Fun for Kirby!

One of the best parts about living in Chicago is that it is a very dog-friendly city. In the summer, we frequent the Montrose Dog Beach, which Kirby LOVES. After doing a bit of research, I was happy to learn that Houston has an active dog park community. We'll be close to the Millie Bush Dog Park, which includes swimming pools for the pups and more. There is also a Katy dog park right in the area we are planning to live. You can check out the parks at www.houstondogpark.org
It looks like a good group.

Preparation and more Preparation

I must say, I am loving actually having something constructive to do concerning this move. Today I emailed our Houston agent with a list of the homes we're interested in seeing on our first trip. It's always fun to actually tour the houses as online pictures and tours only tell part of the story. We have also made the decision to look at some new construction, but only inventory homes (those already built) so we can compare. Many builders take a large amount off their inventory homes, especially depending on how long they have been available.

Our plan is to go on this initial trip, then once more in May to make our choice. It seems crazy to make such a big decision in a short amount of time (two visits), but, in reality, we've been weighing the pros and cons of the houses/areas/etc. since we first visited in November.

Our other big project involves getting our house ready for appraisal and sale. We already had a lot cleared out and put in storage from last summer when our place was listed (before we knew we were moving to TX) in anticipation of moving to the Chicago 'burbs. This past weekend we painted a wall in our kitchen and installed new 6-panel closet doors. Now we need to take another load to our storage unit--consisting mostly of toys Henry no longer likes. One thing I am definitely looking forward to in Texas is MORE SPACE!!

House Hunting Begins

We have our first house-hunting trip scheduled for mid-April. Our plan is to go, look at all the listings that interest us, narrow down the list/areas, and return in May for a final trip. We are anxious to meet our agent, tour Katy again, and see our new home. We will be traveling sans Henry, as a toddler and house hunting don't really mesh well.

We've seen quite a few homes that really interest us, both new inventory construction as well as resale. Our agent has advised us to look at homes newer than those built in 2002 because that is when the Houston builders were mandated to use double-pane windows in all new construction--an energy saver for sure. We are excited to see what's available and what our new home will be like.

Here Comes the Sun

There's nothing like the first warm, sunny day in Chicago. I always say you know it's Spring in Chicago when you see all the dogs and babies. These sunny, cool Spring days keep me going in the dead of winter. As I was walking around yesterday, I couldn't help but notice the smiles on the faces of those I passed. Yet, Spring's coquettish ways don't have us fooled; we know there will be more cold days to come. Days that provide fodder for conversation at the check-out line at Jewel.
"Stay warm out there!"
"Yeah, thanks. Hard to imagine it was 60 degrees yesterday and now it's 20!"
"That's Chicago for ya."

And, yes, that is Chicago. We have a torrid love affair with our weather, and our moods (or at least my mood) is greatly affected by the weather. So, all of this got me wondering. When I move to Houston, will I miss out on these brilliant days? Yes, I know there will be plenty of sun, but will there be that feeling, that indescribable something that permeates the air? I've said that people are friendly in Texas, and maybe that is partly due to the nice weather. But, it also makes me think that something is lost. With no struggle in the cold, are the days as glorious?

Box 'o Fun

Yesterday morning I was greeted with a big box on our doorstep. On the outside it read "Relocation Package: information about schools, neighborhoods, hospitals, recreation, and much more!" I was so excited to crack it open and start reading, but I was on my way out with Henry. I waited for nap time, and then I went for it. I haven't been this excited about mail in a long, long time. It was filled with all kinds of great info: maps, master-planned community brochures, school info, golf course listings, Houston's official relo booklet and much more. I spent the day reading and soaking it all in. The brochure for Cinco Ranch, where we think we'll end up living, is very cool. You can check it out here: http://cincoranch.com/flash/brochure.html

Moving in July

It looks like our move will happen in July--certainly not ideal. We really wanted to be here through the summer to enjoy Chicago and avoid the Houston heat. At least we have a time line. We're thinking it'll be the middle of July. Andy and I are planning on an initial trip to house-hunt at the end of March/early April, and our house in Chicago will hit the market in the middle of May. Now that things are moving, we are picking up momentum, and I am more emotional about the thought of leaving, especially in the summer!

We have an Agent!

We are finally able to work with an agent in Houston. We were given a couple of referrals from BP, so I contacted both and chose one. It was so nice to be able to talk to someone about all the research we've done and to confirm our assumptions about certain areas. We also have figured out that we'll probably be in Houston sooner than we suspected, most likely in July. It'll be boiling hot, so it's not really the best time to move, but oh well. Andy and I are planning an initial trip to house hunt ASAP. We need to narrow our search and meet our agent in person. It's exciting to be looking at homes. The home prices are so much lower that what we are used to in Chicago, and even with the higher property taxes, we'll still be saving! We'll have plenty of room for visitors, which will be nice. After living in a 1600 square foot condo for 5 years, it certainly will be a change to have more room. Of course, we need to fill the house, so that's another consideration. Our place in Chicago will probably be listed in May, so we have a bit of time to get organized around here.