There is nothing like the urban feel of a big city, a large metropolis where the possibilities are endless and there’s nothing stopping you from reaching for the stars. A place where tall buildings and skyscrapers arise, touching the clouds. A lively and vibrant place with interminable streets filled with people and places that highlight the ingenuity of men carved in concrete.
If this is the kind of place you strive to live in then, the city of Houston, Texas is one of them. Houston is a city, with a population of 2.2 million, which makes it the most populous city in Texas, followed by San Antonio with a population of 1.4 million and Dallas with 1.3 million people. This giant is a place many strive to live in and if you are amongst them then we will help you get a good idea of Houston, Texas.
The big cities like Houston offer a lot of job opportunities, a diverse housing market that offers plenty of options from which to choose and every activity and service you can possibly think of. You will never be bored in Houston and we would like to show you the pros and cons of living in Houston, Texas.
Pro: Houston has a prosperous Job Market
With 627 square miles, Houston is growing in terms of its job market, and with such an ethnically diverse city, good food, and generally affordable costs of living, it is going to increase even more in the upcoming years.
Major industries that support the economic prosperity of Houston are aerospace, healthcare, manufacturing, oil, and gas. So if you are a qualified engineer, or your business revolves around the energy industry, you are in the right place. If you have a medical degree then you are definitely in one of the best places possible, because Houston is home to the world’s largest medical complex.
This creates also a very competitive market that attracts a lot of young talents that want to put their entrepreneurial skills to good use and start businesses or expand the current ones. All these things put together, have a positive impact on people, and because of job security people tend to stay and more employees populate the area looking for jobs.
Con: Transportation and traffic
Like any big metropolis, that is continuously growing you will encounter some traffic jams and you will have to deal with long commutes if you live in the suburbs. A way out of it would be working from home or just finding a good commute route that would get you quickly in and out of the crowded areas. The freeway system is enormous and it is in continuous expansion, but so is the population so traffic is always something you have to face on the roadways.
The public transportation system is not great but it has seen some major improvements in the passing years. Some of the most common means of public transportation are METRORail light rail system, Park & Ride services. On the other hand, getting out of the city is a breeze with two major airports, George H. Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby International Airport.
Pro: Activities and entertainment everywhere
Family-friend activities, sport teams, museums, and many other things are just examples of what the city of Houston has to offer. If you are a sports fan and you like basketball, then go and cheer for the pro team, the Rockets. Or, if football is more up your alley then, get to know the Texans, a pro-NFL team that calls Houston home.
If you are a science and art enthusiast, Houston has numerous museums and theaters for you to visit and enjoy all the beauty that these places have to offer. If in Downtown Houston, you can go to the Theater District, where you can experience the magnificent spectacles that take place at the Houston Grand Opera. This could be a pleasant place for a night out with your partner and there are many more fun things to do in Houston for couples and singles alike.
Downtown you can also find The Johnson Space Center, Downtown Aquarium, and the Houston Zoo which are perfect places to bring your family along. Anytime you feel like relaxing in a comfortable chair with a cold drink in your hand, the beach is about an hour away and you can sit and enjoy the waterfront landscape.
Cons: Weather condition
It’s very unpleasant to live in a place where you get a lot of heat and humidity and Houston, Texas is one of those places. With a subtropical humid climate, in Houston, you will experience long, hot and humid summers and mild winters.
During spring it is not uncommon to experience some supercell thunderstorms that sometimes bring tornadoes to the area. The gulf coast location of Houston makes it exposed to natural disasters, as they already experienced in August 2017 with Hurricane Harvey. Hurricane season also brings with it threats of flooding so make sure you buy flood insurance and emergency kits.
Pro: Houston has many options in terms of the housing market
Because of Houston’s size, the city is very promising in terms of its housing market because it offers plenty of options from which to choose. This is an important aspect if you decide to live here since you can find a place for almost any budget and with the right research you might be in luck.
But be aware, if the price seems too good to be true it probably is. We highly suggest you don’t venture into this wild market place without proper guidance from some of the top real estate agents in Houston Texas, with experience and knowledge of this amazing city.
With all the natural disasters that occur, you might think that the real estate market in the area would be affected, but in fact, it is very lively and prosperous. With a well-versed realtor, you can easily relocate to the city of Houston, Texas within a reasonable budget and find your dream home for you and your family.
When looking at the pros and cons of living in Houston, Texas it is crucial to pick the things that are most important to you. Some things you might overlook and others you might not, so weigh all the pros and cons and see if Houston is a place worth living in.