Possibly relocating with 3 kids...help? (Houston, San Antonio: insurance, houses, neighborhoods)

[Rapp5]

So we have 3 kids ages 8 and 2 (yes they're twins lol) and we have family that lives in San Antonio. Some in Universal City. We were thinking to relocate and the two states that came up were NC and TX. I've done my research on NC- people are nice, area is similar to home (we live in MD), schools rank well...BUT, we would also like to consider TX. I have a few concerns and was hoping someone could clear them up for me?

How is the climate there for raising a family? Are there lots of family type activities available? How are the schools? I've seen some not so hot reports out of TX lately about teachers...but that could happen anywhere, I know. I worry about drought/fires...

Mainly, is it fairly easy to get to know the area? Or are the people welcoming? I just don't know enough about the area other than what I know from spending every summer there growing up.

Feedback would be great!

[ItsTheTruth]

The schools will be as good as your area is expensive. Everything in TX is about price range.

[TXsurburbanmom]

If you are looking at the Raleigh area in NC check the news. When we moved there from SA their schools appeared to be much better but when we got there it was a mess. Still busing for diversity (!) and then fighting when the new school board tried to go to neighborhood schools instead. It's been 1 1/2 yrs so hopefully it's better. After we got the chance to move back I discovered that when I ran a specific zip code (Stone Oak) the schools were much better then the NC one we were at. Overall for the state NC ranks higher but there are some really good public schools in SA. The ones I know personally are in Stone Oak, Encino Park, and out 281. Price range out here mid to high $100k to millions but they go to the same schools.
There are other areas as well but I can only tell you what I know.

Good luck deciding. If you do go NC we really disliked the school in Holly Springs. Cute little town but rude and unfriendly at the school.

[Rapp5]

ddeel- that's what I was finding as well about Raleigh. And THAT'S the area we were looking in. Well, one of the suburbs. When I started to REALLY do my research on the "Great" schools in NC it would SEEM like the bar was just being lowered and the test grades sky rocketed. NOT saying that's the case in every school but just the handful I randomly selected. And no, from talking to people and reading/visiting, the school issues you were having have not been resolved. Many people complained about their children's buses not even showing up! Between the busing issues and standards seeming lower- it just doesn't feel like the best fit for us. We really liked the area and landscape because it seemed the most like home to us though. Texas is vastly different in comparison to Maryland but that doesn't mean it's bad- just different for us.

How do you like the traffic flow in SA? I'm use to a long commute here in DC but we were looking forward to the "long" commute in NC (20-30minutes). Many people we met in NC were complaining about their insane 30 minute commute which just made me laugh. What's the traffic like during rush hour in SA? I've only ever visited SA on vacation to see family so I've never HAD to sit in rush hour.

[TXsurburbanmom]

Where would you be working in SA. My husband used to drive from Stone Oak (far NC) across town to the east side. It took him 40 minutes normally. Bad weather or a wreck could make it an hour. Right now there is roadwork out here so it's slower then normal but once complete will be faster. I hear people complain but unless you live extremely far from where you are going I don't think it compares to a lot of east coast cities. I'm not fond of 35 but it doesn't bother my husband. He spends most weeks driving to Houston so his commute is about 3 hours--but then he stays the week. We'd rather do that then move so...

He worked in Garner in NC so his commute was 45 minutes but we were told not to live there. Liked Cary but the prices were higher and what we wanted to pay went into a school next to a middle school with serious issues--seemed like the kids being buses in didn't mesh well with the "rich kids". So we opted for HS and didn't like it. Strange place in that about 80% of the people were from the northeast so it wasn't like being in NC or like being in the NE. Beautiful though and some nice people. But honestly the neighborhoods still felt segregated which after living where we lived in SA was very noticeable and uncomfortable. My take on it was shaded by my having spent my life in west, south and central TX.

Oh and all the houses were the same style except for a few newly built craftsman. Creeped me out but I think it is an east coast thing. When we moved there the houses were more expensive but the market dropped in HS so you could find a good deal there now but SA is much better for cost of living on everything else but insurance.

[mis2princesas]

I moved from Charlotte NC to San Antonio TX.. and it's been the best move we've made so far. Schools are so much better compared to Union County Public Schools near Charlotte.. even though Union County has the best schools in the Charlotte area!!.. We love it here!.. Property taxes are high compared to NC.. I'm not really sure of the rate here.. maybe 2.2 - 2.8%.. back in NC, it was 0.68 %!.. but then there's no income tax.. Friendly people all over..!

[Rapp5]

Thanks mis2princesas! I'm so nervous about the school situation. Where abouts in SA do you all live? Meaning, what school district? We're currently in MD and the people aren't the friendliest?! So we were hoping with moving would come a friendlier climate as well. Hard to make friends in the area or fairly easy? We really just wanted to move and jump right in and get involved!