Friendly state? Hmm (Houston, Dallas, Austin: 2014, new home, buyer)

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by As Above So Below...

What drives cost of living is desirability.

SF, LA, NYC, Seattle, etc. are very desirable places to live in. NYC, DC, Boston, and SF for their urbanity and cultural amenities, LA for its weather and natural beauty, Seattle and Denver for their natural beauty, etc. Meanwhile, there are more than plenty blue run cities that are cheaper than the Texas cities like Detroit, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, etc. Chicago isnt that expensive either. Meanwhile, Miami is run by Republicans and very expensive. The reason? Desirability. People want to be near the beach and have no winter in the case of Miami.

Politics do not determine how expensive a place is. They really have little effect on that aspect of it. But liberals do prefer cities and Im sure that plays a part.

Austin is the most expensive city in Texas. Its also seen as the most desirable by Americans. That isnt a coincidence.

Another part of what drives costs is natural barriers. DFW has become more desirable in recent years but it has no natural barriers. Its on the Great Plains with nothing in it way to sprawl unto infinity. Every desirable city I named has many natural barriers.

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

The natural desirability of West Coast cities contributes to their cost, but it is nowhere near the full reason housing prices are outrageous there. The regulations, permitting processes, and some taxes are just as big of factors if not bigger. Do you have any idea how long it takes out there to get new housing built? What do you think that does to prices? Especially when coupled with tech firms and other employers willing to pay high salaries, so local workers in those select industries have more power to push up prices.

The EXACT same thing happens in Austin.

LocalPlanner is right. Desirability is a big part of Austin’s skyrocketing prices. But the lack of proper infrastructure (I.e. roads) that Austin has and doesn’t build is a huge reason for its prices. Just like natural boundaries have an effect, so do man made boundaries. Point blank, Houston and DFW have very little natural boundaries as well as endless systems of roads and interstates so they’re more prepared for the influx they’re getting.

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

I use to see road signs said to "Drive Friendly, It's The Texas Way", or something to that effect. I don't know if those road signs are still there or not, but I haven't seen any in a long time.

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

As fast as Houston DFW, San Antonio and Austin have been growing, they never grew as fast as Chicago, Detroit or Los Angeles.

Chicago went from 112,00 in 1860 to 1.03 million in 1890, and 3 million by 1930.

Detroit went from 116,000 in 1880 to 1.5 million in 1930 and 1.8 million in 1950.

Los Angeles went from 102,000 in 1900 to 1.2 million in 1930. 2.8 million in 1970 and 3.8 million in 2020.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by mkwensky

You mean your loss.

No, I meant what I said. Don't get me wrong, I like Texas, but it's not my very favorite state. There are other great places to live outside of Texas.

[Raider Scott]

I agree. My favorite state is probably New Mexico and we are currently looking into possibly retiring there. I love the wide openness of the state and the lower population. It is just beautiful and I can mt bike nearly year round.



However, NM does tax retirement income and does have a state income tax. More closer research will have to be done to weigh staying in TX and paying our high property taxes vs. NM's state income tax.


The way our property tax situation is going in TX, it just might be cheaper to pay a small state income tax in another state and their lower property taxes than retiring in TX. I am not going to lie...I will miss Texas...if we are forced to retire elsewhere.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by Raider Scott

I agree. My favorite state is probably New Mexico and we are currently looking into possibly retiring there. I love the wide openness of the state and the lower population. It is just beautiful and I can mt bike nearly year round.



However, NM does tax retirement income and does have a state income tax. More closer research will have to be done to weigh staying in TX and paying our high property taxes vs. NM's state income tax.


The way our property tax situation is going in TX, it just might be cheaper to pay a small state income tax in another state and their lower property taxes than retiring in TX. I am not going to lie...I will miss Texas...if we are forced to retire elsewhere.

I totally get cha.

I will miss Texas too, but I miss other places now as well, so there's that. Moving on! I nearly certainly won't stay in Texas past about three years or so from now.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by Raider Scott

I agree. My favorite state is probably New Mexico and we are currently looking into possibly retiring there. I love the wide openness of the state and the lower population. It is just beautiful and I can mt bike nearly year round.



However, NM does tax retirement income and does have a state income tax. More closer research will have to be done to weigh staying in TX and paying our high property taxes vs. NM's state income tax.


The way our property tax situation is going in TX, it just might be cheaper to pay a small state income tax in another state and their lower property taxes than retiring in TX. I am not going to lie...I will miss Texas...if we are forced to retire elsewhere.

I have to admit, I'm a little surprised at this - New Mexico is traditionally much more Democrat-leaning than TX. Its COVID restrictions were noticeably stronger than those in TX, for example. It's also one of the U.S.' highest-poverty states.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

LocalPlanner is right. Desirability is a big part of Austin’s skyrocketing prices. But the lack of proper infrastructure (I.e. roads) that Austin has and doesn’t build is a huge reason for its prices. Just like natural boundaries have an effect, so do man made boundaries. Point blank, Houston and DFW have very little natural boundaries as well as endless systems of roads and interstates so they’re more prepared for the influx they’re getting.

Austin's poor infrastructure does have impacts (not sure how much on housing prices), but their building restrictions and regulatory process have a much bigger impact on increasing housing prices, when coupled with the high-income job growth they have from the tech industry. They are following the Bay Area playbook - lack of respect for property rights and way too much power given to existing homeowners to have say over development.

[Raider Scott]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

I have to admit, I'm a little surprised at this - New Mexico is traditionally much more Democrat-leaning than TX. Its COVID restrictions were noticeably stronger than those in TX, for example. It's also one of the U.S.' highest-poverty states.

Yes, but NM is actually a great place to retire, as long as you stay out of the pricey spots like ABQ and Santa Fe. Las Cruces is amazing and I love the weather - no rain and no humidity. As a serious mt biker - I love the landscape and tons of trail options there.


NM has CO type scenery and some winter but not CO prices or touristy crowds and the winter is less severe than CO or other mountain states. El Paso is an hour from Las Cruces and there is plenty of big city things there if I need them.



True, NM is democrat, but those is smaller towns and rural areas are fairly red or they do not seem overly concerned with identity politics in general. There is a strong libertarian "you do your thing, I will do mine" in NM that I get when I am there. I totally agree with this line of thinking. Las Cruces is the second largest city in NM but it feels small and more rural. NM gun laws are pretty loose as well - another appealing feature versus other blue states.



Yes, NM is a high poverty state, but again, I am retiring there and do not need a job, so that is not real important.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

I have to admit, I'm a little surprised at this - New Mexico is traditionally much more Democrat-leaning than TX. Its COVID restrictions were noticeably stronger than those in TX, for example. It's also one of the U.S.' highest-poverty states.

Yes, but the “hardcore libs” of AUSTIN, Houston and Dallas are much louder than anywhere in New Mexico. The “blood red conservatives” of Texas are much louder than that of New Mexico. If anything, New Mexico is a representation of San Antonio where it’s blue leaning but not the magazine style liberals of America.