew up in Baltimore (and it's like Baltimore humidity, but for a much longer time). However, the winters are mild and December and February are usually wonderful.
I think some of this depends on what you're like -- if you're younger, I'd definately say Houston. If you have a family and want to join a community with an established church, I'd probably say Dallas.
I think we have better options for quick getaways from Houston -- Galveston (1 hour drive), South Padre Island (a 6 - 7 hour drive), San Antonio (3-1/2 hr drive), Austin (3 hr. drive), Navasota (1 hr. to see the bluebonnets in the spring), Brenham (1-1/2 hr. to visit Blue Bell Creamery), New Orleans (6 - 7 hour drive), etc. Now of course, the distances you have to travel in Texas are much greater than in the mid-Atlantic states!
Is Houston perfect? Of course not. I'd like a few hills now and then and less humidity. But if it had these things, it would be too crowded.
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Falafel, if you are out in the Farifax county area you will be amazed at the home you can buy in Texas!
I vote for Houston. Dallas is actually the older of the two cities. Houston really didn't even start to develop until the first part of the 20th century; there's a local joke that historic in Houston means the paint is dry. (And yes, Houston attitude is much more likely to allow for self deprecating humor than Dallas, which tends more toward the pursed lip reaction to such things.) Houston is larger, with a decidedly more diverse and forward-thinking population and has the edge on restaurants, museums and cultural life in general too. Dallas is not a wasteland, but it is firmly on the Bible belt, and Houston offers more. Both have traffic, but Dallas is a lot worse in my experience. In terms of weather, Houston summer humidity is no worse than what you get in the DC area, maybe even a little better. Dallas does have colder winters, and DFW has one of the highest number of weather (high wind) related delays in the country.
A few folks mentioned Austin. You may like it, too. It is smaller than either of the other two, has more of a hip edge to it, but does not offer the same type of city atmosphere. Real estate tends to be higher in Austin because is seen as a desirable place to live. Traffic has gotten nasty, too.
You mentioned that you would probably end up in the burbs - Dallas is crammed with plots of cookie cutter McMansions , and the much heralded Plano is the archetype of the uber-developed community. They boast about their schools, but they also have a high teen suicide rate and a big drug problem. Houston isn't nirvna, but it is a lot less pretentious.
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Plug in Dallas and Houston at bestplaces.net and see which comparisons are most important to you:
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You've got a lot of good information to chew on. However, I've got to differ with your valuation of a good 3400 sq ft house in a good Dallas area neighborhood for $200K. Better figure on $320K to $350K...$95 - $100 per sq ft. Then you have to consider homeowners association fees and property taxes. And there's a whole bag of snakes being opened regarding how to pay for schools.
Make sure you take a hard look at the governments in Texas, especially how they value their people compared to their jobs.
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I faced this same issue when I moved from Montgomery County MD to Houston 14 years ago. I have not looked back, but feel that you could do well in whatever city gave you the best career opportunity. I do not get homesick for the D.C. area, do not miss the winter weather, and find summer is not necessarily worse here, it is simply longer in duration. And yes, traffic is not as bad in Houston as in D.C. regardless of what Houstonians may believe. Finally, say goodbye to income taxes! Yes,
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I faced this same issue when I moved from Montgomery County MD to Houston 14 years ago. I have not looked back, but feel that you could do well in whatever city gave you the best career opportunity. I do not get homesick for the D.C. area, do not miss the winter weather, and find summer is not necessarily worse here, it is simply longer in duration. And yes, traffic is not as bad in Houston as in D.C. regardless of what Houstonians may believe. Finally, say goodbye to income taxes! Yes, property tax rates are steep, but as you mention, valuations are lower than in the D.C. area.
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Wow! It seems like you wrote your message on my behalf. I am in exactly the same situation. I am also in IT and am frustrated at the high cost of real estate in Seattle area. By the way, Forbes recently compiled a list of top ten cities with the greatest disparity between the housing cost and income. It turned out that Seattle is # 1! A 2000 sq feet house cost around $350,000!
In any case, I didn't want to see all my income going towards mortgage payments. One has to take into account other outlays such as education fund, family vacations, savings etc. I therefore decided to move to Texas. You are right that real estate is much lower there and IT salaries are comparable to what you get elsewhere (aside from Bay area). I was looking for opportunities in Houston, Dallas and Austin and have found a good opportunity in Houston so my search is over.
I was in Houston in August for a few days. I didn't find the humidity too bad, may be because I lived in Asia for long time. I hope it doesn?t get worst than that. Also, I am hoping that even if summer is bad, the rest of the year is fine. The main things that bothered me were the lack of zoning and the endless strip malls. However, the suburbs are nice (I went to Katy and Sugarland, and hear that the Woodlands is quite nice).
Like you, I also asked people to compare Dallas and Houston. People tend to tell me that Dallas is newer, cleaner and more cosmopolitan. Someone told me Houston is more congested although I don't know what that means since Houston is a wide, open city. Other people tell me that they are quite similar. I have never been to Dallas so can't compare them and can't verify this. Personally, having lived in Seattle for so long, I am used to greenery and occasional rain and I believe Houston is greener than Dallas, which is drier.
By the way, I do not know what is the property tax rate in DC but it is quite high in Texas. Depending on the community, you should expect to pay between 2% to 4%, or even higher. So, if the rate is 3%, you would pay $9000/year on a $300,000 house (or about $750 a month)! On the other hand, there is no state tax in Texas so if you pay state tax you would save there. Unfortunately, as far state tax is concerned, I have no advantage since Washington state also doesn't have state tax.
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Seamus- In 1983 seven young people committed suicide in Plano. There were also severe drug problems within their group. The schools and the community worked together to solve the problems. Have you heard of more lately?
Plano is a very well managed city and there are all income groups. Yes, there are many mansions but there are also homes in all price ranges.
Falafel, visit again and decide for yourself. Look at realtor.com and see what's available. Good luck in your search.
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I lived in the DC area and have lived in Dallas for years and San Antonio. Personally, I wouldn't move to TX if I were you. Few day trips compared to the East. Yes, housing is cheaper. If you do move to TX, I would skip Dallas and Houston. Dallas= traffic, chain everything. Houston= bad air quality, huge highways. How about Austin or San Antonio. They are smaller, more culture.
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Don't know if this is relevant, but if you want good falafel you are more likely to find it in Houston than Dallas, and certainly much less likely to find it at all in San Antonio or Austin.
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Wow! What a wonderful people! I did not expect to get as much responses. You all have good advice and I sincerely appreciate it all. I will keep monitoring this thread but by now I think I am already more biased toward Houston. Like Binthair which used to live in my area a while back, I think the weather is not going to be an issue. We have hot & humid weather in the summer and extremely cold winters (Nov.-Mar.) in the Washington area. The spring and fall is usually ruined by the rain. In Houston, the summer and humidity are a little longer than here but you cancel out the brutality of the winter. Also, in Northern Virginia (DC metro) the traffic is so bad that the only few freeways we have gets clogged so fast. Commuters start spilling over to the small streets and the residential streets as well! Imagine having commuter traffic twice a day passing through your neighborhood! We have too many special interest groups and environmentalists that many freeways that were on the master plan for Washington and the burbs were canceled. Now it is too late! There is no more space left to do anything even if they wanted to. This reason is also why real estate is sky rocketing. People no longer can move faraway because they can't spend half of their day in traffic. This increases the demand for housing in the closest area around the city. Even the subway/metro is not a good option most of the time because it does not go too many places. It is very limited and expensive. Another fact is that the concept of peak rush hour is fading. Rush hour is always at peak during the morning and evening hours. Wheather you leave home at 5:00AM or 7:00AM or 9:00AM chances are the volume is the same! Anyway, I don't want to bore you guys with our problems here. You guys have a great city weather it's Houston or Dallas. I will be proud to call one of them home in the near future.
qzseattle & Binthair, I would like to contact you guys somehow. If you would please drop me an email message. I can be reached at Falafel_[email protected]
I will continue to monitor this thread as more comments pur in
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cm -- hasn't San Antonio surpassed Dallas in terms of size recently?
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You are correct about that Bellairegirl. Of course, SA is not as big as the entire DFW metro area, but it is now bigger than Dallas itself.
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San Antonio's metropolitan population is much smaller than Dallas. What it "surpass" is population within its city limit, which has little meaning. I just hate those newscasters in Houston keep saying we are the 3rd or 4th largest country in the US. Unless you are a city council member or the mayor who wants to boast, that means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
Dallas is surrounded by many smaller cities - Irving, Arlington, Grapevine, Plano, etc where the population growth is. Houston and San Antonio just keeps annexing surrounding areas to become part of the city limit and the growth is within itself.
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Binthair - Really good falafel at Izmir in Dallas and probably the best hummus in the world!!
To look at homes in DFW, go to Ebby.com. They are nicely categorized by neighborhoods and suburbs.
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Falafel, you hopefully subscribe to the email offers that come out each Tuesday for Continental and American Airlines. This weekend for instance, you could get to Dallas (DFW)on American from Wash Natl. airport for $169, leaving after 7 pm on Fri or anytime Sat and returning Mon. or Tues. Then you can go yourself and check out the cities as well. I wouldn't move anywhere without checking it out firsthand. Continental goes to Houston nonstop (also Southwest goes from BWI to Houston nonstop).
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Okay - another vote for Houston here. I consider myself a native Houstonian b/c I've lived here since I was 6 yrs. old (born in NYC). I now live in the Silverlake area of Pearland (just south of Houston) and have been there for the past 7 years and love it. Pearland has a "hometown" feel to it, too. My home was new when we moved into it and is 3400 sq. feet w/ an in-ground pool, and our mortgage is less than $200K. I will have to agree that the beaches at Galveston are not extremely pretty but kind of muddy b/c of the proximity to the Mississipi delta. However, one thing that's great about Houston is that there is more than one way to get around town. So if there is a major wreck or construction going on, usually you can find a way around it. The humid heat can be bad in the summer, but pretty much everything is air-conditioned here. The museum and theatre districts here are great, too. There is also a huge mix of cultures here. I suggest visiting again - there's new roadways and new additions all over the city since 1999. The new Metrorail is hopefully going to extend out to other parts of the city and suburbs, also. Plus the downtown and mid-town areas have been revitalized in preparation for the past Superbowl and MLB All-Star game.
Good luck in making your decision!
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I read about the new freeways/tollways. They are actually very nice. The Hardy Toll way is amazing that it actually runs parallel to I-45! I bet the folks at the Woodlands can get to downtown in less than 35 minute drive at rush hour. The new WestPark Tollway and Fort Bend Parkway are awesome too! The Grand Parkway also caught my attention! I think having a third loop around the city is very nice. I was also dazzled by some pictures I saw of the stack at beltway 8 and 290! I like the fact that Houston?s policy is to build a stack to connect freeways instead of the cheaper, impeding cloverleaf?s!
I see a lot of redundancy in highways in Houston which is a huge plus! Not many cities in the US or in the whole world can claim that I bet!
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Houston has no zoning, intense humidity and the streets flood during even moderate rain.
Dallas has DFW Airport, which means you can get a direct flight to just about anywhere. Dalllas also has the Wright Amendment, which means that we can fly Southwest only to states that touch Texas, which means that we pay more for airfare to lots of locations.
Both cities have lots of shopping and restaurants; little natural beauty.
If I were starting over again in Texas, I'd choose Austin or San Antonio.
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I have heard of the Wright Amendment but didn't know exactly what it was. I looked at SW's web page and all of their flights from Dallas do go to border states, except they also fly from Dallas to Brimingham, AL, so maybe there's an exception for that city. What is the purpose of the Wright Amendment?
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Falafel...you really should look at Austin, as someone else suggested. It combines some of the good of both Dallas and Houston and brings its own good into the mix as well. Its winters aren't as cold as Dallas nor are its summers as hot and humid as Houston. It borders the Hill Country, where Texans from all areas of the state head for R&R. It has a vibrant night life and the tech community is well established. Downsides are housing prices and traffic.
We've just returned from visiting Dallas...where we used to live. I'm continually surprised at the growth there, and the highway system is amazing. There is a sea of rooftops, expanding out as the highway system does. Our son is building a house in Frisco--just beyond the reaches of the Dallas North Tollway, but that will expand into his area by 2006. Housing prices are incredible...a 3,400 sq foot house with wood floors, island kitchen with granite counters, stone backsplashes and tile floors, media room, fireplace, crown moldings etc, fenced, sprinklered and sodded yard is running about $230,000! He's about 30 minutes from his office in North Dallas. The same house in Tampa where we live would easily be $800,000. It makes it tempting.
I'm not familiar with Houston, although I'd always heard, living in Dallas, how ugly Houston was. Sibling rivalry. We had the opportunity to visit during Super Bowl this year, and did not find it so at all. My brother-in-law lives in the suburb of Kingwood, which is simply beautiful...trees, winding roads, nice sized lots--really lovely.
IT jobs though can be a problem everywhere, with outsourcing what it is. Our son has an MIS degree and worked in the IT department at Sprint. The entire IT department is being outsourced to South America. He was fortunate to find another IT job at the same salary through contacts from Sprint who had moved on. Whatever you do and wherever you go, in today's climate, I'd have that job in hand before leaving!
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The Wright Amendment limits airlines to fly (and to sell tickets) from Dallas Love Field to only TX and the bordering states of NM, OK, AR and LA. There was a latter Shelby Amendment that adds KS, MS and AL (though Southwest doens't fly DAL-Kansas).
It only covers planes with over 56 seats, so you can buy a ticket on CO to go anywhere in the world via Houston, as you're flying a regional jet with <56 seats to IAH from DAL. It also doesn't cover FF award tickets, so you can fly DAL to anywhere SW flies by claiming miles.
There's a detailed article in the current issue (Oct '04) of Airways magazine.
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I live in Houston, and my husband works in the IT field as well. Although he doesn't think Houston has a strong IT job market, Austin's isn't too much better either, even though Dell and others have offices there. We considered moving to Austin last year but changed our minds. We are transplants from the east coast as well, and my husband lived in Dallas before we got married. He too thinks Houston has a lot more culture. True, it's more humid, but heck, we go from AC-cooled home to AC-cooled car to AC-cooled office, for cryin' out loud! True also that Galveston isn't one of the prettier beaches, but it's a good enough for a beach that's less than 1 hr from us if we just want to walk along the shore or wade a little. Moody Gardens (in Galveston) is also a great place to take visitors.
Anyway, Falafel, my 2-cents' worth to you would be to go where you can get a good job, or are you able to transfer (within your current company) to either city?
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Falafel - All of Houston's freeway interchanges have been stack for years. In fact, they're just building the first cloverleaf at the West Park Tollway/Sam Houston Tollway junction. With the amount of traffic that goes between the freeways, a clover leaf will never work, as the speed is too low and you'll need a lot of room to build 2-lane ones, and I think that's pretty dangerous too.
Instead, many of the connectors at the stacks are two-lanes, and you do not have to slow down at all at many. In fact, I can do 80-90mph on connectors safely and effortlessly.
And BTW, while you like the tollways, there's just one problem. I have to pay to use it. Not only that, but if you don't have the electronic tag, you cannot use the West Park Tollway, and on the Sam Houston, you may be backed up for minutes just to pay toll. [Since there's a monthly fee for getting the tag, it doesn't make sense for many people to get one if they don't use it everyday. Myself included. So, I can't drive the West Park Tollway, even if I'm willing to pay.] And the ramp design of the Sam Houston is totally old and ridiculous. Hard to imagine even the oldest section was completed <20 years ago.
Having said that, the freeways aren't too bad here, in my opinion. I've been to many cities that have worse...
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I will say the Dallas north tollway can be horrendous at peak times, very annoying to have paid to sit in traffic, fortunately I have a job with completely flexible hours and don't have to deal with it too often.
But they have a nice system for the toll tag here- they charger $40 and deduct for each use, whne the balance reaches $10, the credit card is charged again - the same tag can be used for all the tollways and the aiprot, and I am told, will be able to use it in Houston as well.
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Yes, we use our Dallas toll tag in Houston with no problem. And as Indie says there is no monthly fee for using it, just the toll, which is a bit less in Dallas than if we paid cash.
Seems strange that a monthly fee is charged in Houston for just having the tag since having it is so convenient and keeps traffic moving! There is a charge here, (a couple of dollars I think) if we want a monthly readout of our usage.
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Mollie - Really? I cannot find anything on the NTTA website that says the Dallas Toll Tag can be used in Houston's EZ Pass system. Is there anywhere else I can find information about that?
The Harris County's EZ Tag charges $1 per month. While it's not much, and I may not even go on the toll roads often enough to get $1 of savings. Plus the deposit and initial $40 charges has discouraged me to get the tag here in Houston.
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rkkwan- It's true! It's been almost a year since they started a reciprocal agreement. Houston's EZ Pass can be used in Dallas as well.
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rkkwan- By the way, go to NTTA.org and under News Briefs on the right hand side click on 'Use your tolltag in DFW and Houston'.
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Mollie - Thanks! I think I will set up an account with NTTA, and get a few tags for my sister (Dallas), my parents & myself (Houston). Cool.
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spunki, I agree with you. Humidity is not a problem since AC is almost everywhere! Also my understanding is that the humidity is very high for a few months out the year only. Is this correct? or is it always humid in Houston whenever its warm?
I have a great job here in Northern VA but I am so fed up with traffic, high mortgage payments (~ $3000/mo) and the weather. You see, I can sell my expensive house and buy a much much cheaper one (say $400K), but in this area even $400K will not buy anything decent in a good neighborhood. An old crappy townhouse here costs in the $500s nowadays.
Our highways here (will just the few that we have) are clogged with traffic and accidents starting at even 5AM. It is difficult to escape traffic anymore. We don?t have a single stack! The biggest interchange is currently being built right now in Springfield, VA I-95 & I-495 three level interchange and is supposed to take 10 years! The biggest interchange ever attempted by the Virginia DOT (VDOT)! And they are spending $950 million to build it! It?s ridiculous! I read somewhere recently that TxDOT builds a full stack for $300 million or less! I guess since it is the first big interchange VDOT ever attempted, they are learning in the process!
Also we have so many left exits which I think is dangerous and contributes to slowing down traffic. We have left exits even on interstate highways! Totally drives me nuts! The infrastructure stinks here!
Okay, now I feel a little better that I?ve let this out
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As to the question of humidity -- it occurs whenever when the air flow comes from the direction of the Gulf. Sometimes it's humid when the temps are cooler and sometimes the humidity level is low when it's hot.
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Both are socioeconomic disasters!
PS I have lived in Dallas for 24+ years, but I'm selling my house in Northwood Hills if you have any interest.
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Mikemo - You probably live about four miles from me. Are you moving to Mexico?
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Hey Falafel, why are you concerned about real estate cost in Virginia when you already have a house? It would be more of a concern if you didnt have a house.
By the way, speaking of humidity in Houston, what about evenings and nights? If days are hot and humid, are evenings and nightst comfortable enough for strolling or to be out in the backyard/patio?
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re: evenings and nights -- this time of year (Sept - Oct) they're nice enough for walks and sitting out in the back yard, esp. if you live outside the loop like I do. It's at least 5 degrees cooler outside of the stuffy city. We usually turn off our AC by October -- but we're not the norm; we can stand a little warm air if it means fresh air.
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Hey spunki,
When I was in Houston in August, I actually felt that people tend to overdo the use of AC. We often had this argument with our hosts who were showing us around that we wanted to have evening coffee or dinner outside but they wanted to sit inside. Sometimes, I actually felt too cold to be inside due to AC. I actually shivered inside the hotel and had to step outside for warm but fresh air.
Perhaps I am used to warmer weather since I grew up in a warm and humid region. I am quite sure that I would need AC in summer months sp during the day time but in other months I could do wihout it. What part of the year do people genrally turn the AC off? Someone suggested that there are only three or four days in a year when you can actually live without the AC.
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Restaurants are frequently over-airconditioned here. I love going to Mexico and not having AC! AC will be necessary every month of the year, often for humidity control as much as temperature.
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I've typically gone w/o AC in Houston at times during the spring or fall, but it's never been a constant for long periods of time. There is usually a couple of weeks when I can leave the A/C off during the day, come home and leave the windows and doors open, and only put the A/C on when I got to bed at night. But, this is not the norm in Houston due to the humidity.
Having lived in the tropics for over a decade now, I can fully agre with you on the A/C being cranked too high in public places, gzseattle. I tend to wear a sweater at restaurants, stores and other indoor places in Houston at any time of year, including summer. People typically look at me like I'm nuts.
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Apologies to falafel for carrying out this off-topic discussion... as to when AC can be turned off, it really depends on mother nature. Like I said, we're not the norm, but we usually turn it off in Oct - Nov and don't turn it back on until April - May. Use of ceiling & other fans in every room is enough for us. On the flip side, we have had to use our heater for a few months in the past few years! In fact the frosts were bad enough the last couple of years that it killed the plants that we didn't cover/ protect. On the other hand, when I first moved here in '98, I remember wearing shorts and t-shirts in December-January (not running AC though, it wasn't that hot).
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That's fine (the off subject thing) I am actually learning more & more about Houston by monitoring this thread
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Hi, falafel! Great name - love it.
I've lived in Houston for 24 years and, while every place in Texas has advantages, I think Houston is a better place to live as opposed to Dallas.
Houston has pretty much everything you'd find in Dallas and then some. It's just a matter of what you're into and how far you want to drive to get it.
While living in the nicer suburbs could save you money on real estate it will cost you much more in the end in terms of wear and tear on your vehicle, gas, and time. The nicer suburbs are quite far from town and an average rush hour morning commute from Katy to the 610 Loop hovers near an hour. I personally live only 8 miles from my job on the west side of Houston and my commute is 30 minutes, due mainly in part to the 5 school zones I pass through. This is the city that I learned to drive in, though, so I'm used to all the extra travel time and it's normal now for me to have to drive to get anywhere of interest.
I guess from a visitor's point of view, the constant construction is a good sign, but when you have to deal with it everyday, let me tell you, it's a nightmare. 24/7 construction causes major traffic tie-ups, makes your vehicle filthy, makes people physically sick, and is a general eyesore. TxDOT is looking to make all of the freeways into tollways, which creates a whole other set of problems.
On the brighter side, we have world-class art, theatre, music, sporting events, and healthcare facilities. People from all over the world come to MD Anderson Cancer Center and Texas Childrens' Hospital for treatment. Baylor College of Medicine is a leader in medical science.
There are so many great places nearby if you like daytrips. And the Hill Country is wonderful for a weekend.
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Just thought of something...since you are from DC and are used to having 3 Ikea stores...Houston has one off Katy Hwy. Dallas will have one next summer, but in Frisco...about a 45-60 min drive from Dallas.
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Thanks tx_girl for your input.
I read about the I-10 Katy freeway expansion project. I realize that the Katy Freeway is probably the worst clogged freeway in Houston. Once I move, I am planning to completely avoid living in Katy or the far western suburbs. Maybe in 8 or 10 years when the I-10 is 24 lanes and is complete I may consider it
The areas I thought about are The Woodlands and Spring in the north. I also like Tomball and Cypress in the North West. It looks like there isn?t much construction on the way coming from those areas and getting to downtown. Also the direct connector ramps from the Tomball Parkway to Beltway 8 are supposed to be complete by know. I also heard that the Hardy Tollway never congests!
I saw a lot of nice houses in those areas that were decently priced. I am planning to check those areas out when I visit Houston soon and hoping to find out that they are nice neighborhoods.
Oh by the way, pepper131 mentioned Ikea. I am not a big fan of Ikea, but It?s nice to know that its there! I like most of their designs & styles but I notice they use cheap materials often.
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I was in the NW over the weekend, and the Beltway8/TX249 junction is definitely not finished yet. It's actively being built, and all traffic has to exit the Sam Houston tollway during some times because of the construction.
For those coming from Downtown, you can exit 249/West Mt. Houston off I-45, and go up that route, instead of staying on I-45 to the Beltway. It's a 6-lane road (3 each direction), and even though there are some traffic lights, speed limit is 55mph.
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Yeah...Ikea is what it is. I just know so many people who rely on it too much and thought I'd throw it out there.
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Wow! Falafel, it seems that you are speeking on my behalf since I am also looking for houses in the exact same areas, I mean, north and north west although people tell me that The Wooldlands is about 40 minutes from where I'll be working. Also, The Woodlands have high tax rate/fees/dues. I am also considering SugarLand. I heard that I-59 isnt too bad and it should take me 30 minutes to get to Sugarland from Beltway 8/Westheimer.
Of course, if I live in north/north west, then I would need to take Sam Houston Toll way and thus pay toll as well.
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Falafel - if you are looking in the Woodlands or Spring, you are not looking in Houston. If you live and work in that area, it will be fine, but if you work in Houston then count on at least an hour each way, even using the toll roads, to commute. Add more if ther eis a wreck. Have you considered the Memorial area? Not the far west part, but the area just outside the Loop, below IH- 10 (the infamous Katy freeway) and above Westheimer? There are some great neighborhoods around there. Inside the looop, the Heights is sort of dicey - kind of spotty even within the same block (remember, zoning is a curse word in Houston) not unlike parts of Adams Morgan - but you can find some nice places there, with price tags that reflect the desirability of being closer in to town. Sugarland has been mentioned, but it is the archetype of a cookie- cutter McMansion developers dream - the HOA even dictates how many flower pots of what style and color you can put on your porch!
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wow! wait a minute, so you're saying that it's actually about one hour drive from Spring to 610 loop?
That distance is actually 20 miles or less. That's not a good thing if thats the case!
Will leaving at 6AM from the burbs and heading toward 610 loop beat the rush hour?
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Neither. But, I'd move to Austin in a heartbeat.
I did move to Dallas for a job some years back. Loved the job. Could not stand the cold winter wind whipping down the prarie (sometimes it took two people to open the large glass doors of the office building). No hills or trees.
Humidity is bad in both, but it can be bad in DC too.
We escaped to the hill country every chance we could. Loved the topography. Loved the varied options. It was like being in a different country.
Went back to Austin on business last month. Ate at Oasis, overlooking Lake Travis. We could not believe we were in Texas!
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Hey Falafel, or anyone else who is planning to move, check out this website www.movingscam.com. Lots of useful info on how to avoid being ripped off by moving companies!
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great website gz! thanks
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Anyone lives in the Woodlands, Spring, Tomball, Cypress or even as far as Conroe?
I would like to know how long it takes to drive to loop 610 or downtown in the morning rush hour.
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Wow! I have never seen such a polite discussion on the relative merit of the Big D or H-town! Usually it breaks down into name calling. I have lived in Houston and Galveston most of my life, but also lived in Dallas for four years. It was my college town and I loved it for that, so I can see merits to both cities.
On the character of the people, Houstonians are more laid back and friendlier than Dallasites, and there is a lot of nouveau-riche snobbery in Dallas (of course, I went to SMU, so I saw more of that than most). Still, Dallasites are Texans, and much friendlier than most Yankees.
Houston is also much more culturally diverse, sporting very large Asian and Latino populations. Whether this is a plus or minus is up to you, but I (an anglo) find it a plus.
Dallas and Houston are both very cosmopolitan towns, but Houston has a better arts scene than Dallas. So does Fort Worth. Dallas's Fair Park and the Meyerson are really inadequate performing arts venues, especially compared to Fort Worth's Bass Hall or Houston's Wortham, Jones, or Hobby venues. Fort Worth's Kimball and Houston's Menil and MFAH blow the doors off any of Dallas's visual arts venues
Houston has more restaurants per mile than any other city in America, and some of the best restaurants in the country, too, but Dallas has so many great restaurants that you won't notice a difference in dining scene between them.
Houston is constantly touting its newly renovated downtown, but I live in downtown Houston and I really think that though our skyline is prettier, the Dallas downtown, once you are in it, is prettier, bigger, and more interesting. Fort Worth definitely has the most fun downtown for going out.
As far as geography goes, Houston comes out ahead, at least for diversity. Dallas is all flat prairie with the occasional barely noticable hill, and if you see a tree it is because someone planted it - they don't grow naturally on the Great Plains. Houston is at the center the confluence of four different biomes: the dense pine woods to the north and northeast, the post oak crosstimbers open woodland to the northwest, the Katy prairie to the west, and the coastal plain to the south. The Galveston Bay system is great for boating and fishing, and Galveston Island has nice beaches (the poster who snarked them has obviously only seen those in front of the Seawall and never bothered to drive a couple of miles to West Beach).
The boating options are obviously much better in a coastal town like Houston, but Dallas has some nice lakes like Grapvine or Ray Hubbard.
I would say overall, Dallas is a prettier town in terms of layout and upkeep, the "manmade" features, and Houston has more natural beauty. Dallas gets brown and burned out in the dry summer, and brown and leafless in the winter, but Houston stays green all year thanks to the numerous native pines.
Traffic is about equal in both cities, but Houston is starting to get a slight edge.
As far as weather is concerned, it's all a matter of what you are used to. Houston does have higher humidity than Dallas (which I don't really mind) but actual temperatures get significantly higher in Dallas in the summer. Houston's winters are milder than Dallas's because of the influence of the Gulf. This can be a good or bad thing. Dallas gets a nicer fall than Houston, but those Canadian Northers whip unhindered down the plains into Dallas in the winter and can be pretty painful.
Overall, I agree that the two best cities to live in in Texas are Austin and Fort Worth. With Fort Worth, you also have the option of working for a Dallas-based company since many of them are located in the mid-cities region. Austin does not have as stable an economy as Dallas or Houston (which sometimes is not saying much!). You either have to work for the state government or the University. I have a lot of out-of-work friends who used to work for Dell or internet startups. When the bubble burst, the IT industry in Austin really took a hit.
I work in the environmental field so Houston is the place for me. Don't let the poster who talked about smog fool you though. We don't have smog, and our air pollution is not visible and does not smell.
Here's a little tongue in cheeck review I wrote on Houston in Epinions:
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Falafel - Loop 610 covers a lot of area - to which part will you commute?
Reefmonkey - you had me nodding my head in agreement with your well reasoned thoughts, then I got to "We don't have smog, and our air pollution is not visible and does not smell."
When waw the last time you went outside? If there is no smog, then what is that brown cloud so prominently visible when flying in? And in terms of smell, that depends on which way the wind is blowing.
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Reefmonkey, thanks for so much useful information on the topic. As I have mentioned a couple of times before, I prefer green and leafy over brown and leafless so Houston wins for me. I am also not a big fan of cold, whipping winds but can live with humidity. Again, a plus point for Houston.
So, from you post, it appears that north, northwest and northeast are greener and wooded as compared to other parts of Houston, right? I dont see many housing communities in the northeast though. Isnt that the area where the refineries are?
You mentioned pine and oak. What about palm trees? Given the subtropical climate of Houston, I suppose that it wpuld support palm trees. Someone mentioned that they have planted many palm trees in the Clear Lake area.
About zoning, we all know that Houston does not have zoning laws. What about the nearby cities such as Katy, Sugarland, Woodlands, Spring etc? Do they also not have zoning laws?
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Clear Lake: more palm trees and tropical air/sky, little apparent zoning outside of a few master-planned type communities, very high humidity if you are on the water; Woodlands: Columbia, Maryland in a pine forest in Texas. If you like living in a pine forest and don't like wide open spaces this is for you. Sugarland: master-planned communities and would appear zoned to a visitor from the D.C. area. Oak trees and some planted palms. Much closer to Houston than the other two above.
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Let me add the Pearland area: home to several master planned communities, new homes and older homes, 15-20 minutes to the Medical Center, 30-40 minutes to downtown, and 30-40 minutes to Clear Lake/ Kemah boardwalk. Lots of palms trees (a few in my own backyard), but not as wooded as the Woodlands. Not as bad a commute as to Sugarland (Hwy 59 can't handle all the Sugarlanders).
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Hey Falafel, in case you dont know, I have responded to your email.
spunki, does Perland has zoning laws? Pardon my obsession with zoning laws but I think they make urban development look prettier and organized, as opposed to hodge-podge and unplanned development that is common in Houston.
By the way, check out this website www.city-data.com. It has good information on various cities including median household income, median home value, education level of the residents, demographic data etc. You can use this to compare and contrast different areas such as Sugarland, Perland, woodlands, katy etc.
Also check out http://www.chron.com/content/chronicle/business/homedata/overview.html on additional info on different neighborhoods.
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gzseattle, I think you worry about zoning too much! If no zoning scares you, then you can always live in a master planned community. Like many responders to this thread mentioned, these communities - that are master planned - have powerful HOA (Home Owners Associations) which control practically everything about neighborhoods. Check out this article:
Oh, by the way, the link you mentioned (movingscam.org) is excellent! Thanks!
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qzseattle - Actually, all the refineries are southeast, not northeast of downtown, in Deer Park and Pasadena, all along the ship channel.
There actually are quite a few nice subdivisions in the northwest, around Lake Houston, like Atascasita.
The pine and oak are the native species here. There is only one species of palm that is native to the Houston area, and it mostly grows on the floor of the pine forest. It is slow growing and doesn't have much of a trunk. LOTS of palms are planted around here though, and do quite well. The most common palm is the sabal palm, and many of the old neighborhoods in the city have lots of grand old date palms growing in them. A lot of people are planting queen palms, too, which I think are the most tropical looking, most like a coconut palm.
The Clear Lake area is really nice and has a maritime, kind of tropical look, and reminds me of South Florida (where my mom grew up). It also doesn't feel as limited as the suburbs in terms of nice non-chain restaurants and bars. My brother keeps his boat there. He just moved back to Houston from South Riding, VA, and used to boat on the Ptomac and Chesapeake Bay, and he says the type of boating is comparable to the Chesapeake in some ways.
To tell the truth, even though Houston gets a lot of static for its lack of zoning, I don't notice what the hubbub is about. Maybe I'm just used to it. The Woodlands does have zoning, and very strict codes for signage and how close a business can be to the street. It's nice, but a pretty long schlep from Houston. It's not even in the same county. I try to avoid Katy and Sugarland. I think they are boring treeless plains of cookiecutter brick houses filled with soccermoms. Spring is more of a general area than a discreet town, and it stretches from just east of I-45 to HWY 249 along a road called Louetta. It is getting as commercial looking as the rest of Houston. Just north of Spring along 249 is Tomball, which is an incorporated town, and has a main street with a quaint small Texas town feeling, with the added bonus of only being about 40 minutes from Downtown Houston if there is no traffic.
One good thing in Houston is they passed an ordinance within the city limits that no new billboards can be put up, and if one is damaged it cannot be rebuilt, so things are getting better.
Seamus -actually, as an environmental consultant I spend quite a bit of time outside - that's not smog - trust me, I'm an environmental scientist. It's diffraction of light through particulate matter and ground-level ozone - an entirely different phenomenon from smog. That's doesn't make it any prettier when you're flying through it, or any healthier for children, elderly and asthmatics, but since I am none of those, what do I care?! I kid. I wouldn't be in my field if I didn't care. Anyway, It really isn't visible at ground level, and since Houston is so flat, we are rarely above groundlevel. I would say that in most parts of Houston, the air does not smell at all. Down in Pasadena, though - whew! I go there a lot for my job and don't know how they stand it down there.
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Okay, in all fairness my definition of smog is the strictly technical one - the situation over Houston is only half of the components required for true smog, which also requires specific weather patterns. I the colloguial sense, it's smog, and it does need to be cleaned up. On the note of air quality in Houston, there is one more thing you should know, Falafel - occasionally farmers in our wonderfully environmentally unregulated NAFTA neighbor to the south set huge fires to clear land for farming. These fires often get out of control, and every few years when the weather patterns are right, the smoke moves north and just sits on top of Houston, sometimes for days to weeks. Not only is the air visible and have a smell, it has a taste too. Charming, eh?
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Oh wow, thats the first time I heard about this one Reefmonkey! I guess its not bad if it happens once every few years. I can handle that. Unless my in laws who live in Europe happen to come visit at that time, then it will be embarrassing and they will think every American city is like that! (Just kidding. I?ll have to explain it to them that its not always like that)
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I've live in Southwest Houston on and off for 15 years, and have lived in Washington, DC and RI. Well, seriously, I have never noticed any smog in this part of town, and I have seen smog when I visited LA or Hong Kong.
And while in the summer there are often days with elevated ozone levels, I don't think the numbers are much higher than Rhode Island and probably fewer than Washington, DC.
There are millions of people in Houston, and trust me, air quality is something we never talk about, because it really is NOT an issue. Property taxes, stupid light rail, pathetic Texans (the NFL team) - yes; air quality - no.
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Like I've said, it's not really smog in the technical sense, and can't be seen when you are at eye level - though sometimes you can notice a faint browninsh tinge along the horizon the few places you can see the horizon from ground level. I agree, the smell is not a problem. It is a little irksome when I hear people who visited Houston once b*tch and say "the air was so dirty - the smog and the smell" when you know they didn't notice anything and they wouldn't have known Houston has an air pollution problem if they hadn't heard about it from Peter Jennings. That being said, I don't want to downplay the health problems it causes - the EPA estimates about 60-80,000 people die prematurely due to air pollution every year. I know my stepson, who has asthma, gets bad and has to stay indoors on ozone alert days. Oh, that's me on my soapbox again.
And the whole smoke from Mexico thing is not that common - the last time it was really bad was about 6-8 years ago.
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And rkkwan's observation on property taxes is definitely something to think about. They are high here, and keep ratcheting up faster than true market pricing - then when house values take a hit, like when interest rates are high - try getting the county to lower the appraisal - not gonna happen. Like I said, my brother just moved from Virginia - he was right next to Dulles Airport, and he was able to buy a much bigger house in the Katy area for half the sales price of his house in VA, and now he no longer has to pay income tax, but he claims the total cost of living basically balances out when you figure in property tax. He's only lived here since June (and he can be really pessimistic) so I want to see if his opinion changes once he has been here a while.
Yeah, the light rail was ridiculous. I would have been for it if it ran along a useful route, like a major corridor (I-10 West or 59 South), but it was basically one of the ways for that piece of crap mayor, Lee Brown, to secure a legacy. That, and spending taxpayers' money hand over fist to prostitute the city out to pro sports like the crappy Texans. Meanwhile, the police department crime lab is caught in a serious of scandals, the police and fire department pension funds are about bankrupt, and the county hospital district, once hailing the best trauma center in the country, is struggling to keep its doors open. But at least we have three gleaming new sports arenas and a light rail that goes nowhere useful and does nothing to alleviate traffic. Nice going, Mayor Brown!
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Falafel, I really hesitated before posting, because you've clearly made up your mind to move to either Dallas or Houston...but do you ever drive anywhere from DC, for a getaway or a visit? Having lived in Texas myself, I can tell you that I felt horribly isolated there--the driving distances between cities are enormous, certainly when compared to the East Coast.
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The reason I am so concerned about lack of zoning is because I am worried about having a junk yard, machine-shop, strip club or adult video store next to my house. Without zoning laws, I would never be sure what the plot next door would eventually turn into.
Without zoning laws, there is no distinction between a seedy/sleazy area and a family-oriented residential or commercial area. As I mentioned earlier, even in upscale areas such as Galleria, you would see a showy adult store. On Westheimer, you would see a strip club next to grocey store or mom-and-pop store. This ain't kid- friendly! What do you tell your kids when they see a sign and say they want a sex toy?
So, I am a strong proponent of zoning laws. At the very least, there should be laws to regulate "noxious" uses of property such as those mentioned above.
Thus, you are right that I would very much prefer to live in a master-planned community!
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E, what about trips to Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and New Orleans? In eight hours, you can get to the beaches of Florida in Pensacola. Well, I would still agree that you dont have as many options as do in East Coast. As far as I am concerned, since I am moving to Houston from Seattle, "isolation" wouldnt be an issue for me. San Francisco, the closest major city is about 12 hours away. Yeah, Vancouver is nearby but then you need to cross the border.
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ReefMonkey, you are right that higher property rate does offset part of the lower cost of real estate in Texas but I wouldnt say that the difference is half or more. On average, property tax is about 2% higher in Houston compared to Seattle area. This means that a $380,000-390,000 house in Seattle would cost the same as $300,000 house in Houston. Of course, you would get a much larger house in Houston for that price.
I dont know what the property tax rate is in Virginia/DC area but Falafel would also save state income tax which I wont since we dont have state income tax in Washigton state either. So I would think that property tax rate shouldnt make too much a difference for him.
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Property taxes in VA vary by county or city. They range between 0.9% - 1.2%.
In Loudoun County where I live, the property tax is set to 1.04% last time I checked. This rate might sound low to Houstonians until I tell you that a $350,000 will barely buy you a two bedroom condo or a worthless piece of sh** townhouse in a bad area that no body wants.
On my house, it is appraised at $550K and I pay around $5720 per year. I can get my exact House in Houston (minus the basement) in a very nice area for around $300K or less. Can somebody figure out how much I would pay in Harris County on a $300K house?
Actually wait a minute. Houses in my neighborhood are now selling at around 700K. Next year when the county re-appraises the house my tax bill will probably be around $7300 per year!
We also have something called "personal property tax in VA". This is a tax on vehicles. I don't know what the rates are in my county but I pay approximately $200 per year on my 1999 Maxima. (This tax depends on the value of the car as well). The last governor tried to eliminate this tax completely per popular demands but could not. At least he managed to cut the rate by 75% before his term ended! So that $200/year could have been much more!
Plus I wont say how much I pay in income tax to Virginia, but lets just say that it reduces the pay checks by a considerable amount.
Sales tax on the other hand is low in VA. It is currently set to 4.5%
Gasoline tax is also supposed to be low in VA.
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Don't forget that just because Houston doesn't have zoning that many neighborhoods have deed restrictions that would prohibit many of the things you're concerned about. Another option is to live in an incorporated city within Houston, such as Bellaire (hence my screen name), West University, The Villages in the Memorial area (Piney Point Village, Bunker Hill Village, etc). Each of these cities has its own fire dept, police dept, trash pick-up, and other services.
I personally love living in Bellaire -- it has the feel of a small town (with its own Fourth of July parade on Bellaire fire trucks), concerts in the parks, vacation watch of your home by the police, etc. Once in a storm, one of our trees was uprooted and feel across the street. As soon as I realized I called the City of Bellaire and I was told that someone was already on the way. Within 5 minutes 4 city workers came out in the rain and cut up the tree and hauled it away (even the part on our property)! You won't find that everywhere.
I personally like living close to downtown and in a real neighborhood (not a planned community) with look-alike houses far on the outskirts of town, with only chain restaurants nearby.
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Susan, you got a good point but it seems like Bellair is not as affordable as other parts of HOUSTON.
The cheapest 4BR home i found on har.com in Bellair was $400K!
Does Bellair have different property tax rate than the rest of the city?
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Yes, Bellaire's tax rate is different (I can't tell you what it is off-hand though, and I'd be surprised if it's cheaper than Houston's). You're right -- you pay for the proximity to everything by being in Bellaire or West University. You will definately get less house for your money here, but it's a trade-off many people choose.
Also, in case it wasn't evident in my post before, Bellaire DOES have zoning. In fact, I served on the city's Planning & Zoning Board for 5 years.
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I just looked up the property tax rate for the City of Bellaire -- it's 0.480000. That's in addition to taxes paid to Harris County (at a rate of 0.388030), Harris County Flood Control (at a rate of 0.041740), Harris County Department of Education (at a rate of 0.006290), the Port of Houston Authority (at a rate of 0.020000), Harris County Hospital District (at a rate of 0.190210), and the Houston Community College (at a rate of 0.081333).
Our 4-bedroom house is appraised at $280,000 (we built it 12 yrs ago) and we pay total annual property taxes of $3,435.14. Hope this helps in your calculations.
The website for the City of Bellaire is http://www.ci.bellaire.tx.us/
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Hi Mollie,
Yes! I spent 23 Aug - 29 Sept in my house in SMdA (annual prop tax $136.65 US) and I am building a larger permanent place in the Atascadero an 8 min walk from the Jardin there.
My Dallas house (in the RISD) has an appraised value of $332.K and my property tax this year will be over $9,000. None of my three children spent a single day in public school here, so why stay, fight the awful traffic, urban blight, exponentially deteriorating public schools, and high utility and maintenance bills?
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I have a correction to my posting from last night. I started thinking that the appraised value of our house has to be above $280,000 by now, so I checked it out. In actuality, the appraised value of our house in 2003 (for the last tax bill) was $350,100, but the taxable value (for which taxes are assessed) was $280,000, not taking into account the land value.
You can check the appraised value of any house in Houston by doing a search on the following website: http://www.hcad.org/Records/Real.asp?search=addr
You simply type in the address, and it pops up. If you click on the acct # you can then pull up the taxes paid in 2003 by following the links to "Harris County Tax Bill."
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Sorry to go off topic here, but I have a question for mikemo regarding moving to Mexico. How did you decide where to move? Will you remain a U.S. citizen? Just curious as we had kicked around the idea of living there or having a residence there someday.
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Just want to say one thing about property taxes. I might have said the same before in a different thread, but will say it again.
Even though the rates maybe higher than in some parts of the country, one should look at the actual number to determine whether it's excessive or not. For example, bellairgirl pays ~$3,500/year for her ~$300K home. While that may seem quite a bit, you have to take account of what the house is worth in Seattle (or wherever). While a $300K home in Seattle may have lower tax rate, an equivalent house that bellairegirl has may be worth $800K in Seattle, and the property tax may be actually higher.
So, don't just look at the rate. Look at the actual number.
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Mikemo- I have another question on Mexico on which you would be an expert. What are the medical facilities like in the areas where there are quite a few expats? I understand that San Miquel is beautiful, although we've never been there.
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Please be aware that property taxes in Houston usually consist of two checks, one to the Harris county tax collector and one to the Houston Independent School District. My total taxes are about double the total rate Susan stated (that is I pay over 2% total after my homestead exemption.) This is still preferable to an income tax in my mind, and as mentioned by other posters the valuations are generally lower here than in some parts of the country.
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What is homestead exemption?
I thought that tax rate in and around Houston is generally 3-4%. Susan is paying less than 1% and bithhair is paying 2%. That doesnt sound as bad as I thought!
Susan, how is the taxable value for your house is less than the actual value of the house? Also, is the tax assessed on the total value of the house (structure and land), just land or just structure?
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Oh, good point, Binthair -- I just looked up my Harris County tax bill. We also pay a tax to HISD that amounts to about the same as the Harris County tax bill. My husband informs me that we paid about $7,000 in taxes last year.
As to the homestead exemption question and the taxable value question, for the Harris County tax bill, if you claim a homestead exemption (if this is your primary residence), the appraised value for purposes of taxes is reduced by 20%. Also, the homestead exemption protects your house from being seized by creditors.
Here is a link I found to tax rates in some incorporated cities inside Houston:
My husband also mentioned that some of the outlying areas of Houston are in MUDs (municipal utility districts), and the tax rate paid in a MUD is much higher.
Hope this helps.
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Always check the school district taxes because they will generally be your biggest tax bill. Our Dallas suburb is at about $1.74 per $100 in valuation and we have no homestead exemption.
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So one of my questions got lost somehere. Here is it again. In Houston, are the properyt taxes assessed on structure, land or both.
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Property taxes are paid based on the appraised value of your home (including land value plus improvements); however, for Harris County tax purposes, if you claim (and file for) a homestead exemption, you pay taxes on the "taxable value", which is your appraised value reduced by 20%.
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So homestead exemption to reduce appraised value by 20% is available only in Harris county or anywhere in Texas?
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Homestead is available everywhere in Texas. You have to have owned the house for a year to get it.
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Yes, the homestead exemption is available throughout Texas, although each taxing authority has the option of deciding the amount of the exemption, up to 20%. Also, I'm not so sure you have to have owned your house for a year to claim it. It's my understanding that you just have to have owned your house on January 1 of the year you're claiming it. Anyway, you should check on that.
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The homestead exemption is totally optional for the taxing entity. We had the entire 20 percent when we bought our house and it was eliminated gradually during the past few years because the school district needed extra money. (Texas' school finance system is in big trouble.) On the bright side, the exemption can also be reinstated.
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I am in a similar boat. I can work out of my home so am thinking of moving someplace warmer than Minnesota. We also like lake activities. So I searched the country on the internet, found and visited Lake Conroe last week and actually have a contract on this property:
But I am wondering if I should stick it out and go through with it. It is a big change for us. I am not sure my clients like that I am moving further away. We will also be away from family, but should have a nice place for them to visit!
Basically, I was looking for a place on a lake, in warmer climate, close proximity to airport for travel a couple of times a month, and with good other recreational activities. Here we are on a golf course on a lake. This house would sell for several million with this lot on a lake here in MN, so seems like a good deal, but a lot of work to move down there. The house was appraised at and first listed at $1.2M a couple of years ago, but is now down to $900K. The interior, though elegant, needs some work, particularly the bathrooms and kitchen to look as nice as other homes in the higher price range.
One of my clients is in MN, so I have set this up with them that I am moving for the winter months, will work remote, and and will be back in the summer. So we are trying to figure out where we will live for the summer in MN, and plan to rent out this place on Lake Conroe as a vacation spot in the summer.
I need to decide in the next day or two to go through with this move. The family wants to do it but I have reservations about it. Potentially very fun, you can actually do something outside for more than 6 months out of the year, it may be a good investment, or may be a crash, a lot of work to move everything down there, potential for loosing some of my work by being too much out of sight out of mind, and its more than I am paying here now.
Searching the net to see what other people think of the area. Basically I am trying to see if I can work out what retirees are able to do and move south for the winter. Though, my winter needs to be the length of the school year.
Any thoughts?
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Jayne1973 and Mollie,
Sorry, I just saw your 30 Sept questions re: Mexico.
Kindly e-mail me and we'll not corrupt this thread ([email protected]).
Just got my RISD property tax bill of $5174.50 and am awaiting my Dallas City and Dallas County statements (my homestead is appraised at $332.K.
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I've lived in Dallas area for many many years and a few years ago had to spend the working week in Houston for over a year, I was out near Katy off I-10 and loved it, would happily move there.
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Lucian Build Guide by DarkJavelin
This build has been archived and is for historical display only.
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Mana Conservation
Lucian Build
Starting Off
Building Into
Final Build
Possible Early Game [Extra Damage]
Possibles Late Game
Ability Sequence
Not Updated For Current Season
The masteries shown here are not yet updated for the current season, the guide author needs to set up the new masteries. As such, they will be different than the masteries you see in-game.
|Welcome fellow summoners, this is DarkJavelin, welcome to another champion spotlight featuring Lucian The Purifier. Now I wasn't really going to be trying to pick up on this champ but a friend of mine wanted to show his appreciation for helping me get him to Level 30. So he bought me a few champs and threw in Lucian as a bonus. So he also asked that since I'm starting to do builds for champs he asked me to make one for Lucian. Thing about Lucian is, he has so much potential that one build won't just do. Now what I'm about to do here is explain Lucian in a more detailed way. So before going any farther please note that this build will be longer than my Evelynn build.
Credits to jhoijhoi for the template, which you can find here.
Pros / Cons
+ Heavy hitter early game
+ Great range when laning
+ When laning phase is over, Relentless Pursuit makes a good surprise gank for top or mid lane
+ Great pokes
+ Excellent chaser
+ Able to gain movement speed due to Ardent Blaze target marking
+ Good CC ability with secondary effect
+ Double shot applies double health restoration on lifesteal
I'm going to be completely honest, I thought for sure that Lucian was going to be broken and everyone was going to argue over him A LOT. I was only HALF right. He isn't actually as broken as I thought he would be. He is well balanced and his moves require good aim and well timed shots, which doesn't take too long to get used to. Lucian is like Miss Fortune, he can hit hard early game but at the cost of big mana usage. To be fair that is well balanced. His range with his abilities is great and able to shoot through minions, hence his Piercing Light ability. When laning phase is over and you wish to get the jump on an enemy still in their lane, coming from the bush and activating Relentless Pursuit is a great way to close the gap between you two while charging in so they don't get away unscathed. This also makes for an excellent chaser in which you can dash in and perform The Culling to put the finishing blow on an enemy with low health. Also, due to Ardent Blaze, he is able to gain even more movement speed after landing a basic attack on a marked enemy. This also makes for a good chase.
- Burns through mana quickly
- Low movement speed when compared to others
- Piercing Light absolutely requires a target to be in the range circle.
- Heavily relies on support
- Squishy
- Ult can be blocked by other champs AND minions
- Ult only shoots in a specific direction and cannot be changed
Although he hits pretty hard, using Lucian's utilities in the right way is challenging. He can hit hard early game, but just like Miss Fortune, he burns through mana rather quickly. He also has rather low movement speed when compared to others liked Ashe, Quinn, etc. Although Piercing Light has great range it requires a target to be in the circle range, otherwise it will not fire. He also heavily relies on his support. Unlike other ADCs, Lucian burns through mana a lot. In order to save on mana he would have to have a support that can either initiate or replenish his mana. Someone like Leona or Soraka would be a good support for him. Even someone with snare like Lux or Morgana. He is also squishy so playing carefully is required when farming. His ult, The Culling, can be blocked by minions, which means if the enemy is running and minions get in front of the champ they will take the damage instead of your target. It also only fires in one general direction so be careful where you are facing when you activate it.
|Since Lucian is such a heavy hitter, it's better to improvise on that and continue to build into his damage along with some critical. Since he also burns through mana so quickly, it's best to build into some utility at the sacrifice of more health. So we focus on giving him mana with Expanded Mind and also Meditation . This will give him mana per level and also increase his mana regen though you still have to be careful of how much mana you use.
- Greater Quintessence of Attack Damage: This explains itself, how can you be an adc and not have attack damage? Lucian can hit pretty hard with some attack damage so the more you build the better.
- Greater Quintessence of Life Steal: It never hurts to have some lifesteal and since this will help Lucian with his double shot and replenish his health he should be able to stay in lane longer when killing minions.
- greater mark of armor penetration: Every ADCs goal is usually to penetrate the armor of their enemies. ESPECIALLY the other teams' tank. This not only helps the ADC pick off the weaker foes but also wear away at the tank's armor. Especially if you go for critical attacks. Hence the reason for Infinity Edge.
- Greater Mark of Attack Damage: The more attack damage you build the better. Though I'm sure ignoring the armor is great you need to be able to capitalize on it. Even if just a little bit.
- Greater Glyph of Magic Resist: When going against AP champs which is, of course, going to be someone like the support in laning phase, and also other AP champs in teamfights, you must be able to stay in the fight as long as possible. You are the heavy hitter after all, and it's the team's job to go ahead in first and you hit while behind them.
- Greater Glyph of Mana Regeneration: Since Lucian is such a mana eater, this is very important to have so that you don't lose it all so quickly. Though most ADCs burn through their mana, Lucian seems to absolutely destroy his mana so early. This will help fix such a problem. While farming, let your mana regen runes do their work.
- Greater Seal of Armor: It goes without saying that armor is usually the first thing people run for in runes. So of course this is going to be here. Since there are so many champs that are AD when playing in game why not? It's standard to keep armor on you at all times right?
Summoner Spells
Barrier: Barrier is your last stand or either your emergency escape method whenever Flash is down. If you are trying to get one over on your enemy, Barrier will usually help with that. Being that said, it is often used when surprised by an enemy sneaking up on you or when an enemy is low on health and so are you, but you refuse to run so you try to get the kill. It is useful as a last stand to secure your kill or to protect you when running and you have your enemy using an ability to attack from a distance. Case in point, Caitlyn's Ace in the Hole, Kog'Maw's Living Artillery, etc.
Flash: Along with Lucian's Relentless Pursuit, Flash is very useful as an escape or chance to go in. Being that he is not only good at chasing but kiting, this skill helps out greatly in both categories and being that he is squishy I recommend he ALWAYS has this summoner spell on him. Unless you're pro and can get out of situations with just the ability of course lol. Be sure not to take too much damage before using it, a lot of summoners wait until you use your flash so that they can use theirs to follow and finish.
Ignite: This is for summoners that would rather make sure they get their kill rather than be paranoid about being killed. Since Lucian is a heavy hitter I expect a lot of summoners to use him if they specialize in ADC and once they have mastered him this spell will be used more often than the Barrier. It works well but the reason I don't use it myself, is due to the fact that most attack from a distance and feel better about doing so it sometimes isn't needed. It's all about making sure you time your attacks in combos the right way. Even if they run away they are missing farm and farm is critical for an ADC.
Ghost: Although I'm not usually a big fan of this spell on an adc, it tends to work well with Lucian after Relentless Pursuit is used to escape. I have seen many use it and I've tested it out myself. It seems to work pretty well but I still prefer Flash as my main get away tool, seeing as it doesn't have a slow start up like Ghost does to help you get away.
Ability Explanation
- Lightslinger: Lightslinger is Lucian's passive, after using an ability his next shot is a double shot. If life steal has been added on to Lucian each shot will replenish his health meaning double the life steal for the next shot.
- Piercing Light (Q): This ability travels through all enemies in the path of the piercing light shot. Every target takes the same amount of damage from the ability but at least ONE target has to be in the circle range to fire the ability and it only goes a short range outside of said circle.
- Ardent Blaze (W): Lucian fires a missle of light that explodes upon impact or reaching the end of its destination and expands in a star shape. It deals damage, and marks the target with light that if Lucian shoots that target he gains movement speed for a couple of seconds.
- Relentless Pursuit (E): This ability is like Evelynn's Dark Frenzy and Riven's Valor fused together. Lucian can dash forward with this move and also remove all slow effects as a result. Though unlike Riven's Valor he does not gain a shield, and unlike Evelynn's Dark Frenzy it does not increase his movement speed. This move's cooldown is refreshed if a kill is done while using The Culling.
- The Culling (R): Lucian's Ultimate that causes him to shoot in a target direction for 3 seconds. This ability only shoots in one direction that is chosen when activated so time the activation right or else it's a waste. While using The Culling you can move around freely and you can also cancel it by activating it again.
Ability Sequence Order
|When playing Lucian, try to build up Piercing Light first. Taking one in each ability is fine, but after doing so max out Piercing Light first. As for The Culling it is smart to always put a point in it whenever possible. Ardent Blaze is the second thing to max out and finally Relentless Pursuit since the distance isn't really increased no matter how many points you put into it.
Items: Mana Conservation
|Like every other ADC Lucian needs to be able to move quickly but also attack quickly. Berserker's Greaves can help with that.
|Since Lucian can be pretty slow starting off and going on into the game, it is best to give him more speed so that he may be able to chase and/or kite better on enemies.
|The answer to all those questions about "Why does Lucian eat up so much mana?! I need to bring Clarity with me!", well with this item you won't have to. Getting Manamune early game will help solve the mana problem and give you more mana and mana regen to work with. Though do not become reckless, still save your abilities for pokes and chases on enemies.
|Mostly used for its lifesteal and also for it's active to deal with tanks. BOTRK is usually the standard thing to build when playing a game and a tank is present. Lucian is no different, he will need this item if a tank or off-tank is present on the enemy team.
|This item is usually not built until it has been shown that Thornmail is present on the other team. Though there are a lot that still build it anyway seeing as how it's good for Armor Penetration.
|From what I can tell, Lucian shoots pretty slow if not having some extra attack speed. So as to speed that up, Phantom Dancer is a must have with him. Not only does it increase your attack speed but you can move through minions so as to keep chasing your enemy down.
|The higher the damage, the more kills for you to make yourself stronger and take our more enemies quickly. With Infinity Edge's high damage and critical strike chance increase, this is best for any ADC. Combined with Lifesteal it can be a big help.
Items: Bloodsucker
Items: Tank Buster
Lucian: Thorough Explanation
From what I can tell, Riot was trying to make a champ like Miss Fortune but with more mobility. They seemed to have succeeded but the problem is he didn't hit me like Miss Fortune did who is my BEST ADC in the game so far. The similarities are there, duo guns, burns through mana, ult releases rapid fire shots, has an AoE. Only difference is that Miss Fortune passively has an increase in movement speed when out of battle while Lucian requires Ardent Blaze and a shot to gain his movement speed.
The similarity between Vayne and Lucian is that the two are both hunters for evil, Vayne has a dodge move and so does Lucian even if it goes a short distance.
Similarities with Lux is the ability of his Ardent Blaze just like Lux has every ability she uses on an opponent to attack. Only difference is that when Lucian hits an opponent afterwords, he gains movement speed instead of extra damage and effect does not disable after the next hit. It stays for a set amount of time then disappears.
I'm not sure if anyone else saw the similarities like I did but that was the first thing I noticed when I saw how he worked and read his lore along with how his abilities will work. Lucian is probably a better ADC than he looks but as said, he did not interest me all that well like everyone else. I tend to hate when people **** ride a new character when they first come out. I'd rather see how good he plays before buying him so I would wait until free to play then test him out. My friend just decided to throw me Lucian as a bonus thanks for getting him to Level 30. I have tested these builds and they tend to work as long as you play safe. In a way, Lucian plays like an assassin. Going for the squishy characters is the best part of him and they can't get too far from him due to his chasing abilities. Even though he can hurt, do not get reckless. Common sense should still tell you not to chase too far or else you will find yourself being baited.
|If you are not being focused in teamfights it's always best to bust out The Culling once all your teammates are in and dealing damage. If you can manage to deal damage to help kill the majority of the enemy team you have done very well. Be careful not to get too close to the action. Remember, you are an ADC and can be just as squishy as an AP champ. Lucian's best bet is to stay a safe distance from the fight and fire as much as he can. Do not get caught in the mix or you will HIGHLY regret it.
If you are being focused, use The Culling while retreating and let your team deal the damage to those in pursuit. If you find the enemy getting closer, due to abilities or Flash remember that you have your own abilities to get away from them. Use it to your advantage and you'll find that your team will come out on top. With the abilities that Lucian has, it should be easy to get in and get out when you need to though of course hard CC is the major problem.
|As I said, I'm not 100% into Lucian like that. I've probably missed some detail but since my friend wanted me to help him build Lucian by making a guide I did it cause I care. I just thought I would share it with you all. If you like it, you are welcome to give it an up vote. I've done what I can to the best of my knowledge. Probably the next champ I decide to do a thorough build and explanation on will be Nami as requested by NekuShikazu. Happy huntings summoners and be sure to put as many bullets as possible through Thresh read Lucian's lore and you'll find out why I said that.
Credits to jhoijhoi for the template, which you can find here.


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27 February 2011
Far-future in Filofax
Here's an example: This month my family and I are getting shedloads of vaccines before we move to Indonesia. In addition to recording what vaccines we receive in my Medical Journal Filofax (which I wrote about here), I will also create annual "ticklers" (for those of you who are familiar with tickler files) in my main Filofax for things that need to be boosted in future years.
Here's the specifics: This month my kids got vaccines that are due for boosters 3 years from now. In May my daughter is due for another vaccine that will need boosted after 3 years, and my son will be due for the same vaccine in September. So I will write a page with "2014" at the top, and down the page I'll write, "February: D & S Rabies vacc booster," "May: D typhoid booster," "September: S typhoid booster." As the year approaches and more events need to be recorded, I'll fill them in.
Similarly, some of the vaccines they've gotten this month need to be boosted in 5 years. And, other vaccs need to be boosted in 10 years.
I'll write a page per year for the next 10 years and fill in what needs to happen each year in which month. I'll keep these years sequentially in my Diary section of my Filofax. Then when those years' calendar pages are available, I'll buy them and fill in the dates as appropriate.
Someone had the very good recommendation recently that I get a fold-out 4 year calendar, but I don't need that daily level of detail. A page per year for the upcoming 10 years will work well for me, and as each year approaches I'll already know what needs to happen in that year.
Does anyone else do far-future planning in your Filofax?
9 comments:
its a very good idea making lists for each year in the future!ReplyDelete
The only list that i keep for future years, is the birthday list. I'm gonna have to implement your idea :)
Great idea, Laurie! I wish my parents had been so organised, because I never got the tetanus boosters that I should have gotten 20 years ago ...ReplyDelete
Fantastic idea - I only wish my Filofax had arrived already so that I could make a note to do this (or better still, implement it straight away). I will have to add this post to my favourites ready for the arrival :o)ReplyDelete
Great idea. I kind of do it for just one year ahead, but this is an excellent idea (especially as I have loads of boosters for vaccinations to remember about too!).ReplyDelete
Thanks for a great tip!
I have bought a one year and four year inserts to use in my PhD planner. I havent put them in it as yet as I want to do a major re-organisation and treat myself to a new filofax in the process.ReplyDelete
CB, oooooh! Which new Filofax will you get? :)ReplyDelete
@CP A new one? How will you ever decide?! And won't the other Filos get a wee bit jealous? ;)ReplyDelete
Excellent post, Laurie. We have four young children, and I must schedule so many appointments and such 6 months to one year (or more!) ahead. Hooray for fold out inserts and good old list making a la Filofax. The older I get, the more I must jot things down or it is g-o-n-e. I am sure many fellow readers can relate to that!
@Laurie If the vintage rose malden looks as good in reality as in the pictures I will get that. Or I may just bite the bullet and get a ruby Deco (to inspire me to do my PhD).ReplyDelete
@Skhen aah the Malden is finally calling me in the new rose colour and yes they may get jealous (especially Adelphi as she is very career focussed) I may have to reopen the lonely hearts dating agency just for her!
I can definitely relate! If I don't write it down (quickly!) it is gone. Especially with other people to keep track of, I find it impossible to remember everything (or anything at all, really!!).ReplyDelete