Might move to Texas (Houston, Dallas: rent, new home, job market)

[bdjohnson]

My wife and I are looking to move. Although we are still currently researching all options I was hoping to use this site to get some information. We have 3 children and currently live in IN. This state is dead and we are so tired of struggling and going no where. We have decied to move on and start anew. We have been talking about a few states to move to and as I said we are looking for more information. I am a jack of all trades, skills, and abilities and looking for a job in a new state that is stable, profitable and will allow me to be able to support my family and provide for them. I am so sick of working for companies and getting laid off or the company closing there doors. Plus I need to be able to find some place for our family to live (rent) while we get on our feet etc. So I am hoping that someone can give me some insite to the state, economy, healthcare, cost of living, jobs and wages. I am a very experienced welder ,even certified, by trade but have built homes from the floor up as well.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by bdjohnson

My wife and I are looking to move. Although we are still currently researching all options I was hoping to use this site to get some information. We have 3 children and currently live in IN. This state is dead and we are so tired of struggling and going no where. We have decied to move on and start anew. We have been talking about a few states to move to and as I said we are looking for more information. I am a jack of all trades, skills, and abilities and looking for a job in a new state that is stable, profitable and will allow me to be able to support my family and provide for them. I am so sick of working for companies and getting laid off or the company closing there doors. Plus I need to be able to find some place for our family to live (rent) while we get on our feet etc. So I am hoping that someone can give me some insite to the state, economy, healthcare, cost of living, jobs and wages. I am a very experienced welder ,even certified, by trade but have built homes from the floor up as well.

If you want to work in construction in Texas, better learn Spanish.

I don't know about opportunities for welders here; this area of Texas (DFW) isn't a big manufacturing base but I think there are a couple of car plants and other factories here; I don't know in what other capacity a welder would work, sorry; I'm very ignorant about that.

In terms of cost of living...Dallas and Indianapolis are pretty much a wash when I googled a cost of living comparison between the two. I chose Indianapolis just randomly. I don't know where in IN you live.

[DanielWayne]

Originally Posted by bdjohnson

... I am so sick of working for companies and getting laid off or the company closing there doors. ...

Unfortunately that still happens here in Tx. Almost happened to me in 2011.

I can't say I know much about the welding industry, but from that I gather in the local news (and I also work at a community college with a successful welding program that occasionally sends campus wide emails about job openings) there is opportunity around Houston - lots of chemical refineries and shipyards need welders. Also I hear there are lots of oil related jobs around Midland and south of San Antonio. My nephew got a degree in communications, but is earning probably 2x what he would earn with his degree while working in oil and gas taking mud samples. So I tend to believe you would have success there, too, as your skills would probably match a lot of work that is in demand. Hopefully somebody else will chime in, but I tend to think if you are an experienced welder then you have a good chance around Houston.

[High_Plains_Retired]

Take a look at Lubbock. The local economy is hot right now. My wife's young cousin supposedly has grown wealthy in the past few years in home construction around Lubbock. I can't verify this information except from what his parents tell me. I do know the young man recently bought a lake house that his proud parents occasionally use.

Right now for urban-area property, Lubbock probably has some of the least expensive housing in the State. I haven't owned a home in Lubbock in many years but I think you can still buy a newer brick home in the nicer area of southwest Lubbock for much less than $100/square foot. I see some brick homes in the SW being advertised as low as $55 to $85/ft2. You should be aware however that Texas property taxes can be somewhat significant in some counties and municipalities.

Or you can find a bank repo property and you can really get a deal if you want to put some sweat into your new home purchase. My repoed 1800 ft2 farm house (4BR, 2bths) with two barns on 20-acres north of Lubbock that I bought a little more than 3 years ago may well have cost less than your current vehicle. You can also find many owner-financed properties in the Lubbock area if that's within your means or interest. I think there are some good deals out around Lubbock if one just takes the time to look.

It's been too many years since I worked in Lubbock (1980s) so I can't speak to current salaries. However, healthcare in Lubbock is some of the best in the State. Texas Tech University has a medical school which probably helps.

BTW, I didn't start welding until I was retired and I stink at best. At any rate, best of luck in your decision to move your home and family.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by bdjohnson

My wife and I are looking to move. Although we are still currently researching all options I was hoping to use this site to get some information. We have 3 children and currently live in IN. This state is dead and we are so tired of struggling and going no where. We have decied to move on and start anew. We have been talking about a few states to move to and as I said we are looking for more information. I am a jack of all trades, skills, and abilities and looking for a job in a new state that is stable, profitable and will allow me to be able to support my family and provide for them. I am so sick of working for companies and getting laid off or the company closing there doors. Plus I need to be able to find some place for our family to live (rent) while we get on our feet etc. So I am hoping that someone can give me some insite to the state, economy, healthcare, cost of living, jobs and wages. I am a very experienced welder ,even certified, by trade but have built homes from the floor up as well.

Texas is a huge place, so it is difficult to address those questions in general, they vary from region to region.

Construction generally lags architectural inquiries so some of this may be interesting for you. Even though it focuses on the Austin area. //www.city-data.com/blogs/blog3...ry-austin.html

Things were improving during most of 2012, but the graphs on that page show a downturn towards the end of 2012, probably anxiety over the fiscal cliff.

There has been an oil and gas boom in SW Texas, but housing is hard to find and expensive in that area because if it. Reading some of these recent threads may help give you an idea of what is going on in the oil and gas industry //www.city-data.com/forum/searc...archid=1610391
//www.city-data.com/forum/texas...obs-texas.html

This is a good place to find out about jobs available in Texas. http://www.twc.state.tx.us/

In general the cost of living is quite low in Texas, with Austin I believe having the highest because of all the competition for housing with all of the people moving here.

[Willsson]

Work in Texas dot com < no spaces, one dot

> Search jobs
> enter key words, search all words

Or whatever works for you

[bgrn198]

Toyota has a big Manufacturing/Assembly plant in San Antonio might check it out.

Careers | Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas

Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce | San Antonio, Texas

[EzPeterson]

Originally Posted by bdjohnson

My wife and I are looking to move. Although we are still currently researching all options I was hoping to use this site to get some information. We have 3 children and currently live in IN. This state is dead and we are so tired of struggling and going no where. We have decied to move on and start anew. We have been talking about a few states to move to and as I said we are looking for more information. I am a jack of all trades, skills, and abilities and looking for a job in a new state that is stable, profitable and will allow me to be able to support my family and provide for them. I am so sick of working for companies and getting laid off or the company closing there doors. Plus I need to be able to find some place for our family to live (rent) while we get on our feet etc. So I am hoping that someone can give me some insite to the state, economy, healthcare, cost of living, jobs and wages. I am a very experienced welder ,even certified, by trade but have built homes from the floor up as well.

Midland/Odessa or the South TX Oil Fields. Housing will be problematic close by, but if you can sacrifice and commute for 6 months, you can really stack up some cash - wages are very high right now. If you have your own welding rig (and even if you don't) you can make a very good living.

[losttechnician]

I'll chime in, for no other reason than to support what some other folks have posted. The oil fields will be a place where an experienced welder would be able to find a job fairly quickly. Housing will be a problem in West Texas though, which since the OP is moving family down from up north, might compound the housing problem.

The Panhandle (Amarillo area) or South Plains (Lubbock area) would be a great place to start looking. If the OP is comfortable in a metropolitan setting, these areas might be difficult to get used to, but if mid size cities or smaller are comfy.... Great place to look.

I think there are some good opportunities around Lubbock for welders, but can't say for sure. Do know there is a great amount of home construction in Lubbock though.

Do know there are some great jobs in the Amarillo area though. Oil and gas is a bit more pronounced in that area, specifically Pampa and Borger, but Amarillo itself offers plenty of industry for a city it's size.

Finally, housing is available in Amarillo, both rent and purchase. Finding a house for under $100/sqft is easily possible, since there is much new construction in the area.

[augiedogie]

What High Plains said about Lubbock is true. Economy is still expanding. We haven't really felt the downturn of 2008 much at all. Home construction and new businesses moving into the area. We'll probably have a Costco by next year. Almost anything you want to buy can be found out here. If you want a really good job market, even better are the nearby oil fields. They are drilling and expanding like crazy. They are drilling and pumping more oil out here than they ever have, and they've made a huge find in the Cline shale field, about 100 miles south. Hence, any place like Midland, Sweetwater, Snyder, Levelland have many job opportunities for a jack of all trades. Cost of living is similar to Indiana, but no income tax. You'll be welcome.