How to Native Texans REALLY feel about transplants? (Houston, Austin: fit in, real estate)

[johnherrera305]

I have read a few threads where native Texans are very upset and downright angry that people from other states are moving to Texas. They often speak as though Texas was a seperate country and we were illegal immigrants raiding down on this Republic. I had the opinion that people from Houston were really nice folks...however, as I read more and more, my opinion is starting to change. What are your thoughts?

[traveler guy]

Well, Texas is pretty much it's own country about the size of France and with it's own distinct cultures. Any ways back to the question not really in fact no one really cares if your from a different stat your you and if someone is rude to you it's cause were just human some nice some not so nice just like any other state, city, or even country. You have the good people and the bad people just dust them off your shoulder and move on.

[vantexan]

I grew up in Central Florida. Disney World came in when I was 12 and it's never been the same. Pre-Disney we were a string of small towns with some distance between us. We had woods and lakes and orange groves. Still have the lakes, but it all seems one continuous suburb now. Crime is thru the roof, so's home prices. And most newcomers don't seem to share our values. I left 7 years ago but marvel when I go home. As a newcomer to Texas I sense some resentment about outsiders. And I've come to realize I don't share the same values of many locals here. I don't think Texas is monolithic values wise. And that's a plus for outsiders. Texas is big enough to find a good fit.

[TexasHorseLady]

The only resentment I've seen personally is when someone comes here from elsewhere and promptly starts trying to make Texas into wherever they came from and badmouthing the things that are some of the reasons we DON'T live where they came from. But that's rude and bad manners and likely to cause resentment whether it's someone from somewhere else coming to Texas and doing it or someone going from Texas to somewhere else and doing it, or someone going from one place to another and doing it, without Texas being in the equation at all.

Other than that (which is not so much resentment of outsiders as resentment of rudeness), except for things getting a bit crowded and the occasional crankiness that can cause, I don't think there's a lot of resentment.

[car957]

Following the advice of the TX Horse Lady:

Be nice, be respectful, and understand we move just a tad bit slower in Texas. The farther south you go, the slower we move (yes, even in Austin). Austin is my home.

It's not about attitude or political position: it is about respect for one and others.

I believe your parents taught you to be nice and respect people. If you do that, you will fit into this great State. If not - find another state. Avoid Oklahoma and any other states in this longitude because that's how most of us were raised. Respect of parents and family values is a tradition and part of our collective souls.

Come on down - I welcome you to our state. We are a good group of folks.

[TexasReb]

I pretty well agree with what most of the rest of y'all are saying. That is, I have no problem at all with transplants (yankee or otherwise) unless they are the type to start in about how much better it was (wherever). Sometimes it is just a manifestation of cultural differences, of course. That is to say, what might be considered admirable frankness "up north" is sometimes considered tacky rudeness down here.

To be fair though, I have also encountered many transplants who embrace Texas and Texas ways with the fervor of the proverbial "new convert" and become very much "one of us" so to speak!

So y'all come see us!

[CallMeLaura]

Technically, I'm a transplant. I feel as though Texas is my home and have never been unwelcome here.

I do resent people who come in and call us ignorant or backwards. I don't appreciate people being rude. I don't like constant references to the great place you LEFT and negative comparisons about the place you CHOSE to come to.

Plenty of people have asked where I moved from and when I say Wisconsin, not a single one has said (or hinted) that I should move back. Most of them don't know that I left Texas to go to Wisconsin, either. However, my response to the question "How do you like it?" is *always* positive.

*For the record, those Northern people who claim to love their openness and honesty don't want to hear bad things about their state, either.

[OldTex]

Patriotic American citizens with good families are welcome.

The rest I could do without.

[whitechocolate86]

I think transplants are good and help build the vibe of Texas...born, raised, and finishing up me schooling in the same city...Denton, Texas Baby!!!! I have seen it change quite a bit...suburban sprawl has really shot up on the southern part of the city and it is growing at quite an enormous pace...the only beef I would have with transplants is that their rapid purchase of cheap (from their perspective) real estate changes the feel of a city...Denton has had a distinct identity...(please don't refer to it as the austin of 20 years ago)...it is it's own town...and the sprawl is kind of making it look like Frisco (which isn't necessarily bad)...but Frisco doesn't really seem to have that core-town feel...if you can catch my drift...and Denton seems to have its own unique soul (I'm not bashing towns built upon sprawl or Frisco for that manner)...I just don't like the thought of municipalities character's changing...other than that...I think that if you're a former yankee, westerner, midwesterner, or deep southerner and you have settled in Texas and got a bit of the Lone Star Spirit in you...you're more than welcome in my book Partner...

[Hyun-Soo]

As long as they respect Texas, our flag, our 'culture', they'll be all right