moving from Canada - advice (Houston, San Antonio: for sale, real estate, apartments)

[mmcanada]

Hi - we are a small family with a 7 year old from Vancouver Canada. We are seriously thinking about selling our home and moving to texas. My father is American and lives in Mexia but we don't have us citizenship. I'm looking into getting it but in the meantime I'd like some advice on where to go. We love Galveston, the towns outside Corpus Christi and the beach in general but San Antonio was so beautiful and we love mexican culture. My husband is a contractor and has all the necessary tools to start a small contractacting company I am a graphic designer but for the past 5 years I've been a marketing director for a real estate company. I'd love to buy something around $175k because we wouldn't have to worry getting work right away or at least anything with a big salary.
We are liberal, into the arts, love nature and the ocean. We are downtown people, like to eat out and have easy walking access to shops, parks etc. We would not want to be in a suburb that you have to drive everywhere. I know Austin meets most of our objectives but it's far from the beach. I think Galveston is beautiful with the old houses and the Strand and possibly there is going to be lots of work rebuilding. I'd like my son to go to an arts based school. I think we will come for a visit in late March to check out real estate and the communities. Any helpful advise would be much appreciated.

[WillysB]

MM, I really don't have much advice but sounds like Galveston is your direction. With your husband in the construction biz that might be a good place to start. After all, you can try other places should you choose to do so. There is an art school in Houston which some friends have attended, many years ago.

But first, you must send off for your Texas Travel Guide. It's FREE ! ! ! and has over two hundred glossy pages of things and places Texas. There's a link over on the right side of the website to request and includes international delivery. It's FREE ! ! ! Get yours now so by time you get here you'll know where you are.

Finally, you might take a look at the Fort Hood Metro of Killeen/Belton/Temple. The place was small country 20 years ago and is booming now. Though not much of that urban lifestyle.

Good luck, we'll keep a light on for ya

[changeofpace]

Sounds like Galveston might be a good fit for you. Lots of construction will be needed (if insurance companies come thru for both claims and insuring replacement housing there) and CC may be a possibility as well with new construction and remodeling business strong and real estate sales steady here as well. Corpus downtown is slowly be redeveloped but CC is not as liberal as Galveston.

[Poltracker]

Houston does have the High School for Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA for short) located in the Montrose area but that area is very expensive. The schools in Galveston are not too good at all and most opt for private schools when living there. There are some deals to be had real estate wise if you are willing to take it as is. The contractor working on my friend's house in Galv. had already purchased 7 others for rehab and there were numerous homes for sale (a lot post-Ike) in her neighborhood of Jamaica Beach.

[ChristieP]

#1 priority for you will be finding a way to enter the country legally and remain here legally. This is a little easier for Canadians, but it is still an arduous process. You have to become a Permanent Resident for at least 7 years before you can become a citizen.

[mmcanada]

thanks for the help. To clarify my father is a born American citizen and as such I am too I just need to deal with the paperwork.
What about San Antonio? Is just sprawling suburbs? I loved the dt/river district - is it only tourists or can you live down there as well?

[TiffaniMittag]

Hi mmcanada,

I also have a seven year old! It is nice to meet you.

My mother-in-law lives in San Antonio, and we go to the riverwalk many times a year. Eventhough it is touristy, it is fun for residents too. Downtown San Antonio has apartments. The homes are further out. When we visit my mother-in-law we drive through at least 20 minutes of traffic to get anywhere. The shopping is better though!

However, I live in Corpus Christi and tend to like it here more. The city is small enough to get anywhere by car in around 10 minutes, and there are neighborhoods that are close to Ocean Drive and shops. You may want to visit Corpus Christi to see for yourself. And depending on what you want in a home, $175K should get it for your family.

Tiffani

[John Shaft]

There are probably fewer places with more diametrically opposite lifestyles than Vancouver BC and Texas, other than a shared appreciation for nature. Vancouver is hyper-urban and Texas is really, really, not hyper-urban. Politically, Austin will likely be the only area that will be familiar to you - even though the other big cities lean left it is not the kind of left you are used to. But don't let that completely discourage you - just know that you are going to have an experience to really contrast from what you have been accustomed to.

[BobTex]

Originally Posted by mmcanada

Any helpful advise would be much appreciated.

Bring Moosehead Dry ... lots of it! I'll meet y'all in Galveston!

[BobTex]

Originally Posted by John Shaft

There are probably fewer places with more diametrically opposite lifestyles than Vancouver BC and Texas, other than a shared appreciation for nature. Vancouver is hyper-urban and Texas is really, really, not hyper-urban. Politically, Austin will likely be the only area that will be familiar to you - even though the other big cities lean left it is not the kind of left you are used to. But don't let that completely discourage you - just know that you are going to have an experience to really contrast from what you have been accustomed to.

I agree with this strongly.


My wife is from the maritimes. Probably not a liberal as y'all out west but it did take me over a year to de-program her! She is now a gun totin, Bible readin, Conservative voting dual citizen! (Only Canada recognizes dual citizenship ... the U.S. doesn't). We used an immigration attorney to expedite things and to keep from screwing up and having to repeat steps in the process.