Trying to find a reason to stay in Texas (Houston: real estate, house)

[momo194]

After having traveled through much of the continental USA, including much of my home state of Texas, I find that I am having trouble appreciating Texas as a place to live longer-term. I want to share some of my opinions and see if there are any others out there who feel the same or who can convince me otherwise.

*Long inhale*

I will preface my potentially unpopular opinions by saying five good things about the state.


The Good:
1) The Big Bend National Park has the most breathtaking, untouched scenery in Texas. West Texas is diverse topographically (rivers, canyons, mountains, plains, etc.) and rich with wildlife and history.
2) Affordable real estate.
3) No income taxes.
4) High generation of solar power.
5) The BBQ in Texas is quite possibly the best in the United States. The mandatory vinegar-based BBQ sauce and smoked brisket are superior to any other state.

The Fugly:
1)The Texas abortion law is an obsolete reprehensible law that employs Stasi tactics.
2) The public education system has made many students victims of educational inequality. The majority of student groups in Texas are low-income and/or do not speak English. The state's education system needs to be reevaluated and reformed to ensure school districts receive equal resources.
3) I could complain about the traffic, but that's inconsequential for cities and is not likely to change soon. However, Texas's air and water pollution is a burden (https://www.lung.org/media/press-rel...exas-sota-2021). And despite Texas producing a lot of wind energy, there is hardly any environmental responsibility.
4) High property taxes to compensate for the lack of income tax. This fact also feeds into fugly point #2.
5) Anyone over 21 can purchase a gun without a license or training.
6) Texas has some of the UGLIEST real estate in the U.S. Geez, the Texas Triangle is bursting at the seams with neighborhoods full of McMansions and cookie-cutter homes. The architecture has nothing distinctive or defining because curb appeal is practically nonexistent. Just about everyone's house has the same architectural design; the only difference is the size. Suburban developer housing is common across the U.S., but most of Texas's suburbs are teeming with bland, monotonous housing. At the right angle, the neighborhoods in Texas are indistinguishable from a Monopoly board.
7) Although there are a few charming towns that support local businesses, Texas is rampant with big-box retail and grocery stores. There are rows of bland shopping plazas that look no different from one another across the state. There is hardly any advocacy for local businesses. I mean, how many shopping plazas are needed with the same urban planning and stores like Walmart, Ross, Kohl's, T.J. Maxx, and (fill in with any big-box store).
8) Although the Triangle Cities boast of being trendsetting metroplexes, there isn't a cultural mosaic. Sure, there are a lot of Hispanics and Latinos, but the memo in Texas is assimilation.
9) Why do so many people have to be tied up with MLM's in Texas?
10) The social scenes in the cities are centered around sports bars spilling with alcoholic yuppies who think Chris Stapleton and Luke Comb's are god's gift to country music. Alright, this point isn't entirely true but I stand by it nonetheless.


Thanks for reading my jaded opinions. Any disagreements? Agreements?

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Why would you try to find a reason to stay? If you like it stay, if you don’t keep exploring.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

Why would you try to find a reason to stay? If you like it stay, if you don’t keep exploring.

I echo this, plus add that many other states would exhibit a lot of the same characteristics if they were growing as quickly. It just happens that TX has been the fast growing state.

[First24]

From the movie “Why did I get married?”. Make a list of the good and bad in your relationship, whatever outweighs the other is your answer.

You’ve already answered your own question. What in the world could strangers on a public message board say to change your mind?

As someone who’s grappled with the same type of issue you’re having, my advice is if you’re not happy, get out and try someplace different. If you have no obligations to bind you to a place, don’t waste your time being unhappy there. It not only affects you but others will sense your negative vibe and react accordingly. Just make sure it’s not something within yourself that’s causing your discontent. If that’s the case, no matter where you go you’ll find yourself in the same situation.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by momo194

After having traveled through much of the continental USA, including much of my home state of Texas, I find that I am having trouble appreciating Texas as a place to live longer-term. I want to share some of my opinions and see if there are any others out there who feel the same or who can convince me otherwise.

*Long inhale*

I will preface my potentially unpopular opinions by saying five good things about the state.


The Good:
1) The Big Bend National Park has the most breathtaking, untouched scenery in Texas. West Texas is diverse topographically (rivers, canyons, mountains, plains, etc.) and rich with wildlife and history.
2) Affordable real estate.
3) No income taxes.
4) High generation of solar power.
5) The BBQ in Texas is quite possibly the best in the United States. The mandatory vinegar-based BBQ sauce and smoked brisket are superior to any other state.

The Fugly:
1)The Texas abortion law is an obsolete reprehensible law that employs Stasi tactics.
2) The public education system has made many students victims of educational inequality. The majority of student groups in Texas are low-income and/or do not speak English. The state's education system needs to be reevaluated and reformed to ensure school districts receive equal resources.
3) I could complain about the traffic, but that's inconsequential for cities and is not likely to change soon. However, Texas's air and water pollution is a burden (https://www.lung.org/media/press-rel...exas-sota-2021). And despite Texas producing a lot of wind energy, there is hardly any environmental responsibility.
4) High property taxes to compensate for the lack of income tax. This fact also feeds into fugly point #2.
5) Anyone over 21 can purchase a gun without a license or training.
6) Texas has some of the UGLIEST real estate in the U.S. Geez, the Texas Triangle is bursting at the seams with neighborhoods full of McMansions and cookie-cutter homes. The architecture has nothing distinctive or defining because curb appeal is practically nonexistent. Just about everyone's house has the same architectural design; the only difference is the size. Suburban developer housing is common across the U.S., but most of Texas's suburbs are teeming with bland, monotonous housing. At the right angle, the neighborhoods in Texas are indistinguishable from a Monopoly board.
7) Although there are a few charming towns that support local businesses, Texas is rampant with big-box retail and grocery stores. There are rows of bland shopping plazas that look no different from one another across the state. There is hardly any advocacy for local businesses. I mean, how many shopping plazas are needed with the same urban planning and stores like Walmart, Ross, Kohl's, T.J. Maxx, and (fill in with any big-box store).
8) Although the Triangle Cities boast of being trendsetting metroplexes, there isn't a cultural mosaic. Sure, there are a lot of Hispanics and Latinos, but the memo in Texas is assimilation.
9) Why do so many people have to be tied up with MLM's in Texas?
10) The social scenes in the cities are centered around sports bars spilling with alcoholic yuppies who think Chris Stapleton and Luke Comb's are god's gift to country music. Alright, this point isn't entirely true but I stand by it nonetheless.


Thanks for reading my jaded opinions. Any disagreements? Agreements?

If you don't like here leave.

1. I don't like our new abortion law either....equating it with the Stasi in any way is absurd, insulting to history really.

2. How exactly is our public educational system, which I'm no fan of BTW, supposed to deal with legions of parents who do not care and kids who don't speak any language well?

2.1. Poor districts already strip money from, "rich" districts via a mechanism called Robin Hood...........and build things like water parks with the proceeds.

3. For people who earn any money our property tax system/levies do not make up for income + property tax burdens across all but a couple of competing cities/states.

4. If you can't find decent architecture you are looking in the wrong places.

5. I haven't run into anyone peddling MLM anything in years.

I think you dislike it here and are fishing for reasons to leave.

[ChristieP]

Good luck finding some utopian paradise anywhere in the USA.

And as for your #5, that’s because of the pesky Second Amendment.

[Dopo]

I agree with a lot of things mentioned by the OP
Just make sure to do your research before moving
The grass is always greener on the other side

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by momo194

8) Although the Triangle Cities boast of being trendsetting metroplexes, there isn't a cultural mosaic. Sure, there are a lot of Hispanics and Latinos, but the memo in Texas is assimilation.

Youve never been to Houston I guess.

[ScoPro]

#5 is incorrect if you are talking about legally. There are certainly restrictions as as far as ineligible persons are concerned.

Otherwise...

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by As Above So Below...

Youve never been to Houston I guess.

Yeah Houston is definitely the closest thing to culture exploiting culture from its various ethnic communities. But in all honesty, I would say Austin is the only one that completely lacks it (maybe Fort Worth?) but Dallas and San Antonio it too just maybe a bit less.