Mcallen (Austin, Brownsville, Harlingen: condo, crime, lawyers)

[texastech]

I'm thinking of moving to Mcallen to take a generous job offer. What can you tell me about the city?

[NOTAM]

think about WHY it is generous. i am an RN and am recruited to lots of these border towns for some big sign on bonuses...tempting but know there is a reason behind it all. tread cautiously and do LOTS of research

[texastech]

Can you give me some negative aspects of the city?

[HerkyHerk]

I used to live near McAllen, and still somewhat do when I am not living in Austin.

McAllen, as well as the rest of the Rio Grande Valley, is engulfed in poverty. You will literally find homes made out of shacks in some areas of the Valley.

I would not be surprised if less than 20% of the total population of the area graduated high school. I am not exaggerating by any means.

Coupled with the aforementioned is the heavy traffic all over the Valley from Mexico, lots of uninsured drivers, racists and xenophobes (if you're not brown-skinned, you're not welcome. If you don't speak Spanish, be prepared to face rudeness).

There is not much to do in the Valley, aside from going to the littered beaches of South Padre Island, and going to tourist-ridden northern border towns of Mexico, which are far from sanitary or in decent condition.

There are no cultural events. No concerts go to the Valley, unless it's a band that was mildly popular in the 1970s.

No variety of food restaurants. Most of the eateries are fast-food places like McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King, Mexican restaurants and buffet Chinese restaurants (that's as international as the Valley gets. I am not kidding).

Crime is also high in the Rio Grande Valley and McAllen areas. Property crimes, stolen vehicles (which are mostly taken into Mexico), burglaries, murders, rapes, etc.

If you like to shop, you are at a loss. There are only 3 malls in the Rio Grande Valley, of which none are very good.

TexasTech, please, reconsider that job offering. They would not make such a job offering if they weren't desperate. I have known several individuals/families that have moved to the Valley for the lower cost of living, but have left after a year or two b/c of the lack of anything to do, the lack of a skilled workforce, the lower wages, and the list goes on and on.

Many of the doctors and lawyers choose to leave the Rio Grande Valley, including McAllen, b/c of frivolous lawsuits that swamp the courts.

If you do decide to move to the Valley, move to Harlingen. It is not as dirty or as bumper-to-bumper traffic as McAllen or Brownsville. Also, there are more high school and college graduates in Harlingen than McAllen or Brownsville, and is a higher-income town.

But please, if you can, avoid the Rio Grande Valley if you can. It is depressing, and looks like a run down town from the 1960s.

Please do more research, Texas Tech. And be VERY cautious.

[ORRIN0`]

Originally Posted by HerkyHerk

I used to live near McAllen, and still somewhat do when I am not living in Austin.

McAllen, as well as the rest of the Rio Grande Valley, is engulfed in poverty. You will literally find homes made out of shacks in some areas of the Valley.

I would not be surprised if less than 20% of the total population of the area graduated high school. I am not exaggerating by any means.

Coupled with the aforementioned is the heavy traffic all over the Valley from Mexico, lots of uninsured drivers, racists and xenophobes (if you're not brown-skinned, you're not welcome. If you don't speak Spanish, be prepared to face rudeness).

There is not much to do in the Valley, aside from going to the littered beaches of South Padre Island, and going to tourist-ridden northern border towns of Mexico, which are far from sanitary or in decent condition.

There are no cultural events. No concerts go to the Valley, unless it's a band that was mildly popular in the 1970s.

No variety of food restaurants. Most of the eateries are fast-food places like McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King, Mexican restaurants and buffet Chinese restaurants (that's as international as the Valley gets. I am not kidding).

Crime is also high in the Rio Grande Valley and McAllen areas. Property crimes, stolen vehicles (which are mostly taken into Mexico), burglaries, murders, rapes, etc.

If you like to shop, you are at a loss. There are only 3 malls in the Rio Grande Valley, of which none are very good.

TexasTech, please, reconsider that job offering. They would not make such a job offering if they weren't desperate. I have known several individuals/families that have moved to the Valley for the lower cost of living, but have left after a year or two b/c of the lack of anything to do, the lack of a skilled workforce, the lower wages, and the list goes on and on.

Many of the doctors and lawyers choose to leave the Rio Grande Valley, including McAllen, b/c of frivolous lawsuits that swamp the courts.

If you do decide to move to the Valley, move to Harlingen. It is not as dirty or as bumper-to-bumper traffic as McAllen or Brownsville. Also, there are more high school and college graduates in Harlingen than McAllen or Brownsville, and is a higher-income town.

But please, if you can, avoid the Rio Grande Valley if you can. It is depressing, and looks like a run down town from the 1960s.

Please do more research, Texas Tech. And be VERY cautious.

My, that a huge load of misconceptions if i ever saw one.

Honestly, you make it sound like the entire valley is a rundown, old shanty town fromt he great depression.

Are you aware of the fact that we have arena football, minor league baseball, A hockey team, new convention centers, and other cultural events?

The valley isn't buumper to bumper traffic, that exists in the other major ares like houston, san antonio, austin, dallas fort worth.

Mcallen has a lot mopre to offer than harlingen. I am far from saying the valley is perfect but then again, what place is perfect ....

[210]

If you're using arena football 2 (it's not even arena football, it's AF2) as a selling point for a city/region... well, then it doesn't have much to offer.

Herky was putting much on in her assessment of the Valley.

I know tons of people from work and through social gatherings who were from the valley at one time and left the minute they could.

The valley is very poor, very poor, and its economy is basically dependent on upper middle class Mexican nationals coming over and buying things.

[Cathy4017]

The valley is very poor, very poor, and its economy is basically dependent on upper middle class Mexican nationals coming over and buying things.

That's true...and it's also dependent on snowbirds, too.

I did some graduate work at UT PanAm in Edinburg--and lived in my uncle's golf course condo in McAllen (they stayed there only during the winter). I didn't stay for a second summer session. I left the next day after my final exams were over. That was 1977--and I have no desire to ever go back.

Parts of the valley are very pretty--but I would not want to live there or ever go back. The summers are horrible--hot and HUMID.

[Sampaguita]

Who are buying all the McMansions? My parents are considering moving to McAllen (to my family's dismay & alarm) and they've been looking at 3000 sf homes in gated communities. Everyone they've talked to down there enjoys life (they spoke to a mix of people). I would think that like in every other city, there are definitely areas to avoid. Is crime rampant everywhere?

I've read the stats & they definitely do not make me happy but my parents are seeing something that I don't see at all.

[Cathy4017]

I've read the stats & they definitely do not make me happy but my parents are seeing something that I don't see at all.

It all boils down to...different strokes for different folks.
There are nice areas and nice people in every town/city/area. McAllen DOES have some pretty residences, and your parents may love it. If I HAD to live in the valley, McAllen or Harlingen would be my two choices. But....

I just didn't like it at all. It's subtropical, hot and humid. It rarely ever gets cold there in the winter, though they can have occasional freezes. The drug/gang problems exist everywhere, so I am taking that into consideration, and doing my homework first, just like your parents are.

I hope they find what they are looking for....

[texastech]

What about positive aspects of the city? Weather? People? Golf?