What do I need to know or consider when relocating or moving to Houston?

I am a real estate broker with 20 years of experience and work with a lot of relocation buyers. Here's what I have found to be useful when helping people decide where and what to buy.

The first question to ask is "Where will you be working?" because many people are surprised to learn that our public transit system is much less extensive than in most other major metropolitan areas. The traffic is basically like Los Angeles, so where you work compared to where you live actually matters a lot.

The next questions to ask are "Do you have school-age children, and if so, will they attend public or private school? Do they have any disabilities?" The reason for this is that if you are coming from the Northeast, you might not be happy with even the best public schools in Houston. Private schools can range from 10 K to almost 40K per year, with the median at around 30K. So factor that in! If your child has a disability, they may actually be better served at a public school, but it depends on which one and what kind of disability. I won't even get into the new Texas "Voucher" program because you are too late for this year, but also keep in mind that private school applications usually close in December or January for the following year. Unless you get lucky or donate a lot of money, you may end up at a public school anyway.

At some point, you should consider what you can actually afford (see above) and what you want to spend. These are often two different numbers. The most important question is "What is your quality of life worth to you?" so I always remind my clients that money is a tool. If living in a specific neighborhood is important to you for a good reason, then perhaps you can lift that arbitrary price range to get what you really want-just make sure it makes sense financially. Most people find they can afford a much bigger home in a much nicer neighborhood when they move to Houston from somewhere else, especially if moving from the Northeast, California or any other major city in the US.

We do have property taxes, BUT our cost of living is lower, plus our home values are steadier in Houston so we are less expensive than other major cities, even in Texas. You get more TEXAS bang for your buck-Yeehaaa!! If you stick with non-suburb areas, you can save money sometimes by not having to pay additional MUD taxes. For example, I live in the Memorial Villages, and our tax rate for city, county, school, and everything is around 1.9561. Out in Jordan Ranch in the suburbs, for example, the combined total tax rate is around 2.7855, almost double. And then you still have at least a 30-60 minute drive into town. There are pros and cons to both depending on your lifestyle. Keep in mind that if you own property inside the 610 Loop or Beltway 8 and even Highway 6, the majority of your value is in the land (with the exceptions to condos, townhomes, patio homes, and those 4-story homes with zero lot lines. Out in the suburbs, the land is virtually of no value (because we have sooo much land), and the majority of the value is in the actual building or improvement.

Other things to consider are what you enjoy doing in your free time (Quality of Life), crime (it's everywhere, but some places are worse https://communitycrimemap.com ), and flooding https://www.harriscountyfemt.org for insurance purposes, resale, and long-term investment (which goes back to affordability). With my relocation buyers, I always ask them to consider how quickly they may need to move again because that can also dictate where and what they buy.

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