Where in Texas would you live?
- Thread starter LightninInside
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is Mogadishu (Jackson). Using FBI crime data, Jacktown exceeds the average US town in murders, rapes, roberies, burglaries, larceny/theft, and motor vehicle theft. If you are not murdered, you are in luck since the only major category that the crapitol city is slightly below average is in aggrevated assult. Have no fear, since the denizens of this third world outpost are working hard to bring this figure back in line.
I lived in College Station for a while and traveled around: if you could swing it, the San Antonio hill country area is a great place to live.
I lived in College Station for a while and traveled around: if you could swing it, the San Antonio hill country area is a great place to live.
I lived in the Dallas area for about 10 years. I liked it. Didn't like the landscape. You nailed it - flat with small, oblong trees. Everything that's anything is in Dallas though. Its got everything. Except landscape. And holy hell they have hail storms every year like you wouldn't believe. I dare say Mississippi has never seen hail like Dallas sees every single year.LightninInside said:
Houses are A LOT cheaper in Texas. Its amazing. Can only speculate that real estate never recovered from the crash of the oil boom in the 80s. Yet Plano is one of the most expensive suburbs. I prefer Richardson or Garland. Or....Fort Worth. The whole Fort Worth side of the Metroplex is a lot more laid back than Dallas. Bedford is a nice bedroom community in Tarrant County - very close to DFW airport too. I had an apartment there for a year and it was neat to stand outside at night and look at the hundreds of lights in the sky from airplane traffic. Bedford is also a few miles directly north of The Ballpark or whatever they're calling the Rangers Stadium now....which means it is also very close to Jerryworld. And Six Flags. Bedford was actually my favorite place to live. But spent most of my time in Garland due to a job move.
Have not lived in Austin, but know people that have. Austin rocks. That would be my pick, mainly for the landscape. I guess I could get used to not living 5-20 minutes from all the big professional sports that Dallas has. I doubt Austin gets all the concerts that Dallas gets. Still think I'd try Austin. Might not feel that way if I hadn't already been in Dallas.
Had relatives in Houston. Way too big for my taste. Houston is the 3rd biggest city in the nation.
Housing prices in both Dallas and YEWstun will be cheaper than Austin, but there's a reason for that. As you noticed, Dallas is flat for the most part, and seems to be begging tornadoes. YEWstun is an urbanist hellhole--high concentrations of people, flat, humid, and sublime criss-crosses of freeways going every direction. No offense to anybody who lives there--I have two cousins there, along with friends.
We just did four years in the Atlanta area, which we hated, and we just relocated to the Austin area last month, after years of trying to sell our house in GA. I had several opportunities to move to Dallas/Richardson/Plano for work, but as much as my wife disliked Atlanta (can't stress that enough), she didn't want to move to Dallas.
Now we're in Dripping Springs, and I work out of my house, similar to your situation. DS is beautiful--we have acreage, views for miles, and we're in the hills. Dripping Springs also just got a new HEB to go with their almost new Home Depot.
I've made one airport run so far, and it took about 35 minutes, but we're on the far side of Dripping Springs, almost in Blanco County.
I love it out here, and I highly recommend it.
We just did four years in the Atlanta area, which we hated, and we just relocated to the Austin area last month, after years of trying to sell our house in GA. I had several opportunities to move to Dallas/Richardson/Plano for work, but as much as my wife disliked Atlanta (can't stress that enough), she didn't want to move to Dallas.
Now we're in Dripping Springs, and I work out of my house, similar to your situation. DS is beautiful--we have acreage, views for miles, and we're in the hills. Dripping Springs also just got a new HEB to go with their almost new Home Depot.
I've made one airport run so far, and it took about 35 minutes, but we're on the far side of Dripping Springs, almost in Blanco County.
I love it out here, and I highly recommend it.
I've read them all and thank you for the replies. It was exactly the type of feedback that I was looking for.
I am not sure that Austin is going to be the best place for me and my family. Once the kids are both enrolled at MSU then Austin might be a good move. Too old to really get the most out of the bar scene and too young to think about retirement. Dallas is fugly but it's not out of the question. Based on some of the replies, I am really going to look hard at The Woodlands. It sounds like our kind of place. Houston airport is really the best to fly out of for direct flights on SWA. I have to go to CA a lot and doing it on one stop is an advantage.
I am going to try and visit at least Austin this weekend and possibly The Woodlands but it may be next weekend.
Any specific part of The Woodlands?
I am not sure that Austin is going to be the best place for me and my family. Once the kids are both enrolled at MSU then Austin might be a good move. Too old to really get the most out of the bar scene and too young to think about retirement. Dallas is fugly but it's not out of the question. Based on some of the replies, I am really going to look hard at The Woodlands. It sounds like our kind of place. Houston airport is really the best to fly out of for direct flights on SWA. I have to go to CA a lot and doing it on one stop is an advantage.
I am going to try and visit at least Austin this weekend and possibly The Woodlands but it may be next weekend.
Any specific part of The Woodlands?
M
Maron Whit
Guest
but of course that's just me. i love the cowtown type atmosphere of west texas, and i also love the food out there, i think it's the best anywhere, except maybe central american. Austin would be cool if I was in college, but I hear they have a big community area that's not as wild. If you want to be in Dallas, I'd live in Frisco but be prepared for miles and miles of city and concrete. houston is OK but is very hot - well, all of texas is hot, one of the hottest states in the country in the summers. I personally like San Marcos, had some family live out there, right south of Austin. Like some other poster said, that community outside Austin might be Dripping Springs, i can't remember, some old guy ona plane told me about it
There are tons of good family areas in and around Austin, both in the north and south parts of town.
If you want acreage, and you don't like it flat, stay west of 35--for that matter, stay west of the city to get in the hills. The first time we lived here, it was for eight years, and we lived in four different areas: Williamson County (almost in Cedar Park), then the Arboretum area, then two years in Wimberley, and then two years in southwest Travis County, mid-way between Oak Hill and Dripping Springs.
By far, living southwest of the city, out 290 towards Dripping Springs, has been our hands-down favorite. 290 gives you fast access to downtown (if you're taking relatives sightseeing), but you can also get some beautiful acreage if you're into that.
We have three young kids, 6.5, 3.5, and almost 2. We wanted to move somewhere our kids would love and hopefully want to stay near us when they get older. We didn't want to be in Atlanta, and we didn't want to move near our families in Mississippi.
That's one of the main things we love about Austin--we feel like our kids might just want to stay when they grow up. Can you say the same for Houston?
I loved the time we spent in Texas. We lived in Salado, an historic old town north of Austin. Austin has wonderful restaurants, great entertainment, exciting and eclectic downtown, and easy access to a more than adequate airport unless you have to travel overseas a lot. Close to Fredericksburg and all the hill country, easy drive to San Antonio, quick drive to Cabela's, the bats (a major attraction), and UT sports.
I would choose it in a heartbeat over Dallas and Houston as well as San Antonio.
I would choose it in a heartbeat over Dallas and Houston as well as San Antonio.
Try searching austinhomesearch.com in these zip codes: 78620 (Dripping Springs), 78737 (north Hays County between DS and Austin), and 78736 (southwest Travis, between Austin and DS).
That should give you a good idea about pricing for "family" type areas within easy reach (<30 miles) of Austin Bergstrom.
That should give you a good idea about pricing for "family" type areas within easy reach (<30 miles) of Austin Bergstrom.
Very nice place to live, just a little north of the city. You would want to live there if you had to be in the Houston area. There are some real nice houses off Lake Conroe as well. If you have to move to Dallas area I would say Arlington or Ft. Worth. San Antonio is not to bad, lots of stuff going on. You can't go wrong with Austin, just be ready to eat BBQ Brisket....Pork is no-where to be found out there. And if you ever want to go to the beach don't even think about going to Galveston. Just drive the extra miles down to Corpus Christi, you can thank me later. There are good people out in Texas and I miss it everyday, I am sure you will enjoy it where ever you chose to live....Good Luck!
The Woodlands is far north. Not very convenient.
I prefer SWA, but fly Continental to Houston so I can land at Bush Intercontinental on the north side, closer to my company's Houston office.
I would recommend Austin or the Dallas area. Austin area is prettier terrain. Traffic around Austin has been getting worse by the year, but if you don't have to commute in it you wouldn't be bothered by it.
If you want a small city, pick Austin. If you want a big city, pick Dallas-Ft. Worth area.
I prefer SWA, but fly Continental to Houston so I can land at Bush Intercontinental on the north side, closer to my company's Houston office.
I would recommend Austin or the Dallas area. Austin area is prettier terrain. Traffic around Austin has been getting worse by the year, but if you don't have to commute in it you wouldn't be bothered by it.
If you want a small city, pick Austin. If you want a big city, pick Dallas-Ft. Worth area.
I would choose Houston hands down: World class restaurants, pro sports, cool things to do with or without family, parks, museums, great bars, alot of nice, accessable golf courses, etc... There aremore single women over the age of 25 in Houston.
Austin is a fun place, but way too crowded. I also felt that the teaspippers are a bunch of Aholes. restaurants are good there are better in Houston. Music sceane is better than Houston, but Houston's bars are alot more fun...see comment about ut students.
All in all, I'd choose Houston. Just my 2 cents.
Austin is a fun place, but way too crowded. I also felt that the teaspippers are a bunch of Aholes. restaurants are good there are better in Houston. Music sceane is better than Houston, but Houston's bars are alot more fun...see comment about ut students.
All in all, I'd choose Houston. Just my 2 cents.
I'm about 5 minutes away from Bedford...360/183/trinity river area about a mile west of the dallas county line. Crazy enough...they call this a part of fort worth.FlabLoser said:
Got any suggestions around this area one should know about?
There are a lot of places to look for in The Woodlands. It sounds cheesy, but if you've never been there, and are interested in the area, you should absolutely go first to the Welcome Center. They have a big model of the entire area, which will let you get your bearings. The model shows where schools, churches, shopping, etc. are. The Woodlands is divided into "villages", and each village has its own shopping center and numerous neighborhoods.
If you're looking for new construction, check out the model homes. They can tell you where these are at the Welcome Center. You basically say "I like Model B", and they say "We have one of those in these 5 different places." Nearly all of the homes there are cookie-cutter type homes (not custom builds), but you can get a lot more square footage for the price than you'd get in Mississippi. Also, remember that they don't like little features like crown molding, and, since you pay no state income tax, they'll get you on the property tax.
Like someoneelse said,Houston Hobby is on theSE side of town (which is where you'll catch SWA).It's about a 45min-1hr drive, depending, of course, on traffic.The drive really isn't that bad because you can take the toll road and avoid most of I-45.
Send me a PM if you want more info. I'd be glad to help.
If you're looking for new construction, check out the model homes. They can tell you where these are at the Welcome Center. You basically say "I like Model B", and they say "We have one of those in these 5 different places." Nearly all of the homes there are cookie-cutter type homes (not custom builds), but you can get a lot more square footage for the price than you'd get in Mississippi. Also, remember that they don't like little features like crown molding, and, since you pay no state income tax, they'll get you on the property tax.
Like someoneelse said,Houston Hobby is on theSE side of town (which is where you'll catch SWA).It's about a 45min-1hr drive, depending, of course, on traffic.The drive really isn't that bad because you can take the toll road and avoid most of I-45.
Send me a PM if you want more info. I'd be glad to help.
know that no one lives there. The town literally consist of a dancehall/bar with dirt floors, post office and a feed mill but funny none the less.
Of the big three mentioned, I'd vote Houston IF and I repeat IF you can tolerate horrendous traffic. Live in the Woodlands or Kingwood areaor better yet, get a bit outside the city near Lake Conroe. Enjoy a high quality of life near Conroe or on LakeConroe itselfwhile working from home, but remain close to all that Houston has to offer with respect to entertainment and fine dining. The climate sucks in Houston, but it is nothing you haven't experienced already in Mississippi. There are many, many Mississippi State alumni in the Houston area.
Dallas is okay, but there aren't a lot of trees. The pretty trees disappear about 30 to 40miles west of Tyler, TX. Ft Worth is maybe better than Dallas. You could live between the two and enjoy both. Lots and lots of yuppie suburbs with a good public school system there. The DFW area definitely doesn't suck.
Austin sucks hind tit unless you are still single,gay, or just a huge UT Longhornfan.It's hot as hell there in the summer. Traffic is terrible in Austin itself. If you move to that area, consider Round Rock just north of Austin proper.
Dallas is okay, but there aren't a lot of trees. The pretty trees disappear about 30 to 40miles west of Tyler, TX. Ft Worth is maybe better than Dallas. You could live between the two and enjoy both. Lots and lots of yuppie suburbs with a good public school system there. The DFW area definitely doesn't suck.
Austin sucks hind tit unless you are still single,gay, or just a huge UT Longhornfan.It's hot as hell there in the summer. Traffic is terrible in Austin itself. If you move to that area, consider Round Rock just north of Austin proper.
I really enjoy independentbusinesses, as they sort of give the community its own identity. There is no place with a more thriving independent market than Austin, TX.
Just wanted everyone to know that I have read everything posted and am taking it all in. Thanks to ALL of the people who have PM'd me and given advice in this thread. It really has helped since I had no real idea about any of this until I posted here. (short notice about the move)