Looking to relocate to Amarillo (Dallas, Lubbock: job openings, restaurant, cost)

[CamaroGuy]

Originally Posted by Eliza08

MAN DO I MISS TX! I lived in San Antonio for about 16 years during the 80's and 90's, but now looking to relocate back to Tx, but I found on a recent trip that SA is too big and congested for me. Hung out in Austin over this last spring break, loved it, but then again too big and expensive. You'll never believe where I landed for the last 6 years, I'm in Dayton, OH better known as sinus valley AND about the second worst place in the country for unemployment. Taxes here are awful and I'm ready to get out! Big government is just too much for me....

So I'm looking at Amarillo or maybe Lubbock. I miss the heat, the sunsets, and the great TX SPIRIT! So I've developed allergies here in the moldy humid midwest, and am thinking the panhandle would be easier on my sinuses. I'm not afraid of the cold but hope the winter season is not as long as up here. Of course there has to be work, I'm in accounting. My daughter will follow and will want to attend a 2 or 4 yr college.

So please don't hold it against me that I'm a yankee, I'm not really, I'm pretty laid back. My daughter was born in SA so that should account for something!

So I'm really looking for advice on these cities and the job climate.

Just looking for a place to settle, have a little fun and be left alone!

I visited SA twice in 2003 and 2004 and LOVED it! I also liked the surrounding area and the towns of Fredericksburg and New Braunfels.:-)

[diazville]

I'm from South Florida where its getting closer to being a 3rd world country here despite the fact people still deny it. I mean darn it why do you have to speak a foreign language in America? Miami has been taken over (where I grew up) and Fort Lauderdale is right behind it.The cost of living here is so outrageous (housing{$225,000 for a house in the ghetto}, taxes and insurance{your taxes and insurance is double of your mortgage})and schools are THE worse (50th in the nation for FL) that the only way to survive is to leave. I really don't miss the beach, 89 degree mornings & 93 degree afternoons w/ 91% humidity yes, you sweat with the AC on and after showers! As for traffic, probably the worst traffic planning in America! I'm just curious to know if folks there are welcoming to those who are not from Texas.

[DiscoTex]

I'm new here and I'm from DFW and I'm dying to ask a question to any Amarillo residents:

Everytime I drive into Amarillo from the East I am 'blown away' by the smell of manure - presumably coming from the feedlots - so here's my question(s)...

How bad is it when you live there?
Is it something you just get used to?
Is is worse on the West or East side of town?

Anything any residents of Amarillo can add would be greatly appreciated.

[GayleTX]

The odor is stronger in the west/southwest part of town, especially in the summer when the wind blows from the south...not bad in the winter.....drifts in from the largest feedlot inthe world, Hereford TX. It's not a constant smell in Ama by any means.....mainly after a rain, which is not often. Unfortunately, the nicer homes and shopping areas are also, guess where, in the SW part of town. I never heard anyone that lives there complain about it.....they just grin and say 'smells like outside money today.' The beef industry is the backgone of the economy in the Panhandle. Really, it's not bat at all.

[Diamond Dee]

For those who live or have lived in Amarillo-Canyon area hows the housing in your neck of the woods?like renting where's the best areas?any input gladly welcomed.(former Texan wanting Back in)hee hee.

[DiscoTex]

Originally Posted by GayleTX

The odor is stronger in the west/southwest part of town, especially in the summer when the wind blows from the south...not bad in the winter.....drifts in from the largest feedlot inthe world, Hereford TX. It's not a constant smell in Ama by any means.....mainly after a rain, which is not often. Unfortunately, the nicer homes and shopping areas are also, guess where, in the SW part of town. I never heard anyone that lives there complain about it.....they just grin and say 'smells like outside money today.' The beef industry is the backgone of the economy in the Panhandle. Really, it's not bat at all.

Thanks for the input Gayle.
I've never spent any actual time in Amarillo - only passing through when traveling from Dallas to Albuquerque and back - so I wondered about the smell.

Now - onto bad neighborhoods - are there and high crime areas - or crack neighborhoods - or simply any parts of town to avoid?
We have plenty of that crap in D-FW but I wouldn't imagine in a small city that ya'll would have many problems - so any input would be greatly appreciated.

[GayleTX]

Oh, my, Disco.......you 'imagine' wrong! The whole north and northeast part of Amarillo (north of Ama. Blvd) is not anywhere you want to be after dark or even in the daytime unless you speak a foreign language pretty well (a couple of them, in fact). Our business was on the East Loop and we always closed our doors in time to get out of town before dark. We were broken into several times and the police would just shrug and take a report and say "Call us if you figure out who it was." We've been gone from Ama. 3 years, but I have read that the crime rate has risen dramatically in the past year or so. However, it is mostly isolated in one area of town (altho it's a fairly large area) and mostly among the residents in that area.

[DiscoTex]

Wow!
That kinda bums me out to hear that.
Could you be more specific about the dangerous areas?
What main streets border the dangerous areas?
And what is it specifically about these areas? Gang Activity?
What about areas SOUTH of Amarillo Blvd? Downtown?
What about the shopping malls - are the clean and nice or are they full of thugs loitering and menacing (like in Albuquerque)?
What are the safest areas of town?

[GayleTX]

Probably someone who has lived there more recently than I have would be better able to answer those questions specifically......things change quickly sometimes in cities.

But I will say that the South and SW areas of town are the newer, safer areas....and that's where most of the shopping, medical facilities, hotels and restaurants and newer homes are located. There are pockets of good and "less good" neighborhoods scattered all over, of course, just like any other town. Most of Amarillo is clean and safe with a very conservative leaning, and it's a better place to raise a family than most cities its size. The schools are not as progressive as they could be, but hopefully that will improve. Once reason the city has grown to the south/southwest is because the homes there are not in the Amarillo school district......they are in the Canyon school district, and it tends to be more progressive and more desirable than the Amarillo district. Amarillo is partly in Randall Co, partly in Potter Co. (Canyon is in Randall Co).

[amarillo1]

Originally Posted by Lyndy

Amarillo is a FABULOUS place to live. Just tonight, I was out an outdoor jazz concert at Amarillo College called "June Jazz." Live jazz every Tuesday in June. If that does suit you, you can go to Starlite Theater where there is live music every Tuesday in Sam Houston Park all summer long.

Amarillo has a NICE community performing arts center that was just built- The Globe News Center for the Performing Arts. One of the nicest in the country I venture to say!

We have Palo Duro Canyon just next door-- in fact, I'll be camping there on Thursday and Friday.

The schools here are excellent and this community is growing. In fact, the City of Amarillo is currently struggling to pay for all of the infrastructure of the new developments.

Amarillo has an MSA population of about 236,000. It's the perfect size... and as for your commute, you can get anywhere in 15-20 minutes just about.

Need more info? Send me a message. I'll give you 100 more reasons why Amarillo is where I hang my hat!

Tell me more about amarillo we are thinking about moving What is the economy like especially home building etc