Young family thinking of moving from Sacramento, CA to Texas (Dallas: real estate, to rent)

[redpapercrane]

Originally Posted by justme02

BigDGeek and Texasvines do have a point which you should probably heed. If your budget is $1400 for a 3 bedroom house rental, take Austin completely off the list. You might be able to live in a less than safe neighborhood in Dallas for that, or perhaps one of the less developed burbs.

Im not as familiar with the cost of living in Sacramento as I am in Southern California, but paying $1400 for a rental home would be considered cheap in Dallas or Austin. In LA, $1400 would get you a studio or at best one bedroom.

Thanks. I'm aware we'd probably be looking at one of the neighboring suburban areas to start out in, which we're fine with. I realize now that I wasn't exactly clear in my first post, we're not expecting that kind of home to rent in the beginning, or even purchase for our first house, I was asking for future reference.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by redpapercrane

Thanks. I'm aware we'd probably be looking at one of the neighboring suburban areas to start out in, which we're fine with. I realize now that I wasn't exactly clear in my first post, we're not expecting that kind of home to rent in the beginning, or even purchase for our first house, I was asking for future reference.

The real estate market in north Texas is white hot and Texas itself is only middle of the pack when it comes to unemployment. People who do what you guys do will struggle anywhere, regardless of the relative health of the job market.

Most of the "photographers" I know here are semi-professionals who supplement their income with photography, or who have a part-time "real job" to pay the bills since photography doesn't cut it. It's an extraordinarily competitive field and the pay is relatively low, even by Texas standards.

I don't know anything about recording or working as a sound engineer but the number of media outlets here relative to the enormous population should give you an idea of how competitive it really is. Dallas doesn't have much of a recording industry to speak of...nor does Austin compared to some other major cities...and in Austin it'll be 10x more competitive. If your husband is going to work installing satellite TV systems, he's going to love the summers here. Not. Peoples' attics and crawlspaces here can be 20-40 degrees over the temperature outside, and it gets over 100F regularly here.

It's very likely that neither of you will make as much here as you do in CA, so you'll have even less to spend on rent. You won't be able to find a 3 bedroom house in a decent area for $1400 a month. Not unless you want to live in the middle of nowhere in a really crappy suburb with crappy-to-mediocre schools and more property crime than you're probably comfortable with.

As for houses, good 3-2s with a nice yard in my neighborhood are going for $215-$230k. We're in an area with older homes with character and excellent schools. Your budget won't stretch to renting a house in my neighborhood. Not a 3-2, anyway.

I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer but you need to hear this. Better to hear the reality of it now, than to be unpleasantly surprised once you get here.

You will struggle here. I'm sorry.

[High_Plains_Retired]

For all the music that exists around the Lubbock area, I think there's always room for one more recording studio. However, photographers out here have to have some amount of imagination as you certainly can't expect to simply point and shoot and start winning awards.

You could definitely rent a house in the Lubbock area or $1400 but for that sort of money, I would probably buy. Lots of people out here do seller financing. I just did one. Don't let the pinheads in the media, or those here on C-D, tell you Lubbock is all conservative. No American city anywhere in America is all conservative. I've lived in several large American cities and, for a city to be all conservative, is simply not possible.

I am as conservative as you will find and that's why I do not live inside any city anymore. However, I welcome you kids to Texas if that's where you want to come. Texas, which is my native state, is changing rapidly because of its rapid growth. However, for all it's change, I'm hoping it will continue to be the friendly place it has been all my life.

[redpapercrane]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

The real estate market in north Texas is white hot and Texas itself is only middle of the pack when it comes to unemployment. People who do what you guys do will struggle anywhere, regardless of the relative health of the job market.

Most of the "photographers" I know here are semi-professionals who supplement their income with photography, or who have a part-time "real job" to pay the bills since photography doesn't cut it. It's an extraordinarily competitive field and the pay is relatively low, even by Texas standards.

I don't know anything about recording or working as a sound engineer but the number of media outlets here relative to the enormous population should give you an idea of how competitive it really is. Dallas doesn't have much of a recording industry to speak of...nor does Austin compared to some other major cities...and in Austin it'll be 10x more competitive. If your husband is going to work installing satellite TV systems, he's going to love the summers here. Not. Peoples' attics and crawlspaces here can be 20-40 degrees over the temperature outside, and it gets over 100F regularly here.

It's very likely that neither of you will make as much here as you do in CA, so you'll have even less to spend on rent. You won't be able to find a 3 bedroom house in a decent area for $1400 a month. Not unless you want to live in the middle of nowhere in a really crappy suburb with crappy-to-mediocre schools and more property crime than you're probably comfortable with.

As for houses, good 3-2s with a nice yard in my neighborhood are going for $215-$230k. We're in an area with older homes with character and excellent schools. Your budget won't stretch to renting a house in my neighborhood. Not a 3-2, anyway.

I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer but you need to hear this. Better to hear the reality of it now, than to be unpleasantly surprised once you get here.

You will struggle here. I'm sorry.

Thank you for the information, that is helpful. It sounds like the kinds of homes we're interest in are definitely more affordable there, perhaps we'll consider a move once we've both graduated and are ready to purchase a home.

[redpapercrane]

Originally Posted by High_Plains_Retired

For all the music that exists around the Lubbock area, I think there's always room for one more recording studio. However, photographers out here have to have some amount of imagination as you certainly can't expect to simply point and shoot and start winning awards.

You could definitely rent a house in the Lubbock area or $1400 but for that sort of money, I would probably buy. Lots of people out here do seller financing. I just did one. Don't let the pinheads in the media, or those here on C-D, tell you Lubbock is all conservative. No American city anywhere in America is all conservative. I've lived in several large American cities and, for a city to be all conservative, is simply not possible.

I am as conservative as you will find and that's why I do not live inside any city anymore. However, I welcome you kids to Texas if that's where you want to come. Texas, which is my native state, is changing rapidly because of its rapid growth. However, for all it's change, I'm hoping it will continue to be the friendly place it has been all my life.

Thank you, your kindness was much needed. I'm familiar with Lubbock, I worked in the corporate office of a car wash chain that was based here in Sacramento, but has locations out there. We'll definitely do our research on Lubbock.

[Westerntraveler]

Originally Posted by redpapercrane

Thank you, your kindness was much needed. I'm familiar with Lubbock, I worked in the corporate office of a car wash chain that was based here in Sacramento, but has locations out there. We'll definitely do our research on Lubbock.

I second Lubbock....Lubbock is a nice town.Lubbock is mostly conservative but there's a liberal element with Texas Tech.

[High_Plains_Retired]

Originally Posted by redpapercrane

I'm familiar with Lubbock,

He may already be familiar with it but tell your husband to research the history of the Norman Petty Studios at Clovis, New Mexico. This is where Buddy Holly and many others recorded.

Another fellow to possibly follow is a more recent Clovis recording studio owner, Johnny Mulhair of Mulhair Studio. I've only seen Mulhair play guitar once but he's good.


Johnny Mulhair Blue Angel Cover - YouTube

Best of luck in your pursuits.

[dbsteel]

I lived in Austin and have been to Sacramento many times. Even looked at the real estate market there. I can tell you, living in the suburbs in Sacramento isn't much different price wise than living in the Burbs of Austin. You'd need to go way out in some small town with a long drive. The rent is similar too unless you downsize to a two bedroom apartment.

Dallas is more affordable.

[War Beagle]

I recommend staying there.

[slo1318]

We are californians , been here more than ten years . My observations...

You will like it.
It is an easy transition.
People are friendly.
Economy is good, everything seems new.
After a few years you will tire of the weather.
You will also tire of the distances to different locales/climates.
You will appreciate CA more.
We've enjoyed and like Texas but ready to go back.

Lubbock is a good town , but is extremely isolated, I wouldn't consider.
For a Californian I'd go DFW or Austin.