[Texas] What's it like to live in Texas?
05-18-2010, 03:58 PM
#31
Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Houston
Posts: 100
i say that is reason enought to go for it. you only live once and I am sure you are not going to uproot your family and move without having a reasonable plan and finances in order so its not like you are being excessivly risky by doing this. dont spend 2 more years thinking about it. get everythign in order and do somthing.
05-18-2010, 04:04 PM
#32
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Lantana, TX
Posts: 1,872
I agree, if you want to live here then start looking for a job and see if you can get something lined up. The market down here doesn't seem to be as hard hit as other areas. With a 13 y/o you don't want to wait too long because HS will be starting and coming sophmore or junior year can be hard trying to make new friends, etc.
05-18-2010, 09:39 PM
#33
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,227
So do you like parkahs or shorts and tee?
05-18-2010, 10:03 PM
#34
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: HOUSTON, TX
Posts: 551
TX is the best place ever- when we say we would like to be our own country we aren't kidding...
Seriously though I have lived in PA, VA, DC, OH and NY. I travel all over the midwest for work and while there are some awesome places I will still take TX.
I live in NW Houston (Spring) and love it. I have lived in San Antonio, Houston, Austin, and Huntsville (school not jail...most of the time).
Austin is awesome- the day you get there you know where the best of everything. Bike trails, rock climbing, lakes, great food- whatever you want.
San Antonio is a cool town and from what I understand it is more touristy than anything now. When I lived there in the 90's gangs were a big problem- I think it is taken care of now but would look into it.
DFW is very white collar (lots of silver BMW's) but nice. Better seasons and weather than most other areas. fair amount of traffic but not too bad.
Houston is more blue collar (more dually trucks) and diverse. Pretty crowded but the traffic is getting a lot better.
all towns have great food, their own personality and reasonable housing costs. College in TX is also much cheaper (at least it was when I went) than in the north.
best reason to live in TX??? no putting your car in storage for the winter!
Seriously though I have lived in PA, VA, DC, OH and NY. I travel all over the midwest for work and while there are some awesome places I will still take TX.
I live in NW Houston (Spring) and love it. I have lived in San Antonio, Houston, Austin, and Huntsville (school not jail...most of the time).
Austin is awesome- the day you get there you know where the best of everything. Bike trails, rock climbing, lakes, great food- whatever you want.
San Antonio is a cool town and from what I understand it is more touristy than anything now. When I lived there in the 90's gangs were a big problem- I think it is taken care of now but would look into it.
DFW is very white collar (lots of silver BMW's) but nice. Better seasons and weather than most other areas. fair amount of traffic but not too bad.
Houston is more blue collar (more dually trucks) and diverse. Pretty crowded but the traffic is getting a lot better.
all towns have great food, their own personality and reasonable housing costs. College in TX is also much cheaper (at least it was when I went) than in the north.
best reason to live in TX??? no putting your car in storage for the winter!
05-19-2010, 07:30 PM
#35
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Coppell, Texas
Posts: 1,215
I'll cast another vote for DFW area. I live in Coppell now, which is in the north/central part of the metroplex area. My parents live in Flower Mound which is nice and it has a little bit more of a "rural" (still has undeveloped lots and livestock pastures) feel than other suburbs.
To me though, the jewel of the area is Fort Worth. Awesome downtown area and lots of nice older neighborhoods.
To me though, the jewel of the area is Fort Worth. Awesome downtown area and lots of nice older neighborhoods.
05-19-2010, 09:10 PM
#36
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Okemos, MI
Posts: 9,479
@ parkas... nobody wears parkas. The smart people dress in layers and wear hats and jackets/coats.I love winter. Skiing is tremendous fun, and in Michigan, I can go skiing 40 minutes from my house. Most of the time it doesn't go below 20 degrees, and that's easy to dress for if you know what you're doing. Skiing is an expensive sport, but it's cheaper than cars.
05-21-2010, 09:48 PM
#37
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,227
While you are snow skiing, we're water skiing.
While you are looking at snow bunnies in multiple layer, we're watching beeches wearing only 1 layer.
In retrospect ... you should probably stay in Michigan. Warm your feet by the fire. We'll cool ours in the pool.
While you are looking at snow bunnies in multiple layer, we're watching beeches wearing only 1 layer.
In retrospect ... you should probably stay in Michigan. Warm your feet by the fire. We'll cool ours in the pool.
05-23-2010, 11:53 AM
#40
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 1,555
My advice to someone from that far up north coming down here, stay in north Texas. Down here in the south Texas its just frickin hot. We hit 100+ 58 times last year, and the rest of the summer was 95+. Down here we have lots of humidity, although less than Houston, and it dont really cool down at night. The moisture holds the heat. Summer overnight lows seem to average 76 at 6am. You break a sweat taking the trash to the curb at 7am. Watching the weather forcast is pointless in the summer. 100/76 every day with no rain. Ever had water restrictions? Trying to keep your grass green will cost you $150/mo for water.
I come from western Nebraska where it is drier. Sure it hits 100 a few times a year, but it was a dry heat and it cooled down in the evenings. You could go camping and fishing comfortably. Here you sweat from April/May to November.
No snow down here. Very mild winter. I miss snow.
San Antonio is a great large city though. At around 2 million people it feels like the 25k town I grew up in. I love the small town feel.
No income tax but they rape you on property tax. Staying out of a city will help there though. My school district taxes the crap out of me because its so large. Smaller towns have much more reasonable property taxes.
Bottom line its too damn hot. I work in a shop so I get some shade but still high temps and humidity. Im dripping wet by 8:30, and stay that way untill I get home in the evening. You dont get used to that wet sticky feel. It sucks.
Ive been saying for years that Im moving back up north, maybe to the Denver area, but the cheap cost of living keeps me here for now. I have a very nice house for my current income, and it would cost double that in Denver. When my wife finishes school in 1.5 years Im probably outta here!
I come from western Nebraska where it is drier. Sure it hits 100 a few times a year, but it was a dry heat and it cooled down in the evenings. You could go camping and fishing comfortably. Here you sweat from April/May to November.
No snow down here. Very mild winter. I miss snow.
San Antonio is a great large city though. At around 2 million people it feels like the 25k town I grew up in. I love the small town feel.
No income tax but they rape you on property tax. Staying out of a city will help there though. My school district taxes the crap out of me because its so large. Smaller towns have much more reasonable property taxes.
Bottom line its too damn hot. I work in a shop so I get some shade but still high temps and humidity. Im dripping wet by 8:30, and stay that way untill I get home in the evening. You dont get used to that wet sticky feel. It sucks.
Ive been saying for years that Im moving back up north, maybe to the Denver area, but the cheap cost of living keeps me here for now. I have a very nice house for my current income, and it would cost double that in Denver. When my wife finishes school in 1.5 years Im probably outta here!
05-26-2010, 04:33 PM
#42
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Friendswood, TX, USA
Posts: 3,769
Austin’s National Recognition
- Known as “The Live Music Capital of the World”
- Voted “Greenest City in America” (MSN)
- Voted “Least Stressful Large Metro” in the United States (Forbes)
- Voted Top Two “Best Cities” in the United States (Money Magazine)
- Voted Top Three “Hippest Cities” in the United States (Forbes)
- Voted Top Five “Safest Cities” in the United States (Forbes)
- Voted Top Ten “Sports & Fitness Cities” in the USA (Sports Business Journal)
And it will become the site for the U.S. F1 in 2012 thru 2021.
- Known as “The Live Music Capital of the World”
- Voted “Greenest City in America” (MSN)
- Voted “Least Stressful Large Metro” in the United States (Forbes)
- Voted Top Two “Best Cities” in the United States (Money Magazine)
- Voted Top Three “Hippest Cities” in the United States (Forbes)
- Voted Top Five “Safest Cities” in the United States (Forbes)
- Voted Top Ten “Sports & Fitness Cities” in the USA (Sports Business Journal)
And it will become the site for the U.S. F1 in 2012 thru 2021.
05-28-2010, 08:14 AM
#44
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Flower Mound, Tx
Posts: 298
I agree with Anthony. MY wife and I bought our house here in Flower Mound three years ago for 145k on .33 acre in a nice older area with great neighbors, that are car friendly and watch out for you. Our son just turned one so I can't comment on the school system, but from reports and friends with kids in LISD(Lewisville Independant), it is the #1 district in North Texas. Very pretty area.
He is right though and that if you want an acre or more, you will pay 175k for an older home, but none that we looked at were bad shape. I grew up in Rowlett and have family in East Texas(Winnsboro). Thought about leaving once, then came to my senses.
Just for comparrison, I have been to just about every state in the US. Only lacking Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington State. When I was a teenager, my dad and I would go on two week drives and just cruise the country. We would spend a day or two in every state we came to. I still prefer Texas.
He is right though and that if you want an acre or more, you will pay 175k for an older home, but none that we looked at were bad shape. I grew up in Rowlett and have family in East Texas(Winnsboro). Thought about leaving once, then came to my senses.
Just for comparrison, I have been to just about every state in the US. Only lacking Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington State. When I was a teenager, my dad and I would go on two week drives and just cruise the country. We would spend a day or two in every state we came to. I still prefer Texas.
Last edited by texas97z; 05-28-2010 at 08:55 AM. Reason: added thought
