picking a city in Texas (Houston, Dallas: real estate, cheap apartments, lofts)

[kittymama]

If you were moving to Texas from elsewhere, which city would you pick and why? I'm considering:

Austin - because I like the techy/geeky vibe and liberal attitude, plus my parents live there. It's still cheaper than Fairbanks.
Fort Worth - because it is cheap, cheap, cheap and near a major international airport. Seems like you can live there cheaper than Dallas and take the train when you want to do something in Dallas? My brother also lives in Denton.
San Antonio - because it is also cheap and very large. Seems like you can be close to Austin and get a larger city for less money? Thoughts?
Houston - on the list because it also has a major airport and is diverse and reasonably priced. Further from family and don't know about the humid weather. Good beaches nearby? Beaches would be nice.

We are looking for a place with relatively good schools. My husband is a high school math teacher. We'd like to be able to afford to live near the school.

I know Texas has more suburban sprawl in most cities, but I would like a place where I could walk some. I'd also like a fairly diverse place with lots of different types of people.

What appeals to me about Texas? My family lives there. No more snow and 40 below winters...ever! Shopping malls, chain restaurants, and plentiful, cheap real estate. Being able to walk outside at some point during the day, year round would be a plus. I mean, even when we went to Austin in July and it was 96 everyday, you could still take a short walk outside at some point during the day and breathe a little fresh air. Here, in Fairbanks, you drive half a block in the winter and warm your car up 20 minutes to do so because it's too cold! Sunshine, sunshine, and sunshine!

We'd consider towns that border the big cities, if they are cheaper, have better schools and basically feel like you live in the city anyway, but no isolated, small towns. I guess I'm more thinking, what metro/area would you pick and why?

[Cowboybootnut]

If I had to pick a larger metro type town, I would pick Fort Worth. It is smaller that Dallas, Houston, SA, and Austin. It has vibrant downtown, great museums, has interstates, and beautiful parks, It is close enough to Dallas for major amenities like pro-sports, large airports, etc. There are plenty of newer apartments, homes, lofts. There is also a diversified economy, good schools and colleges.

If I could pick a town and not have to consider being close to my family, I would pick Alpine TX. My favorite Texas town, and I love the remoteness!

However, I don’t want to be so isolated from my family, or my wife’s family.

[kittymama]

So where is Alpine? I guess I'm not really looking for remote-ness at all - I live in Fairbanks, Alaska and while winters are my number one grip, remote-ness is my number two gripe. I used to live in Boston and I miss the hustle and bustle and the the feel of being in the center of things. I wouldn't move back to Boston though because I am so through with winter in general and it's even more expensive than Alaska.

[Cowboybootnut]

Alpine is in the Big Bend region of Far West Texas. Go to the end of the main road and take a left!

http://www.city-data.com/city/Alpine-Texas.html

One hour from the nearest Wal Marts.

[kittymama]

Might visit Alpine, but it is definitely too small for me! That's even less people than Fairbanks have. And I find that it is only when I have lived in smaller towns (small to me meaning about 30,000 people) that I have even shopped at Wal-Mart because if I lived in a place with malls and department stores, I shopped there instead. If a town is too small for Wally world, it is too small for me. I'm looking for bigger and more centralized.

[TexasHorseLady]

You might consider Round Rock or Cedar Park in the Austin area, maybe even Georgetown. By "walk", do you mean walk up to the store or go for a hike?

[TX_AGGIE13]

Well, it would be my last choice, but from what you've said it sounds like Austin would be best for you. San Antonio is very conservative, and old school, not techy, or liberal by any means. Austin is probably the easiest to walk around, and more parks. San Antonio followed by Houston as far as diversity, and Houston folowed by Dallas for the shopping. Fort Worth is the more conservative Dallas, lots of old money, and ranchers. Houston is conservative as well, but all of these cities are so large that you can find your own group. Fairbanks Alaska?? Yea, any of these cities are much more techy, and have many more liberals than there. Beaches in Houston are not far, but not 5 star either. You can call em a beach and that's about all. Galveston is getting better, well before Ike, but far from good. South Padre is only a 6 or 7 hour drive though! I guess Pensacola is only a 9 hour drive as well. Anyway, hope that helps.

[kittymama]

By "walk" I mean more like to the store, though I might try hiking and parks too. You can take a daily morning walk around your suburb no matter where you live, provided that it's not miserably, dark, cold and slippery. I know Texas is more of a car place than Boston - I actually grew up in Fort Worth and I don't mind driving in the city to go places. I just like to have the option to walk to the grocery store if I want to and get exercise. But I noticed most suburbs have grocery stores and strip malls. I live close enough to walk places in Fairbanks, Alaska, but the irony is that the weather is so bad, I can't walk all winter. People do bundle up and walk, but I guess that's why I'm not cut out to live here. I have been to all of the places I'm thinking of moving more than once and even lived in Fort Worth and Austin both, but years ago.

[TexasHorseLady]

I can think of a few areas in the Austin area where you could live and do the kind of walking you're talking about, AND have access to parks if you want to. Combine that with the other things you want, and I think Austin is your best bet.

[Lakewooder]

You might try East Dallas-Lakewood, it's very Austin-like (laid-back and friendly) and has good schools. It can be expensive, but it is like small town in the city with everything from a few shotgun shacks and cheap apartments to multi-acre mansions. And we have White Rock Lake.