Being relocated to Houston and wife is convinced that we need to live in Cinco Ranch.

How much is a monthly pass to ride the express bus. Also, is the park and ride at Hwy 6 and I-10 the closest place to get on the bus?

How bad of a nut kick is driving, if I have too?

from the newer parts of Cinco, that would be pretty brutal.

1 hr any way you slice it.

Closest P&R is on Kingsland (route 221) between Mason & Westgreen. There's one at the movie theater on Grand Parkway (route 222) but it runs less frequently than the Kingsland.

Fares are $4.50 one way. If you're working downtown, might check into whether or not your employer subsidizes the fare. Chevron does to a healthy sum.

Or there are van pools but not sure if any go downtown. Some folks also stop at the P&R to collect another person or two to utilize the HOV.

is a beat down

For reference I was at 99 and west park.

In the morning, I would leave around 6-6:10 and would get to my desk around 7 usually. You will definitely want to get a toll tag though as traffic around the Energy Corridor can be miserable.

Afternoons, rush hour is pretty terrible even in the pay lanes as it will inevitably slowdown to a stop at the final toll (though still better than the main lanes). I usually made it a routine of checking transtar to see what was going on before I left.

edit: And if it's raining, your F'ed...

[This message has been edited by agmatt06 (edited 2/9/2013 1:57p).]

Does she know anything about Katy or Cinco Ranch? Or does she just want to spend a lot of money on a house in an area that she actually knows nothing about?

I'd look around more.

We lived in Bear Creek from 1998 to 2003 and at the time, Cinco Ranch was "the place" to live. We know the area fairly well and that is where she feels most comfortable. The schools are good, as well.

I would be willing to consider any area. I wanted to look in the Tomball or Cypress area. Where else should we consider?

it's a great area if you can handle the commute.

what about Kingwood?

Check out the humble kingwood area, commute time is much better! Don't tell anyone though.

Yeah, do us all a favor and move to Kingwood, traffic already sucks in Katy.

Where do y'all work? Seems kinda illigical to live in cinco ranch when working downtown, lots of similar neighborhoods much closer.

Where do y'all work? Seems kinda illigical to live in cinco ranch when working downtown, lots of similar neighborhoods much closer.

such as where (what neighborhoods) with good schools?

A rush hour drive from cinco to downtown is 1h,20min+. Don't do it. Nothing is worth that. Plus cinco is a dead community that is fully infected with a suburban mentality. Once u move there u won't be seen from again by normal civilization.

[This message has been edited by brixton (edited 2/10/2013 10:24a).]

I do not get the cinco ranch obsession. Look at Meyerland, good schools and 20 min drive to downtown in traffic.

Come to the dark side.

Brixton, I don't know this dead community that you speak of. Plenty to do when you have a family and a safer area as well. If there is something going on where's all the self-anointed "cool" people live, well, I have a car and can get t.here if I so choose.

The commute downtown is admittedly unpleasant, but I haven't been employed down there for 10 years. Working in Sugar Land has its advantages

Everyone has their own work/life balance priorities - I don't think anyone needs to knock anyone for choosing a certain area to live in. My wife and I are planning on moving/buying out in Cinco this spring - for whatever reason it just feels like home to us. I grew up in Cypress and have spent time in other parts of Houston, and it just feels different. For some it doesn't. Luckily our jobs are fairly convenient for us to not spend too much time in a car.

To the OP - definitely look into the Metro Bus - there is a station at I10 and Mason. I think taking that will be your best option at saving some of your sanity.

OP - i take the metro bus to work ( i work downtown). My work offers a flex schedule so i am able to get into work early and leave early and i don't have to sit through the traffic. if you can avoid the traffic by having a flex schedule the its not that bad.

I catch the Park N Ride that leaves from I10/99 at 5:45am. I get dropped of downtown at 6:15 and sit down at my desk at 6:25.

I get on the bus at 3:45 pm and am sitting on my couch by 4:20 pm.

like i said i have yet to encounter any traffic just because i am able to get to work early and leave early.

FYI - it sucks at first getting up early but you get used to it.

look into if your company subsides or pays for your bus pass.

Thanks Tex/Mex. Good intel....

So, if I move to Cinco Ranch, is a chip inserted into my brain and I am re-programmed by the Cinco Ranch HOA of something? All the women are blondes (50 style dew) and the men wear slacks and sweater vests?

[This message has been edited by water turkey (edited 2/11/2013 8:32a).]

I grew up in Cinco. It sucked ass from an entertainment standpoint as a teenager. Still does now, but its better than it was back 10 years ago. I had some friends move out to far west cinco recently. we never see them anymore. Neither one of us wants to make the 45 min commute to see each other. plus my ITL place still scares them.

are you familiar with helicopter parents? those types are aplenty

Keep an eye on the tax rates there, they range wildly from 2.6% to 3.69%, favoring the older sections. If you're looking in the average price range of $325,000, expect about 3100 square feet at $103/sq ft. If you buy cash, that's still over $1000/month in taxes+hoa's.

Sugarland, Meyerland, Bellaire, Kingwood, Humble, Jersey Village, hell even the Woodlands and Klein areas would probably be a better drive.

[This message has been edited by E (edited 2/11/2013 9:31a).]

quote:

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All the women are blondes (50 style dew) and the men wear slacks and sweater vests?

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hahaha.. for the most part everyone on my street fits that description...it rather humorous.. having lived in the heights for 4 years.. moving to cinco ranch was a change..


[This message has been edited by TexMex Redass 03 (edited 2/11/2013 12:04p).]

Check out Woodcreek Reserve. It's just past 99 and right off of I 10. You can be at the park n ride in 5 minutes, and it's still Katy ISD

I'm not anti-suburb, but there is a huge quality if life issue when your commute is that long. Send your wife back/forth when you're looking at houses.

Figure out what your commuting costs would be and how much that mortgage that equates to at 3.5% in a closer in location. Be very careful about MUD and HOA rates.

[This message has been edited by yakman (edited 2/12/2013 1:51p).]

all these cry babies. the drive ain't that damn bad from katy to DT. If you leave early enough it takes no time. the key is to find that "time" and stick with it. I used to drive from fry/99 to jfk. freaking long ass haul, but if timed right, it took 45 minutes or so. now I office at san felipe, literally takes 30 minutes some days. you can't beat the schools. the sense of community is what YOU make of it...

I will be riding the bus most everyday and they have agreed to pay for my bus passes. Looks like I better invest in some sweater vests.

I commuted from mason & 1093 to IAH for 9 months. Some days it was a 90 minute commute each way. An hour of that drive was the commute from katy to downtown.

quote:

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Looks like I better invest in some sweater vests.

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pleated slacks
and loafer with tassels





Water Turkey:

What park n ride do you plan on taking? The one I take is from 99/-10 which is the furthest west the park n ride goes so if you plan on taking a closer one such as the one on Kingsland then it will take you less time than it take me (take me 45-50 mins from when I close the door at my house to when I sit at my desk).. if you plan on leaving anywhere around the same time as i do..

[This message has been edited by TexMex Redass 03 (edited 2/13/2013 7:59a).]