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Well, I am new here and I think I originally posted to the wrong place, so let me start over. I live in Pensacola and have a place on Grand Lake in Oklahoma. Grand Lake is a river authority lake with few restrictions. I have a dock and own to the shore. There is virtually no setback. You can live literally on the water.
But Oklahoma is too cold. I want big freshwater with "oceanic" view. I want to be a good 50 miles inland to escape the tidal surge and the brunt of the hurricanes. I don't mind a 70 mile and hour wind. But Ivan's 120 mile an hour wind took my roof here in Pensacola with 3 weeks without electricity. No more of that.
Searched all over for a lake with big views and less restrictions. Finally found Toledo Bend. Am looking at the south end as the water clarity is better there and I might want to do a bit of swimming. Property taxes are really low. And there is a bit of shore line in Newton County, TX that would mean no state income tax. Louisiana has one. But property taxes are even lower there.
South Toledo Bend seems like a nice little town that will no doubt grow as boomers discover the Toledo/Rayburn area. Rayburn is a corps lake with more restrictions, but still big with great views.
Jasper looks like an up-and-coming center.
Anyone out there live in the area, now? Can tell me more? What about medical facilities? And what about Medigap insurance. I will retire at 59. That is almost here! Does Texas Blue Cross and Shield offer a good private plan? I have retirement income, but want to at least have catastophic coverage with high deductible for everyday care.
Give me some info. Anyone. I may be your neighbor someday. You may get a finder's fee from a real estate agent. I am looking for a rather nice lakefront on South Toledo, preferably on the Texas side to escape state income tax. Thanks.
I live in Jasper and we have done a good amount of building on Rayburn. It is very restricted as to what trees can be cut from your property line to the water. That can be a considerable distance. Water lots on the south (Jasper) end of the lake are non-existant. It is a huge lake and very pretty. And, you are right, Jasper is moving on.
Toledo Bend is not restricted and you have complete access to the water. The housing on the southern Louisana side is very nice but there are not close towns of any size whether you are in Texas or Lousiana. There are secveral good restaurants on the La.
Rayburn has 2 small hospitals in Jasper and an excellent medical center in Lufkin abt 45 min.north. Lufkin would be your closest bigger town (45k).
On Toledo you can build a large expensive home and there may be a fish camp next door. Rayburn is like living in any subdivision in town.
They are both excellent fishing lakes. Rayburn is pretty open and Toledo is heavily timbered even after all the years it has been established.
TXBCBS is our insurance co. Like all individual plans, it is expensive but pays well depending on your plan. I have no info Medicare as I am "ONLY" 54. Guess I need to check into that.
The louisana side is more developed . Many is the closest small town and Natchitoches is the next larger town abt 40 miles away. Alexandria is a BIG town abt 60 miles.
Ask more and we will try to answer. If you don't have to have lakeside, I have 14 acres with a lovely house and a creek 20 minutes south of Rayburn for sale!.
You told me a lot about the two lakes. Everything you said about Rayburn was what I sort of expected--too many restrictions. Most of the Texas side of Toledo Bend is national forest. What kind of restrictions on building there?
So you are only 54 That is indeed young. I plan a trip sometime in 2007 to investigate things. There are some areas around the T-Lake--we won't even talk about Rayburn for now--that appear to have a higher elevation. I am thinking of Merritt Mountain. Do you know what the depth of the lake might be near the dam itself. I know the river channel is the only place that appears to have much depth for most of the lake.
I am well-aware that the lake is tree-clogged. But I understand it is a bit more open to recreational boating on the South end. Of course, those logs make for fantastic fishing.
I will think about your inland land acreage. What have real estate prices been like there? It is a bit of a condo bubble here in Pensacola and prices are declining some. I don't think Jasper has experienced any bubble.
I think you are in one hot retirement area as the boomers start to come in. Many more will be leaving the immediate coast to go a bit further inland. We have a potential hurricane that may nose its way into the gulf, now.
Let me know if you receive this post. I am new to this forum and e-mail stuff and do not always do it right. Thanks again and let's keep in touch.
Tell me some more about your acreage. Elevation, access, location. Do you find the lack of a state income tax to be advantageous or do local taxes bite too hard?
My husband fished Toledo extensivly before he married me and I took up all his play time. I will get some more information about the lake from him. I am not all that familiar with Toledo Bend except for Ebinezer Park recreation area from when I had highschoolers. Nice swimming and picnicing there. Keep in mind ,it is a long way from anywhere and while that is appealing in a week end home it can be more difficult in day to day living. Groceries,pharmacies,Walmart! the necessities of rural life require a little driving.
Water lots at Rayburn are up tp 60-100 K. They are little and hard to build on. Lots on Toledo are much cheaper. Check out the Jasper Newsboy classified. Also check Toledo Bend Reality to see what is out there.
High end consturction(remember I'm a builder) here in Jasper area is abt $100 per ft of heated space. That would be granite,wood and tile floors etc. There are much more affordable properties than that level of housing here. You can buy a cute older house in town for $79k and nice subdivision houses circa 1980's for $149k. Lake property is completly different. You would think after Rita, no one would be building but business is really good here. I think the insurance repairs led to long put off additions etc.
I don't get the posts on e-mail as I just read the boards. I could set my preferences to accept PM if you would like to talk off boards. But , someone else might be looking for beautiful woods, inexpensive living and nice people,also.
Location: East Texas, with the Clan of the Cave Bear
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If you don't want to be on the Jasper side of the lake (Sam Rayburn) you might try a search on these restrictred lots (fron 1.5 to 15 acres). Search: Veach Escapes on Lake Sam Rayburn, Texas . I don't know how many or left and I have never personally looked at the land but having fished the area extensively I think your landline could be pretty close to the water. Also on your easement (Corps land) if you are patient it is possible to take a bit of growth out at a time until views are pretty open. Boating on Rayburn is sooooooo much easier (buy and aluminum hulled boat for T Bend).
For the last 3 years T Bend has had water problems (low levels)to the point now and last year too most boat ramps are not usable and potentially your waterline could be a long way off. Send me an email and I'll send you some decent Texas real estate links.
Both lakes are equally good as far as fishing quality with maybe a slight edge going to T Bend as Rayburn gets much more tournament pressure. Rayburn is a much friendlier recreational lake but the Bend has better views (steeper hills with more elevation). Also T Bend has issues with a noxious water plant called Giant Salvina (sp?). Best fishing is not in the flooded wood but in the huge expanses of water plants (hydrilla). I personally like the midlake area on T Bend around the town of Hemphill. From this area you are roughly 45minutes to 1 hour due east of Lufkin, 2-2.5 hours south of Shreveport and 1.75 hours from Beaumont. I particularly like the Rebel Ridge Subdivision out of Hemphill. There are lots of choices of property on T Bend and it is rare on Rayburn (waterfront). In fact I was online tonight looking at lake real estate.
Sorry for rambling......good luck! BTW I live about 45 minutes south of Rayburn and 30 minutes west of Jasper.
Hi, I just happened across this site as Iwas looking for property on Sam Rayburn. This has been especially informative as to the differences between Rayburn and toledo Bend. My wife and I want to buy a waterfront propery/house in that area and retire. I am 63 yrs old but in excellent health and condition. Licensed pilot and current marathon runner. Are there any employment opportunities for people like us?
Bill: I am sort of new to the internet, too. I thought I had posted to your private address. But you are not taking those. Hope you find me here. I am in the process of closing on 36 acres of land up by Converse/Union Town on the north end of Toledo. I visited the property about 10 days ago and found it beautiful. But he lake is at record lows and I had about 200 feet of white sand and stumps in front of the property. Of course, the south end has much more water. But the owner of the land is a bit discouraged at the current drought and low water. He is selling the acreage and 1000 feet on the main lake for a very good price. There is a knockout view. I can see 30 miles down the lake! A great breeze, thus, all the white sand on the beach that carries it in. Nice elevation. Just an old beatup trailer on the bank. But what a site for a home ! I just need the lake to rise 3-4 feet to have the water lapping closer at the beach and cover the tree stumps. And that would still be well-below normal level. Now the time to buy. When the lake comes back to normal it will be beautiful everywhere. I stayed at the Cypress Bend golf resort. Very nice. Beautiful development there called Bailey Bluffs. Homes are in the 300K to 400K+ range there. A bit pricey for me. But you get twice the home and land you would get most anywhere else. I tell you, it is about to pop as a major retirement destination. You and I are still young enough to see it happen. There was a medical convention at the Cypress Bend when I was there. The doctors were raving about the area. Here comes a major medical center. Mark my words.
My mother lives in Jasper and has for about 60 years. She says there are no good doctors there now. She goes to either Beaumont or Lufkin for doctors which is not too far, but something you might want to think about. Also there is still racial tension because of the murder a few years ago ( a black man was dragged to death).
Location: East Texas, with the Clan of the Cave Bear
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Quote:
Originally Posted by I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA
My mother lives in Jasper and has for about 60 years. She says there are no good doctors there now. She goes to either Beaumont or Lufkin for doctors which is not too far, but something you might want to think about.
Not a SINGLE good doctor.....wow! We have a couple of good ones in Woodville 30 miles west of Jasper in a much smaller setting. I would agree that SERVICES are limited in Jasper (I work for Christus Health ). Getting emregency / acute care could be an issue, but who wants to live forever !
This has been hashed and rehashed on this board and there is quite a difference in opinion from what you have posted by those of us who live in the area. I hate to see this fallacious info/rumors spread so indiscrimately.....as it is sure not fair to the good people of Jasper! The killing you spoke of involved 4 crack users and an unpaid debt......not racially motivated as widely pushed by a PC press!
Location: East Texas, with the Clan of the Cave Bear
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kurt
Bill: I am sort of new to the internet, too. I thought I had posted to your private address. But you are not taking those. Hope you find me here. I am in the process of closing on 36 acres of land up by Converse/Union Town on the north end of Toledo. I visited the property about 10 days ago and found it beautiful. But he lake is at record lows and I had about 200 feet of white sand and stumps in front of the property. Of course, the south end has much more water. But the owner of the land is a bit discouraged at the current drought and low water. He is selling the acreage and 1000 feet on the main lake for a very good price. There is a knockout view. I can see 30 miles down the lake! A great breeze, thus, all the white sand on the beach that carries it in. Nice elevation. Just an old beatup trailer on the bank. But what a site for a home ! I just need the lake to rise 3-4 feet to have the water lapping closer at the beach and cover the tree stumps. And that would still be well-below normal level. Now the time to buy. When the lake comes back to normal it will be beautiful everywhere. I stayed at the Cypress Bend golf resort. Very nice. Beautiful development there called Bailey Bluffs. Homes are in the 300K to 400K+ range there. A bit pricey for me. But you get twice the home and land you would get most anywhere else. I tell you, it is about to pop as a major retirement destination. You and I are still young enough to see it happen. There was a medical convention at the Cypress Bend when I was there. The doctors were raving about the area. Here comes a major medical center. Mark my words.
Congratulations Kurt.......glad you found your piece of Heaven. Stay in touch. The main reason for the drop in lake levels is also contractual agreements by th SRA to sell electricity (thus water releases) along with the drought conditions on the Sabine River watershed. Sorry I've been a bit lax in the emails lately.
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Thanks for your response, Gail
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