Possible relocation to Tyler TX

[produrre]

Though we may be moving out of the area, we've lived here three years and I find Tyler a beautiful place to live. We lucked out and live in a very nice area of south Tyler, near everything... my neighbor just sold her house after 8 hours on the market! We probably will be selling ours, but renting it would be an option.

I moved from a big city and Tyler is much more provential, very conservative, and less "open" to diversity than i'm used to. But you will find people here very kind, generous, and helpful (sometimes overly helpful). I'm in the Robert E Lee School district in a neighborhood that is probably 10-15 years old but very close to the mall, the Brookshires grocery store and Loop 323. The medical community it top notch. I hate leaving this area because of that. There are many smaller communites (like Bullard, Flint, etc) and we didn't move there because I hated the idea of driving into Tyler for my major needs. But if I had to do it all over again, I probably would have rented the first year and get a feel for the area before purchasing because I'd love to live on the lake. I didn't know then, how quickly one can drive to Tyler, and what an easy drive it is. I probably would have chosen to live farther out with more privacy, had I known. But even with that, we have been very pleased with our choice of neighborhood in Tyler.

[Getusout]

When you say further out were you talking about places like whitehouse or flint? I totally do not have a clue about the area but soon hope to see it for myself. It looks like my husband will be out there next week. He will have a day or 2 on that trip to look around and check out housing. I was looking at the cascades, are you familiar with that property? They look super nice for rentals. Other wise we will look at renting a house for a while just like you siad "to check out th areas" and which we like best. I dont want to buy something and then hate it. PLus we still have to sell our home here.
How is the Robert E Lee school dist? Seems like there are mixed revws. on schools out there too.
anyway I love the fact that you guys are from Chicago because I can get a better idea of your opinion lol!!!

[BREATHE63]

Hi

Originally Posted by mark-tyler is special

hi. No actual tornado "hit" that has hurt anyone since april 26, 1957 on my then, young birthday. Only 3 people hurt but much damage, long, ago. Yes, we have warnings and watches. But usually plenty of notice, as much as you can for tornadoes. Even the city will "cut in" on all cable and local tv stations with actual warnings. Siren systems in city. Again, no strikes, of any severity nearby. Once nearby in 1995 and a small amount of damage to a motel on the northeast side in the last 15 years.

Tyler is my favorite topic. I've responded, i hope somewhat objectively to many inquiries in the last year and a half. Just click on my posts. Tyler is the the medical center of east texas with the only level one trauma center and more specialists here than anyother place. Actually serves, area of maybe 350,000 to 450,000 population. There are over 200,000 just in the county alone. If you don't want to read my posts i will give you many more stats, and things to do information, such as tyler lowest city property tax rate on any city over 15,000 in texas. City is debt free. Or pointing out that many thousands attend the cowan performing arts events at the ut tyler campus. But others are tied of my posts i'm sure. If you have something i didn't cover in one of my posts just ask me directly. Lower crime rate, check the city-data information for a comparison of cities, good source. I'm a former realestate broker as well, so i have shared much about "house hunting" but best to rent first. Good luck, most, not all enjoy tyler.

hello, sending you this from s.w. Ks. Looking to relocate in 2010. I am a single white female, 46, in medical field. Love outdoors and southern people ways. Lived in houston for two yrs. And hated it. Great experience working there for my medical career but have no plans to ever go back. I've seen and experienced enough working in level one trauma ther to last a life time. Anyway, tell me you think i'd fit in perfect in tyler tx.!!

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by BREATHE63

Hihello, sending you this from s.w. Ks. Looking to relocate in 2010. I am a single white female, 46, in medical field. Love outdoors and southern people ways. Lived in houston for two yrs. And hated it. Great experience working there for my medical career but have no plans to ever go back. I've seen and experienced enough working in level one trauma ther to last a life time. Anyway, tell me you think i'd fit in perfect in tyler tx.!!

Tyler/East Texas has a very strong medical presence. You will love it here & should have no problems finding a job. The area is very much Southern with its Piney Woods & conservative family first values. As far as being single, it might be a little hard meeting other singles here at first as most are married & have families already. People tend to marry very young here, like right out of high school.

[SusanG_O]

My younger daughter, 39, grew up in Tyler. We moved from Flint ten years ago to Hot Springs Village; we were bored with Tyler.
Tyler is a very conservative, "dry" town w/a church on every corner. Lots of drinking on the weekends at the clubs-all you do is buy a membership.
Tyler has a low crime rate on the SOUTH side. The areas around Hollytree CClub/mall. I heard from a doctor in Tyler that after Katrina, the crime rate went way up. I can't confirm it or explain it. Just don't go to north Tyler. Population started growing pretty fast...
The people in Tyler are Very friendly. I Love the people there. Many want you to go to their "church home." The most popular church is Green Acres Baptist. Boy is it huge.
Tyler is very HOT. Forget it "cooling down" in September. Tyler rarely gets snowfall. The winters have cold winds that cut thru your clothes.
Tyler has a lot of great restaurants. They spoiled me. The Univerity of Texas at Tyler is terrific. Now they have a pool. Lots of Ph.d's. Tyler Junior College is nice. I attended both schools.
Tyler has a great diversity of neighborhoods; that is, lots of big gorgeous brand new homes, lots of lovely old homes (South College/Chilton avenues) and homes on the water. It is very common to meet someone at the mall and hear them say, "i'm from Chandler." It is ten minutes from Tyler. A quiet, clean town with 3 main churches: Assembly of God, First Baptist and First Methodist. It has a highway running through it. And the hottest RV park ever.
Less than ten minutes outside Tyler is Flint. My H and I lived there 7 years. Mostly nice large homes with a few acres each. Big grocery store less than ten minutes away; nothing else, really but a post office. Right next to Flint's downtown is Gresham. It used to have one bank and an old, dirty cafe. Now it has one bank and a couple good restaurants. Has an abandoned train track near downtown.
About fifteen minutes from Tyler is Bullard. My parents are buried there.
When we lived in Flint it had a VERY VERY old set of buildings with a doctor's office with creaky wood floors (with original prescription bottles on the top shelf for display) and a teensy pharmacy inside. It also had a gas station and the oldest, nastiest "grocery store" I've ever been in. Surely it's been knocked down by now?
Now Bullard has the top rated school district around. It's a country school far as values, but my daughter loved it and graduated. It's all been re-done. Bullard has some old neighborhoods, some inexpensive new ones
and a spectacular new boarding school on many acres. It also has cow pastures and a big Baptist church and (this is another story) a church called Bullard Southern Baptist church. It also had a flower shop, beauty salon and a small library. You don't see people actually "walking around" Bullard. There's a lot of gossip. They now have, amazingly, a gorgeous expensive gated community Eagles" Nest. Real fancy. Seems out of place.
Bullard has a nice golf course called Peachtree due to the fact that before they dozed it , it was* full of old peachtrees packed with delicous peaches.
A doctor and his family built Peachtree Golf Course.
Taxes are low in Tyler and surrounding areas. Crime is going up but it isn't out of hand. The Catholic Church is downtown on the "square" near the courthouse. Even the dumpy cafes on the square are delicious. The lawyers who work down there go and eat. I think the danceclub downtown is 'Rick's" with live music ; my daughter goes there with her friends once a month. Very popular.
The nursing homes I'm familiar with , unfortunately. Don't judge one by it's cover if you know what I mean.
Tyler has a wonderful private school that's Episcopal. It's hidden from view and costs the $$. The main high school is robert e lee. An old , large campus , "lee" as it's called is "label conscious" with all kinds of students.
TK Gorman is a good Catholic school near Lee. John Tyler high school is dumpy with not the best reputation. I still suggest Bullard. Hideaway Lake is really nice; I'd live there. They have a lake and sandy beach . It's almost half an hour from tyler. Gated.

[Mark-Tyler is Special]

Has it been ten years since you were in Tyler? I think the most changes in a 10 year period have been in the last ten years are so, except for the oil boom days in the 30's and maybe the 50's.

You were right on with your description of Tyler 10 years ago. Even the bored bit. You could be bored today, just not as easily. Tyler has another private school k-12 Grace Community large non-denominational church school. And Brook Hill nearby for a total of 4 and three or four others K-6 or so. GABC is even larger with huge expansions. Did you ever go to the University of Texas at Tyler Cowan Performing Arts Center? I think it was completed right before you left, maybe right after. They have plays and performances that would normally stop only at Houston or Dallas, now, stop in Tyler, average attendance now is 38,000 per year.

More eating places downtown, Tyler is a completely smoke free city in public places, so the clubs downtown or around town have patios or roof top smoking. The East Texas Symphony is converting the Libertry Theater d/t in a recital hall. Still a long ways to go d/t but much is planned.
There are new loft apartments and townhome type structures just off the Northeast part of the "Square". Moores Grocery Store was converted into loft apartments saving hardwood and brick walls from the early 1900's, next to it is a 3 story apartment building.

I don't know if you remember Bellwood lake on the west side. There is a newly finished planned community with homes from 400,000 to 2-5 million dollars on the lake and the city has planned to build or renew the 60 year old park on the lake not used in 40 years. The finished development other than building "out" the residential lots, is called the Cascades of Texas. Tyler is the smallest city for the developer to have this type development his other similiar complexes are in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, or DFW. The Stetford is a 12 story condo with units ranging in price from 300,000 plus to penthouse of 800,000 to 1.2 million. There are three four story sales condo on the lake, there is a marina and "cottage" around the lake 3000 - 4,000 sq ft home. It is a resort type golf club lake community with European Spa, a huge, huge three story glass enclosed golf club on a hill overlooking the golf course and lake below. The area of homes are separated from, by the fairway on a hill, "40" two story rental condos, some facing the golf course and duplexes, a three story, over 50's age restriction, assisted living center which is about a block long "square", large. The development covers about 4 miles of streets.

Planned just before the financial bust last fall, and already a final site plan approved by the city was a resort with at 14 tower and a 7 story 5 star hotel overlooking the lake accross from the Cascades. They were to follow with 5 other resort towers. However, I doubt this will ever be developed now, if the out of town developers every get there financing, they may very well spend the bucks somewhere else. It was almost a done deal. Oh, well.

Now, Gresham is still outside the city limits, Tyler hardly ever annexs. The area now has a new elementary called Jack. Several strip centers a new Bruno Pizza place with a huge dinning area and outside patio. Residential developments are all around Jack and a large 3 story apartment building- the area is called Cumberland Gap. The Old Jacksonville Highway is now a four lane divided highway with a left turn lane all the way by Knollwood to Gresham. With much development, becoming the next Broadway. Even a complete planned retirement community by the Sear/Methodist Foundation is being built, homes, condo, assisted living small lake, even nursing home.

Last year alone, over 2,000 new apartments came "online". Good or bad, there are traffic medians on "the loop" Broadway and other streets, they have reduced accidents but increased frustrations of drivers by requiring u-turns. U T Tyler is approaching 8-10,000 students on several campuses, Longview,Palestine. T.J.C with 10,000 students.

Just an update if you haven't been here in 10. I'm sure I have forgotten alot of "stuff" many more speciality restaurants. Even hard to find a "seat" at lunch - eating out is what they seem to do, helps not being so bored. lol,lol

Oh, many doctors Live in The Woods in Southeast Tyler, South of UT Tyler. And off Paluxy is Stonegate another Holly Tree type development.

One more OH. All type commercial, development out South Broadway. New cinemas, strip centers one after the other for several miles. Also the first Toll Road, albeit a two lane road to start with until completed in distance then expansion to 4 lanes. Called Loop 49 just goes 5 - 6 miles now will connect to Interstate 20 to the West in about 5 years, will then be a 15 mile are so in lenght then expansion to the east and will wind up 25 approx 25 miles in lenght. South Braodway was just listed as the 63 most congested street in Texas. I think 40 plus were in the Houston area.

[swamp nurse]

Medical=yes Tyler is the center with lots to offer and near by Dallas has mega amounts, even the smaller towns near by like Sherman, Dennison, Paris, Longview offer lots. There are opportunities in public sector, state and federal. ETMC employes about 6000 folks with 12 facilities in 12 towns in east Texas.

Tornados=yes potential and do realize there have been severe ones across the state lines in Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. Texas has its share and we do have climatic changes occuring.

Texas gets hail stones the size of baseballs but usually in the upper panhandle. Ice and snow can hit some areas. Tyler gets some weather. The Red River to the north although small by eastern or southern comparisons is a fair sized river for out here in Texas and it can flood but Tyler is a little south to be getting hits from it. Grass fires can occur also. Twisters I can say "Tornado Alley".
I lived with the possibility all my life and you do adjust to the potential always being there.

Best bet is contact your local insurance company as ask about statistics for Tyler in regards to hail damage claims for automobiles and for housing claims in regards to storms and twisters and ice damage, I've done this before and the insurance company was very helpful. On another note I have contacted local PD depts and asked about what parts of town are the worst crime areas that I should avoid living in. PD depts can give that info but in Texas apartment complex staff can not give that info.

Tyler is great from what I have gathered but the weather has potential but our Texas skies are great to watch and it changes quickly and they are easy to read. I took a local weather spotter class and I learned much about west Texas skies. The national weather service offers these free and they have a website with a Tyler doppler area.

[Gem0671]

Looking to move to Tyler next year. Am an elementary teacher; what are positions for this line of work like in Tyler with the current economic climate? I heard that 20 teachers in the area have not had their contracts renewed for next year. That sounds like an awful lot. I want to rent whilst looking to buy; what is a nice area (I mean really nice) to live in whilst deciding where to settle? Thank you in anticipation for your help.