Corpus Christi and surrounding communities for future retirement (Lubbock, Amarillo: real estate, rent)

[Hartwick]

My wife and I are investigating Corpus Christi and the surrounding communities as potential retirement sites. We visited Corpus Christi, Rockport, Aransas Pass, Padre Island, and Portland a few years ago(in July!) and liked the area and the weather.

We are seeking current information and opinions about Corpus and surrounding communities. Of prinipal concern are crime rates (as related to our being safe when in the community, and our home and autos being safe from theft, etc.), availability of quality medical care, reasonable cost of living(especially groceries and utilities) and homeowner's and auto insurance rates.

We are aware of the summer's heat and humidity and are more than willing to have that weather than bitter cold, snowy, gray, long miserable winters here in New York State(which has 2 seasons...winter, and almost winter).

Any information and opinions will be greatly appreciated.

[loose cannon]

Corpus Christi looks nice. I just saw a very controversial film that was made there. It was Elvis the King. Nothing to do with the singer. A very disturbing film. I doubt if you'd like it. But, anyway it looked fairly scenic minus the oil factories.

[Wpgman27]

My family and I visited Copus Christi last spring from Winnipeg, Canada and spent some time looking at real estate throughout the area but in the end , we really like North Padre Island. It seemed more like a tropical resort island but without the development- upscale housing communities, golf, tennis, and of course the beaches.
We bought a lot on the island because we thought the prices were very reasonable but have decided to sell because we are still a number of years away from building. I am going to purchase a condo that I can use during vacations and rent out.

Great place

[Tom M.]

HI: We too are from upstate NY and agree that the winters here are a bit long. I have never visited Corpus Christi but both my wife and I are looking forward to doing so this winter. If the weather compares to Orlando, Florida I expect we will strongly consider moving there. The price of real estate seems reasonale when compared to Florida where prices in recent years has hit the roof. Also, the number of people has grown by leaps and bounds. Good luck in your search.
Tom

[TughillTina]

Originally Posted by Hartwick

My wife and I are investigating Corpus Christi and the surrounding communities as potential retirement sites. We visited Corpus Christi, Rockport, Aransas Pass, Padre Island, and Portland a few years ago(in July!) and liked the area and the weather.

We are seeking current information and opinions about Corpus and surrounding communities. Of prinipal concern are crime rates (as related to our being safe when in the community, and our home and autos being safe from theft, etc.), availability of quality medical care, reasonable cost of living(especially groceries and utilities) and homeowner's and auto insurance rates.

We are aware of the summer's heat and humidity and are more than willing to have that weather than bitter cold, snowy, gray, long miserable winters here in New York State(which has 2 seasons...winter, and almost winter).

Any information and opinions will be greatly appreciated.

Ditto-new york state winters are miserable aren't they..........Yuck, Yuck, Yuck, now if I could just convince my husbands whole family to move......let us know where you end up, Texas gets my vote over Florida.

[jim mixon]

My wife and I returned to Texas after living in California for a number of years. We love it in Rockport. It is an upscale community on the move and if you like to fish or golf, this is the place. Plus it is uncrowed and you can purchase almost anything you need here.

Best regards and Merry Christmas,

Jim

[golfer47]

The tax rate is high in Nueces county. There is a large Hispanic population(racism to consider). There is a saying here that you have two seasons-hot and hotter. The tax's are sky rocking for people on the island. The news in the paper is several people that are on fixed incomes are having to sell their homes because they can't pay the ever increasing tax's. If thinking about moving here look at surrounding counties.I can't wait until I retire and move AWAY FROM HERE.

[cuivre]

Of this area, Rockport is the nicest, lowest crime rate, lowest taxes, etc. However, closest hospital is in Aransas Pass, and it's a dinky one a ways down the road. Corpus is about a 40-minute drive, which has good hospitals. If you don't need a hospital, the local docs are just fine, and also Corpus docs have branch clinics in Rockport that operate 1-2 days a week. I moved back to Corpus from Rockport when I started to get kidney stones and needed an emergency room.

You've got to live in Corpus a while to appreciate it--in fact there's a joke that if you've moved away and come back, you definitely know you're from Corpus. All the negatives said so far are true, but the majority of the population is absolutely the salt of the earth--and that includes all ethnic backgrounds who live here. Takes some time to get to know folks and quit focusing on all the obnoxiousness sometimes, but well worth it. It's what keeps me here--heat, hurricanes, multicultural issues and all. Let's face it, Corpus doesn't have much real charm. But no matter--the people are great (the ones who are minding their own knitting that is).

I know a lot of newcomers like North Padre Island, and I don't blame them. It's a lovely lifestyle. However, everything on The Island will be gone when a hurricane comes close enough. The storm surge from Rita in 2005 filled in a channel developers were dredging out there, and we never got a drop of rain. We've been lucky for going on 3 decades, but it will happen. The Yankees seem to think we locals are joking or overreacting about hurricanes, but you find very few of *us* buying out on The Island. If you have the sense to get well inland if one gets close, and you don't mind losing everything you don't take with you, go for it. It's temporary, though.

[NOTAM]

for all of yall who are negative about the area, all i can say is....you have to live AWAY from Texas to appreciate Texas-and I mean ANY part of Texas. I am a West Texas girl all the way, and definitely out of place here, and it is a culture shock, but I am here in South Texas for a contract, and big money is the only reason i am here. It aint my cup of tea but let me tell ya, i am VERY thankful i am back in Texas, no matter where I am.
once i am done with the contract, and have a nice bank account, i will find my piece of paradise in the barren flatlands of the Panhandle, love it-tumbleweeds and all.
and for those who say there are only two seasons here-hot and hotter...yeah right....so why have I spent the last month bundled up in my warmest hunting gear from Cabela's? and my tall UGG Australian boots?
it's freakin freezing here

[Muhnay]

I happen to like Amarillo.. even considered moving out that way. Never been to Lubbock though, not that I can recall.

Thats true bell.. you have to live away from Texas to know what your missing. I have to have my mountains Bell.. the flatlands just not my thing.. =) But then again I guess looking for miles and seeing a sunset off the distant horizon must be really nice.