What's it like living in Spring, Texas?

We are looking for a nice place to live in the Houston area. We are a career couple in our mid 30's with 2 dogs and no kids (at the moment). We are moving from NY to Texas in the next few weeks.

(We are moving from Upstate NY, not NYC)

It depends on where in Houston you will be working. The commute really isn't that bad from Spring into Houston. I live in Spring and it's about 3 min from my subdivision to the toll road and another 3-5 to the interstate. As with anyplace (except The Woodlands) there are good places to live and bad. Which is why you get a Realtor. With 2 dogs and maybe kids, you can get a lot of house and a lot of yard for a lot less then you would in New York, so you can buy big. As for Spring being a cultural wasteland, it's a 20 min drive into Houston on most weekends (when you'd go to a museum) and late evening (when you would go to the theater). The Woodlands has good shopping (better than it had 5 years ago when I moved here!) and some great restaurants. It pretty much shuts down at 11pm, but I'm in my 30s too and can't say I'm very bothered by that.

Spring is a nice place to live. I used to live there for two years.

It all depends on where you work. If you are going to work Downtown, plan on being stuck behind the wheel for at least 2 hours every day. Please bear in mind that Houston's public transport system in laughable (especially if you are used to NY).

The other thing you may want to bear in mind is that the Houston suburbs are generally a cultural desert. I think that you may be happier in the Galleria, inside the loop (Montrose & West U are nice) or the Memorial Villages. Afterall, if you are moving from NY, you should have quite a lot of equity built up in your current real-estate so you may be able to upgrade to something absolutely palatial by comparison.

Remember the #1 rule of real estate: location, location, location.

MY bf lived there & there was crack dealing going on & cops in his hood every night.

Maybe it was a bad part.
Spring BRANCH is wrose.

Try The Woodlands instead

Ooooh, a cultural desert. This from an inner looper snob who wouldn't dare to venture out... pfah. Silly lefty. I wonder if said inner looper knows that most jobs in Houston are NOT downtown? You're thinking of Memorial (stepford wife comment), which is south of I-10... and the claim is just another inner loop snob myth.

There's nothing wrong with Spring. I have friends there and they're quite happy. They also work nearby. The big thing, though, is to find a home near where you are going to work (find a job BEFORE coming here, trust me). There is plenty of housing in this area, so that woud be the least of your concerns. Working at NASA and living in say, Spring would be a nightmare commute unless you found such an incredible deal you couldn't pass up. I have a friend who lives just north of the Woodlands and commutes to the Energy Corridor in West Houston. One hour each way. I'd never do it but he would. Tailor your location based on your occupation.

Additional edit: Spring Branch is nowhere near Spring, although north of I-10, west of 610 is increasingly barrio.

It really depends on what part of town you have to travel too. Sounds like you'd be better served to live in the Woodlands though

horrible!!! from what I hear, theres a smelly jerk named Jerry, stay away from him.

I've heard only good things about the Spring area

Go for it!! It's worth it!!!

It is really a fairly good area in which to live. I do advise you to not consider any house near the road FM1960, as that area is rampant with the "lower class" and robberies are popular in that section. Other than that, the area is really quite excellent. The neighborhoods off of Cypresswood are usually good quality, and are a convenient distance from I-45 North.

Spring is a good area. Of course, as others have already stated, it all depends on your work commute. Having said that, I have a buddy who bought his first home in Spring and is still happy there after 4 years. Oh yeah, it's also nice that the best BBQ chain in Texas (Rudy's) just opend up a restaurant in Spring, the only one in the Houston area, so far. Not that I'd recommend moving somewhere just because of a restaurant, I just thought I'd throw it out there. Good luck with your decision!

I currently live in Spring and I really like it. Just make sure to stay north of Cypresswood between I 45 and 249 and you'll be fine. The neighborhoods in Louetta, Spring Cypress, 2920, and Rayford Road are all nice. Like somebody else mentioned before try to stay away from FM 1960 its getting very ghetto.