I'm in the Spring/Woodlands area myself. Pretty nice but getting alittle over crouded lately. Some one said conroe is good for fishing...conroe blows. Way to many cigar boats and jet skies and it's a pretty small lake. Lake livingston is alot nicer, but there's fishing holes all over Texas. Hell my dad has pulled 30lbs+ catfish out of cypress creek. Just about anywhere in nw/n/ne houston north of 1960 is pretty nice. Homes here are pretty cheap compared to other places.
As far as houston being hotter then dallas I guess it's just what you're use to. We get 100% humidity they get 110 degrees. I can fill my skin cook up there, humitidy never bothered me much down here. Last time it snowed here was in '89.

 

I live in League City, Texas, which is just south of Houston and North of Galveston. There are tons of new homes going up that are in your price range in my area.

If I were home I could get you pictures, but currently I'm in College Station at Texas A&M University. Next time I'm home I could grab some pics if you want.

If you are looking for a more wooded area, north Houston is the place for you. Tomball, Spring, places like that.

I'd suggest looking all around the area and finding what best suits you. I can't give you a current quote, but my family bought our 4,200 square foot house for 189,000 6 years ago. It is located a safe, gated community 2 minutes away from Clear Lake. The school district in my area is great in case you were wondering about that kind of thing. (not only did I graduate recently from it, but I worked there as a computer tech also, haha)

I generally just lurk here, but I figured I could help with this one.

-Russell