Corpus Christi (Orange, Robstown, Aransas Pass: insurance, how much, house)

[bluedog12]

we like the corpus area but are concerned about hurricanes and storm surge.from what i have gathered the calallen or portland areas are 35-40 ft above sea level.would this area or elevation be relatively safe from storm surge?

[fish2026]

Well theres no need to be paranoid- did you know 400,000 americans die each year from smoking and 300,000 from obesity? The chances of dying in a hurricane if youre not in certain parts of florida or new orleans is REMOTE. Any of those places are fine. Dont forget Rockport and Aransas Pass.

[cuivre]

Texas A&M Univ. has models for storm surge for every city on the Texas Coast. Be sure to find out if any property you're going to buy is on a flood plain--otherwise the insurance on it will be through the roof. The FEMA web site has this information for free.

The older homes in Corpus are on stubby stilts, for good reason. In a torrential downpour the whole darn town floods! You see the taller stilts in the flood plains. The newer homes are slabs, which I don't entirely trust.

The Corpus Christi area gets less flooded than most, but each hurricane has its own personality. Logically trying to figure out a place to live in this area that is "safe" from hurricanes is a complete waste of mental energy. Inland, sea-level, how your house is built--hurricanes don't care. They are highly unpredictable, no matter how much data the media blab about.

A word to the wise: do not think locals are putting you on or overreacting about hurricanes if you decide to land here. This is serious business, and their unpredictability prompts a lot of us to just board up and boogie--usually for nothing I might add, but if you've ever had to hunker down and ride one out...

[NOTAM]

i would think Calallen would be relatively safe. i love Calallen! just drove there last week to do some shopping and it is a VERY VERY nice "suburb" of Corpus but feels real far out-very nice big ranches in the area. alot of the docs live there. high dollar subdivisions. but also reasonable priced modest home. just remember-Nueces County property taxes (high)..i would head a bit further west and go to Orange Grove and enjoy lower Jiim Wells County property taxes, and wide open spaces AND AND AND proximity to the great Lake Mathis!!! great area

[Muhnay]

Is YADA2 still out there.. its an internet cafe.. it was in Robstown.. that was/is a real nice area near Corpus.

Dont worry about hurricanes, there is always enough warning, and Texas has a great evac plan. Just like any place if you plan for it, its not so bad. Like one person said you board up.. and boogie.

[NOTAM]

i drive through Robstown all the time...didnt know there was anything there except Joe Cotton's BBQ....is it an actual town? i have never gotten off 77 over there to check out if it has a real main street or shops. i pass by it when i go to Corpus or to Tractor Supply Company........it seems pretty rural of a town-not much but farm implement type businesses......i dunno...that's just my impression.

[Muhnay]

I recall a couple small strip malls.. 5-6 business in each with some nice homes all around.. not much other than that.. I just went there to hang at YADA2. We would take 44 up from Corpus to it.. yeah its a real town.. from what I understand a pretty upscale one too. Flour bluff used to have a bad rep for drugs.. so stay away from there.. now that may of changed in a years time. Did they finish the new bridge out to the island?

[NOTAM]

Flour Bluff has a good and bad area. and the bad area aint so bad. I work with nurses who live there and love it. I also have a good friend, married couple who live there and have a comfortable safe life there.
dont know if the bridge is new-since i never had been to the Texas Gulf until two months ago. but it looks new. i think it is

[Muhnay]

Is it two lanes or head on traffic one lane each way? If its more than one lane both ways then its new. =) Thats good to hear, that the bluff has cleaned up.

Can you find out if they are closing the navel base there or in Aransas? it was on the brac list, and I am worried that if it closes the economy will suffer.. making Corpus less livable.