Moving to Lubbock in the next month (West, Howe: real estate, apartments)

[nw.jose1]

Hello,

We are going to be moving to your city. I have been reading as much as possible to familiarize myself with the ends and outs. One thing I have read that concerns me is the utility bills. I have read the electric and water bills are very high.

We are a family of two who are gone during the day and set keep our thermostat around 78-80 during the summer and our levelized plan is 100.00 for a 1,000 sq ft. home here in Missouri.

We want to rent for the first year to get a feel of the city and to assure we want to stay. We would like to find a home around 1000 sq ft. We have been looking on Craiglist and it seems most homes are 3/1, it goes back to we do not need this much room and fear the utilities.

I have read several threads on apartment living, but we would really like to stay away from that if at all possible, but would be open to a duplex if it comes to this point.

Are the utilities as scary as I have read? Can you recommend duplexes or town homes?

Thank you

[rr2005]

Not sure where you got your info, but it's my understanding that utility bills in Lubbock are among the lowest in the state. I haven't lived there in several years, but our bills were lower there than anywhere else I've lived. We kept our thermostat on 78 all summer and our leveled electric bill was never over $100 in an 1800 sq. ft. home. Also, our gas bill was never over $50-$60.

[Westerner92]

Yeah, I'm not quite sure where you read about the bills. The utilities in Lubbock, apart from water, are among the lowest in the state. There are very few homes that would be around 1,000 sq. ft., and almost all of them will be in undesirable neighborhoods. There are nice duplexes and apartments scattered all over the city though.

[nw.jose1]

Thank you for responding I was reading about the Lubbock Power Light and their bills seemed to jump. It seems that smaller homes are not plentiful except for apartments, moving into a 1300 to 1400 sqft home would seem huge to us and so wasteful.

We are an older couple and really didn't want apartment to live next door to crying babies, those days are behind us.

[High_Plains_Retired]

I have always heard that utilities, in general, tend to be high in Texas. However, I have a city home in Albuquerque and a rural home north of Lubbock. I have family living full time in both houses but I can't tell much difference in the electrical costs. Add to that the fact that I'm also on a supposedly expensive rural electrical coop here on the farm. I can't compare water and heating costs as I have a private well and use wood and propane here in Texas and I use city water and natural gas in New Mexico. About the only general statement I would dare make regarding living costs in Lubbock is that Lubbock has some of the lowest costs in Texas for a city of it's size. However, housing costs seem to be rising faster now than they have in the past.

I don't blame you for not wanting to live in an apartment. My wife and I have had to do that in the past and, even when we were young, it was some of our most stressful times of our 42 years of marriage.

As a former small time landlord on the Texas South Plains, I would recommend that you contact a local realtor who handles rentals if you have no family or friends in the Lubbock area who can help you. I've gone that route in the past when moving to an unfamiliar city and state and had some success. Successful realtors are professionals and normally the landlord pays any realtor fees for handling rental properties. I apologize that I am not familiar enough with Lubbock's current realty world to make any recommendations.

At any rate, welcome to the Lubbock area if you decide to come.

[nw.jose1]

Thank you Mr. High, it is official today, Lubbock will be our new home. I am excited and scared as I have lived my life in the Ozarks with the beautiful mountains and lofty trees so the desert flat land somewhat concerns me.

I am sure Lubbock will have beauty of it's own.

[losttechnician]

Originally Posted by nw.jose1

Thank you Mr. High, it is official today, Lubbock will be our new home. I am excited and scared as I have lived my life in the Ozarks with the beautiful mountains and lofty trees so the desert flat land somewhat concerns me.

I am sure Lubbock will have beauty of it's own.

Pardon me for chiming in too, but I gotta say that Lubbock does have a beauty of it's own. Mostly the people, since the surrounding countryside takes some getting used to, but if you have an open mind even the flat surrounding will become a comforting sight for you after a while.

Welcome to Texas, and welcome to Lubbock!

[rr2005]

Originally Posted by nw.jose1

Thank you Mr. High, it is official today, Lubbock will be our new home. I am excited and scared as I have lived my life in the Ozarks with the beautiful mountains and lofty trees so the desert flat land somewhat concerns me.

I am sure Lubbock will have beauty of it's own.

Although lacking in landscape, West Texas sunsets are really a sight to behold. Lots of luck in your move!

[High_Plains_Retired]

Originally Posted by nw.jose1

Thank you Mr. High, it is official today, Lubbock will be our new home. I am excited and scared as I have lived my life in the Ozarks with the beautiful mountains and lofty trees so the desert flat land somewhat concerns me.

I am sure Lubbock will have beauty of it's own.

Yes, the Ozarks are indeed beautiful! I have a sister and a sister-in-law who have lived with their families in the eastern edge of the Ozarks in Oklahoma for many years. Years ago right out of school, I took an interview for a job at Wagner, Oklahoma. That would have been pretty close to both families.

The South High Plains will be a definite change for you. It was for me when I came out from the Pineywoods of deep east Texas some 40 years ago. However, I grew to love the low humidity, the wide open landscapes and horizons that begin forty miles out and especially the people.

The wide vistas have their pros and their cons. The astounding beauty and color of the wide sunsets and sunrises are definitely a plus. Out here beyond the city lights, the nighttime star fields are also incredible.

However, one should keep in mind that where there are no obstacles like trees or mountains, wind is absolutely unfettered. The spring winds on the South Plains can be a real pain in the neck if you have to work out in it. This year I suspect will be bad for blowing dust as we are still in a drought. Today was bad.

There's no doubt that my own heart is hooked out here. However, to be totally honest with you, some of my love for this wild and flat part of Texas likely derives from the wonderful wife the Texas South Plains raised and gave to me so many years ago. Together, we have built some very good memories here and hopefully we have time to build some more.

As far as living inside the city of Lubbock, the best parts of Lubbock are in the west and southwest with the newer parts out in the southwest outside the Loop 289. There are some folks here on CD that can give you more detailed information about the good and bad areas of Lubbock. Hopefully, they can help. My wife and I once owned a small home in southwest Lubbock but that was about 30 years ago. We were at the edge of town near Slide and 96th Street but that is definitely not the end of town any more.

If you seek a more rural environment to rent or buy, there should be some properties around. However, as desolate as my tiny farm is (35 miles to Lubbock's NE edge ), I have had queries from people at Lubbock about renting or buying it so I'm guessing rural properties with acreage may be somewhat hard to find. However, keep in mind mind that I have not followed local real estate trends now for a couple of years. Whether it's rural or city property you seek, I would recommend an established local realtor to help you.

Anyway, be safe in your travels to the South Plains and again, Welcome!

[nw.jose1]

I want to thank y'all for all your replies and best wishes. We are coming with an open mind and we don't require much we like to keep things simple. We will be looking for a church and great restaurants first thing out the gate.

Thank you again.