help with move decision (Houston, Dallas: hotel, homes, neighborhoods)

[jellingson2]

What a cool forum. I am considering a move to Texas from Rapid City, SD for better weather, lower cost of living, and better pay. I am married with 5 kids (12yrs to 1yr) so the move would have to be to a place that is safe, family friendly with lots of activities. I would like to be within an hour or two to a big city for catching flights. I don't mind all 4 seasons but less hot in summer would be good. Right now a recruiter has several cities with openings. They are: Paris, Nacogdoches, Hillsboro, Temple, Odessa, El paso, Plainsview. Does anyone have opinions about these places? Any info you could supply about these areas would be great. Thank You.

[Rathagos]

First, let me say that they are all going to be hot!! That said, Nacogdoches will be the most humid, it's closest to Louisiana. Odessa will be the most dusty because of where it's at, and because of the oil business, it will probably have the most odor to it. Plainsview and Paris would be the coolest out of all of them being further north. Just some info for you to consider.

~ Rath

[ParisTX]

I love living in the Paris area. I actually live SW of Paris near a smaller town, but I work in Paris. I don't know much about the other cities listed, but I did spend a week in Odessa last year, and it was AWFUL!! Our hotel was bad and I just wasn't impressed with the town itself.

To me, Paris is the perfect city. Not too far from the DFW area or Sherman (which has gotten a ton of new places to shop and eat.) All of my friends and family live in the country outside of Paris, either north toward the Red River or south towards the Sulphur River. The northern part of the county is a little prettier with better soil. We live in the southern part on blackland, which will shift and crack your foundation, but we live in an older remodeled home on pier and beam, so it can be fixed fairly easily. WOW... that sounds horrible!!! but really if you take care to water during the dry times, you should be ok for many years. I LOVE where we live.

Paris has Applebees, Chilis, Furr's, tons of local mexican restuarants, most fastfood places, and lots of wonderful local restuarants... Magel's is the best!! We are a little limited on shopping(but you can be in Sherman in an hour and Frisco in 90 min.): Wal-Mart, Bealls, Belk, JC Penney, Bath & Body Works. We just got a Tuesday Mornings and Petco is opening this fall. Many people will tell you it is a sad little town, but I have enjoyed living here. I lived in DFW for 15 years, and could NEVER go back. Small town life is the best!!

[jellingson2]

Thanks for the info. I forgot to mention that I am also a golfer so If you have an opinion on these cities and their golf courses I would love to hear that too. Thanks, J.E.

[ParisTX]

I'm not a golfer, but I know some of the guys I work with go somewhere in Oklahoma that isn't too far. I will ask them tomorrow.

[NOTAM]

i would pick Temple-centrally located. short drive from the wonderful hill country of Texas. and you can fly out of DFW or Austin, both reasonable drives.

[Canine*Castle]

El Paso would probably be your best bet weather-wise since it's a drier heat. Odessa I don't believe would be too humid, but it is so terribly unattractive as scenery goes in that part of Texas and the smell would be very unpleasant with all the oil. The other places will give you very hot summers and humidity. Hillsboro isn't much of a town and has many really run-down areas in it, but there are a few decent neighborhoods. It is small with a population of about 8,000 but for me, the smaller the better.

Hillsboro has a 9-hole golf course and there are two courses nearby outside of Whitney, one at the country club and one at White Bluff Golf Resort, both 18 holes.

[wade_word]

Originally Posted by jellingson2

What a cool forum. I am considering a move to Texas from Rapid City, SD for better weather, lower cost of living, and better pay. I am married with 5 kids (12yrs to 1yr) so the move would have to be to a place that is safe, family friendly with lots of activities. I would like to be within an hour or two to a big city for catching flights. I don't mind all 4 seasons but less hot in summer would be good. Right now a recruiter has several cities with openings. They are: Paris, Nacogdoches, Hillsboro, Temple, Odessa, El paso, Plainsview. Does anyone have opinions about these places? Any info you could supply about these areas would be great. Thank You.

Northeast and East Texas would probably be good fits for you, especially with a lower cost of living. You have a lot of small towns and you won't be far from Dallas. Don't worry. They're safe.

[FarNorthDallas]

You might check Prosper, Celina, McKinney, Frisco, Aubrey, Gunter - all the areas north of the Dallas area that are either outer ring suburbs or the smaller towns just beyond that.

[destin04]

Nacogdoches is a college town. Beautiful...rolling hills, older homes about 2 hrs north of Houston. Very Humid. Lots of trees.
Hillsboro....kind of a suburb of DFW. Not scenic.
Temple....a little over an hour north of Austin. Lot's of things to do. Not a lot of trees.
All three would have lower home cost.