Central / Hill Country: Land, Water, Wind, Guns & Politics (Houston: to buy, subdivision)

[Kaptain Karl]

We have several good friends in Texas. Now that Colorado's politics is getting more and more Blue, we're seriously considering moving to the one state which was an independent republic before joining the union. (Thank you, Texas, for keeping high standards.)

After many hours of searching City-Data and lurking on the forums here are my issues and questions. But first ... we don't want to move to a big city. We'd like to be no closer than 40 minutes to any city over 250k in population. We already watched our town grow from a nice 12,000 into a 50,000+ "bedroom community" to Denver and DO NOT want that again. Yuck!!!

LAND: We'd like to buy 15+ acres and have fruit, nut and "just" trees and have a healthy plot of vegetables. We're into self sufficiency. Maybe some chickens and goats, too.

WATER: We'd like a well with good sweet water and surface water would be a big plus.

WIND: Having been through the panhandle a few times we know it's always windy there. Is there someplace in TX with at least "moderate" wind? Geez!!!

GUNS: Not being gun owners, we still like the security of several neighbors who are enthusiasts. Colorado's lawmakers are *racing* toward gun grabbing. We know fewer guns means more crime, so we want OUT of Colorado. [Assume a serious RANT here about Lefty idiocy.]

POLITICS: We're Christian Conservatives (as if you couldn't tell!). We don't want to move into a Liberal enclave. (Fortunately Texas seems to have pretty few of these ... comparatively.)

Our Texas friends are mostly in the panhandle, Dallas and Houston. They're great people, but we don't want to be there.

What suggestions do you have for us? Thanks!

[Austinite101]

I suggest anywhere 30 miles outside of the 5 major metro areas.

[ReppingDFW]

Originally Posted by Kaptain Karl

We have several good friends in Texas. Now that Colorado's politics is getting more and more Blue, we're seriously considering moving to the one state which was an independent republic before joining the union. (Thank you, Texas, for keeping high standards.)

After many hours of searching City-Data and lurking on the forums here are my issues and questions. But first ... we don't want to move to a big city. We'd like to be no closer than 40 minutes to any city over 250k in population. We already watched our town grow from a nice 12,000 into a 50,000+ "bedroom community" to Denver and DO NOT want that again. Yuck!!!

LAND: We'd like to buy 15+ acres and have fruit, nut and "just" trees and have a healthy plot of vegetables. We're into self sufficiency. Maybe some chickens and goats, too.

WATER: We'd like a well with good sweet water and surface water would be a big plus.

WIND: Having been through the panhandle a few times we know it's always windy there. Is there someplace in TX with at least "moderate" wind? Geez!!!

GUNS: Not being gun owners, we still like the security of several neighbors who are enthusiasts. Colorado's lawmakers are *racing* toward gun grabbing. We know fewer guns means more crime, so we want OUT of Colorado. [Assume a serious RANT here about Lefty idiocy.]

POLITICS: We're Christian Conservatives (as if you couldn't tell!). We don't want to move into a Liberal enclave. (Fortunately Texas seems to have pretty few of these ... comparatively.)

Our Texas friends are mostly in the panhandle, Dallas and Houston. They're great people, but we don't want to be there.

What suggestions do you have for us? Thanks!

You're forgetting Vermont.

[TexasHorseLady]

You have a few options. You could move to one of the small towns outside of Austin or San Antonio or Houston, but you're risking the growth problem. To do what you're talking about, I'd recommend east of I35, maybe even East Texas, for the soil.

Or, another possibility is up near Brownwood. Lake Brownwood is up there, you can find what you're looking for, and you're close enough to DFW if you get a wild hare to go to museums or shopping, but also far enough away. The area around Rising Star is pretty (we have friends up there), as an example.

Both are areas that I've noticed get more rain than we do down here in Central Texas, watching the weather the way I do.

[Willsson]

Brenham, not quite but about half way between Houston and Austin. Probably about the sweetest spot in Texas. And those Brenham cows put out great ice cream.

And just a heads up... it doesn't matter where in Texas, but it's going to be windy in March. Really windy.

[die Eichkatze]

I would also say Brenham, or the area between Brenham, La Grange, and Columbus. Good surface water, good groundwater, good land.

The area around Brownwood doesn't have a reliable aquifer. Would need to go towards Stephenville to find a better aquifer.

[ChristieP]

What's your budget? That's going to make a huge difference...especially since you want a few acres of land...

[TheOverdog]

Or, another possibility is up near Brownwood. Lake Brownwood is up there,

Lake Brownwood is nearly dry, still. I'd look east of I35.

[Kaptain Karl]

Thank you for the feedback. You're great!

Originally Posted by Austinite101

I suggest anywhere 30 miles outside of the 5 major metro areas.

My initial thought to this post was, "Thanks for nuthin'." But the truth is, this is pretty much the approach I took with my research. So really ... thanks.

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

You have a few options. You could move to one of the small towns outside of Austin or San Antonio or Houston, but you're risking the growth problem. To do what you're talking about, I'd recommend east of I35, maybe even East Texas, for the soil.

Good input. Thanks.

Or, another possibility is up near Brownwood. Lake Brownwood is up there, you can find what you're looking for, and you're close enough to DFW if you get a wild hare to go to museums or shopping, but also far enough away. The area around Rising Star is pretty (we have friends up there), as an example.

Both are areas that I've noticed get more rain than we do down here in Central Texas, watching the weather the way I do.

This is *just* the kind of town we're looking for. (I hoped I communicated enough of our wish list....)

Originally Posted by Willsson

Brenham, not quite but about half way between Houston and Austin. Probably about the sweetest spot in Texas. And those Brenham cows put out great ice cream.

And just a heads up... it doesn't matter where in Texas, but it's going to be windy in March. Really windy.

I hadn't looked that far south in TX, but you got me thinking. I studied more of the data for that area and I'm still looking elsewhere. (I grew up in Alabama. I thought humidity was no problem. After 35 years in Colorado high humidity *kills* me. I can handle some, but that close to the Gulf? No.)

Originally Posted by die Eichkatze

I would also say Brenham, or the area between Brenham, La Grange, and Columbus. Good surface water, good groundwater, good land.

The area around Brownwood doesn't have a reliable aquifer. Would need to go towards Stephenville to find a better aquifer.

Thanks for the input on the aquifers. Helpful.

Originally Posted by ChristieP

What's your budget? That's going to make a huge difference...especially since you want a few acres of land...

$1,440.33. (Seriously, we wouldn't be looking if we didn't think we could swing it.)

Originally Posted by TheOverdog

Lake Brownwood is nearly dry, still. I'd look east of I35.

Thanks!


We've dealt with semi-arid / high altitude growing conditions so much, your "not-so-great" land seems really nice to us. Even though the growing would be easier East of I-35, the humidity there is daunting. So-far these are the towns on my list, in order of preference:

Andrews - N of Odessa

Snyder - WNW of Abilene

Stephenville - WSW of DFW (About as close to a metro area that size as I could stand.)

Coleman - SSE of Abilene (Could be "too small" for my wife.)

Ballinger - S of Abilene (Could be "too small" for my wife.)


Any cautions or encouragements are welcome.

[ChristieP]

So you're willing to invest $1.4 million? Or were you joking on the budget? I ask because some people come here and want to buy land in the Hill Country, but only have a $250k budget...

Of the areas you mention, I would say Stephenville. Its close to being a city to have the conveniences, but yet its also nice country where you can have your hobby farm. The land there is good for gardening and fruit trees, too. There are lots of small ranches and dairy farms in the area, so people appreciate agriculture, and its not going to turn into a subdivision within 10 years.

Ballinger is similar. To the north, the land is more arid and is mostly sheep/goat/game ranches. To the south, the land is extremely flat and is mostly cotton farms. The people there go mostly to San Angelo, not Abilene, for shopping, etc.

Coleman is quite remote, and the town is dying. Aside from the annual rodeo, there is very little there. Also, there's no hospital anywhere close, which would be a real concern for me.

Andrews is a place to live when you work in the oil fields, not when you have other choices. And the soil there is really only suitable for growing tumbleweeds. Far west Texas has been in a prolonged drought for years. Since you are looking to plant fruit trees and have a garden, that's not going to work there.

Personally, Snyder is too close to the interstate for me. It also gets some of the worst storms...