Apartments in Houston - Near STCL or UH

[tracigu3]

cam- where is granite house?

[cam108]

Scurvy - Congrats on your move to Houston! How are you enjoying it so far? Mt financee works with computers aka information technology. We currenty live in the Maryland/DC area rightnow. I haven't had a chance to visit as of yet. But if I were to get off one of the waitlists, I do have have time off coming soon, so I would defintely use it to visit. I'll take that dress off your hands! no problem!

Traci- Granite Club is located on 8990 Richmond Ave. zip = 77063

My fincaee is really pleased with some of the lower housing prices as well, he's really looking to buy home acutally. Hes not feeling the apartment idea. I dont really have  a preference. im just trying to get to houston first!!

[tracigu3]

I'm not familiar with Granite Club, but I looked at the location-- it's on the opposite of the galleria from either law center, not the best for traffic; atleast 30 minutes to and from school versus 5 minutes from the area the allen house is in.  if you're going to rent you may as well live closer; however, if you're going to buy then it may be worth it to live out a bit b/c it is so much cheaper.

are you looking for a house or a townhome?  townhomes are good prices in the loop, and houses are good priced out of the belt.  scurvy got a great house just out of the belt, the same house in the loop would've easily been tripple the price, however a town house would've been the same.  are you willing to commute?

[ScurvyWench]

Scurvy - Congrats on your move to Houston! How are you enjoying it so far? Mt financee works with computers aka information technology. We currenty live in the Maryland/DC area rightnow. I haven't had a chance to visit as of yet. But if I were to get off one of the waitlists, I do have have time off coming soon, so I would defintely use it to visit. I'll take that dress off your hands! no problem!

Traci- Granite Club is located on 8990 Richmond Ave. zip = 77063

My fincaee is really pleased with some of the lower housing prices as well, he's really looking to buy home acutally. Hes not feeling the apartment idea. I dont really have  a preference. im just trying to get to houston first!!

Cam,

Send me a PM about what you might want to buy and I'll hook you up with my realtor and loan officer. They helped me from afar and were very cool about my extremely small budget!

In your PM, send me your email addy that way I can send you pictures of the dress if you're actually interested in it! What a savings!

For jobs for your fiance, he might be able to work at NASA. I'm sure they'd have a bunch of computer jobs there. The housing out this direction is a lot cheaper, you could buy a house and commute to UH or STCL without issue! (My across the street neighbors work at NASA). And BTW, I'm LOVING it here!

-SW

[Mojo]

Hey Cam...I also work in IT. I'm a software developer. Let me know what your Fiance's background is and I may be able to find him a job here where I work. There are a lot of IT jobs in town, it just depends on whether he has experience in what is hot right now...

[cam108]

Traci/Scurvy- Well my finacee wants a single family home. I serisouly think though, if we were to move to Houston, it would make more sense to just get an apartment first, while he finds a jobs and gets settled. AND then maybe after a year or so look into getting a house. But thats just me, I dunno, we'll have to disscuss it more. I'll let you know though, if we do end up going that route. Also, since i would be going to Law school, I wouldnt be any good on the mortage would I? Since i'd have all those eductional loans out under my name.

Sorry Scurvy! I was just kidding about the dress. Honestly, with me being waitlisted all over the place and us not having any set direction as of yet, I think we might even push the wedding date back a little bit, or else just skip the ceremony for now and just get married, and maybe have a nice cermony/reception later.

[cam108]

Hey Cam...I also work in IT. I'm a software developer. Let me know what your Fiance's background is and I may be able to find him a job here where I work. There are a lot of IT jobs in town, it just depends on whether he has experience in what is hot right now...

Well, I know he doesn't do software development. I think he does something with Imaging the computers? I'm kinda pulling at straws here, since computers are not my thing. But I  also believe hte works more with the deskstop software, and also works with the Help Desk. I'll talk with him and get more useful info though. thanks mojo!

[tracigu3]

My husband and I rent in the loop, we have lived in the same apartment since 2003 and have no intention of looking to buy until I have a job offer out of law school.  We pay $1100/mo plus bills.  We could buy a townhome in the same area we rent in for around $150-200K, and our monthly payments would be the same, but property taxes in the loop are crazy, ($7K per year!).  The taxes and the fact that we may need to move after I finish LS is why we aren't buying.  However, the other side of the coin is Scurvy.  She also has a great deal with her new house.  On the belt (which is outside the loop, it's like the outer loop), brand new home, and pays approximately the same thing I do for her house and I believe that includes her taxes.  It all comes down to two things, if you ask me, 1) where do you want to live- fancy neighborhood in the loop with a 5 minute drive anywhere, or nice neighborhood in the suburbs with a 20-30 minute drive; and 2) Do you believe the school of thought that renting when you could own is a waste of money.

Also consider whether or not a yard is important to you.  You could buy a townhome in the loop for the same price you'll get a single family home on the belt; one with a small patch of grass the other with a small back and front yard with a fence.

[ScurvyWench]

My husband and I rent in the loop, we have lived in the same apartment since 2003 and have no intention of looking to buy until I have a job offer out of law school.  We pay $1100/mo plus bills.  We could buy a townhome in the same area we rent in for around $150-200K, and our monthly payments would be the same, but property taxes in the loop are crazy, ($7K per year!).  The taxes and the fact that we may need to move after I finish LS is why we aren't buying.  However, the other side of the coin is Scurvy.  She also has a great deal with her new house.  On the belt (which is outside the loop, it's like the outer loop), brand new home, and pays approximately the same thing I do for her house and I believe that includes her taxes.  It all comes down to two things, if you ask me, 1) where do you want to live- fancy neighborhood in the loop with a 5 minute drive anywhere, or nice neighborhood in the suburbs with a 20-30 minute drive; and 2) Do you believe the school of thought that renting when you could own is a waste of money.

Also consider whether or not a yard is important to you.  You could buy a townhome in the loop for the same price you'll get a single family home on the belt; one with a small patch of grass the other with a small back and front yard with a fence.

Traci is right again! Our mortgage + homeowners + taxes = $932/month. Our yard is actually huge, which is a little problematic since we've never had a yard before! Good luck with the WLs. I really hope you get to come to Htown!

[Mojo]

Thats a good point. Always remember that Property taxes are included in your monthly payment, so when you think the payment amounts sound good, be sure property taxes are included.

On a related note...we have a house for rent/lease. Its a 2 bedroom/2 bath home in Spring Branch - just off I-10 & wirt road (chimmney rock). It is just outside the loop and is 5 mins to the Galleria and 10-15 Mins downtown. It has a small front and back yard. PM me if anyone is interested.