If Texas is soo great, why is it so cheap? (Austin: transplants, getaway)

[Trainwreck20]

Every crime data will put TX far ahead of CA, but about even w/ FL.

Dunno, the CD crime index doesn't......

[DWong]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Dunno, the CD crime index doesn't......

Oops, meant to say was this...

Major metros LA/SD/SF are far lower than Houston/Dallas, SA

Our metros are actually safer than our burbs. Central CA where housing is cheaper and have a different economic makeup have a far higher crime rate. The major growth of the state is also occurring in these areas.

Overall as a state, it's about the same. Thanks for catching that.

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by theSUBlime

I think people are afraid to "mess with Texas."
They're afraid they wont like it or maybe they're afraid they will.

Since it's not really a state most people (besides Texans) vacation in, there's also lot that has to be assumed.

I don't live anywhere near Texas, but I know people from here who have vacationed in Tx. South Padre Island and Corpus Christi and Houston itself have been destinations for people that I know. I would personally like to visit several places in Tx. some day. The people in my area seemed to like it there. One couple would actually like to live IN Houston and another gal would like to live in CC.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by DWong

Every crime data will put TX far ahead of CA, but about even w/ FL.

Yes, the crime reports came out again this week. The crimes account for everything from petty crimes of vandalism to murder. If someone got their house tp'd they could call the police and file a report. In Dallas w/ the DPD they report crimes differently than other large cities (this has been covered a MILLION times and even the FBI points it out). The DPD will file 5 different reports if 5 people got hurt/attacked/shot at in 1 incident. Other cities will make it all 1 report. The other thing it says is that people in ANY part of a Texas city (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio) are not afraid to call the police to report a problem. You will see them on the news around here as they are NOT afraid to speak up even if they do live in bad area. They want the crap out of their part of town and are not afraid to call the police to report things. How often do people in inner city LA, NYC, etc call the police to report vandalism or hearing shots being fired? Here in Dallas they will get 20 calls all for someone hearing shots being fired even if no one was hit. Same for a rock being thrown thru a window - they will call to report it. Take ALL of that into account and of course the numbers are going to be "higher" but it does say that people here WANT the law to take care of problems and are not afraid of the "bad guys".

[DWong]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

Yes, the crime reports came out again this week. The crimes account for everything from petty crimes of vandalism to murder. If someone got their house tp'd they could call the police and file a report. In Dallas w/ the DPD they report crimes differently than other large cities (this has been covered a MILLION times and even the FBI points it out). The DPD will file 5 different reports if 5 people got hurt/attacked/shot at in 1 incident. Other cities will make it all 1 report. The other thing it says is that people in ANY part of a Texas city (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio) are not afraid to call the police to report a problem. You will see them on the news around here as they are NOT afraid to speak up even if they do live in bad area. They want the crap out of their part of town and are not afraid to call the police to report things. How often do people in inner city LA, NYC, etc call the police to report vandalism or hearing shots being fired? Here in Dallas they will get 20 calls all for someone hearing shots being fired even if no one was hit. Same for a rock being thrown thru a window - they will call to report it. Take ALL of that into account and of course the numbers are going to be "higher" but it does say that people here WANT the law to take care of problems and are not afraid of the "bad guys".

Perhaps true... but hey outside of 3-4 areas of LA, it is generally safe. OC and SD are far safer however. It's hard for a street criminal to afford to live in CA, even regular drug dealers. Violent crime in TX and CA is pretty much even and reported the same. Property crime however from TX is FAR higher. That is pretty much the main difference. Can anyone vouch anymore for one place being safer than another anymore or do we split hairs and say that they are all the same? I think we can say that Plano, Richardson and Garland are safer than south Dallas - yes? The same way we can say SD/OC and SF are safer than TX metros. The same way Oakland isn't safer than SF or San JOse... must we go on.. I think we get the point

[Rwarky]

Originally Posted by Roma

Hi,

Texas is a less desirable place to live (location). Which keeps the housing prices down.

Look at Hawaii. It is so expensive to own a home there (I have family living there). There is no real job market yet homes are highly priced. That is because Hawaii is a desirable place to live.

People prefer to live on the coasts, the east coast and the west coast. It seems all the states in the middle of the country are cheap compared to coastal states. The closer you get to the water the more you pay.

Houston is fifty miles from the ocean, so your statement is wrong.

[NOTAM]

Texas is a VERY desirable place to live. It has something for everyone. And affordable. Just about anyone who is employed fulltime can afford to own a house and/or land SOMEWHERE. And if you are a professional, making a decent income like me, and dont mind living in a small town, you can live high on the hog. The town I am planning on buying a house in, there are homes from 20K-60K in town (and the town is VERY safe, just good ole small town Texas). no ghettos. This means that I have extra money to go visit family in Hawaii every year-rather visit Hawaii for a few weeks a year and not work...just vacation...than live in so-called "paradise" of Hawaii, struggling to make ends meet and never ever, even as a well paid professional, be a home owner with a fenced backyard for my dogs, or maybe even several acres of land to have livestock or horses on!

[Debbie J]

If Texas is such a bad place to live, why are so many people moving from up north to here?

Being a Texan, born and bred, I wouldn't live anywhere else! I was born within 50 miles of where I live now. I love it and I will defend Texas until the day I die!!!

[lutarian]

OMG. Don't have so much pride Debbie. Reason why people are moving to TX from the North is due to the weather in TX. What they DON'T know about yet is the corruption and the amount of illegals which is insane just like Southern Cali.

You would not live anywhere else? Have you travelled the entire USA yet? Have you even TRIED to live anywhere else? If not then you should not talk at all. There are great parts of Texas BUT...there are MANY other states that DESTROY Texas in terms of of natural beauty and cost of living.

[Hyun-Soo]

The fact that Texas is cheaper is the reason why it's 'sooo great'.