Thinking about moving to Texarkana or The Woodlands area, need help..

[Keith7]

I might have job offer in either Texarkana or the Woodlands.. I know, 2 completely different places.. I'm still weighing my options on which way to go, I'm not going to be making a bunch of money so Texarkana would probably fit my budget better but I like the Woodlands area and its not in the middle of no where.. So could someone familiar with either area help me out?

Here are some questions I have about Texarkana:

What part of town is best?
Are there any new apartment complexes?
Is there anything to do there?
What are some of the pros and cons of living in that area?
Is there anything else I should know about living in Texarkana?



Questions about the Woodlands:
Are there affordable places to live in the Woodlands?
If not where are some places in close proximity I should look?
What is the commute like from there to Houston?
Do you know of any good apartments in the area?
What are the pros and cons of this area?
Is there anything else I should know about the Woodlands?

Any help would be great.. Thanks..

[wildstangs]

Go to The Woodlands. My only reason is that my inlaws live in Bryant, Arkansas. Other than that, I have no clue.

[lulu]

Go to the Woodlands. MUCH more prestigious area. More likely for advancement there I would guess. My husband worked in Texerkana for several months and I would go there to stay for a while. It is OK but not a place I would enjoy living. Kind of dirty in a lot of places but they are building a few new (actually several
) facilities.

I have friends that lived in Vidor and when they retired they moved to the Woodlands. Nice area .

[HEMOTOXIC]

The Woodlands!

The Woodlands is a little pricey, but it is affordable. Neighboring Spring, Magnolia, Tomball, & Conroe are probably less expensive. Good school system (Conroe ISD- The Woodlands High or College Park High).

Houston isn't too far. Just jump on 45 S. Depending on the time of day, it can be a rather easy commute. On average, your commute will be approximately 25 min to Houston without traffic.

All of the apartments in the area are mostly new (within the last 5-12 years). For a one bed room, you are looking at $700-$1000 range.

The only negative that I can think of is if you are a partying type and like going out in the city, it may be a long drive from Houston to The Woodlands after a long night. Then again, if you love concerts, you will love The Cynthia Woods Pavilion. Many concerts throughout the year held outdoors.

I love the nature of the Woodlands. Its very wooded like you will see in Texarkana. There is a relatively new mall (approx 12 yrs old I think)~The Woodlands Mall. All the conviences of the big city without the congestion and hustle and the bustle.

Two hospitals, Memorial Hermann The Woodlands and St. Luke's The Woodlands.

And if you are a football fan, you will love the new Woodforest Bank Stadium. Its the home to The Woodlands Highlanders, College Park Cavaliers, and the Oak Ridge War Eagle.

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by HEMOTOXIC
Houston isn't too far. Just jump on 45 S. Depending on the time of day, it can be a rather easy commute. On average, your commute will be approximately 25 min to Houston without traffic. The only problem is that there is ALWAYS traffic on 45. I've been on 45 going past the Woodlands on a Saturday morning at 10:00 and got stuck in traffic. Don't get me wrong...the Woodlands is very nice, but the traffic can be pretty bad.

[ronwx5x]

Originally posted by Keith7
I might have job offer in either Texarkana or the Woodlands.. I know, 2 completely different places.. I'm still weighing my options on which way to go, I'm not going to be making a bunch of money so Texarkana would probably fit my budget better but I like the Woodlands area and its not in the middle of no where.. So could someone familiar with either area help me out?

Questions about the Woodlands:
Are there affordable places to live in the Woodlands?
If not where are some places in close proximity I should look?
What is the commute like from there to Houston?
Do you know of any good apartments in the area?
What are the pros and cons of this area?
Is there anything else I should know about the Woodlands?

Any help would be great.. Thanks..

Answers:
There are NO affordable places to live in The Woodlands. All apartments rent for at least $2000/month and homes start at $1 million.
Nearest reasonable place to live is about 35 miles away.
The commute to Houston is at least an hour each way.
See above on apartments.
Too hot, snobby people and no one under the age of 40.
You will not like it here.

:inlove:

[BreckTxLonghorn]

Originally posted by JasperDog94
The only problem is that there is ALWAYS traffic on 45. I've been on 45 going past the Woodlands on a Saturday morning at 10:00 and got stuck in traffic. Don't get me wrong...the Woodlands is very nice, but the traffic can be pretty bad.

x2 - If you're going to work in the Woodlands, definitely live there as what everyone else says is spot-on: gorgeous, nicer area, etc. You'll find that it has pretty much everything to keep you from having to drive in from Houston, except for going to watch football/baseball/theatres stuff.


But I would not live there to commute into town. You can find apartments to live in the Bellaire/Galleria/Tanglewood area that are nice and comparable to price as the Woodlands and your commute would be cut in half.


And def do Woodlands - as much as I did not want to like Houston, it can really be a fun area, with a ton of shows, sporting events, and great restaurants.

[CelinaCatFan]

I have family that live in Texarkana and they really enjoy it. As a matter of fact, they have lived in the same house for the last 30 years. The best neighborhoods are close to where they live (by Pleasant Grove HS). It is the area just off I-30 (where all of the restaurants and stores are located).


NOTE: You'll be close to 4 states, which will allow you to compare their high school football

We know Texas HS football is best!

[BobcatBenny]

ronwx5x will let you move in with him.

Go to The Woodlands. :)

[ronwx5x]

Originally posted by BobcatBenny
ronwx5x will let you move in with him.

Go to The Woodlands. :)

Address not available, and and I plan to move if anyone else moves here!

Benny, do you have a spare bed?

[Pick6]

Texarkana, it's close to Bever's Bend, Kiamichi Mountains and Ouachita National Forest.

[bevodidit]

The Woodlands itself is very congested. It takes some folks 30 minutes just to get to the freeway from their home! The prices are very high. Good schools and all the conveniences, but believe me, the traffic in the Woodlands is terrible.

Don't live in nearby Spring. Terrible schools, its turned into the hood. Most of the Klein schools are good.

[turbostud]

Go where the football is best.

[Matthew328]

My Houston friends tell me there aren't no 1000$ apartments in The Woodlands, maybe Conroe or Spring but not The Woodlands! Traffic sucks but it is really pretty and everything is nice.

Texarkana will be a bit slower pace but still everything you need is there, will be much cheaper to live there also.

[icu812]

Lived at Lake Conroe, officed at FM 1960 area of Houston and worked a lot in The Woodlands. Traffic is a beast. Being within a reasonable drive to the beach is a plus if you like to wade fish though. I enjoyed the area but I'd pick Texarkana if I had school age kids. I like a more rural area though and have no use for malls, traffic, lots of people and night life anymore.

[PurpleFreddy]

If you don't require a lot of amenities and cultural entertainment choices, Texarkana is fine. If you like the outdoors and small-town feel, it's pretty good. I grew up 20 miles from Texarkana and lived in Texarkana for about five years.
Any neighborhood near I-30 is fine. You can also live in the country within easy driving distance.
If you are going to Texas High or Pleasant Grove, those are great coaching staffs and pretty good schools. You'll get great community support.

[Maroon87]

Originally posted by Keith7




Questions about the Woodlands:
Are there affordable places to live in the Woodlands?
If not where are some places in close proximity I should look?
What is the commute like from there to Houston?
Do you know of any good apartments in the area?
What are the pros and cons of this area?
Is there anything else I should know about the Woodlands?

Any help would be great.. Thanks..

Keith,

I live in the Woodlands...I have a 1 bedroom 1 bath for $800 but it's a 4 year old complex. I'm sure there are some that are a little more affordable either in Spring, Klein, or Conroe. Heck, even Tomball isn't too far of a commute.

The normal drive from TW to downtown is approximately 45 minutes-1hr during rush hour, based on my experience, as long as 45 south has no major accidents. So when you want to go see your beloved Astros, they're not that far away.
:D

The pros: nice new shopping areas, lots of hike and bike trails, great concerts at the Pavilion, lots of trees, great schools.

The cons: people think FM 242 is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and neighboring Shenandoah and Oak Ridge North are little speed traps.

That about sums up my input...

[big daddy russ]

I actually looked at a nice, older loft-style apartment in downtown Conroe for $650 a few years back when I was living up in Huntsville. That's less than a 15-minute drive to neighboring Woodlands.

[lulu]

Originally posted by Matthew328
My Houston friends tell me there aren't no 1000$ apartments in The Woodlands, maybe Conroe or Spring but not The Woodlands! Traffic sucks but it is really pretty and everything is nice.

Texarkana will be a bit slower pace but still everything you need is there, will be much cheaper to live there also.

He is right about the slower pace. If you are used to country life and nature and lakes and such Texarkana will suit you better.
It all depends on where your comforts zone is. Do you like quite and still or busy and bustle?

[Maroon87]

Originally posted by lulu
He is right about the slower pace. If you are used to country life and nature and lakes and such Texarkana will suit you better.
It all depends on where your comforts zone is. Do you like quite and still or busy and bustle?

I grew up in the country and lived in metro Houston for 12 years, and I love the pace of the Woodlands...really quiet and laid back.

[Keith7]

Well it looks like I'll be moving to Conroe.. Does anybody have any suggestions on good apartments? Maybe what areas to avoid??

[ronwx5x]

Originally posted by Keith7
Well it looks like I'll be moving to Conroe.. Does anybody have any suggestions on good apartments? Maybe what areas to avoid??

Far east side of Conroe, around Cut and Shoot or Security. Very reasonable prices. :D

[BreckTxLonghorn]

Originally posted by Keith7
Well it looks like I'll be moving to Conroe.. Does anybody have any suggestions on good apartments? Maybe what areas to avoid??

Don't know what to tell you to avoid, but if you have a spare weekend, I'd suggest just going there and driving around there as well as all of the surrounding areas like the woodlands. Not a bad commute anywhere once you get up north.

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by BreckTxLonghorn
Don't know what to tell you to avoid, but if you have a spare weekend, I'd suggest just going there and driving around there as well as all of the surrounding areas like the woodlands. Not a bad commute anywhere once you get up north. I echo this. You might even want to drive around where you're thinking about living at night. Some places have a totally different vibe at night.