Most retirees moving to Dallas or Austin? Not Houston? (San Antonio: best cities, real estate)

[TootsieWootsie]

Has anybody seen any statistics on where most retirees or boomers are moving to in booming Texas? I have seen Dallas mentioned. And Austin.
Guess few retirees are moving to hurricane possible Houston.

[tstone]

Originally Posted by TootsieWootsie

Guess few retirees are moving to hurricane possible Houston.

Yet a lot are moving to hurricane possible Florida.

[OneDayInSomewhere]

I definately wouldn't consider Houston for retirement. I love Harwin street and the Galleria....other than that, I can't stand to go to Houston. I've started disliking it even more because I now have to go there every 3 months for my DR. appointment. Everything is so fast and hectic there. As for the hurricanes, few hit there....in Dallas and around Austin, you have a threat of flash floods and tornadoes. I'll take a hurricane anyday because it gives you a few days to prepare for it....EXCEPT for Hurricane Humberto...where the heck did that thing come from? We are still kinda in a daze over it.

[TootsieWootsie]

Fast? I moved from Chicago, so it was slow to me. To each their own. I wanted Houston to speed up. See how different people have different ideas and tastes?
Regardless, between Austin and San Antonio is the premier flash flood area of the country; so, I would not move there, myself.
Hurricanes in Dallas? I thought that was strictly tornado country?
Lived 22 years in Houston. Saw about 3-4 really big hurricanes pass thru. Luckily, I was near the Galleria and safe from them, but, someday, they might not be so lucky.
I think it is the hurricanes that keep retirees from moving there so much. Just a guess. Think when you reach 60, you don't need that much excitement in your life...haha! I sure don't.

[tstone]

We don't get hurricanes nearly as often as FL, yet plenty of retirees are still moving there. I don't think that has much to do with it. We are in the largest, most hectic city in TX, which probably has everything to do with it.

I will say though, that there are plenty of other cities in the country (especially Chicago) that are much tougher and faster than Houston in almost every way. Most people here would be much calmer if they would simply grow a pair, calm down, go with the flow, and stop believing in the truthiness they've been told.

[kt2le]

I'd never thought about retirees moving to cities like Dallas or Houston and I'm trying to imagine why they would... Austin I would understand because of the natural beauty and nearby Hill Country. From what I understand, Sun City in Georgetown (near Austin) is popular with seniors that want to live with other seniors. There's another retirement community north of DFW near Denton, too, but I can't remember the name off-hand. A friend's parents moved there recently and love it.

From what I understand, Del Webb did some type of survey years ago to determine why their popular retirement communities in other states had few, if any, buyers from Texas. They determined that, when they retire, Texans don't want to leave Texas! And of the Texans that choose to relocate when they retire, many choose the Hill Country. That's why Del Webb developed Sun City Georgetown and it's been successful.

[Insomniac]

There is a Del Webb community in San Antonio as well. The Hill Country Retreat by Del Webb, which is part of the Alamo Ranch development in far northwest San Antonio off 1604 and 151. Alamo Ranch will have nearly 15,000 single family homes, three public schools, a small water park and then over 3 million square feet of retail, office and commercial.

San Antonio Texas Real Estate | Texas Homes Near Texas Golf Courses - San Antonio, TX (http://www.delwebb.com/homefinder/Community.aspx?ID=100506 - broken link)

Construction on Alamo Ranch and the Hill Country Retreat began in late 2005/early 2006.

As for retirement, San Antonio was ranked the third best place to retire. This is from early 2005 which was before before Hill Country Retreat and other things were announced. So needless to say, SA is always improving in that way.

San Antonio ranked one of the best cities for retirees - San Antonio Business Journal:

[TootsieWootsie]

I plan to start another business, so moving way out where it is peaceful and few people...well, that won't cut it.
I've ruled out Houston with the hurricanes and humidity. 22 years there was enough, anyway.
Why would retirees consider Dallas or Houston? Because they aren't dead yet, want to go to cultural events, love shopping for clothing and food you can't get in a small area, etc. etc. etc. I'm with them! Poo on that small country life for me...whittling and fishing ain't mah thang. But it is for some, so they can take my place gladly. And that's why God invented both chocolate and vanilla, as they say!

[hello13685]

TootsieWootsie, I laughed out loud at "whittling"

For retirement, one should consider that Texas cities in general (and San Antonio specifically) are not senior-transportation-friendly. If you are a relatively young, active, retiree, you are fine. In San Antonio at least, if you are older or move more slowly, you will be stranded in a cookie cutter suburb with limited or non-existant transportation, and you will have to drive miles and miles to do anything, which is hard for older drivers.

[TootsieWootsie]

Great point about no transportation. Considering how important that was to me on a personal level. Am not that old now, but....heck, hope to get there someday.
Dallas has a good, new rail system. Fort Worth has nothing much.
Houston has zip really.
SA rates so high on retiree studies, but the lack of rail is a turnoff. What to do? What to do?
I think I am down to SA or DFW, tho, at least. Not bad considering I started with the entire USA 3 years ago...ha!