Well I am no longer with Exxon and my wife and I are wondering does it make sense to stay in The Woodlands community? Perhaps other parts of Houston or Dallas area provide more energy sector jobs? Houston traffic can be brutal so that is partially why I am asking this question.
I am wondering what others are planning on doing?
The Woodlands s—s.
Bad traffic, half empty street malls everywhere, uppity people and their entitled teenagers, plus the awful local politics and their drama.
The only reason I can tell people move here is to avoid minorities.
I would move in a heartbeat to a place with better weather and less fake people, but alas the commute to Campus is ok.
Let’s see what the “workforce alignment” bring.
It may end up crashing the prices around here, so if I were you - I’d sell high now.
Woodlands is all about keeping up with the Jones’s. Why would you want to stay?
If you don’t want to leave Houston, I’d stay closer to the inner loop, like you said Woodlands to Houston traffic isn’t good. If you can afford it West U, heights, River oaks/kirby, Galleria area all kind of have that upscale woodlands feel.
If it were me I’d leave Houston entirely...somewhere with more scenery and hiking, outdoors, etc
Wait until you get your next job. I got a relocation check for $70k. It was based on a percentage of the value of my home and that I didn’t quit for 1 year. I kept the money, didn’t sell my house and did quit at the 1 year mark.
H Town is garbage. Always will be. Move somewhere nice and beautiful.
Look at jobs in DFW, Austin and San Antonio if you want to stay in Texas. My wife and I washed ourselves the same question. I have not been let go but I’m still looking none the less and have been looking at consultant companies (mainly non O&G). Houston isn’t that bad but if you could live somewhere with out legions of mosquitos, Hurricanes, flooding, bad traffic and Uber humidity why wouldn’t you?
Sorry for your separation. Houston has diversified significantly after the last major O&G crisis in the 80s, so maybe look beyond oil and gas. Lots of respectable headhunters/placement agencies in the Houston Area.
Never understood how people can live in Texas while there is so much America. It is hellish hot, oven humid, environmentally degraded, hurricane and flood prone ... the Woodlands is Texas pretending to be normal America. Doesn't fool me. They have to pay me serious money to live there -I guess thats what the no state tax is, but unless you live in a barn, you pay for it in property taxes and sales taxes.
Wait on a job Texas has diversified a lot (Houston not so much). Austin’s Awsome and you can’t beat the no income taxes either or the good cost of living in TX as well.
Get out of the O&G industry. Texas will suffer as the industry winds down.
It's true he said: if you are looking for a new employer then wait out on relocation plans.
Could be anywhere, right?
If you are still relatively young you must also consider this:
You might be holding some prime Gulf-front property. Even a gnarly-wave surfing property.
So many things to consider on this topic...
Wait to get a new job and then move