Single, 30-something childless woman Looking for first home anywhere Collin County, North or East Texas (Houston: mortgage, mobile home)

[mm4kidu]

**Not looking for impersonal suggestions, if you've never lived there please don't recommend. I really want to hear from real people who have lived somewhere**

About me, I work remotely in IT and that won't change. Nothing about my status will change so I'm indifferent on schools, the cheaper the taxes the BETTER(this could be argued that higher taxes mean better area but I'm not interested in buying into resources I cannot personally use just for the sake of then getting a couple extra bucks if I sell). I'm purely looking for practical towns/cities.

I want to live outside of a city or town, something more rural then urban but within an hr by car to some activity. I am of a minority group so I honestly don't want to stay somewhere too ethnically homogenous but am also not looking for a town version of 'Dallas'(too much of a mix)

Max budget $160k, 1-5 acres, somewhere quiet and peaceful really. I am looking for more conservative-leaning, self-sufficient areas. And please don't explain to mean that conservative somehow translates to racist white people, I'm more so looking for a mindset, I don't see in the large city I live in now(not looking to live around individuals who believe the government is their answer or expects some kind of handout)

I'm over the mask/virus fiasco and this MAY BE A LONGSHOT but I would like to live around people in some capacity that haven't drank the koolaid, so to speak. Places where people aren't taking temps to shop, stuck on what the dummy tube says or losing their minds if someone chooses not to wear a fabric over their face. This can be argued til the cows come home but not looking for that. I am very fortunate that I can work from anywhere with internet access. I know there are places in East Texas where HughesNet is the only option which does make me nervous but I really like east Texas topography, hills, trees etc over the dfw area which has properties but they're mostly flat with minimum trees. I've lived in Houston for a couple of years and loved that about it but did not enjoy the flooding so obviously I would take flooding and other natural disasters into consideration.

Plans for the land
1. Gardening (what are recommendations you would share to ensure gardening is viable on any property I consider)
2. Swim Spa Oasis (big reason I want to buy, looking for my own oasis)
3. Dog - this is an option, I'm not too sure if I want to get a dog immediately but definitely an option at this point.

Just looking for options here, places to look where I am not stuck paying on something for too long(want to pay whatever I get within 5 yrs which is doable under 160k) and given I'll be doing this alone for just myself, it doesn't make financial sense to go higher than that for any area.

[ChristieP]

$160k for a livable house with 1-5 acres is going to be difficult anywhere in Texas. It’s impossible anywhere close to DFW.

Texas also currently has a statewide mask mandate that was ordered by the governor. If you don’t wear a mask, the business can ask you to leave. I haven’t seen anywhere that took temperatures to allow someone in a store.

[C24L]

I think you will need more of a budget to live near the Dallas area.

[tmtex]

Yea, I dont want to get yelled at but 160K is very low

[As Above So Below...]

You might get 5 acres of land alone for that price near DFW. But you wont get a house on there with it.

The closest you might find would be somewhere in Bosque or Hill counties closer to Waco.

[texstout]

For any type of acreage, that is going to be tough to find. You can find some lots outside Tyler, Texas for ~100K. Maybe buy one of those and put a mobile home on it.

[mm4kidu]

I've already found multiple homes within my budget with the requested acreages. So the argument that is unnecessarily repeated, isn't true. I'm merely looking for cities to focus on not your opinions on whether 160k is enough (i literally made this clear so not sure why the focus besides maybe group think?). Its enough for me...not trying to be like everyone else drowning in a forever mortgage afraid of being fired or losing some income for a home I couldn't afford to begin with. North and East Texas cities. Asking about SPECIFIC CITIES/TOWNS nothing else.

[turf3]

Originally Posted by mm4kidu

I've already found multiple homes within my budget with the requested acreages. So the argument that is unnecessarily repeated, isn't true. I'm merely looking for cities to focus on not your opinions on whether 160k is enough (i literally made this clear so not sure why the focus besides maybe group think?). Its enough for me...not trying to be like everyone else drowning in a forever mortgage afraid of being fired or losing some income for a home I couldn't afford to begin with. North and East Texas cities. Asking about SPECIFIC CITIES/TOWNS nothing else.

Your attitude is not winning you friends.

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by turf3

Your attitude is not winning you friends.

Bingo

[citidata18]

Originally Posted by mm4kidu

I've already found multiple homes within my budget with the requested acreages.

Then why are you here?