Corpus Christi (Houston, San Antonio, Austin: appointed, spring break, real estate)

[Jillian]

Hello!! I am a SWF, divorced two years, I currently live in TN. I have come to loathe this GodForsakenHellhole and am looking to relocate...............start over.........find a new beginning. I have been researching different areas, states, cities using criteria such as housing affordability, safety, job outlook, taxes, government, growth potential. I like the South, I love the West, the Eastern and Northern states were not a consideration. I prefer a small to mid-size city, but will consider a large metropolitan area.

Maybe I am wrong or interpreting the data incorrectly, but it seems as though a lot of Texas cities might be a well-kept secret, they kept popping up in a lot of my searches. I didn't even consider Texas until I was forced to really look at this data and I realized the Lone Star State might very well be the place for me!

I have narrowed my search to the following cities:

Arlington/Fort Worth
Austin
Baytown/Pasadena
Beaumont/Port Arthur
Corpus Christi/Portland
Galveston/Texas City*
El Paso?
Killeen/Temple
Longview
San Angelo
San Antonio
Tyler
Victoria

there are a couple of other cities, but the above seem to interest me the most. I am in my 40's, have a college degree, 15 years in healthcare field, job longevity/stability..........so I don't worry to much about finding employment. I want to find the right city, near the beach, home comparable to the one I own (your real estate seems quite affordable), decent job.

What can you tell me about Texas? I just might become a CowGirl.

[jojogunn]

Stay in C.C..Im sure that you can find a grand ol time.

[spidey]

Your almost a cowgirl,but you must enjoy warm beaches alot.Mosquitoes
are hungry and need to be avoided can you do this?The money does come
in handy unless your idea is baloney,mustard and bread and roughing it
as you travel the roads on your way to no particular place around you.Cowgirls tend to roam and usaually don't stay in one place to long.
I hope this helps.I currently live in Fremont,Ca.,but soon
I'll be in Corpus or Portland for vacation this April for 1 mo.
Spidey

[sheri kent]

OK here's the scoop...Your are heading in the right direction. The southern area is a delight, You are close enough to the larger cities ie San Antonio and Houston even Mexico to have a great weekend outside of where you are looking to relocate, which also has it's own special ammenities. I lived in Port Aransas for 23 years and can help you find what you are looking for. I went down for spring break 23 yrs ago and stayed.That's a story within itself... I would be happy to share... life at the beach
[moderator CUT]

[tina]

Hi Jillian,

I was just reading your post, and I was curious to find out if you've made a decision. I lived in a town outside of Jackson, TN and moved to Texas in Sept 05. Hated TN - and wanted to relocate. Originally from central CA. I too am divorced and have two children 16 & 12. I am also in my 40's. I first moved to Austin. Austin has a lot to offer, but it was too over populated and expensive for me. There are some surrounding towns that are more affordable, if you can handle the traffic. Look at Round Rock, Pfflugerville.

I am now in the process of relocating to Corpus. It is very hot and humid if that doesn't bother you. Property taxes are sky high in Austin. The property taxes are more affordable in Corpus and the cost-of-living is more affordable also. I am having a difficult time adjusting to the weather. There is a high population of hispanics, so I just want to ensure that you consider that also. The people are very friendly. I guess it all depends on what you're looking for. If I had a choice, I'd go back to CA in a New York minute!

Best of Luck!
Good luck with your decision.

[agnescwall]

From Florida, sick of it here, also divorced, Grown children all going seperate ways, (although we're all very close)...I feel the need to "re-invent" too ! Corpus Christi looks good to me, too...prices are terrific, weather warm, jobs plentiful, and it keeps coming up on my searches, too. I love to house-hunt, and I've found so many homes in C.C. that would be way out of my price range here ! Been a nurse forever, so not worried about finding something.
Let me know if you go, or visit, and we'll do some more research.
Have you visited yet?

[NOTAM]

if you are a single female looking to have a social life, you may find yourself EXTREMELY disappointed in Corpus.......i am a 42 year old RN...divorced. NEVER had a problem finding a date...until i moved here. and it is NOT ME because my coworkers who are "LOCAL" say that it's just this area....they have problems finding single eligible men.
and if you are a COWGIRL you aint gonna find the "COWGIRL" life in Corpus..mark my words....i am a COWGIRL through and through, and there aint NOTHING cowboy'd up or cowgirl or TEXAN about Corpus or this area down here.
i am an RN by the way, the one thing i will say is the money is FANTASTIC. i am making more than i ever have-CUZ THEY ARE DESPERATE for nurses here cuz nobody wants to live down here as an RN cuz RN's can write their own ticket, live ANYWHERE and have jobs........so WHY would they want to live here? exactly, so that is why they pay so well.
p.s. i aint ugly-i am in good shape with long blonde hair, blue-eyed 5'8", look much younger than my chronological age, never had kids.........AND I HAVE NEVER HAD PROBLEMS FINDING A CASUAL DATE!!!!!!!!!!! (for those who have read my previous posts about dates, they are men who i know who live FAR away from here-HA! i have to IMPORT men just to be taken out to dinner!! pathetic!)

[NOTAM]

of your list, i would choose:
Arlington/Fort Worth
Austin
Killeen/Temple
San Angelo
San Antonio
***i have worked as an RN in the Ft Worth area-the jobs are plentiful, and it is COWGIRL HEAVEN. and by the way, on the Oprah show recently it listed Arlington as one of the top cities to find eligible bachelors!!! there are excellent hospitals in the area.
in Killeen you will find Ft Hood....lots of soldiers
in San Antonio you will find Ft Sam Houston, Lackland AFB, Brooke Army Medical Center-lots of military, plus of course lots of corporate types..not so "cowboy" but its still a great city to work and live in
in Austin, you will find plenty of opportunity, but it's pretty "liberal"
in San Angelo, you will be in cowgirl heaven, but there are only two major hospitals there, not much competition, so salaries wont be competitive
please PM me if you are still going to consider Corpus because you NEED to know about the hospitals there, i will give you some insider info. just remember, you aint going to find anything "cowgirl" or "quintessential Texan" about the area.......
i wish someone had warned me. i cant wait to get out of here, Sept/October cant come soon enough! (though i am grateful for all the money i have been able to make, but do want a LIFE!)

[Muhnay]

I love Corpus.. Stay away from El Paso though.. Some of the cities you have on your list are rather large and since you like smaller areas I would not consider them.. maybe something near by though.. like San Marcos TX in between Austin and San Antonio.

Some place I almost stopped on my way to Gulfport MS, was Fredericksburg TX. it has lots of charm, and is a small city but big enough to have you covered on what you may need. Its a bit further out from Austin and San Antonio.. but they are still close enough to hit when you want or need to. check it out it maybe just what your looking for..

http://www.fbgtx.org/ or http://www.fredericksburg-texas.com/

http://www.city-data.com/city/Fredericksburg-Texas.html

[Houstonkid]

I am 32 and lived in Corpus from 5yo to 24yo, it is not a place for single people. It is a large small town if you will. You can go on a date and eventually you and your date will find someone you both know. It has always been that way there. The dating pool is stagnent there. I moved to Houston and the options were endless