If Texas is soo great, why is it so cheap? (Houston: environment, credit)

[USA_Mom]

Originally Posted by Mike78613

I never really thought Austin or homes in Texas are cheap in price. If you look at the avg price of a home; say here in Austin forabout $150K, the property taxes per year is ruffly around $4000.00. Now, w/o interest that payment per 12 months is around $333.00, then a mortgage payment around $850-$900.

~ Now, if you look at other cities say Colorado Springs, yes there homes that are comparable to ours @ the 150K is about 400K, but the property taxes are no where near $4000 a year. It is like $1400 a year. So at that to the mortgage payment. I never ran the numbers, but I assume that a home here in Austin is $150K is like 300K is other cities that have lower property taxes. Now, this does make-up for the fact that in Texas we don't have State Taxes, but still it's not really cheaper to live here IMHO.

But what KIND of house is that in Colorado? I know for us in Georgia to have a similar quality and size of house, I would have to add about $100K the house...in addition to the state taxes.

[Mike78613]

Originally Posted by USA_Mom

But what KIND of house is that in Colorado? I know for us in Georgia to have a similar quality and size of house, I would have to add about $100K the house...in addition to the state taxes.

From what I seen and compared to my 2001 model home, It's about 350K or so.

Home's in Colorado (aka DENVER) look a lot like mine, but are smaller per sq ft.

Looking at buying homes, you have to compromise lifestyle and what you want.

I found a calculator that if you put your earned yearly income in the state you live in then tell the calculator what state/city you are looking to move to and it said from Austin to Denver, I need to make at least 3K more a year to live same lifestyle that I live here in Austin right now.
So you still come out ahead from say Austin to Denver, but what are you willing to give up?? Car payment? I could

[CalGal953]

Originally Posted by hamiltonpl

Texas has the second most Fortune 500 companies in America. There is plenty of work.

But the land is cheap because there is lots of it.

If there is "plenty of work" here, then why have my boyfriend, with a bachelor's in Computer Science, and I, with a bachelor's in Biology looking to go into environmental science, been looking for over 2 years and not finding a single job here?

[Delta Planter]

I've only read through the first three pages on this thread, but I'll say this: All y'all who don't want to move here because of "high crime" rates, "low-paying jobs", low housing prices, hey, fine by me. I came to TX by way of the gubmint, and I ain't leavin'!

[theSUBlime]

Originally Posted by CalGal953

If there is "plenty of work" here, then why have my boyfriend, with a bachelor's in Computer Science, and I, with a bachelor's in Biology looking to go into environmental science, been looking for over 2 years and not finding a single job here?

Maybe you're looking in the wrong place? I don't know if Grapevine is exactly booming...

[arrow_keys]

Originally Posted by Guerilla

Honestly, I can't really tell the difference between Houston's no-zoning, and the zoning here in DFW.

Very astute. Professional planners have started having that conversation. Often its not so much the use of a piece of property as how it is designed and what forms of mitigation are on site. Who cares if a site is used as a gas station, furniture store or medical office as long as its public impacts are neutralized or minimized.

So yes, Houston does not have zoning but many parts of it have deed restrictions to the extent that it amounts to privatized zoning.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by theSUBlime

Maybe you're looking in the wrong place? I don't know if Grapevine is exactly booming...

Grapevine is a bedroom community (suburb) of the Dallas/Ft Worth Metroplex. DFW International Airport is at the doorstep of Grapevine. While many "professional" jobs might not be IN Grapevine there are plenty of areas that do fit those careers. It was once a sleepy little "farm" town that has now been encroached upon by the booming economy in this area.

There could be OTHER factors that go into play in why someone has not gotten a job. Good people in this area get hired and often have several offers. One needs to step back and look from the other side. If you were an employer, would YOU hire someone like you? Not saying there is anything wrong w/ someone at all just that there has to be something behind one has not gotten a job offer in 2 years (especially a couple if they are BOTH looking surely one of them could have found something by now).

[theSUBlime]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

Grapevine is a bedroom community (suburb) of the Dallas/Ft Worth Metroplex. DFW International Airport is at the doorstep of Grapevine. While many "professional" jobs might not be IN Grapevine there are plenty of areas that do fit those careers. It was once a sleepy little "farm" town that has now been encroached upon by the booming economy in this area.

There could be OTHER factors that go into play in why someone has not gotten a job. Good people in this area get hired and often have several offers. One needs to step back and look from the other side. If you were an employer, would YOU hire someone like you? Not saying there is anything wrong w/ someone at all just that there has to be something behind one has not gotten a job offer in 2 years (especially a couple if they are BOTH looking surely one of them could have found something by now).

Well with her credentials she might need to be looking in DFW. I doubt Grapevine could compete with what the economic center of Dallas is offering.

Agree with everything else.

[houstoner]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

Grapevine is a bedroom community (suburb) of the Dallas/Ft Worth Metroplex. DFW International Airport is at the doorstep of Grapevine. While many "professional" jobs might not be IN Grapevine there are plenty of areas that do fit those careers. It was once a sleepy little "farm" town that has now been encroached upon by the booming economy in this area.

There could be OTHER factors that go into play in why someone has not gotten a job. Good people in this area get hired and often have several offers. One needs to step back and look from the other side. If you were an employer, would YOU hire someone like you? Not saying there is anything wrong w/ someone at all just that there has to be something behind one has not gotten a job offer in 2 years (especially a couple if they are BOTH looking surely one of them could have found something by now).

Yeah, I'd have to agree there's something else going on there to account for the poster's not landing a job in two years. Texas cities may have their faults, but lack of jobs isn't one of them!

[houstoner]

Originally Posted by arrow_keys

Very astute. Professional planners have started having that conversation. Often its not so much the use of a piece of property as how it is designed and what forms of mitigation are on site. Who cares if a site is used as a gas station, furniture store or medical office as long as its public impacts are neutralized or minimized.

So yes, Houston does not have zoning but many parts of it have deed restrictions to the extent that it amounts to privatized zoning.

I agree! I lived there for two years and I could never tell the difference between here and there as far as zoning. I lived in North Oak Cliff and East Dallas. There are areas here that you could pick up and drop there and not be able to tell the difference in which city you were in, and vice versa.