Biglaw Salaries going up? Forum

[Monochromatic Oeuvre]

Very few people would choose to live and practice law in Houston over NYC
But I'm sure its true that: purchasing power of big law in Houston > purchasing power of big law in NYC

People who grew up in Texas (rightfully) would like to live and work in Texas over NYC.

Everyone else who wants to live/work in Texas is either 1) some kind of scroungy Mormon with a bunch of kids who wants a McMansion to appease his SAHW or 2) something similar to 1). has different personal preferences than me and this makes me upset

FTFY

[unc0mm0n1]

Speaking of which, public transportation is a huge plus in favor of NYC. That shit is nonexistent in TX, which sucks for going out.

Public transportation? Half the streets down here don't even have sidewalks. The property taxes are insane. I pay nearly 10K a year in property taxes while a friend of mine who bought a property for the almost the same price in Boston pays less than 3K. Not to mention the terrible HOA's here which add restrictions and another 500-2000/yr plus you have to pay them when you sell the house. Lastly, the sprawl is awful. Houston is nearly three times bigger than Chicago with terrible traffic. You are always 45mins away from everywhere. While money is nice, I'd probably have taken Chicago if I could have a do over.

TBF if you're paying almost $10k/yr in property taxes, that would imply you have the kind of baller place that NYC associates could only dream of.

The only thing baller about my house is the size (3700 sq ft), which is way to big for me and Mrs. Unc0mm0n and baby Unc0mm0n, but every house is way too big here. My Realtor convinced me that small houses are very hard to resell in Houston. Everything closes at like 11, everyone lives in these insular subdivision communities and you can't walk anywhere. TBF, I live in the Woodlands so it may be different in the Heights or an area like that.

[Br3v]

Also factor in the lack of income tax when you consider the difference in property taxes

[Monochromatic Oeuvre]

TBF if you're paying almost $10k/yr in property taxes, that would imply you have the kind of baller place that NYC associates could only dream of.

The only thing baller about my house is the size (3700 sq ft), which is way to big for me and Mrs. Unc0mm0n and baby Unc0mm0n, but every house is way too big here. My Realtor convinced me that small houses are very hard to resell in Houston. Everything closes at like 11, everyone lives in these insular subdivision communities and you can't walk anywhere. TBF, I live in the Woodlands so it may be different in the Heights or an area like that.

Your place is literally ten times the size of mine. If you didn't want such a giant place you could still get 2000 sq ft in The Woodlands for $350k. But you have a big house in a great suburb--basically the UMC dream while you're still (I'm guessing) in your twenties. That just isn't happening in a comparably nice suburb of NYC for less than $750k. And sure, you can do that on a Biglaw salary eventually, but it takes some time. Consequently, a lot of couples in NYC put off having kids as long as possible. I would be very surprised if I knew more than a few people in NYC, Orthodox Jews excepted, who have kids by 30.

You're just limited in important ways in NYC, especially if it will take you 3-4 years to pay off your debt. That's something a lot of people would give up walkaway subdivisions and 2 AM deli runs for.

[JCougar]

Houston is a goddamn humid swampy shithole with no planning, organization, or culture. Dallas is pretty terrible, too.

The only city in Texas you could convince me to live in is Austin, but even that's getting bad at this point (the population has outgrown the infrastructure, and the monumental moron of a Governor won't spend to upgrade it, because building stuff would be too much like socialism).

The COL benefit from Houston would have to be like a multiplier of 5 before I would move there over playing guitar for change at a subway station in a better city. The benefit of not having to talk to people who wear cowboy boots, a bolo tie, and a suit would negate the slightly lower real estate cost alone.

[sinfiery]

a bolo tie

I've lived in texas 18 years and had to google what that was. Hope that puts things into perspective for you.

[PMan99]

Houston is a goddamn humid swampy shithole with no planning, organization, or culture. Dallas is pretty terrible, too.

The only city in Texas you could convince me to live in is Austin, but even that's getting bad at this point (the population has outgrown the infrastructure, and the monumental moron of a Governor won't spend to upgrade it, because building stuff would be too much like socialism).

The COL benefit from Houston would have to be like a multiplier of 5 before I would move there over playing guitar for change at a subway station in a better city. The benefit of not having to talk to people who wear cowboy boots, a bolo tie, and a suit would negate the slightly lower real estate cost alone.

cr how can these proles live without opera

[JCougar]

cr how can these proles live without opera

Opera is the least of these people's concerns. These people live without sidewalks, healthcare, and properly-funded education. Living in the "sun belt" is a pretty similar experience to living in a third-world country. Even if you personally can immunize yourself against such a plight, living amongst it causes much consternation and guilt.

[sublime]

..

[PMan99]

cr how can these proles live without opera

Opera is the least of these people's concerns. These people live without sidewalks, healthcare, and properly-funded education. Living in the "sun belt" is a pretty similar experience to living in a third-world country. Even if you personally can immunize yourself against such a plight, living amongst it causes much consternation and guilt.

OTOH poors in the North are nice enough to live segregated away in places like Newark or Camden so you don't have to feel guilty about it because it's across a river.

[dixiecupdrinking]

cr how can these proles live without opera

Opera is the least of these people's concerns. These people live without sidewalks, healthcare, and properly-funded education. Living in the "sun belt" is a pretty similar experience to living in a third-world country. Even if you personally can immunize yourself against such a plight, living amongst it causes much consternation and guilt.

OTOH poors in the North are nice enough to live segregated away in places like Newark or Camden so you don't have to feel guilty about it because it's across a river.

Are you kidding me? In NYC you see thousands of people from all economic strata every day just by virtue of taking the subway to work. The white bread TLS middle class Texas dream, on the other hand, involves basically sequestering yourself in a giant plywood house in the burbs. I get the appeal but let's be honest here.

[TTTooKewl]

cr how can these proles live without opera

Opera is the least of these people's concerns. These people live without sidewalks, healthcare, and properly-funded education. Living in the "sun belt" is a pretty similar experience to living in a third-world country. Even if you personally can immunize yourself against such a plight, living amongst it causes much consternation and guilt.

OTOH poors in the North are nice enough to live segregated away in places like Newark or Camden so you don't have to feel guilty about it because it's across a river.

Are you kidding me? In NYC you see thousands of people from all economic strata every day just by virtue of taking the subway to work. The white bread TLS middle class Texas dream, on the other hand, involves basically sequestering yourself in a giant plywood house in the burbs. I get the appeal but let's be honest here.

Yes, because the NYC elite are so un-sequestered by virtue of their seeing people on their way to work.

[dixiecupdrinking]

See, bump elbows with, etc. I'm not saying it's a utopia of cross-cultural understanding, but you're kidding yourself if you don't think poor people are more visible in NYC than in sun belt cities.

We're also not talking about "elite" here. If you take a town car to work every day, then sure.

[sublime]

..

[Monochromatic Oeuvre]

cr how can these proles live without opera

Opera is the least of these people's concerns. These people live without sidewalks, healthcare, and properly-funded education. Living in the "sun belt" is a pretty similar experience to living in a third-world country. Even if you personally can immunize yourself against such a plight, living amongst it causes much consternation and guilt.

You started out hating Houston because of lack of infrastructure/zoning/Broadway, the weather, and Southern people.

Now you hate it because you think of it's full of poor people, but you might wanna know that it isn't. A lower percentage of the population is homeless, a lower percentage lives below the poverty line (nominal, not adjusted for PPP), and by the way, with COL factored in, Houston is the richest city in the country.

There are logical reasons to pick NYC but at least base it on facts.

[BlackAndOrange84]

cr how can these proles live without opera

Opera is the least of these people's concerns. These people live without sidewalks, healthcare, and properly-funded education. Living in the "sun belt" is a pretty similar experience to living in a third-world country. Even if you personally can immunize yourself against such a plight, living amongst it causes much consternation and guilt.

You started out hating Houston because of lack of infrastructure/zoning/Broadway, the weather, and Southern people.

Now you hate it because you think of it's full of poor people, but you might wanna know that it isn't. A lower percentage of the population is homeless, a lower percentage lives below the poverty line (nominal, not adjusted for PPP), and by the way, with COL factored in, Houston is the richest city in the country.

There are logical reasons to pick NYC but at least base it on facts.

How dare you try to inject facts into this discussion, sir. They have no place here.

[MAHamlin]

cr how can these proles live without opera

Houston actually has an Opera. Who knew?

https://www.houstongrandopera.org/

[BigZuck]

cr how can these proles live without opera

Houston actually has an Opera. Who knew?

https://www.houstongrandopera.org/

Yeah, not that it matters but there is a "theater district" with a lot of performing arts, Broadway shows that tour through town, etc.

[kcdc1]

cr how can these proles live without opera

Houston actually has an Opera. Who knew?

https://www.houstongrandopera.org/

Yeah, not that it matters but there is a "theater district" with a lot of performing arts, Broadway shows that tour through town, etc.

Ew, "touring" shows. How do people live w/o seeing broadway shows on broadway?

[wiz]

cr how can these proles live without opera

Opera is the least of these people's concerns. These people live without sidewalks, healthcare, and properly-funded education. Living in the "sun belt" is a pretty similar experience to living in a third-world country. Even if you personally can immunize yourself against such a plight, living amongst it causes much consternation and guilt.

It's not that bad. But it is a clusterfuck. Urban sprawl, no public transit, hot as fuck, boring.

Tampa is a pretty shit city (I think it is better than Houston though), but it isn't too terrible. Also is home, and the CoL is really nice, especially for being close to nice beaches.

But really, if I didn't grow up in one of those cities I would be in no hurry to go there.

I know I won't win any points for defending Houston, but it's not that bad. I don't think it's worse than Tampa, for example, though I get the reservations about TX in general since it's not for everyone.

Also agreed on the home thing. Family, friends, COL, market pay, and solid legal market make it a pretty nice option if your personal preferences tilt in that direction. I obviously wouldn't recommend it as a place to visit (Austin is the spot in TX), but if you know your way around and know stuff to do, you can have a good quality of life.

[yomisterd]

a rising tide lifts all boats. even texan driftwood. thus we chant nyc to 190.

[Pragmatic Gun]

I'm sorry, but I'd rather have 24 hour delis and 24 hour subway service than live in some suburban enclave getting fat off of Cheetohs on the couch with my big screen TV. IDK how people handle not having a 24 hour metro. NYC is a super convenient city. Not having a car saves one a lot of money on insurance and gas.

Also, most of our proles have the decency to live in Newark or Far Rockaway. They know better than to make eye contact on the subway, so points for that.

[MCFC]

I'm sorry, but I'd rather have 24 hour delis and 24 hour subway service than live in some suburban enclave getting fat off of Cheetohs on the couch with my big screen TV. IDK how people handle not having a 24 hour metro. NYC is a super convenient city. Not having a car saves one a lot of money on insurance and gas.

Also, most of our proles have the decency to live in Newark or Far Rockaway. They know better than to make eye contact on the subway, so points for that.

So there are literally ~5 cities where you'd be capable of living? http://qz.com/149698/londons-tube-is-no ... y-service/

[Desert Fox]

I'm sorry, but I'd rather have 24 hour delis and 24 hour subway service than live in some suburban enclave getting fat off of Cheetohs on the couch with my big screen TV. IDK how people handle not having a 24 hour metro. NYC is a super convenient city. Not having a car saves one a lot of money on insurance and gas.

Also, most of our proles have the decency to live in Newark or Far Rockaway. They know better than to make eye contact on the subway, so points for that.

So there are literally ~5 cities where you'd be capable of living? http://qz.com/149698/londons-tube-is-no ... y-service/

Unless they are being over pedantic about subway vs elevated track, Chicago runs 24/7 on some lines too.

[SplitMyPants]

Also, most of our proles have the decency to live in Newark or Far Rockaway. They know better than to make eye contact on the subway, so points for that.

You seem like the kind of guy who listens to Phil Collins.