Houston, Texas

[Byrns]

Quick question, are you able to get a concealed carry permit if you're a Canadian citizen?

[Rutuu]

Ah Houston...I was there last week.1. Highways everywhere2. No one walks anywhere...you'll learn later this is because it's dangerous3. Humidity...it sucks...if you don't think so you're a fool and you're thinking of your Carribean vacation, not standing around in a suit in 30C with 80% humidity.4. Some people love it there, but the vast majority of educated people think it's a ghetto5. There is no city planning...you could be in million dollar homes one minute then ghetto the next6. Memorial Park is sweet...then you realize the reason that EVERYONE jogs there is because jogging in other parts of the city is flat out dangerous.7. You may think, awesome, we have a NFL team now...it's neat to go to the game/stadium, but there is no (safe) public transportation, so you'll be stuck there for 1hr prior and 3hrs after; although, the tailgating is insane.8. Washington st (their 17th ave) looks like McLeod Trail.9. Maple Leaf pub is fun...watching the cops whiz buy trying to catch a shooting suspect freaked the out of my dad.10. Even as the most conservative canadian in the world you will have lots of people in your face that are so far right wing its unexplainable.11. Fat people everywhere, so if you're not slim now, you will be there.12. Cheap everything is nice.13. As you move out to the subburbs it gets better.14. If you're used to using the line, "It's not that bad" then Houston could be for you.

[DemolitionCat]

Canadians pay taxes based on residency, not citizenship, but to make good use of the US tax code you really need to be a permanent resident or naturalize in the U.S. The number of deductions you can claim on an H1 is pretty limited and I don't think there is any point for Canadians to be in the US on any other visa unless you're a full time student. Your tax exposure of course depends on a lot of factors, but the highest brackets are inevitably going up to higher than Alberta levels. If you own a business in the US, you can get away with hardly paying any income tax at all. If this fellow's wife is going to be an employee of some company, it's not that great. I also don't recommend a sponsored green card since someone else will always own you. I recognize not everyone has the resources to self sponsor.

I do not exaggerate for one second on the health care issues. I can say for a good plan that offers me the same access (not better by any means) than what I get in Alberta I've paid Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Texas about $1300 a month. It's true you could see some quack who's never been board certified the next day in Texas, but who would want to? $25 co pays for family docs, $100 for specialists, get 80% coverage on outpatient procedures. (Start thinking knee arthroscopy) Drug costs are about 80% covered with a yearly deductable, but the drug costs are about triple to quadruple those in Canada. This doesn't address dental, vision coverage.

I suppose at the private schools you at least get stabbed with a clean knife.

If kid makes it to university, the costs continue to explode. Law school tuition at UT for Texas resident = $29k / year, U of A $11k / year.

Everyone will have their own experiences, but I have a house in Texas and a house in Alberta, I could choose to make either my primary residence, but choose Calgary because I think the quality of life is better here.

[DemolitionCat]

You can have a concealed carry permit if you are a Canadian citizen, but it would be wise to have dual citizenship before applying if you don't want to answer a lot of strange questions. Besides, most people just buy guns for cash and stick them in their sweat pants rather than get 'concealed carry' permits. Also, in the concealed handgun license class, it's not really about safe operation of the weapon, but accuracy of kills.

If you want a weapon to defend yourself with, get a semiautomatic shotgun. You can have a loaded weapon in your vehicle if that appeals to you.

[transplant99]

I live in the "south" now, and there is NO WAY I could talerate the Houston weather in the summer. Its completely uncomfortable for me. just a couple months ago I had a layover there for 3 hours, and it was untolerable to even attempt to sit outside, never mind be active. But my body absolutely loathes high humidity.

That being said, as a city I really like Houston. A ton of stuff going on all the time, and the people are great for the most part. Like any large metropolitan city though, it has its really seedy and scary bad areas. Since you mention you are married, you will not be able to take adnantage of one of the nicer aspects of the place though. They have a whack of beautiful women there for some reason.

great city, awful weather.

[Northendzone]

thanks all for your insight - I just wanted to hear something about the place from folks that had actually been there. moving long distance is always complicated, but even moreso when you have kids.

right now, she is just thinking about applying for the job. some thoughts we had while discussing a potential move are:
* the impact of moving the kids (8 & 5) part way thru the school year
* do they have any minor hockey there for my son (I would still like to play rec hockey, but I suppose I could replace it to some degree with more golf)
* me wrapping my head around the possibility of not working/being a stay at home dad
* i like the heat, but not so sure about the humidity
* i don't think i like crime, but i have only been a victim of a car break-in
* not a huge nfl fan - i'd miss the cfl, also the drive to see the stars and flames in dallas seem duanting
* not sure if we could live close enough to the wife's work to make the commute painless for her
* we would not be looking for a million dollar house - i'd be happy with something similar/equivalent to what we have now (typical 1900 sq ft house in new brighton)

she works with one of the larger O&G companies, so I beleive we would have access to tax advice and help with getting all the forms/visas and whatnot......

when I was young and single I moved from Manitoba to Ontario and then Ontario to Calgary and never really thought that hard about it - now with a hosue and a pair of kids, this becomes a much more stressful process.

[Rockin' Flames]

Originally Posted by DemolitionCat

Canadians pay taxes based on residency, not citizenship, but to make good use of the US tax code you really need to be a permanent resident or naturalize in the U.S. The number of deductions you can claim on an H1 is pretty limited and I don't think there is any point for Canadians to be in the US on any other visa unless you're a full time student. Your tax exposure of course depends on a lot of factors, but the highest brackets are inevitably going up to higher than Alberta levels. If you own a business in the US, you can get away with hardly paying any income tax at all. If this fellow's wife is going to be an employee of some company, it's not that great. I also don't recommend a sponsored green card since someone else will always own you. I recognize not everyone has the resources to self sponsor.

Residency for tax purposes is based upon the number of days you are in the country (ie. over 183 days). I'm on a TN visa and don't have a problem making use of the US tax code to my advantage. Don't mix up a green card with a visa. If you are on a visa your employer owns you. You can't just switch jobs etc. However, once you have a green card you are classified as a permanent resident and you can switch employers at any point in time and you are not owned by your employer.

[CaptainCrunch]

I lived in Dallas but visited Houston on a few occassions.

People can complain about the heat, but you get used to it after the first few weeks. There's lots to do. I've always found Texan's to be pretty easy going.

Its true that House prices are cheap, but tax rates are higher. But food and beer on the whole was cheaprer.

There is professional hockey in Houston with the Aeros, and the facility is awesome. There are some kiddy and adult hockey leagues in houston as well.

You will gain a love for high school and college football down there, but gain a hatred for the Cowboys as you've never seen media hype like Cowboy hype.

Make sure you get the NFL network for CFL games, and OLN for hockey games.

Oh and the food, and especially the BBQ down there is awesome, you will gain some weight initially.

[DemolitionCat]

Green cards are visas, immigrant visas. There are different classifications of green cards. The TN guy and the gentleman in question should just get with a lawyer.

I'd say the not working thing is something to seriously worry about, psychologically, financially and for long term security.

[troutman]

Chorus:
Come on come on come on let's go
This ain't Louisiana
Your Mama won't know
Come on come on come on let's go
Everybody's rockin' out on Telephone Road

Telephone Road is ten miles long
Fifty car lots and a hundred honky-tonks
Jukebox blastin' and the beer bottles ring
Jimmy banging on a pinball machine

Chorus

Mama never told me about nothin' like this
I guess Houston's 'bout a big as a city can get
Sometimes I get lonesome for Lafayette
Someday I'm goin' home but I ain't ready yet

[texanadian]

I moved to Houston 3.5 years ago on a TN, and have never looked back. There are very few things that I can think of that would convince me to move back to Calgary.

The summers are humid and hot, but really, it's not any different than Calgary in the winter; you just spend most of your time indoors. For me the other 8 months of the year make up for it.

There are a number of great areas with quality safe schools. The Katy, Spring Branch, and Cy-Fair districts are all good. The idea that every public school in the city is filled with degenerate MS-13 gang members stabbing middle school kids is completely asinine and flat out wrong.

Depending on where your wife will be working, the commute might not be all that bad. If their offices are in the Energy Corridor, you can live in some of the western suburbss and be just fine, and now with the new I-10 expansion complete, even the trip into downtown is way better than it used to be. If there is one thing we know how to do down here, it is building freeways.

Housing, groceries, vehicles, taxes are all cheaper for me here.

Some of your health insurance costs depend on the employer. I pay about $350/month for my wife and I.

There are a few minor hockey programs here, but only a handful of rinks (maybe 5 or 6 sheets of hockey ice). There are also a number of adult rec leagues.

I've always approached moving as a "you get out what you put in" situation. Houston has a lot of good things and a number of bad things, but for me it really works.

Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by nik-

Houston sucks. Spread out, horrible traffic and humid as hell. The city that planned development forgot.

You could have just said it was Calgary in the summer of 2010. Sheesh.

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by wpgflamesfan

I'd probably take 44C, 100% humidity over −40 with a windchill, but too each his own.

Clearly those are the only options, eh? Houston is always 44C with 100% humidity and Calgary is always -40 with a windchill.

EXCEPTIONS DO NOT PROVE THE RULE.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Reaper

You could have just said it was Calgary in the summer of 2010. Sheesh.

No way jose. You could take the most humid day Calgary has ever had, times it by 50, and and you would still not reach the swampass-icity of the American south.

I can barely hand east-coast humidity (which can get pretty bad too), and that is nothing compared to what happens down in Texas/Louisiana etc. You can get used to to the heat, but unless you have instant access to a pool/beach all day, you never get comfortable in that. You have to be born with it and not know any better.

[Table 5]

Btw, I'd recommend looking into Dillon, TX.

Seems like a good town, and the football team isn't too bad from what I hear.

[DemolitionCat]

I suppose if someone is looking at being a company employee, making $85k a year, living on a TN1 and chooses to believe the "employer based health care" fallacy maybe Houston could look more attractive than living in Brooks and making $60k working for the same company. If instead this person owned a corporation and paid themselves a salary enough that it doesn't really matter so much if they pay $4 or $12 for a bottle of Yellow Tail and a cheeseburger it's a different discussion. Anyone who is on a TN1 is employed by someone else and cannot make full use of the available deductions a self employed, corporation owning permanent resident or citizen has.

I encourage foreign people who live and love it in the United States to get naturalized. Take the oath and mean it: "I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen" etc etc

[tussery]

Originally Posted by DemolitionCat

You can have a concealed carry permit if you are a Canadian citizen, but it would be wise to have dual citizenship before applying if you don't want to answer a lot of strange questions. Besides, most people just buy guns for cash and stick them in their sweat pants rather than get 'concealed carry' permits. Also, in the concealed handgun license class, it's not really about safe operation of the weapon, but accuracy of kills.

If you want a weapon to defend yourself with, get a semiautomatic shotgun. You can have a loaded weapon in your vehicle if that appeals to you.

You obviously have no knowledge of the subject you speak of.

[DemolitionCat]

You obviously have no knowledge of me