With its low cost of living, central location, abundance of well-educated potential employees, and pro-business policies, more employers are setting their sights on the Lonestar State – particularly the Greater Houston area. If you are one of those employers, here are some facts to keep in mind before you make up your mind about setting up shop in Houston.
Everything’s Bigger in Texas – Especially the ‘Greater Houston Area’
Many U.S. cities – especially those along the East Coast where land is at a premium, have distinct borders. Land is plentiful along the Texas Gulf Coast; there’s plenty of breathing room and room for outward expansion. When we locals talk about downtown Houston, we’re talking about the epicenter of the city – the high rises that make up the skyline, the hospital and cultural districts, the Houston convention center, Minute Maid Park, the Houston Zoo, etc.
When we locals talk about the Greater Houston Area, though, we may be referring to any number of suburbs that have grown up on the outskirts of Houston proper. The Woodlands, Sugar Land, and Katy, bustling communities in their own rights, rival Houston proper as outstanding places for businesses large and small to set up shop. As you contemplate a corporate move to Houston, keep in mind that the borders comprising the Greater Houston Area are nebulous. You may find what you’re looking for outside of the downtown region.
Benefits of Looking Beyond Downtown Houston for Your Local Relocation
If you plan to relocate your business, you probably hope that your best and brightest employees will follow you. Even if you offer a handsome relocation package to entice them, if your new location doesn’t offer a favorable quality of life and outstanding public schools, you may lose some of your talent.
In the Greater Houston area, residential populations have shifted to either downtown Houston or very near, and areas including The Woodlands, Katy, and Fort Bend County. With the exception of urban dwellers who live and work downtown, locals who work downtown face horrendous commutes: as long as two hours one way in inclement weather or if there’s an accident slowing traffic.
As a company that specializes in corporate relocations and office furniture installation, companies considering relocating to Houston often contact us at Houston Installation Services (HIS) while they’re looking for their new Houston-area site. One of our customers sent a site-investigation team to research a relocation from California to the Houston area. That team rejected relocating to Houston proper, primarily due to the traffic congestion. We encouraged the CEO to expand their search to suburban areas, and they selected and moved to The Woodlands – they’re delighted with the decision.
The Greater Houston Area is absolutely a great place to live and work – if you choose the right spot. More employers are realizing that the best fit is a suburb like Katy, The Woodlands, or even Fort Bend County. In a nutshell, these suburbs:
- Offer commuting options such as car pools and buses for occasions when it’s necessary to go downtown to meet clients or conduct business. Commuters can work during their commutes.
- Offer incentives for businesses to relocate.
- Deliver a much better quality of life than closer-in Houston neighborhoods. The Woodlands, for example, was named 2017’s Best Texas City to Live in America and Sixth Best City to Live in America
- Tend to have better public schools, lower crime, and plentiful shopping, restaurants and recreational opportunities.
If you’re considering a corporate office move to the Houston area from out of state or (out of town), you’re probably not familiar with all of Houston’s outlying suburbs. We are! Yes, we are office furniture installers first and foremost, but HIS is also an invaluable resource for anything and everything related to an office relocation. We encourage you to contact us for expert advice and assistance for your pending move.
