Is Texas as cheap as it seems? (Houston, Dallas: transplants, renting)

[pioneer8]

I am not as well informed about things like taxes, as many in this thread... I have a hard time understanding that stuff. But, having moved from FL to TX, I feel that what we are affording here (especially housing) is much more.

I wonder if a place becomes more expensive because so many want to live there.

or-

Is it sort of a reverse psychcology thing-
The place is expensive, so people THINK it is a better place to live- and thus move there.

I say this because I was in a TX store the other day and someone was VERY suprised that we "traded" FL for TX. Insinuating, FL was better.
I felt that they simply didn't know that TX has just as much, if not more to offer... They only came to this conclusion based on the pictures and advertisements they had seen of FL... Sandy white beaches, Disney etc... Sure those things are available, but they do not represent the state in such a romantic way on a daily basis (unless, your rich enough to live on the water). Anyway, based on people SAYING it was worth more, they concluded that it truly was-

Anyway, I hope I sound mildly clear.
To answer you question... Yes. I do think TX is a cheaper place to live and for the life of me, I can't figure out why.

One nice thing, if you have a job that will transfer you with your same salary- and move from expensive to less expensive... it is a wonderful thing!

[momof2dfw]

I don't think it is "cheap" but rather more realistic. I have traveled to the more "expensive" places of Florida and California and have even looked at the real estate. Sorry, but I am NOT paying over $1mil for a rundown trailer that is not even on the water in the Florida Keys. I am NOT paying close to $1mil for a 1950's 2/1 or maybe 3/1 ranch home w/ 1100 sq ft that has not been touched since the day it was built that sits on a main busy street. To me that is not just "expensive" but assinine. It seems as though some time ago someone that moved to Florida and/or California and bought a house rather cheap and then found a huge influx of people wanting, begging, to come there so they upped the price so high and they got it. So everyone else followed suit. At least that is my theory that is unproven . But if you think about it... Back in the 50's the real estate in Cali and FL was not that terribly high. People retired to Florida and they did not go to increase their spending. Then the booms hit where businesses were moving out of the N.E. and wanted sunshine so they hit the coastal states that have nice weather to entice people to move there. The landowners saw the rush and the people eager to move somewhere to where it was warm so they raised the prices so high thinking that hey, if their willing to pay it, I might as well take it. Heck, I'd do the same thing. Someone comes to the door w/ the right offer, I'm outta here. And don't you know that some of us native Texans have even thought the same thing when we see throngs of people moving here from other states that have ridiculously high real estate prices and we hear them say how cheap our real estate is... Their used to paying big bucks for real estate and rundown real estate to boot. My house is in GREAT condition, new, top notch upgrades, decked out to the nines, good school district.... Why not jack the price up and if they pay it, hey.

I mean really, let's think about it. The real estate market in Texas has not jumped up like it has in FL or Cali. I bought my house in 2002 and it has not doubled in price (if it had or does in the next year, FOR SALE). My relatives that moved from Dallas to Florida built a new home near the beach in a very nice neighborhood and in less than two years they sold it for double what they paid for it. They are glad they sold when they did, as soon as they sold theirs is when a huge influx of homes went on the market and it has become stagnant as is evidence on the Florida boards. Heck, even the first house I bought in 1992 has not doubled in price. That was new house that we had built in a nice area and compared to what the homes are in Cali and Fl is GREAT!

A few years back the market in the Dallas area kind of slowed down. The only houses that were selling were ones below $150K and over about $300K. We were having this discussion one time and someone could not believe that houses on the upper end were selling. That is when we bought ours and to tell you the truth, we had all of 6 houses to pick from and that was for ANYTHING over $300K and up for our entire area. They were selling faster than the sign could settle into the yard. Contracts w/ in the first week and multiple offers. The reason being is that people moving here from other states that sold much smaller houses for much more could buy these houses and the market of people in the Dallas area that were either scaling down from mega mansions to a more "modest" mansion, and those that were rolling with the market very well and did not suffer any hits were taking advantage of moving up. Right now there are houses going up for sale more. Some thing strange in our neighborhood, a house that sold back in April to a family that just relocated from Cali is on the market as of this week. We don't know the details but it could be a number of things, so who knows. One neighbor put their house on the market just to see if it would sell and they wanted top dollar if they did sell. They just became empty nesters and are looking to throw in the towel in 4 years so they just thought maybe they would scale down if the right offer came along. They got a contract the first week that is solid. Of course I along w/ the other neighbors want to interview any prospective neighbors, .

[caprockvista]

Prices in Ector and Ward counties for abundant raw, rural land has been historically reasonable....with underground water available for wells from 80 to 230 feet, private septic systems and nearby shopping, but has probably gone up 50% in the past year due to the increase in oil activity and the prospects of Penwell (west Ector County s/w of Odessa) being chosen as the site of Future-Gen...the new non polluting coal fired power plant which would bring in many workers.

Keep your eye on us....if we get it your tax dollars will be at work on this new experiment for power production.

caprockvista

[Steel Man]

San Antonio prices may not be doubling, but they are increasing at about 10% a year. This is especially true for new home developments. Sure, prices of raw material for homes is going up, but not by $20K in 6 months. I have also seen a huge increase in rental homes as investors buy as many houses as they can (especially in new home developments). Heck, on my street there are only 14 homes, and I know at least 4 of them are now rentals...3 of them still have the rental signs up... The turnover on rental homes is slowing (at least in my Northwest area) as there is a glut of them and I think that in a year or two, some of these investors will be dumping these homes (especially if they are making mortgage payments on them).

[Trail Majic]

Originally Posted by Bound for Texas

Because everyone puts up with it. Its a big rip off here in Cali. Especially for the people retired. We can't afford to live here.

People here are so money hungry that they forget the people who just barely make it.

I just heard that Vegas will arrest you now if you feed the homeless. That is so sad our county has turned away from our own people.

Sorry to change the subject.

Bound for Texas" I live in NC.Before it
was glory here but I'm ready to be moving to Texas soon.I am a person who played pro sports in the past and wanted to settle down in a relaxed lifestyle
and I'm only in my mid 40sand I thought NC was perfect,"WRONG" these ****
heaDs out of florida and the New England States have pretty well *****ed up this state for ever.I grew up on a small farm and I love the peaceful life,
These **** heads think if you have money,3 kids in drug rehab,play 72+ golf game,live behind a wall with security and let these dopey kids in 1 Saturday a month for a 2 hour visit you are an average American Family.To hell with this college educated bull**** way of life.These freaks can have it.I am ready for something different. I don't have kids and if this is what modern day kids are all about I don't want or need them.Pecos is a prettycountry town so is Eastland,Abilene,weatherford,Sierra Blanca & hundreds more and Van Horn is my favorite.John Madden is not the only sports guy who has eat in Chuy's
Reastaurant.I have too and sleep in Budget Inn,Motel 6,Days Inn.Bought gas at loves and the Cheveron.I own motel's and other businesses in NC.Soon as I sell this **** I'm headed for west Texas,quin salva,chance monahan .odessa
y midland,crane e big springs,soy Raynaldo

[gwugluud barcher]

Originally Posted by cdcdguy

The cost of living seems very low. I check real estate in many Texas cities, and find real buys, the bigger cities(Houston, Dallas, Austin) are higher, but still way lower than any other big cities I can think of. So, why? No personal income tax, but high property tax?

Is the overall cost still cheap, or, are there lots of hidden taxes? Most states that don't have personal income tax, must get the money from somewhere else. If you read the other states boards(Calif., Florida, and MANY others) you will hear they are leaving,just too expensive. But NOBODY says it about Texas. And some small cities like San Angelo, Beaumont, Longview, Midland, are downright cheap. How do you do it?

Well, don't worry, it won't stay that way long, not with everybody moving here. I'm not sure if it's Fort Worth's palm-lined beaches, or whether it's Dallas' majestic mountain ranges, but, by god, all of California and New York are emptying out of people and are in the fast process of populating north Texas shoulder-to-shoulder. And it doesn't help that everyone who gets into a 6-month-long marraige always think they have to automatically go out and get a bunch of pet babies just because they do the deed. Hey DeShaun and Asheley, it's okay to use condoms! Hear that, Pedro and Tiffany?

[lawrencewilliams]

Part of the reason Texas is cheap is that there are no zoning laws. They build whatever they want, where they want.

Binding arbitration in housing contracts mean that the builders don't have to pay attention to details and can build cheap quality houses because they know that you've given up your right to sue in case of construction defects. The builder will almost always win in arbitration because they are paying the arbitor..

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by lawrencewilliams

Part of the reason Texas is cheap is that there are no zoning laws. They build whatever they want, where they want.

Binding arbitration in housing contracts mean that the builders don't have to pay attention to details and can build cheap quality houses because they know that you've given up your right to sue in case of construction defects. The builder will almost always win in arbitration because they are paying the arbitor..

HUH? There are to zoning laws. Most of Houston has no zoning laws but that is hardly even 1/2 the state. As for most other cities/towns/counties they have zoning laws and some are VERY STRICT!

[southeasttexas]

Texas used to be very affordable. That was then... Now, you need to see what is in place. A previous poster mentioned property appraisals. They go up 10% a year so even if your "rate" doesn't change, so you will get a 10% tax increase every year. On top of this, Texans (mostly the "poor") have BOND MANIA. Every election we vote for more and bigger gov't and school expenditures. The poor don't pay taxes, so they always want more dollars spent. Sadly, it ends up going for fancy football stadiums, etc.

The Texas Legislature and Governor historically were fiscal conservatives (with the recent exception of Ann Richards), too. That is different now, though. The Republicans spend money like drunken Democrats (kinda like California, I guess).

Just being honest here. Texas "ain't what it used to be..."

[golfgod]

Yes the houses appear cheap; but in many cases you're getting what you pay for. Consider some of the following:

Cheap construction methods that will raise your utility rates, because of the heat our A/C bills are generally pretty high, remember 90% PLUS of your heat gain is through the ROOF. You really should build like you're up north, that means ridge and soffit vents and LOTS MORE insulation than you typically find in TX.

Our homeowner's insurance is NOT REGULATED. We pay over $1,000/year for a $270,000 house, with THREE PERCENT deductible. We also own a house in Colorado, roughly the same value, we pay $298/year for $1,000 deductible. BTW, it's the CO rate that's more in line with the rest of the country.

Our property taxes average close to 3% in the major metro areas, and evenin our small(ish) town with a pretty good industrial/commercial base we pay 2.70%, and that's on FULL MARKET VALUE. So we pay about $5K/year on our TX house and about $1800/year in CO.

Many school districts in TX do a pretty poor job and keep cutting "unneccessary frills", so you may be paying for outside instructors for any extracullicar activities other than football and cheerleading. When I came here in the '70s we understood that TX had a low ranking in K-12 (the politicians cry back then was "thank God for Mississippi and Alabama, so we're not at the very bottom") but at least our colleges were really top rank.

Unfortunately that is in the process of changing. About a year ago "Texas Monthly" had an article that said even TX A&M had a huge number (IIRC over 100) unfilled and UNFUNDED professorships!

These politicians that answer everything with "tax cuts, tax cuts, tax cuts" are like the pizza chains that keep cutting the price of pizza, eventually you end up with a pizza that no one wants to eat!

golfgod