Why aren't more retiring in Houston?

[REWahoo]

P.S. If you do move to Alabama, any bigotries or prejudices you've been keeping under wraps for the sake of political correctness can be brought out into the open and displayed with pride.

You mean it's the kind of place where you can openly admit you don't like annuities?

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Clear Lake City was a real nice place years ago. It also has the highest ground for 50 miles around. Usually has a breeze, too. We lived down the street from 'Pinky' Lee, the astronaut.

I remember driving into 'town' up the Gulf Freeway. All you could see for a long time was a fuzzy orange hemisphere at the end of the road. You had to get close to see the buildings in the haze.

 

[Texarkandy]

Language in Houston

That is good season in November/December. And they speak in Texan.

Or rather - "Texican"

 

[Texarkandy]

I might go for Huntsville, but not Houston proper - Fed employee's get the 25%+ Houston locality pay in Huntsville, but don't have to live or work in Houston (I'm not sure why Huntsville is considered in the Houston locality pay area?)

As a soon to be ER'd fed, I just threw in for a transfer to a position in Huntsville precisely for the locality pay to bump up my hi-3 (& get the paid move). Have no idea if I'll get the job, but the locality pay bump & change of job scenery could inspire me to delay my ER by a couple of years.

 

[audreyh1]

I might go for Huntsville, but not Houston proper - Fed employee's get the 25%+ Houston locality pay in Huntsville, but don't have to live or work in Houston.

There's Huntsville, TX, 70 miles north of Houston on I45, and Huntsville, AL. I think the prior posts were referring to Huntsville, AL.

Audrey

 

[Texarkandy]

There's Huntsville, TX, 70 miles north of Houston on I45, and Huntsville, AL. I think the prior posts were referring to Huntsville, AL.

Audrey

Aaah. I see. Thanks for pointing it out. I heard some mention of Houston & Lake Livingston, so when I scanned quickly over posts talking about Huntsville I just naturally assumed......

We've some transfer positions in AL also I was looking at - no generous "locality" bump there though, but I understand pension income isn't taxed in AL? How's the property tax I wonder.

 

[Texarkandy]

I lived in Huntsville in 2006. Huntsville (or Hunfsville, as the natives call it) is dominated by the twin patriarchal, hierarchical power structures of the Christian Church and the U.S. Military. If you are comfortable in that kind of environment (and many people are), you'll love it. I was delighted to get the heck out of there ASAP. Of course, I had moved there from Denver, so there was really no comparison in terms of the kinds of things I like to do. Even Sarasota - where I am now - represents an immense improvement over Huntsville.

However, to each their own. Good luck!


P.S. If you do move to Alabama, any bigotries or prejudices you've been keeping under wraps for the sake of political correctness can be brought out into the open and displayed with pride.

Unless of course you have "bigotries or prejudices" towards the military or churches! Then you might want to stay away.

 

[Leonidas]

LOL! Many of the retirees we run across in the Texas Hill Country came from Houston! LOL!

There was a time when the Hill Country was attractive for a weekend home and maybe even retirement. But I've traveled through there a lot over the last few years and there's too many people there now. It seems like whenever I stop off in little town like Kerrville that I'm stuck in traffic and standing in long lines in the stores.

Not many of the retirees I talk to consider medical care high on their list. Perhaps that's more an issue for much older retirees?

I was of the same opinion until several years ago. Shortly after retiring to a rural area, my uncle has a minor routine medical procedure done before he and his wife started traveling. He had some complications while in another state and discovered that the original work had been done with outdated technology. The doctor thought my uncle had been living overseas in some backwater country, because he believed no doctor in America had done the procedure using that particular technology in at least 15 years.

He died about a year later from continued complications that they were never able to fix. That experience caused access to quality medical care to move up on my list.

Personally, I don't mind the suburbs. I was the king of sex, drugs, gambling and rock-n-roll in the city, and compared to that life out here seems sleepy and peaceful. But I'm still close enough that it's a quick trip into town for whatever I'm looking for. Maybe when I'm older this will all seem too much for me and then I'll move to the country.

 

[Htown Harry]

...do I just not have the latest on the Houston retirement scene?

Leonidas and others have hit the pros and cons of the city pretty throroughly, so I'll try to take another angle.

There's no real retirement "scene" in Houston that I'm aware of...it's a big, busy city, one definitely oriented toward commerce first. Nonetheless, there are leisure, cultural and recreational opportunities as abundant as in any region with 3 million people. They just tend to be of the man-made, indoor variety.

There are relatively few housing developments catering to retirees, e,g. suburban places with a 50+ requirement, a community activities center and a golf course. There are some senior apartments popping up, but they seem to be aiming at the older folks that want a van ride to the grocery store or a daily scrabble game. I think you would need to look pretty hard to find a concentration of active retirees inside the city or the nearby commuter suburbs.

As some of the posters suggest, a retiree looking to relocate to the Houston area (or a Houstonian moving away from the city) would likely pick an area 30-75 miles away with some visual appeal.

Ain't no hills 'round here, so that means finding water. Places like Galveston, Clear Lake (a yachting area connected to Galveston Bay), or the large man-made lakes at Lake Conroe or Lake Livingston. If you want land with enough terrain and trees to make for a semi-scenic country place, you'd likely settle in rural areas that begin about an hour's drive north or west of downtown.

That's not to say a retiree can't be happy in Houston. I live on a suburban-style street in town, near in the middle of a rectangle formed by downtown, the museum district, the Galleria area and the Med Center. Of 30 or so houses on my block, about 20% are owned by retirees. All are long-time residents who wear big smiles while waving at me as a drive to w%&k.

Here's a link to a moderated forum with lots of Houston information, written by locals who don't work for the chamber of commerce: Houston Architecture Info Forum - Houston's largest online community

 

[Purron]

In some ways, Houston is like the greater DC area where area I live. Many good things here like great health care, super museums, restaurtants galore, etc. However, the DC summers are hot and humid, the traffic is a nighmare, and it's very expensive. Bottom line, places like Houston and the DC area are "working cities" - great places to build your nest egg but not such great places to retire.

Because DH and I have many ties to the area we don't plan to stray too far, but will leave the immediate DC area sometime after he retires. His mom is nearly 90 and in a nursing home, mine is 77 and lives on her own, so we want to be a reasonble distance from them. Culpeper and Charlottesville, Virginia are two possibilities for us - small towns with everything we need but with less of the negatives that come with a major metro area.

 

[HFWR]

I think I would feel stifled in a "small" town. I grew up in a town of about 4000; probably a good place to be a kid, except for a fairly mediocre school. But there wasn't much to do, besides high school sports, for entertainment. Still isn't. Of course, for a night out, one could drive to the nearest city, get the nightlife, then leave...

I've partaken in many of the assorted [-]vices[/-] activities of Dallas, whether sports, concerts, museums, etc. It is a PITA to fight the traffic and the crowds, so I don't venture too far afield these days, because I've "been there, done that". But it's easy to hide in the "big city", with no one minding your business, and things are relatively close, if I choose to venture out. Granted, as with much of the South, it's hotter than a two-peckered billygoat during the summer. A good time to go visit some friends "up norte"...

 

[Moemg]

. Even Sarasota - where I am now - represents an immense improvement over Huntsville.

Since I also live in Sarasota I'm wondering what you find so wrong with Sarasota ? It is not as liberal as New Jersey but otherwise what's not to like about beaches ,great restaurants ,friendly people and decent weather ?

 

[W2R]

Aaah. I see. Thanks for pointing it out. I heard some mention of Houston & Lake Livingston, so when I scanned quickly over posts talking about Huntsville I just naturally assumed......

We've some transfer positions in AL also I was looking at - no generous "locality" bump there though, but I understand pension income isn't taxed in AL? How's the property tax I wonder.

Naturally property tax depends on where in Alabama one is living. As for Huntsville, according to this webpage, al.com: Huntsville City Guide ,

For residential property tax, figure your assessed value first. It should be 10 percent of market value. Then calculate your residential property tax at $5.80 for each $100 of assessed value. For more information, call the Tax Assessor at (256) 532-3350.

 

[W2R]

I think I would feel stifled in a "small" town. I grew up in a town of about 4000; probably a good place to be a kid, except for a fairly mediocre school. But there wasn't much to do, besides high school sports, for entertainment. Still isn't. Of course, for a night out, one could drive to the nearest city, get the nightlife, then leave...

I've partaken in many of the assorted [-]vices[/-] activities of Dallas, whether sports, concerts, museums, etc. It is a PITA to fight the traffic and the crowds, so I don't venture too far afield these days, because I've "been there, done that". But it's easy to hide in the "big city", with no one minding your business, and things are relatively close, if I choose to venture out. Granted, as with much of the South, it's hotter than a two-peckered billygoat during the summer. A good time to go visit some friends "up norte"...

Then there are towns between the extremes of 4000 and millions in population. Towns of 150,000 or so can be pleasant, and with less of the traffic and crowds that you mentioned, and yet not as stifling as a tiny town.

 

[Rustic23]

Property taxes will go down. The one part of our tax that is not frozen is the Utility
District. It represents half of the tax. The bonds get paid off in two years, and that tax should be retired.

 

[REWahoo]

The bonds get paid off in two years, and that tax should be retired.

My experience is "retired tax" is an oxymoron...

 

[Rustic23]

RW.
Agree. It will be interesting to watch. With a small group of people, there is some control over the board. I expect to see new bonds for 'repairs' to the existing system. Hopefully they will not be a big as the original.

 

[smj99]

I know that most people don't think of the Houston area as a retirement site but I would like to add that I think it does have a lot of positives depending upon one's preferences.

I moved to Ft. Bend County in 2000 for a position in Houston. I have lived in many areas of this country but I am from the Northeast and I always knew I wanted to leave the snowbelt behind forever and live where I could have palm trees in my yard.

When I retired in 2003, I had the freedom to move where ever I chose and spent a lot of time looking for Utopia. I finally decided that I liked this area better than anywhere else that I have lived. I'm about 15 miles from the Medical Center and Museum area, 50 miles from Galveston beaches, and two of the cities in Ft. Bend County made the Money magazine's list of Best Small Cities.

By the way, Ft. Bend school district, which is the largest component of property taxes here, freezes the tax for those over 65.

 

[Calgary_Girl]

Good grief. Texas is a retirement hell-hole and Houston is the port of entry...

That's how I felt about Tulsa when I lived there. Maybe Tulsa is the 2nd port of entry (even if it is land-locked)?

 

[2B]

I'm popping in late with this thread but I couldn't resist. I live on the west side of Houston to be close to my current j*b. I have lived for many years in the Clear Lake area.

It's the same oppressive weather and critter infested place mentioned earlier. The winters are nicer but you can still be running the AC in February. Property taxes are oppressive and even when frozen they are a big hit on most retirement budgets. You can only address it with a nominal $100K house. I do plan to keep Texas residency to avoid income taxes even if we live in other places.

I am definitely not planning on a Houston retirement although I have known people that have. It always seems to involve closeness to grandkids and the justification of year round golf.

Because of the grandkids, we're looking at being within a 1 days drive. That puts southern Missouri and even western Tennessee in the extreme range. DW and I are in the scouting process now. We are looking for "scenery" and I'm wanting easy access fishing. A smaller town approach would also be nice. We're considering having multiple bases to enjoy the best of several areas. If we keep the cost of the base down, that's easily achieved with our finances.

I think that if I got diagnosed with cancer or needed significant medical attention I would move back here and rent a place convenient to the med center. I've seen people have miracles performed on them and I'm a believer.

 

[W2R]

I'm popping in late with this thread but I couldn't resist. I live on the west side of Houston to be close to my current j*b. I have lived for many years in the Clear Lake area.

It's the same oppressive weather and critter infested place mentioned earlier. The winters are nicer but you can still be running the AC in February. Property taxes are oppressive and even when frozen they are a big hit on most retirement budgets. You can only address it with a nominal $100K house. I do plan to keep Texas residency to avoid income taxes even if we live in other places.

I am definitely not planning on a Houston retirement although I have known people that have. It always seems to involve closeness to grandkids and the justification of year round golf.

Because of the grandkids, we're looking at being within a 1 days drive. That puts southern Missouri and even western Tennessee in the extreme range. DW and I are in the scouting process now. We are looking for "scenery" and I'm wanting easy access fishing. A smaller town approach would also be nice. We're considering having multiple bases to enjoy the best of several areas. If we keep the cost of the base down, that's easily achieved with our finances.

I think that if I got diagnosed with cancer or needed significant medical attention I would move back here and rent a place convenient to the med center. I've seen people have miracles performed on them and I'm a believer.

Southern Missouri has beautiful scenery, fishing, and small towns - - sounds like you have got this well figured out.

If you got diagnosed with cancer, your doctors at M.D. Anderson might be able to communicate with doctors in Springfield enough that maybe you could even go back to Missouri after a little while. Guess it all depends on the situation.

 

[Sarah in SC]

I think that if I got diagnosed with cancer or needed significant medical attention I would move back here and rent a place convenient to the med center. I've seen people have miracles performed on them and I'm a believer.

We have a friend here in Charleston who is receiving one of those miracles (still alive 5 years after diagnosis with end stage colon cancer). He and his wife travel out there quite frequently for his treatment and surgeries, but he does have coordination of drug therapy here at our local teaching hospital. MD Anderson is incredible.

 

[Westernskies]

I'm popping in late with this thread but I couldn't resist. I live on the west side of Houston to be close to my current j*b. I have lived for many years in the Clear Lake area.

It's the same oppressive weather and critter infested place mentioned earlier. The winters are nicer but you can still be running the AC in February. Property taxes are oppressive and even when frozen they are a big hit on most retirement budgets. You can only address it with a nominal $100K house. I do plan to keep Texas residency to avoid income taxes even if we live in other places.

I am definitely not planning on a Houston retirement although I have known people that have. It always seems to involve closeness to grandkids and the justification of year round golf.

Because of the grandkids, we're looking at being within a 1 days drive. That puts southern Missouri and even western Tennessee in the extreme range. DW and I are in the scouting process now. We are looking for "scenery" and I'm wanting easy access fishing. A smaller town approach would also be nice. We're considering having multiple bases to enjoy the best of several areas. If we keep the cost of the base down, that's easily achieved with our finances.

I think that if I got diagnosed with cancer or needed significant medical attention I would move back here and rent a place convenient to the med center. I've seen people have miracles performed on them and I'm a believer.

Check out Springfield, Missouri- it has everything you are looking for, and it's not Arkansas or Oklahoma!

 

[2B]

Check out Springfield, Missouri- it has everything you are looking for, and it's not Arkansas or Oklahoma!

Branson and the surrounding areas are right now on the top of the list. We looked at Springfield and were unimpressed but comments from Want2Retire have put a second review of Springfield in the plan.

We haven't been impressed with any Arkansas location. We're considering a few possibilites around Ten Killer Lake but it's not be explored in the flesh.

 

[W2R]

Branson and the surrounding areas are right now on the top of the list. We looked at Springfield and were unimpressed but comments from Want2Retire have put a second review of Springfield in the plan.

We haven't been impressed with any Arkansas location. We're considering a few possibilites around Ten Killer Lake but it's not be explored in the flesh.

Fayetteville, Arkansas, was on our list of potential ER locations. We haven't visited it yet, though, and probably won't since we are already so focused on Springfield.

You might like Ozark, Missouri which is just a few minutes south of Springfield on I-65. We visited it and it is nice, but I'd rather live in a larger town like Springfield even though one could easily live in Ozark and shop in Springfield.