After a year of casual deliberation we have extended our stay in Texas, moving into a new and much larger townhouse in the process.
Last year, we made a pit stop in Texas to visit family and friends as we worked our way back to the East Coast to ultimately trade in RV life for a new adventure (stay tuned!). Along the way I got injured, had surgery on my right foot and couldn’t drive.
As we were formulating our new game plan, we decided to stay in Texas while I recovered from the surgery and go through physical therapy. Leslie didn’t waste any time finding us a place to live, enrolling our kids back to school (yeah, she home schooled for 2 years) and at the same time, enjoyed the company of our family and friends and much needed vitamin D, after 4 mounts of skiing in Colorado and Utah.
The place we ended up renting the first year was a fully furnished 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms townhouse for $2,500 per month (lawn service included). It was conveniently located 5 minutes walking distance from school. It was a great setup for us to explore the area and see if we “really” liked living in Texas. Things happened organically, our kids stared making friends, we started meeting their parents, got involved with after school activities, weekend gateways and everything was great. Until, Leslie said….”I think I am ready to put down roots and get our things out of storage. How can we make that happen?”
Why would she ask that?….Here’s why:
Houston can be a solid choice for the FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) folks, in my opinion here are some reasons why:
- Affordable Cost Of Living: Compared to other big cities like New York or San Francisco, Houston offers a lower cost of living. Housing, in particular, is more affordable, which can help you save more for early retirement.
- No State Income Tax: Texas doesn’t have a state income tax, allowing you to keep more of your income, which can accelerate your savings rate. No state income tax = more dough!!!
- Job Opportunities: In 2021, the GDP of the Houston, The Woodlands, and Sugar Land metropolitan area combined was $537 billion (source: Google). This means you have access to diverse economy with strong sectors like energy, healthcare, IT and aerospace to build a hefty savings fund.
- Affordable Real Estate: The housing market can be lucrative for real estate investments, which is often a strategy used by those pursuing FIRE. Who said stocks and bonds are your only option?Research Montgomery county neighborhoods for potential rental income opportunities. I hear The Woodlands is really nice.
Don’t take it from me; and do your own research. But I’ll tell you for sure, Houston could be a great home base for your journey!
Other Things Important To Us; Diversity And Infrastructure
Houston is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse cities in the U.S. Over 140 languages are spoken, and significant communities include European, Hispanic, African American, Asian, and Middle Eastern populations. The city hosts various cultural festivals. Leslie’s favorite is the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The cultural melting pot contributes to a rich culinary landscape, featuring a wide range of international cuisines, from Tex-Mex to Vietnamese pho to Korean and Japanese delicacies.
As for Houston’s infrastructure, the city has things figured out with its sprawling freeway system, which can make commuting efficient, though traffic congestion is common, but surprisingly enough, it moves. Which leads me to believe the public transit is more developed than what I’ve experienced in other big cities across US.
Other things that attracted us to Houston and The Woodlands in particular, can be credited to:
- Thoughtful urban planning, with a mix of residential, commercial, and recreational spaces.
- Over 7,000 acres of parks, nature trails, and green belts, so that you can enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, biking, and picnicking.
- The area has several lakes, ponds and swimming pools, providing opportunities for kayaking, fishing, all sorts of water sports, and an amazing water slides at it’s community pools (>10).
- Excellent schools, thank you CISD, and low crime rate.
- Proximity to Houston, gives us easy access to the city’s amenities such as shopping centers, IAH and port of Galveston.
Details And The Rental Experience
Leslie worked her magic and found us a place in the same neighborhood we were residing so moving our essentials was pretty efficient. I did have to drive our furniture from Washington, DC and I’ll go over the cost shortly.
If you know me you know I’m all about “condo life”, and that is still the case. Our current set up is the closest thing to condo life and it’s great. We are renting a townhouse with ZERO maintenance, that’s right, anything that has to do with cutting the grass, picking up leaves, planting, etc. is covered by HOA and is paid by the owner. We pay $2,700 per month which covers everything except utilities.
This time we have a corner unit with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, an office, a den, and back yard/green space, which brings our total living space to a whopping 2,132 sq. ft. I went the extra mile and decided to automate any repetitive tasks and that goes for sweeping and moping so we purchased iRobots (Vato and Jackie) to help us keep the place squeaking clean.
Even though we brought our furniture, but because of the unique layout, we had to get rid of 1/3 of our stuff. It’s crazy what window placement can do to a room and furniture placement. We are still settling and have few more things to take care of; but overall we are in a pretty good shape.
The moving cost, Papi and I driving furniture from DC to H-town:
- Total amount paid for movers: $2,091.29
- Total amount paid for truck rental: $1,775.67
- Total amount paid for gas: $250
- Total amount paid hotel: $186.98
- Total amount paid for food: $88
- Total miles driven: 1,418
The decision to move our furniture on our own versus going with a moving company didn’t take much time. I was shopping around for quotes and the best rate I was able to find was averaging between $7,000 to $8,000 to move our furniture and motorcycle from Washington, DC to Houston, TX in a 26′ truck. The delivery time varied from 3 to 7 weeks. I moved our stuff (with movers loading and unloading furniture) in 3 days.
Neighborhood Perks
We stayed in the same neighborhood which puts us 5 minutes to/from school and about 10 minutes bike ride to the closest community pool. The bike/walk trail is amazing. Leslie and I have enjoyed running and walking to the our favorite park. Lessie, MG, and Niko have enjoyed riding their bikes as part of their afternoon ritual with neighborhood friends. Grocery stores, restaurants, and libraries are about 15 minutes bike ride.
Even with Houston being one of the largest cities in America, we have found a home in The Woodlands that feels like a small town. Having the elementary schools being neighborhood schools, really helps foster this feeling. All the families at school live within walking distance. Like we mentioned before, the bike/walking paths make it so easy for kids to get around and have a little independence as well. It’s hard to believe that a place like The Woodlands exists so close to the huge city of Houston. It feels like another world; our little bubble, and we love it.
Overall, it has been pretty great experience for us!
Summary
We have been here a month now and having a much larger space has worked really well, we think we’ll be here for few years, at least until our kids graduate from high school.
Why did we choose Texas? Because we like it in Houston! The food is Michelin quality. The schools and health care systems are amazing. The weather is amazing (9 months out of year). And the cost of living is comfortable and reasonable. Y la gente es amable y te dando la bienvenida!
