RN looking to relocate from MI to Houston

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Apr 11, 2011

Hi there!

As an experienced nurse, the odds of your finding a job are excellent. Around 20% of ALL employed nurses in Texas are actually working in the Houston metropolitan area... srsly. So, even though new grads may have a more difficult time of it, expererienced nurses are a valued commodity. The Sugarland area is very nice, with a wide variety of housing choices. There are several suburban hospitals you can choose from if you want to work close to home.

You will find the overall cost of living much lower in some categories such as housing and food. Unlike some cities, Electricity & gas are provided by independent companies and due to (warning - personal bias) an uncontrolled experiment in de-regulation led by our then-governor, Bush Jr.... our utility costs are among the highest in the nation. No income tax, but Houston has an 8.25% sales tax & some school districts have a hefty tax burden also.

If you're thinking of buying a house, you also need to be aware of some unique factors that you may want to consider. We are a very large & diverse city... with a lot of variation between neighborhoods. We have no zoning. This comes up for voter consideration every few years, and it gets shot down... instead, we have very powerful Home Owner Associations (HOA) that exercise considerable control. So you will need to carefully examine the applicable deed restrictions and HOA annual dues for any house you are considering - the more ammenities, the higher the bill. We also have 'things' called Municiple Utility Districts (MUD). If you find yourself in a MUD, you will have another annual tax bill. Insurance is also another variable. If you're living in a flood zone or an evacuation zone (hurricanes) your insurance bill will be much higher. Many mortgage lenders also require wind storm coverage. Any real estate agent will be able to guide you through all these mine fields!

Throw away your winter clothes & ice scrapers. Make sure your car has excellent air conditioning. Come on down and join the party!! We'll keep the porch light on.

wts82 · Apr 13, 2011

Thank you for your reply. We are not looking to buy just yet but that is good to know. I am getting more exicited about the move as time goes by. I just started the endorsement process.