10 reasons people are moving to Texas

[Alan]

We like Texas, but since RE we haven't spent a single summer here.

 

[ChiliPepr]

Half of the 10 fastest-growing cities in the US are in Texas, according to new figures.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22649624

And if you do percentage growth of those top 10, 4 out of 5 are from Texas.

 

[JakeBrake]

Oil boom in the Permian Basin (again) - with the attendant housing shortages and low unemployment rate (3.1%).

Edit: Latest info has Midland's unemployment rate at 3.0%, the lowest in the US. Unemployment rates fall in nearly all US cities

Whenever I need a West Texas fix, I tune into KCRS AM550 from Midland/Odessa via the internet.

Listen to The Voice of West Texas* - 550 AM ,

 

[bbbamI]

Houses in our 'hood are selling quickly. One house on our block was sold in a month. The house next door to us sold in two weeks. Our neighbor sold his house for $160k...we bought our house in 1994 for $97k.

Megacorp gave us an extra $10k for relocation (on top of all other relocation expenses). So basically we paid $87k for our house as we used the $10k for a down payment.

Hmmmm......

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Home prices, property taxes and football are much better in College Station

Yeah, but...

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

San Antone is neat. When it isn't under water.
Houston is dynamite in a bottle. 2 kids born there. Love/hate it.
Austin? Crowded, horrible traffic (but better than Houston). I think I could live there (part of the year).

 

[Willers]

Assuming you consider that cow-based stuff they have in Texas BBQ......

I have a strict non-discrimination policy when it comes to BBQ. Love the southern, the KC, the Texan, and everything in between.

If you want good college football, stay away from Austin, as those tea sippers have gone down the drain. Home prices, property taxes and football are much better in College Station

I may have to check that out. I was a huge Aggie fan as a kid growing up (even though I grew up on the east coast). Loved the tradition. Loved the 12th man (especially way back when the kickoff team was all 12th men). In the days before every game was on ESPN (before there was an ESPN) I really looked forward to the annual Aggie-Longhorn game. The question is - would wearing an Aggie jersey in Austin qualify as helping it stay weird?

 

[REWahoo]

The question is - would wearing an Aggie jersey in Austin qualify as helping it stay weird?

The bigger question is would it help you stay healthy. I don't think so...

 

[eytonxav]

I may have to check that out. I was a huge Aggie fan as a kid growing up (even though I grew up on the east coast). Loved the tradition. Loved the 12th man (especially way back when the kickoff team was all 12th men). In the days before every game was on ESPN (before there was an ESPN) I really looked forward to the annual Aggie-Longhorn game. The question is - would wearing an Aggie jersey in Austin qualify as helping it stay weird?

Funny, I grew up in Northeast but was also an Aggies fan as a kid, although my DS did attend A&M as undergrad. I prefer the jerseys that have a long horn on the front with the horns chopped off.

 

[Big_Hitter]

If you want big crime, horrible traffic and almost unbearable weather, move to Houston.

Technically, you can play golf all year round, when it isn't raining.

Lived there almost 40 years - I do miss the food, friends, family and football though.

There is a lot of opportunity there for smart people.

 

[W2R]

Here is why I am NOT moving back to Texas, despite these 10 great reasons:

1. Jobs
Job? That's the LAST thing I want.

2. It's cheaper
Yeah, right? Cheaper than Manhattan or Seattle, I suppose. Most of the entire South is cheaper than coastal US areas. But within the South, Texas is not outstandingly cheap IMO. When I moved from Texas to Louisiana, my lifestyle was slightly cheaper in Louisiana.

3. Homes
Homes are cheap to buy, but that is only the beginning. The lower purchase prices may be countered by shockingly high property/school taxes, especially if you live in a good school district like we did. I'd rather pay off the house/mortgage and be done with it, rather than incurring such high annual property tax left to pay for eternity. OK, I suppose I'll give them this one but only if one chooses not to live in a good school district. Some of our friends in Texas went that route, and had reasonable taxes although sometimes no city sewer or water.

4. Low tax
See (3) above. It's a juggling act.

5. Pick your own big city
But, but, what if I don't LIKE living in a big city? I like smaller cities with a small town feel, like New Orleans or Honolulu.

6. Austin in particular
Pul-eeze. Maybe years ago, but now Austin is more and more becoming an annex of the Hotel California.

7. Family friendly
Where in the South is not family friendly, outside of the French Quarter? Granted, Mayberry R.F.D. was fiction, but old time values do survive to some extent throughout much of the South.

8. Fewer rules
That goes both ways. Others may obey fewer rules that we might wish they would obey, too.

9. Texans are normal people
Arguable. Tell me this after talking to a bull rider or a cheerleader's mother.

10. And they're not going anywhere
This is a reason to move to a location? I remember when I was teaching near Meridian, Mississippi (back in 1975), none of my students had ever been 50 miles away and none wanted to go away to college or leave the farm or gas station or whatever that their families ran. They just had no idea what was out there. I didn't really think that such limited scope was that much of a draw, or unique to Texas.

Overall, I really did like the Texans that I knew in Aggieland and I appreciate the values that most of them shared. The property taxes and above all, the deadly hot, dry summers and terrible tasting water in that part of Texas have detracted from College Station's appeal to me in retirement. The rest of Texas.... well, it's a whole 'nother country, as they say, and has much that I haven't explored.

 

[jollystomper]

No thanks. Too many snakes and other vermin and fire ants and now crazy ants and no winters cold enough to kill them off for a while to give us a break.

 

[Big_Hitter]

No thanks. Too many snakes and other vermin and fire ants and now crazy ants and no winters cold enough to kill them off for a while to give us a break.

you forgot hurricanes

 

[REWahoo]

Here is why I am NOT moving back to Texas, despite these 10 great reasons:

1. Jobs
Job? That's the LAST thing I want.

2. It's cheaper
Yeah, right? Cheaper than Manhattan or Seattle, I suppose. Most of the entire South is cheaper than coastal US areas. But within the South, Texas is not outstandingly cheap IMO. When I moved from Texas to Louisiana, my lifestyle was slightly cheaper in Louisiana.

3. Homes
Homes are cheap to buy, but that is only the beginning. The lower purchase prices may be countered by shockingly high property/school taxes, especially if you live in a good school district like we did. I'd rather pay off the house/mortgage and be done with it, rather than incurring such high annual property tax left to pay for eternity. OK, I suppose I'll give them this one but only if one chooses not to live in a good school district. Some of our friends in Texas went that route, and had reasonable taxes although sometimes no city sewer or water.

4. Low tax
See (3) above. It's a juggling act.

5. Pick your own big city
But, but, what if I don't LIKE living in a big city? I like smaller cities with a small town feel, like New Orleans or Honolulu.

6. Austin in particular
Pul-eeze. Maybe years ago, but now Austin is more and more becoming an annex of the Hotel California.

7. Family friendly
Where in the South is not family friendly, outside of the French Quarter? Granted, Mayberry R.F.D. was fiction, but old time values do survive to some extent throughout much of the South.

8. Fewer rules
That goes both ways. Others may obey fewer rules that we might wish they would obey, too.

9. Texans are normal people
Arguable. Tell me this after talking to a bull rider or a cheerleader's mother.

10. And they're not going anywhere
This is a reason to move to a location? I remember when I was teaching near Meridian, Mississippi (back in 1975), none of my students had ever been 50 miles away and none wanted to go away to college or leave the farm or gas station or whatever that their families ran. They just had no idea what was out there. I didn't really think that such limited scope was that much of a draw, or unique to Texas.

Overall, I really did like the Texans that I knew in Aggieland and I appreciate the values that most of them shared. The property taxes and above all, the deadly hot, dry summers and terrible tasting water in that part of Texas have detracted from College Station's appeal to me in retirement. The rest of Texas.... well, it's a whole 'nother country, as they say, and has much that I haven't explored.

You're hired!

 

[W2R]

You're hired!

Why thank you, but just a part time volunteer, suh....

Forgot to mention the time I was stung by hundreds of fire ants and ended up with boils at every sting! Owwwww.... I thought I would die. That was my "welcome", my first week in Texas, swimming out at the lake. Yes, they swim. We have fire ants here, too, but they aren't anywhere near as aggressive.

 

[eytonxav]

Another good repellant to keep the rif raf out of Texas are tornados and hail stones that can get as large as bowling balls.

 

[HighRoller]

Another good repellant to keep the rif raf out of Texas are tornados and hail stones

Actually I've seen it hail twice in the past month...

 

[haha]

I think the people moving to Texas are going A) for good jobs and B) for very reasonable cost of living, It isn't just housing, almost everything else is cheaper there too. Food, entertainment, getting your car fixed or some wiring done on your house, whatever is cheaper at least compared to our 2 expensive coastal areas.

I have always enjoyed my time there, and the people most of all. I just don't thrive in heat, though I bet Galveston, or some pier on the South Texas coast might be mighty fine.

Ha

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

Don't forget the brain-eating amoebas around here. It's untreatable, and nearly always fatal.

 

[ER Eddie]

Here is why I am NOT moving back to Texas, despite these 10 great reasons:

3. Homes
Homes are cheap to buy, but that is only the beginning. The lower purchase prices may be countered by shockingly high property/school taxes, especially if you live in a good school district like we did. I'd rather pay off the house/mortgage and be done with it, rather than incurring such high annual property tax left to pay for eternity. OK, I suppose I'll give them this one but only if one chooses not to live in a good school district. Some of our friends in Texas went that route, and had reasonable taxes although sometimes no city sewer or water.

I inherited a few condos in Dallas last year, and I was shocked when the property taxes came due. I got a bill from the county, from the city, and from the school district. Geez, everyone wanted a chunk. And a big chunk, too, much bigger than they want here in MS.

6. Austin in particular
Pul-eeze. Maybe years ago, but now Austin is more and more becoming an annex of the Hotel California.

I used to live in CA, so I think I know what you mean (materialistic and superficial). I did appreciate the open-mindedness of CA culture, but I'm guessing that's not what you're referring to. That open-mindedness seems to have existed in Austin already and I imagine is part of why Californians gravitate there (it was part of my attraction, too).

Anyhow, appreciate you breaking it down for us. I had Texas and specifically Austin high on my list of contenders, but conversations like this are making me drop it way down the list. I think the weather and lack of hills/mountains/forests kills it for me, too. I've always felt at home in the woods/hills, and I'd want to at least be within close driving distance of them.

And I don't do well in heat. I live in MS now, which is really hot 4 months out of the year (if you're in New Orleans, you know). I'm guessing central Texas is even hotter than MS, and probably drier. Yuck.

 

[HillCountry]

I moved to Austin in summer of 2008, from SF Bay area.

For me it is the kids' education, and living expense. DW don't have to work, and can dedicate more time and attention to the kids.

Extremely happy with my move.

I do miss Sierra Nevada. But hill around here is comparable to coastal range. And I walk on Barton Creek trail every day, including summer.

 

[W2R]

Anyhow, appreciate you breaking it down for us. I had Texas and specifically Austin high on my list of contenders, but conversations like this are making me drop it way down the list. I think the weather and lack of hills/mountains/forests kills it for me, too. I've always felt at home in the woods/hills, and I'd want to at least be within close driving distance of them.

And I don't do well in heat. I live in MS now, which is really hot 4 months out of the year (if you're in New Orleans, you know). I'm guessing central Texas is even hotter than MS, and probably drier. Yuck.

The dryer, intense summer heat in College Station was brutal, in my opinion. Everything dried up and got brown. I much prefer the humid heat here in New Orleans, with out-of-control lush wet greenery. College Station has the huge advantage of no devastating hurricanes, though. So, the climate is a toss-up.

But really, despite my post, Texas is one of my top states (if it was just me; my sweetie doesn't like Texas). Despite all the joking around and criticism, Texas has considerable appeal for me. For one thing, I am an Aggie and that makes a difference.

 

[meierlde]

I note an emphasis on the big cities in Tx. I say live 60-80 miles out from Houston, that would include Huntsville, Bryan College Station and Nacogdoches, Dallas would include also Tyler and Longview, the hill country or Segin for San Antonio and Austin, as San Marcos and New Braunfels are falling into the new supercity between San Antonio and Austin. You can find towns with at least a full size walmart superstore. Living 60 miles from San Antonio, I find that I can get most everything except food on the web, and there are enough different grocery chains in town.
Now then decide if you want to be in the city limits or outside them. (You want to be on a county dedicated street however) You can find areas with private water systems etc.
Note that Huntsvill and Nacogdoches have state colleges, as well as San Marcos, and Tyler (at least). Or if you want high country in the middle of nowhere there is always Alpine which has a college but is 200 mi from El Paso. (Very different climate wise from East Texas however).

 

[Idnar7]

When living in Austin we went out on a launch for Stripers on Lake Buchanan. Once we came in they cleaned our catch for us and threw the guts in the lake. Having grown up on a lake in MN we did this also to feed the turtles. Didn't know in Texas it meant feed the snakes. About 20 came slithering in to clean up the guts. I don't think I ever went in a lake again. Should also mention the Brown Recluse spiders. The wife of out VP got bit reaching in to the cupboard and darn near lost an arm.
Hope that helps REW.

 

[REWahoo]

When living in Austin we went out on a launch for Stripers on Lake Buchanan. Once we came in they cleaned our catch for us and threw the guts in the lake. Having grown up on a lake in MN we did this also to feed the turtles. Didn't know in Texas it meant feed the snakes. About 20 came slithering in to clean up the guts. I don't think I ever went in a lake again. Should also mention the Brown Recluse spiders. The wife of out VP got bit reaching in to the cupboard and darn near lost an arm.
Hope that helps REW.

Thanks! Your effort in getting the message across is greatly appreciated.