looking for former Californians living in Texas (Houston, Dallas: HOA, mortgage)

[mgd323]

^I think I saw some of your other posts under a different screen-name. Anyway, considering that housing can make up 50% of someone's living expenses, it can be a HUGE savings. It's also possible that electric is much more expensive considering you double the size of your house moving from Cali to Tx.

[KewGee]

Originally Posted by leavingcali

Where are you living in Texas and where did you move from in CA? How do you like it? i will be leaving Cali (in about a year) due to the absurd amount it costs to live here and I need help looking for a new place to call home. Give it to me straight---I want to live somewhere affordable and pretty with decent weather (is that a fantasy?).

I moved to a small town in Central Texas (about 40 miles north of Waco) 28 years ago from Burbank, California. I guess for the most part, I'm glad I didn't stay in CA because it has changed so much since 1978 and definitely since my family moved there in 1952 when it was a nice smog-free town nestled in the mountains. My children were 5 and 2 when we moved to TX and I think the small-town living was good for them. I definitely like small-town living although it took me some time to adjust.

It depends what you mean by decent weather, but I definitely do not miss the smog in Burbank. The heat in the summer which lasts from about mid-May to nearly the end of October is unbearable. And the humidity is nothing to smile over either. In Burbank, we didn't need A/C and I can only remember a few nights where it was uncomfortable to sleep. Here I'd die without it. It can still be 98 degrees at 11 p.m. and 82 degrees at 5 a.m. for weeks on end and of course, there can be many weeks with triple digits. It just doesn't cool off.

Spring and fall (especially fall) are very pleasant and we only get a few really cold snaps in the winter. It's nearly 80 degrees today and by Thursday, it should be in the 30s which I like because 80 is too hot for almost December.

The rate per $1,000 of home value in Burbank is $7.18 and where I live in pretty much Podunk, Texas is $15.69. Property taxes are very ridiculous in Texas but of course, houses are much cheaper.

I think the Hill Country of Texas is the best area and the prettiest, but you won't escape the heat in the Lone Star State. Most of the state is prone to tornadoes so that is another thing to consider.

Good luck to you on your search.

[shannon94]

Originally Posted by 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.

I'm not sure what your situation is .....but I moved to DFW from San Diego 7 years ago and I find that I have alot more disposable income than I ever had in Cali!!! My house will be paid off out here in 7 years too!! (No i didn't sell a California house and make a mint before I came out here either). My electric bill is a little over 200 a month in the summer....big deal......we don't pay state tax out here, registering your car is cheaper too. I do miss San Diego weather.....but we get to visit several times a year.

[texasdreamin]

Originally Posted by 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!

You mean the fringe is out? What am I going to do with that beeeuuutiful black suede jacket...from the late 1980's that I still have in my closet? I love it! No fringe...dang it.

[plaidmom]

I notice that this thread is a bit "older" but seems to have been resurrected.

As a native of San Diego, who lived in Texas for 15 years here are my observations:

Austin: Moved here in the early 80s to attend school (so I wasn't concerned with jobs or real estate so much). Great town with it's own "flavor" and wonderful kooky residents (Leslie anyone?). Very very hot and very very humid. Not your California-kind of hot either. Austin takes it to a whole new level. HUGE bugs.

What makes it bearable? The fun and funky town and the abundance of easy access to outdoors activities (rowing, climbing, running and cycling). It's going to look a lot "greener" to most CA residents (although the Midwesterners and East Coast folks will still think it looks like a desert...).
The people are friendly and the food is yummy.

One note: what makes Austin "Austin" is well, Austin. As in, the city core and the surrounding neighborhoods. If you want to move to Austin, move to Austin. Sorry, but Round Rock and Cedar Park (etc etc etc) are not
Austin. They are sprawling suburbs just like the million other suburbs in America. You could probably do better cost-wise, weather-wise, and traffic-wise choosing someplace else. Just MHO as per usual.

Corpus Christi- I took a brief detour to the Texas Coast in the late 80s. I'm surprised more Californians don't consider this option. Probably best for retirees (I was a stay at home mom and part time student durring my time there...). Mellow vibe on the surrounding islands. Corpus has the ammenities: hopital, museums, shopping, schools, airport etc. Feels very different from the rest of TX IMO. Lots of boat people and wealthy Texans with 2nd (and 3rd) homes. I was nosing around the other day though, and found prices still affordable. It's still Texas-hot, but the constant wind cools things down. World class sail boarding too if that's your thing. The Gulf is kinda ugly to CA eyes (grey instead of green and super warm) but at least it smells of salt and you get that wave-sound

West Texas- I used to spend the Summers way out in Alpine/Marfa/Fort Davis. These little towns feel like "real" Texas to me, as in the kind of stuff you see in the movies. ;P Quirkinesss abounds (Marfa Lights, Chianti Foundation etc etc). Highest mountains in TX (8K ft). Hot during the day (high desert) but its a dry heat and it always cools down (way down) at night. Great road riding for cyclists. Probably best, again, for retirees, but there is a Universty in Alpine (Sul Ross) and the McDonald Observatory attracts the brainy types.

I finally left in 2000 (for the midwest). I needed trees and four seasons.

[buyacar]

i lived in around orange county from 1942 untill 1999, than i moved to
victorville untill 2006 and i just moved to texas in august this year..i got lucky, my house sold the 3rd day after i listed it...my son sold his house in victorville and moved to texas the same time i did he went to katy texas and my daughter moved to hutto 11 years ago from orange co calif

i ended up in rockdale texas (50 miles from austin) what a lovely little city....i bought a nice 3br/2ba house on a 1/4 acre lot with lots of big tall post oak trees , perfect place to retire, i got out of a big mortage payment in calif moved here and with my equity i paid cash..NO MORE MORTGAGE PAYMENTS!!!!!!!

[pdbaugh]

We left Lake Forest in August 2005, and love Texas.

I would agree with most of the posters...our gas today at Costco was $2.07, and our housing prices are MUCH less than CA, but everything else is pretty similar.

I do love living here. I have weather buttons on my Google toolbar and Lake Forest is almost always more humid than we are. The weather is similar but we do have the cold snaps-we will have our first tonight! We also have heat for longer, but I ran my A/C often in Lake Forest, and all the time when I lived in the San Fernando Valley.

The people are more polite for the most part here, and the kids seem to show more respect. The high school will not put up with dressing as immodestly as the school my son attended in Lake Forest. (He's the one that pointed that out)

I live a short drive from Dallas and Fort Worth. If I want the city feel, I head to Dallas. If I want a more laid back feel I go to Ft Worth.

BTW-I AM seeing FRINGE!!!

One thing I and my girlfriends that visit seem to notice-the women are more dressier on average here. More attention to accessories, more have their hair and makeup done...unless you get the woman wearing the John Deere hat. She might not qualify.

We love it. Would not move back unless we had to.

Good luck

[saugs]

I guess if you are going to leave paradise (SanDiego) and come to texas, Austin is probably the best city to live.They just opened toll roads here that will take some getting used to.I read a reply to my previous post that we don't pay state taxes,Texas gets there cut from the foriegn company that owns the toll roads that we pay to drive on,that is pretty darn close. The whole city will be toll roads in eigth to ten years that is what is proposed.the sales tax is also higher here, probably wont effect you more than $200-$300 a year unless your a big spender.Unless you are coming from downtown san diego do not live close to downtown austin you will not like it.Move to williamson county where the murder rate for the year is like 2 and the car jackings is 1 and just a few home burglaries.The people that live there knows what happens if you commit a crime in willamson county,you pay triple time.
There actually is a college football team here that cares about winning,go UT.
say good riddens to the aztecs. Are there any charger fans here?

[NickL28]

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.

HA HA. Come to the NYC area if you want to see 'rudeness'. And it seems like the richer people are, the ruder they are.

And the suburbs like Long Island & Westchester County -- words CANNOT even begin to describe how rude & uptight the people are.

[jread]

Originally Posted by plaidmom

Very very hot and very very humid.

I agree with the hot but not with the humid. Austin is actually pretty dry in my opinion. Go to the Gulf Coast during the summer if you want to learn the true definition of "humid".