looking for former Californians living in Texas (Dallas, Austin: best city, sales)

[Marat]

I lived in Riverside, and now live in Austin. Actually, I lived in Austin before California too, but I'm not a native. That being said, I recommend Austin highly. While you will find much lower costs of living in any Texas city compared to California, you'll find less crime and traffic problems in Austin compared to Houston or Dallas areas. Schools probably a little better too. Austin is the most liberal, laid back city in Texas, much more like California than any other city here. That may or may not be a good thing for you, but it is something you should be aware of if looking at Austin for relocation. You can learn more about Austin here.

http://www.austin360.com/lifestyles/content/lifestyles/tia/2006/index.html (broken link)

[Sampaguita]

What is the Cali attitude I keep seeing references to? Until about a year ago, I was constantly traveling the US for work so maybe I just haven't picked up on it. I joke around that I paid rent for 8 yrs so that my furniture had a place to live - that's how little I really interacted with people in the area. I will admit to feeling that kids seem to have absolutely no manners or respect and that people out & about (shopping malls) are pretty rude.

BOUND FOR TX - my husband won't even contemplate using a realtor because we can't afford to have a realtor make 30k selling our house (we had to re-fi for medical expenses). He wants to go FSBO. My dad is a realtor & he thinks DH is making the right call. I guess he's still smarting from the fact that WE found our current house on our own & still had to pay the realtor who had found nothing for us to look at. Good luck with yours!

[Steel Man]

Sampaguita,

Take a look at the Help-U-Sell web site. It helps you sell the house without a lot of the legal hassel...and you save lots of money.

(broken link)

[Sampaguita]

Thanks SM! You're helpful as always!

[texasdreamin]

Another thing your husband may contemplate doing (which is what I am going to do) is to pay the $600 and take the online real estate course and sell his own house. Will save a LOT of money.

As for the attitudes of kids in Cali these days...words cannot even describe the rudeness.

[BobTex]

Dreamin' ...... the boots are the ticket but just blue denim ...... I never see fringe anymore.!

BTW ...... I bought my first car after high school in Tpton, Indiana (between Kokomo and Indianapolis).

And on the Country music thing ..... I work in the city that is home to Tracy Byrd, Mark Chestnut, and Clay Walker.......Beaumont.

Hurry up!

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by texasdreamin

Another thing your husband may contemplate doing (which is what I am going to do) is to pay the $600 and take the online real estate course and sell his own house. Will save a LOT of money.

As for the attitudes of kids in Cali these days...words cannot even describe the rudeness.

That's actually what my husband wants me to do. I had my realtor license many many years ago in NY so he thinks it would be a piece of cake. Er. I don't remember much from 20 yrs ago. Do you have a website for that course?

Re: the rude kids - what I want to know is WHERE ARE THE PARENTS in all this? The kids I've come across are not your typical neglected kids - they have both parents, go to good schools but they are rude, have horrid manners, answer back, dress like slobs, think money grows on trees, are lazy, etc... Makes me want to take a ruler to their parents! Sorry. Don't know where that came from. I'm only 40 yrs old but I feel like an old f*rt the way I complain about kids these days. I am really hoping that TX kids are still taught manners and respect for others.

I want to raise my children in that kind of an atmosphere...not one we're I'm having to fight what they pick up in school or the playground.

[texasdreamin]

Sam, I've got the website saved in my sub folders, but I have so many folders I can't find where I put it. Just google "online real estate course" and it should bring them up.

As far as the kids and their descriptions...you hit the nail on the head. I don't know what has happened to the kids these days. They are like aliens or something that I don't know where they came from. Not saying all, as I am sure there are still some good kids left out there. Just saying that many, many of them fit the description you gave. The only thing I can think of that may have happened is that so many kids today are latchkey kids. Not much parental supervision. Parents who work and are too tired to come home and deal with kids...so kids just become feral, or something...I don't know. But I do know it sure is ugly. So many times I want to just ask them how they think their mother would feel if they saw them talking and behaving in public like that. But then again I'd probably get an earful that would really upset me.

[Just Lookin]

Originally Posted by Sampaguita

What is the Cali attitude I keep seeing references to? Until about a year ago, I was constantly traveling the US for work so maybe I just haven't picked up on it. I joke around that I paid rent for 8 yrs so that my furniture had a place to live - that's how little I really interacted with people in the area. I will admit to feeling that kids seem to have absolutely no manners or respect and that people out & about (shopping malls) are pretty rude.

BOUND FOR TX - my husband won't even contemplate using a realtor because we can't afford to have a realtor make 30k selling our house (we had to re-fi for medical expenses). He wants to go FSBO. My dad is a realtor & he thinks DH is making the right call. I guess he's still smarting from the fact that WE found our current house on our own & still had to pay the realtor who had found nothing for us to look at. Good luck with yours!

We thought the same thing in the beginning. We tried selling it ourselves for over a month. We had nothing but lookie-looz and they wouldn't come in and see how nice the house is. So after a while we called a Realtor. She is driving me crazy wanting to do it her way and not listing to me about not being able to get a Lender for my house.

We have to have a cash buyer because of none permitted rooms that won't pass. It only took her three weeks of wasting her time to figure it out by me and my husband calling a permit inspector to come over.

So now maybe she will get moving. They didn't place an ad for two weeks. The for sale sign didn't get on my property for a week after signing.

I understand what you are saying. I just felt we had no choice but I would have rather had the original Realtor who sold it to us. She was out of the area at the time. We talk every day and she can't say it enough how sorry she is, she wasn't here. Me too.

I could have done a lot with that $16,500 I am paying her. Oh that makes me sick just to think about it.

[saugs]

To all you californinas looking to move to texas (Austin) dont be in such a hurry.The only thing cheaper here is gas (not by much) and housing,everything else is the same or more expensive.I moved here from san diego.If you still want to move here you have something to look forward to $300 a month electric bills in the summer time.Enjoy the california weather while you still can.