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I'm being offered an amazing opportunity in Tyler, TX for work. I'm just so far removed, that I can't really get a grip around how to learn more about Tyler. I'll be visiting for a week, but won't have a ton of time to look around.
I've never had opportunities like this and mostly trying to dispel any uneducated thoughts that can come to mind when I think of Texas.
Where is a good area to buy a house near Tyler? Budget is around $325k, but I can't tell if things are just flying off the shelf like the rest of the country and that is too low.
I'm Asian and my wife is white. I live in an area with almost 40% Asians right now and my kids are mixed kids. I can't imagine this is a problem in 2021 and I know the internet can be a terrible source for this type of information but I've seen rants online about racism. Is that going to be strange or a problem at all?
Snakes? Big problem? Over-exaggerated issue online? How often do you see them and how often are they dangerous? Worried about my kids and dog, but they both can be trained.
Tornados? How often do people get picked up by them...? (j/k). I don't know anything about tornados besides the movies, but I imagine they are just as serious and rare as earthquakes.
Heat - How high are electric bills keeping a house cool?
Allergies - I have a daughter who seems to have seasonal allergies. How bad does it get?
I'm a Christian and a conservative so I'm hopefully there will be a strong community for my family there.
I moved to Tyler with a biracial family about 25 years ago, after living literally all over the world (military brat and then wife). Here's my take on your questions - in order:
I would look south and west in the Tyler area, including the bedroom communities of (in no particular order) Whitehouse, Flint, Chandler, maybe Bullard, maybe Lindale which is actually to the north. You should be able to buy a house in your price range but you'll have to move FAST on one and make a great offer if you find one you like because yes, houses ARE flying off the shelf like they are everywhere else.
Expect property taxes to make up the difference basically in having no state income tax. The tax man cometh in one outfit or the other but he's coming.
I would be very surprised if you experience racism. I just moved from a very diverse, very upscale neighborhood in Flint. My family has not experienced a lot of racism over the many years, for the record. My kids are of mixed race and their spouses and significant others are also a very "mixed bag" (we like it that way) and they've all been fine here.
I have hardly ever seen a snake here in 25 years, and that includes a stint in the country. Notice I didn't say I've NEVER seen a snake here, because I have. But they've been small and insignificant. I think I've seen three in 25 years. Never seen a poisonous one.
I've lived in Tornado Alley now for decades and never experienced any significant damage and certainly never been "picked up" by a tornado, or known anyone who has been. That being said, I do recommend a small windowless interior room because I do get myself and my dogs into one every once in awhile to be on the safe side. I mean, we do have big thunderstorms with some high winds every year. I've replaced two roofs - one from Hurricane Ike many years ago and one from cumulative hail damage (we generally get some small hail here every year) a few years ago.
Electric bills totally depend on the size of your house, the size and age of your unit, how cold you want to keep the interior, etc. For a 2000 square foot home I'd just estimate a high of $250. I recommend gas heat if it's available.
Seasonal allergies - to what? I mean what sort of pollen? I am only allergic to cedar pollen but I do sneeze a lot when it's in full pollen mode. But I've been taking Vitamin C and zinc and a daily multivitamin for years now and can't remember the last time I was actually sick with anything.
As a conservative Christian, you should have no problem making friends in this area, which leans in that direction anyway. What denomination are you? I might have some church recommendations for you.
Good luck and I think you will love Tyler! If you want to send your kids to a public school, as usual just really check on school ratings. Good private schools abound in this area as well. Oh and there are also lots of charter schools and some magnet schools too.
Welcome! Are you coming from the Seattle area? Remember Tyler is small compared but pretty congested.
As Kathyrn said, Tyler leans conservative but there are two Mosques here as well. Yes, you should fit in nicely, you would not be the only Asian, not 40 percent Asian, but certainly not rare. Best to you.
Look at my posts, I have giving much detailed information on here about the Tyler area for over 12 years, many people considering a move to Tyler have directly contacted me many times over those years. I would be happy to try and answer your questions objectively as I can. Tyler is not Utopia, but close, lol, NOT.
I moved to Tyler with a biracial family about 25 years ago, after living literally all over the world (military brat and then wife). Here's my take on your questions - in order:
I would look south and west in the Tyler area, including the bedroom communities of (in no particular order) Whitehouse, Flint, Chandler, maybe Bullard, maybe Lindale which is actually to the north. You should be able to buy a house in your price range but you'll have to move FAST on one and make a great offer if you find one you like because yes, houses ARE flying off the shelf like they are everywhere else.
Expect property taxes to make up the difference basically in having no state income tax. The tax man cometh in one outfit or the other but he's coming.
I would be very surprised if you experience racism. I just moved from a very diverse, very upscale neighborhood in Flint. My family has not experienced a lot of racism over the many years, for the record. My kids are of mixed race and their spouses and significant others are also a very "mixed bag" (we like it that way) and they've all been fine here.
I have hardly ever seen a snake here in 25 years, and that includes a stint in the country. Notice I didn't say I've NEVER seen a snake here, because I have. But they've been small and insignificant. I think I've seen three in 25 years. Never seen a poisonous one.
I've lived in Tornado Alley now for decades and never experienced any significant damage and certainly never been "picked up" by a tornado, or known anyone who has been. That being said, I do recommend a small windowless interior room because I do get myself and my dogs into one every once in awhile to be on the safe side. I mean, we do have big thunderstorms with some high winds every year. I've replaced two roofs - one from Hurricane Ike many years ago and one from cumulative hail damage (we generally get some small hail here every year) a few years ago.
Electric bills totally depend on the size of your house, the size and age of your unit, how cold you want to keep the interior, etc. For a 2000 square foot home I'd just estimate a high of $250. I recommend gas heat if it's available.
Seasonal allergies - to what? I mean what sort of pollen? I am only allergic to cedar pollen but I do sneeze a lot when it's in full pollen mode. But I've been taking Vitamin C and zinc and a daily multivitamin for years now and can't remember the last time I was actually sick with anything.
As a conservative Christian, you should have no problem making friends in this area, which leans in that direction anyway. What denomination are you? I might have some church recommendations for you.
Good luck and I think you will love Tyler! If you want to send your kids to a public school, as usual just really check on school ratings. Good private schools abound in this area as well. Oh and there are also lots of charter schools and some magnet schools too.
My goodness! That's some hospitality. Thank you so much for this. You've definitely made this so much easier for us. I realized that a lot of experiences from people online are always the extreme because why would anyone post about regular boring ol' life. My wife was already eyeing Whitehouse and it's a bummer that homes are being outbid so much recently. A bidding war over a house we may love was always something that concerned us, but can't do much about it I suppose.
Low cost for home energy is great! I pay $280 per month for my 2-bedroom, 800 sq ft townhouse now in California! My daughter is just a toddler, so we haven't figured out her precise allergies, but she takes daily allergy medication at the moment with a home full of air filters. We are going for a visit in a few weeks and we'll see how well she does.
We are non-denominational Christians, but have been in a home church with 6 full-sized families for five years now and love it. We will miss our friends dearly, but a larger church in a new area may be better for the wife and the kids to meet people in the community.
Welcome! Are you coming from the Seattle area? Remember Tyler is small compared but pretty congested.
As Kathyrn said, Tyler leans conservative but there are two Mosques here as well. Yes, you should fit in nicely, you would not be the only Asian, not 40 percent Asian, but certainly not rare. Best to you.
Look at my posts, I have giving much detailed information on here about the Tyler area for over 12 years, many people considering a move to Tyler have directly contacted me many times over those years. I would be happy to try and answer your questions objectively as I can. Tyler is not Utopia, but close, lol, NOT.
Thank you Mark! I'll be reviewing your posts today and collecting information. Everything looks in line so far! I'm coming from the Bay Area and look forward to contributing to a community in Texas if all goes well!
My goodness! That's some hospitality. Thank you so much for this. You've definitely made this so much easier for us. I realized that a lot of experiences from people online are always the extreme because why would anyone post about regular boring ol' life. My wife was already eyeing Whitehouse and it's a bummer that homes are being outbid so much recently. A bidding war over a house we may love was always something that concerned us, but can't do much about it I suppose.
Low cost for home energy is great! I pay $280 per month for my 2-bedroom, 800 sq ft townhouse now in California! My daughter is just a toddler, so we haven't figured out her precise allergies, but she takes daily allergy medication at the moment with a home full of air filters. We are going for a visit in a few weeks and we'll see how well she does.
We are non-denominational Christians, but have been in a home church with 6 full-sized families for five years now and love it. We will miss our friends dearly, but a larger church in a new area may be better for the wife and the kids to meet people in the community.
My pleasure. I wish you great luck.
By the way, not sure what "sort" of Asian you are but my family sort of accidentally has a lot of Korean influence. First of all, my brother was adopted from an orphanage in Seoul, Korea in the late 1960s. He is Amerasian. Then 50 years later, my oldest daughter adopted a little boy FROM THE VERY SAME ORPHANAGE IN SEOUL - he's 100 percent Korean. Then my oldest son married a Korean woman he met when he was stationed in Korea.
So needless to say, I make the trek to Dallas to go to the Korean markets pretty often, though we do have several small but very good Asian grocery stores here in Tyler (I frequent them too).
I am Roman Catholic so I attend the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Tyler but I just recommended Bethel Bible Church to a friend of mine who is not Catholic but looking for a church home. I really like that church - it is young, diverse, and seems to have a lot of programs and a lot of energy! I think there may be two locations (not sure about that) but I am more familiar with the one on 69S headed out of Tyler.
Grace Community, may work as well. Non-denominational, larger, school thru 12th grade. Very active group.
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