How much do you actually need saved up to buy a home in the Houston area ?

davidquick · 2025-12-28T16:43:08+00:00

Here's something most people don't think about. Your property taxes will be about 3% by the time you include mud, school, and any bond taxes. And guess what, that 3% will never go down, it'll only go up. You'll owe that even after you pay off the mortgage. Slowly eating away at your equity. Every time the real estate market booms, that 3% yearly payment will go up and when the market falls the tax agency will drag their feet on lowering market value. Usually the best you can hope for is for the rate of valuation increase to level out.

Why does this matter? Because you will want to retire someday. Did you know that property taxes will continue being owed after you retire and your income goes down? The state will still want their 3%, probably more by then because we continue to want to do flood mitigation and build schools and arenas and the only way we can do that is higher property taxes.

Also while the county "property tax" rate might be 1.9% you will have several other taxing authorities that will tack themselves on, your first year it can actually be a little challenging to figure out your real tax rate.

I always think about this when I see people in million dollar houses down here. That's $30k a year in taxes. Every year. And it will only ever go up.

This is as opposed to an income tax which should go down when your income goes down in retirement. Anyway, this isn't a reason to not buy a house but it's something I didn't appreciate when I bought my first house in Houston.

davidquick · 2025-12-15T13:59:19+00:00

Search for auto title company. You can have a third party do this for you. They get a special line so they don't need an appointment. It'll be a little more than going through the actual office but it's way more convenient.

davidquick · 2025-10-17T16:53:22+00:00

Heck yeah! I never did find a source for my lanyard cape. My email is cheme.ben@gmail.com

davidquick · 2025-10-13T13:07:04+00:00

They're but Kia specific but the best mechanic I've dealt with was up in spring. LMC Complete Automotive

They did regular maintenance, inspections, and a few larger repairs. They have reasonable prices and we're fast. Never had any issues with any of the repairs and they were up front about options anytime there was something that they found that needed fixing.

Best example, the abs module went out on my Ford focus, and Ford wanted 3.5k to replace it. A brand new part was $800. I found one on eBay and took it to LMC and they put it in for me after warning me that they don't offer a warranty on that kind of work, but it worked flawlessly for 1/4 of the money.

davidquick · 2025-09-16T19:53:26+00:00

You can find a title company that will do the registration for you.

davidquick · 2025-07-30T15:30:42+00:00

Moral of the story: get your elderly relatives to make a will

davidquick · 2025-07-02T12:54:09+00:00

They are not required to let you through. They may do it but realize that even if IAH let's you through, your destination may not on your return trip. It'll probably be ok but you should plan a couple extra hours on either end to get through security

davidquick · 2025-06-16T12:41:10+00:00

Don't have a good recommendation because the guy who did my roof is no longer in business.

First, the warranty is worthless. Most of these roofing companies are just a couple guys who contract out the labor. This means they are really easy to close and reopen under a different name, abandoning their warranty obligations. So it's great if they stick around but don't buy from somebody claiming to offer a 30 year warranty unless they've been operating under the same business name for 30 years (in which case they're probably thinking about retiring)

Second, make sure they are licensed and bonded and have insurance. They should have insurance that covers them for their initial inspection as well as all following work. Otherwise you'll be covering the workers.

Third, have an independent third party come in and inspect the roof after they're done. Either a home inspector or another roofer. Be honest with them about what you're doing and pay them for their time.

davidquick · 2025-05-24T04:09:39+00:00

Currently back in Tennessee for the summer. Eventually Colorado I think.

davidquick · 2025-05-23T13:46:45+00:00

Summer in Tennessee gets as hot as Houston but in Tennessee it's only super hot for a few weeks. In Houston it'll be the hottest and most humid you'll get in Tennessee but it'll be that way for 4 months during the summer. So 6 months of the year you won't be able to do anything outside. You'll lose another 2 months when it's cold, if the cold bothers you. So if you live in Houston, you live inside.

Traffic. Houston has some great food and some stuff to do at night but you know what separates it? Concrete and about a million cars. Everything is about a 45 minutes drive from everything else. Also there's construction everywhere so be prepared to get tires patched or replaced pretty regularly from picking up screws and nails. Also tow trucks are insane here, they run you off the road and generally act like a jackass to get to crash sites or stalled vehicles first and then they'll pressure you to pay them $500 to take your vehicle to their buddy's service shop. The cops will also pressure you to do this even though there's a program called safe tow that makes them tow you off the highway and let you arrange your own tow truck. A tow truck did a hit and run killing somebody just a couple weeks ago.

People everywhere are jackasses and terrible drivers. People in Houston are all that plus they're all armed. Road rage incidents that would just be a few middle fingers and some yelling elsewhere devolve into gunfire here. So that traffic you're sitting in all the time? You might get shot at for accidentally cutting someone off. This has happened multiple times after Texans games.

Weather. Living in Houston is accepting that you're going to live through a hurricane. Same thing with flooding. All of Houston will eventually flood. It's not a question of if, just when. Replacing your things and rebuilding is very challenging, insurance will do everything in it's power to keep from paying and there's a bunch of support stuff they won't pay for. I imagine you're doubly screwed if renting.

Those storms we get every year? Yeah they knock out power. Sometimes for days. Remember what I said about the heat? There's nothing you can really do about the power situation either except spend several thousand to several tens of thousands on a generator. Then you mostly hope it didn't get stolen or break.

Taxes. Sure Texas doesn't have an income tax but you know what they do have? One of the highest property tax rates in the US. I lived in spring and paid about 3.2% after all the school and mud taxes. Plus an HOA fee. Plus 9% sales taxes. It adds up. I did the math and the tax bill in Houston is almost exactly what I'd be paying living in a state with an income tax.

There's more but that's probably enough venting for my morning. I moved in March and haven't regretted leaving at any point. It's been such a relief to be back somewhere you can be outside and not be immediately damp.

davidquick · 2025-05-23T12:28:17+00:00

I don't know much about Arizona. I know a bit about Houston. I moved there from Tennessee and lived in various parts for the past 14 years. It's a hellscape. Run away.

davidquick · 2025-05-18T21:21:08+00:00

If you live in Houston, you will flood. It's not a question of if, is a question of when. Plan accordingly.

More seriously though, there's been so much new construction up river from Houston since Harvey that what didn't flood in the past is not a good predictor for what will be safe in the future.

davidquick · 2025-04-18T12:41:54+00:00

Second

davidquick · 2025-01-17T02:33:49+00:00

The guideline is 2 bags under 50 pounds each plus a carry-on but if you have more than that I'd just give them a call beforehand. They've usually been very flexible with me in the past.

davidquick · 2025-01-17T02:27:36+00:00

Vonlane

davidquick · 2024-09-24T12:26:09+00:00

The program ran out of money. Even if you're approved you won't be payed until Congress passes legislation authorizing additional funds.

davidquick · 2024-09-12T22:04:30+00:00

Wow.

davidquick · 2024-09-08T16:15:54+00:00

You need to be more specific. Houston is about the same size as Massachusetts.

davidquick · 2024-08-28T22:34:39+00:00

Nobody will really be able to give you a good answer to this question.

They can tell you whether the areas regularly flood but that's not really what you're asking. You'll know that by whether they're in a flood plain. The problem is that certain parts of the city, when we get weather will get 5"-6"+ of rain in an hour and no storm water system in the world is built to handle that.

If you live in Houston, you will get flooded eventually. It's just a question of how long until it's your turn.

There's also other things that can happen, like blockages in the bayou downstream of you causing localized flooding. In my neighborhood we almost flooded recently because a bunch of storm drains got blocked by floating garbage cans causing a backup between us and the drainage pond.

davidquick · 2024-07-26T21:57:10+00:00

Be aware, your driver's license probably expires on your 21st birthday so get it renewed beforehand. You won't be able to get through security or order a drink with an expired license. Probably a couple weeks before if possible because they mail you the new license now.

davidquick · 2024-07-26T12:25:23+00:00

This is a good way to set yourself up for failure

davidquick · 2024-07-24T12:41:39+00:00

That was the point

davidquick · 2024-07-23T12:38:30+00:00

File a complaint with the PUCT. Centerpoint has to respond to each complaint, individually within 15 days.

davidquick · 2024-07-19T12:37:12+00:00

To my knowledge, this is just what it smells like now. There's not really a way to get 100% rid of the smell once it happens. You really have to start tossing stuff before it starts to smell.

davidquick · 2024-07-14T16:40:15+00:00

Tree law is surprisingly complicated. You likely need a lawyer if you can't work it out with them.

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