Houston - Desirable cities / Cities to avoid

[JP Palella]

Hello, 

I am looking to purchase another buy and hold in Houston. The first property I purchased (almost 3 years ago) is in Katy, and so far the value and rent have gone up. Today, the deals aren't as great in Katy as they were before, so I am looking to explore other areas in Houston. What are desirable cities that are considered safe and seem to rent out quickly? What areas are unsafe that I should avoid? 

I am not from Houston, but from my experience, I was told desirable cities are Katy, Sugar Land, Cypress, and Friendswood. I was told North Houston is a high end neighborhood, avoid East Houston, and Pearland / League city are decent areas of South Houston. 

So far I've noticed a few properties in North Houston, just past the outer loop and west of the 45. Can anyone provide advice with that area?