Native Floridians living in Texas (Houston, San Antonio: hotel, house, buy)

[GR82BAGATOR]

I am a native Floridian that is thinking about moving in the next few years and would like some input from other Floridians that have moved to TX. If there are any out there, I would like to know how you feel about the weather, schools & economy, in comparison to Florida of course! I will be graduating with a Business degree and would be looking for a corporate position and would have 2 children in HS and one starting college. We are looking at the Pacific Northwest too but my husband likes the sound of San Antonio better!

I recently returned from a trip to Portland and so far what is making me want to move to the PNW is the pace (much slower than FL), the people (seem to be much nicer than the over-populated areas of FL)...I still think native Floridians ROCK...& I like the fact that they have seasons out there! I have never been to TX but we are planning to see it soon, as to compare there too!

Oh & I am from North Central Florida (Gainesville/area)....Any comments/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[majormadmax]

I am from Jacksonville, and went to school in Gainesville (UF 89), and now live in San Antonio (retired from the USAF in 2005). I also was stationed in the PNW (Mountain Home AFB in Idaho), so I guess I have some perspective that may be useful.

Whereas I love Jacksonville, I could never live there again. I guess it has something to do with Wolfe quote of "You can't go home again," every time I go back I feel like I am regressing to being a teenager again. About the same thing applies to Gainesville, it was a great place to go to school but it is geared toward 18-22 year olds.

So why San Antonio? Well, let me start off by saying I wasn’t thrilled with this place at first, but considering I came here to attend USAF basic training you can see why it left a bad taste in my mouth. Six years later, I was back for officer training. I liked it a little better, but didn’t want to live here. Then, in 1999, we got assigned here after being in Germany for four years. I hated leaving Germany and didn’t like Texas too much (mainly because I hated leaving Germany), but after about a year I really grew to like it. The more we got out and did stuff, the more I liked it; and having a family made a difference as I feel this is really a family-oriented town. We left after three years for another assignment in Europe, this time to Belgium; and when the time came to pick a place to come back to and stay (I knew I was retiring), we decided on San Antonio. Here is our list of the reasons why.

1) Family-friendly. As mentioned, this is a family-oriented town with lots to do. Nary a weekend goes by without us doing something. And this forum has been a great source of info even for folks who live here. I would never have known about all the spooky places around San Antonio had it not been for this site. And yes, one weekend we did visit several of them.

2) The weather. Yes, Florida is hot and humid as well; but for some reason it is more tolerable here. And less mosquitoes, which is a good thing. I distinctly remember one morning in Belgium when I was trying to remove several inches of ice off my car, I recalled never having to do that here. Oddly enough, we had an ice storm this past winter, but nothing like we were used to in Europe.

3) The Hill Country. I love it. Sure, it doesn’t compare to the Alps in southern Bavaria; but it is really beautiful beyond belief. I think one of the reasons I live on the NW side of town is so I can see the Hill Country. If I had the money, I would buy the biggest ranch I could afford out there. Unfortunately, I don’t have the money; but that doesn’t stop us from experiencing one of the most beautiful places in this state.

4) It’s cheap. We got a new 3200 sq ft home for $240K, with about $40K in upgrades. A similar house in north Florida would easily cost an additional $100K. And the average cost of living is cheap, gas is a few pennies less per gallon than most places, and if you are resourceful you can eat at some good restaurants without paying a lot of money.

5) Everyone is friendly here. OK, except for when they are driving. But for the most part, and more so when you get out of the city, Texans are friendly people. It is not uncommon for folks to wave when they pass by out in the country.

6) It’s Texas. There’s no place else like it. Between the Hill Country, longhorn cattle, armadillos and everything else that makes this place special. I still travel to Europe a lot, and most people get excited when I tell them I live in Texas. They think we all still ride horses and carry six-shooters, and in some places that still holds true. But there is something special about this state that you just have to experience to know.

This is just one guy’s opinion, but I would strongly encourage you to come out for a visit and see what you think. It isn’t for everyone, but given the choice between north Florida and south-central Texas, I would choose the same way I chose. It ain't perfect, but it is home...

Cheers! M2

[majormadmax]

Oh, and I really didn't answer a few of your specific questions. For one, my two sons are in elementary school, but the NISD here is way better than in Duval County. The economy is similar, but don't be surprised if salary offers are lower as the overall cost of living is lower. I addressed the weather, and as for corporate positions, I don't know too much about that but there are several corporations here (USAA being one of the biggest). However, there are also a lot of college grads who are looking for the same kind of jobs, so there is competition. As I said, I retired and now work as a contractor for the government. San Antonio is a big military town, with three major bases and a large military population (active duty and retired).

And I forgot to compliement you on your screen name! Go Gators! I hope we beat LSU this weekend, I work with a guy from there and have been catching a lot of flak from him over our loss last Saturday.

If you want more specific info on the area, send me a PM. And there is a big Gator club here in town!

Cheers! M2

[GR82BAGATOR]

Thanks...my husband will be happy to hear all that! He's been pushing me to go to River Walk.
Oh, and if Sr. Gators can stop getting arrested at 4:30 am, no less, we just might have a chance at LSU....It's been feeling like we're FSU (criminals...haha) with the arrest and the questioning of some Gators about a shooting downtown. and it's GREAT to know there are some Gators there because I am DIE HARD and you know how obnoxious we can be...haha Thanks Again!

[majormadmax]

Has your husband been here before? The Riverwalk is nice, a bit touristy but still a nice place to go for the evening. Actually, downtown San Antonio is quite nice, on occassion I get down there during the day and it is quite a busy place. Honestly, I don't see how anyone could not like this town, but that is just my opinion. It does have its downsides...rapid growth, traffic, etc; but all that can be attributed to it being a popular place to live. Plus we have a lot of entertainment...SeaWorld, Six Flags, Schlitterbahn. And there are some nice colleges here for your kids...USTA, St Mary's, Our Lady of the Lake, UT in Austin and SWT in San Marcos (one of my favorites).

Cheers! M2

[GR82BAGATOR]

No but I think Texas sounded better to him because it was still the south and closer to Florida...PNW is clear across the map but it was sooooo beautiful in Oregon & there was so much to do/see compared to Florida!

[majormadmax]

Yep, I loved Idaho, the Sawtooth Mountain Range is gorgeous! But my wife prefers warmer climates, and as I get to travel to Europe on occassion, I get the chance to hike mountains.

We drive back to Jacksonville to visit my mom, it isn't a bad trip...all I-10. It is 1100 miles and takes about a day and a half. We usually stop at a Drury Inn in Lafayette, LA as it is a nice hotel, has a hot tub and pool (great after driving all day), and is right next to a Cracker Barrel. Plus my mom flies out every now and then, it is an easy flight but usually requires a stop either in Houston or Atlanta.

Let me know if you have any questions, and check out the Alamo City Gator Club web site!

Cheers! M2

[LokiKay]

just wondering... know of any good ga/fl parties? Just recently moved here from southeast Ga, about sixty miles from the line.


How bout them dawgs?!

[sgarnett]

San Antonio is a great city, but for a family, I would recommend living outside of the city limits. There are a number of smaller towns around San Antonio that would provide a quieter setting and much lower taxes. New Braunfels, Spring Branch, Boerne, to name a few.