What parts of TX doesn't really flood? (Houston, Dallas: mortgage, property taxes)

[heatam]

I can deal with hurricanes-you have time to prepare. Tornadoes can happen anywhere/anytime, so I shouldn't even worry about that. however, I don't want to live in an area that is prone to flooding.

I was looking at New Braunfels (sp), but then read that it is prone to Florida, and then I heard that areas outlying Houston (League City) can be prone to flooding.

As long as it isn't up north TX (too cold for hubby), what parts, specific areas, do not have flooding? Thanks!

[momof2dfw]

Flooding. I wish we had some rain.

The problem w/ flooding is as with any developed area. When the ground is covered w/ concrete there is nothing to absorb the rainfall and the run offs have been covered up or filled w/ debris and trash, if any runoff areas exist at all. The cities are now requiring most developments to install large holding ponds to channel and hold any huge amounts of water that could come pouring down on us. Unless it is flash flooding and then the ground can not soak it up fast enough. You will need to check the floodplains to make sure you do not locate inside of one. I've lived in Texas all of my life in and around the Dallas area and have not had one instance of a house flooding because of rain nor have any of my relatives. It just falls on doing your due diligence and checking the floodplains, checking the water that could be around your home as far as creeks and such. And with homeowners insurance the way it is now. If a house has had a history of flooding they already know and will probably not insure it to start with. Which would keep you from getting a mortgage on the house.

Houston and the Hill Country area get more flooding than we do in the Dallas area. They get more rain to start with. Then if there are a number of heavy downpours for several days the creeks swell outside of their banks and the water does not have anywhere to go. It will go "downhill" and if the areas "downhill" have also been receiving large amounts of rain they will usually get the brunt of the flooding.

[momof2dfw]

"north TX (too cold for hubby)"

LMAO!!!!!!!! Now that is funny. I don't know how well informed you are about the North Texas area but it is not anywhere near being termed "too cold". LOL!!! Been here my entire life and if it gets down in the 30's for 3 straight days we for some strange reason think we are suffering a severe arctic front. And today is expected to be another scorcher in the 100's.

Now to the West of us out West of Ft. Worth it does get a bit colder than we do here in the D/FW region. But they get the cold coming out of West Texas and New Mexico.

[Mrs.Bewitched]

lol. My hubby says that he has seen Dallas, and knows that it gets cold up there at times, possibly snow, so he wnts to avoid ANY area that might get some snow, or ice during their "cold spells".

[momof2dfw]

Then can I suggest something in the tropics? LOL!!!

If you want to totally avoid any snow or ice and cold weather I only have two suggestions for Texas: Houston & Galveston.

[momof2dfw]

Okay, seriously now (I'll try and be serious ). As for the winters in Dallas, I own a coat and it is rather dusty. I don't think I wore it once this last year. A light jacket or sweater just about handles our winters unless you walk or ride your bike long distances all the time no matter the weather. If we do get snow or ice it usually lasts only a day and most of the time melts before it hits the ground and the next day is back to shorts weather. And the number of times a year that happens is tops 3 but more likely once. The kids winter coats are never worn out and gloves/mittens are novelty items. Now the wind can be colder but that is it. I have heard many times that Dallas is windier than Chicago. But I can believe it.

Dallas is typically warmer than the Ft Worth side and West of FTW. They do get more snow than we do.

If he really wants somewhere that never gets cold then I would find somewhere other than Texas.

[BobTex]

Houston won't be a good choice.......I remember a few years ago ('03?) with water up to the overpasses inside the loop on US 59. Stay out of "bottoms" .... low lying areas near streams / rivers. Stay south of I-20 and east of I-35 as a rough rule of thumb to meet your DH's "cold criteria". Texas is not south Florida.....it does get "cool" here in East Texas but nothing sustained. And I live on a hill so short of the polar ice melting I don't think I'll ever see flooding where I live. I did see 6" of rain fall here in 45 minutes in 1999 and never saw a road under water......saw a semi-major bridge almost washed out though!

[lifertexan]

lol. My hubby says that he has seen Dallas, and knows that it gets cold up there at times, possibly snow, so he wnts to avoid ANY area that might get some snow, or ice during their "cold spells".

At times?Yeah,like 3 times a year.This is the first I've ever heard of avoiding Texas because it gets too cold.LMAO!

[shannon94]

Originally Posted by heatam

I can deal with hurricanes-you have time to prepare. Tornadoes can happen anywhere/anytime, so I shouldn't even worry about that. however, I don't want to live in an area that is prone to flooding.

I was looking at New Braunfels (sp), but then read that it is prone to Florida, and then I heard that areas outlying Houston (League City) can be prone to flooding.

As long as it isn't up north TX (too cold for hubby), what parts, specific areas, do not have flooding? Thanks!

When it snows in DFW it disappears the next day. I wouldn't even call it snow really...lol... sometimes you get an ice storm but it only happens maybe two days out of the year. It's warm here more than it is cold. I live in the HEB area (Hurst Euless Bedford) and it has never flooded since i have lived here...7 years. You can still get an older home for 100 grand or less but property taxes are high. No state tax here though.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by mrshvo

lol. My hubby says that he has seen Dallas, and knows that it gets cold up there at times, possibly snow, so he wnts to avoid ANY area that might get some snow, or ice during their "cold spells".

I have to laugh at that, too.....I live in WT, and we haven't had a winter to speak of for at least 5-10 years.

Houston got a huge snow either last year or year before, but it's extremely rare.

If you want tropical, consider the Rio Grande Valley--McAllen, Mission, Harlingen, etc....

It is extremely HOT down there in the summer, but then so is the rest of Texas.

It's the only thing I hate about it. It's my native state, and I love it otherwise.

But the older I get, the more I hate the heat.