real estate in Tyler area. (Houston, Dallas: low crime, chapel, broker)

[GardenPainter]

My husband and I are looking around for a new home. California has turned its back on us and a lot of good folks, actually, so being retired and able to relocate I've been doing research. I have a few roots in Texas, having lived there when I was a kid, and my Mom and sis were/are in Greenville.

I was looking for input on the area of Tyler and surrounding towns. We are looking to invest $200,000 for a 3 bdrm/2 bath home on large lot (1/4-1/2 acre). Room for a shop for my husband and maybe a studio for me. However, not ruling out all in one building.

Any help as to the feel of some of the surrounding towns would be appreciated. We had scheduled a trip to the Greenville area, but had to be canceled. I think we have decided against that area. We are planning for a trip next...oops, this year (Happy New Year ) to check out the Tyler area ourselves. Reading thru the postings has helped me narrow down our list of potential towns.

Thanks.
Mona

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by GardenPainter

My husband and I are looking around for a new home. California has turned its back on us and a lot of good folks, actually, so being retired and able to relocate I've been doing research. I have a few roots in Texas, having lived there when I was a kid, and my Mom and sis were/are in Greenville.

I was looking for input on the area of Tyler and surrounding towns. We are looking to invest $200,000 for a 3 bdrm/2 bath home on large lot (1/4-1/2 acre). Room for a shop for my husband and maybe a studio for me. However, not ruling out all in one building.

Any help as to the feel of some of the surrounding towns would be appreciated. We had scheduled a trip to the Greenville area, but had to be canceled. I think we have decided against that area. We are planning for a trip next...oops, this year (Happy New Year ) to check out the Tyler area ourselves. Reading thru the postings has helped me narrow down our list of potential towns.

Thanks.
Mona

Hello and welcome to Texas!

I moved here as a former military dependent (daughter and then wife) in about 1993 or so. It took me about a year to adjust to the civilian, and Texan mindset but once I did, I fell in love with Texas! And with the Tyler area too.

I have lived in Tyler, Whitehouse, and Kilgore but especially since I sold real estate in the Tyler and Longview metro areas for several years, I feel familiar with the whole area. Oh gosh, and I forgot - I also lived in Jacksonville for a year long ago - sorry, but I HATE that town.

We currently live in Chandler, which is just a few miles outside Tyler to the west. We are actually in Henderson County so there's a lot of DFW influence, which I do like. I don't want to LIVE in Dallas but I like living pretty close to Dallas.

I do not personally care for Kilgore or Longview - same for Marshall. That whole area between Longview and Shreveport seems very blue collar and sort of redneck to me - sorry but it's the truth. And people are not as friendly as they are in the Tyler area.

Lots of people like Lindale (north of Tyler) and I think it's a nice area myself. Flint and Gresham and Bullard south of Tyler have become very popular - and congested. Nice but expensive. Overton and Chapel Hill to the east are less expensive, and less popular, but I still like those areas due to their close proximity to Tyler, and to Lake Tyler. (Lake Palestine is south and west of Tyler and it's great too.)

Chandler is perfect for us - it has everything we need for short forays and when we want to go shopping, Tyler is ten minutes away and Dallas is an hour and a half away. Chandler is clean, quiet, low crime, high educational levels, and just a smidge less expensive than south Tyler (but more expensive than east or north Tyler). Not congested yet but it's growing pretty quickly.

Further out - Troup, Mineola, Athens, Kilgore - you can still buy some land along with a house and be within 30 minutes or so of Tyler.

You MAY be able to find a property in your price range that's suitable, if you don't mind smallish or a fixer upper. Of course, the further out you go from Tyler, the more your dollar will buy.

Let me know if I can help any more - and Happy New Year!

[Mark Senior]

Originally Posted by GardenPainter

My husband and I are looking around for a new home. California has turned its back on us and a lot of good folks, actually, so being retired and able to relocate I've been doing research. I have a few roots in Texas, having lived there when I was a kid, and my Mom and sis were/are in Greenville.

I was looking for input on the area of Tyler and surrounding towns. We are looking to invest $200,000 for a 3 bdrm/2 bath home on large lot (1/4-1/2 acre). Room for a shop for my husband and maybe a studio for me. However, not ruling out all in one building.

Any help as to the feel of some of the surrounding towns would be appreciated. We had scheduled a trip to the Greenville area, but had to be canceled. I think we have decided against that area. We are planning for a trip next...oops, this year (Happy New Year ) to check out the Tyler area ourselves. Reading thru the postings has helped me narrow down our list of potential towns.

Thanks.
Mona

I usually post on and on about what Tyler has to offer, where the nice non-chain restaurants are located, locations and names of different unique high end shops, where the different subdivisions are, the culture activities, yes quite nice for the size of Tyler. I too, a former real estate broker know Tyler quite well. Lived in Houston 25 years, but in Tyler for 47 years. Know the Tyler's background, city government...

You can just click on my many posts for detail if you're that interested, I go into TOO much detail for some, lol

Hope you find a fit here, especially if you are trying to escape "off the wall Liberal California" most of us don't want to become California, IMHO. Oh me, this is offensive to some, oh well.

Oh, contact me directly for specific questions, many do. I just helped a retire lady move here from Northern California, actually has friends whose home were destroyed by the fires. She really likes it here so far, has been here four months. Shes settled, so she doesn't get on CD any longer. I could ask her to contact you directly if you like.

[GardenPainter]

Thanks, Kathryn. I have been looking at listings for Chandler and spotted a few that would work for us. Course, who knows what will be available when we are looking. You've given me lots of suggestions and a little insight into the surrounding towns.

Thanks to you also, Mark. I have noticed while perusing the posts, that you two are knowledgeable about this area. Thanks for being kind enough to share it with others.

Work, work, work.....back to research..

[gtt99]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

Hello and welcome to Texas!

I moved here as a former military dependent (daughter and then wife) in about 1993 or so. It took me about a year to adjust to the civilian, and Texan mindset but once I did, I fell in love with Texas! And with the Tyler area too.

I have lived in Tyler, Whitehouse, and Kilgore but especially since I sold real estate in the Tyler and Longview metro areas for several years, I feel familiar with the whole area. Oh gosh, and I forgot - I also lived in Jacksonville for a year long ago - sorry, but I HATE that town.

We currently live in Chandler, which is just a few miles outside Tyler to the west. We are actually in Henderson County so there's a lot of DFW influence, which I do like. I don't want to LIVE in Dallas but I like living pretty close to Dallas.

I do not personally care for Kilgore or Longview - same for Marshall. That whole area between Longview and Shreveport seems very blue collar and sort of redneck to me - sorry but it's the truth. And people are not as friendly as they are in the Tyler area.

Lots of people like Lindale (north of Tyler) and I think it's a nice area myself. Flint and Gresham and Bullard south of Tyler have become very popular - and congested. Nice but expensive. Overton and Chapel Hill to the east are less expensive, and less popular, but I still like those areas due to their close proximity to Tyler, and to Lake Tyler. (Lake Palestine is south and west of Tyler and it's great too.)

Chandler is perfect for us - it has everything we need for short forays and when we want to go shopping, Tyler is ten minutes away and Dallas is an hour and a half away. Chandler is clean, quiet, low crime, high educational levels, and just a smidge less expensive than south Tyler (but more expensive than east or north Tyler). Not congested yet but it's growing pretty quickly.

Further out - Troup, Mineola, Athens, Kilgore - you can still buy some land along with a house and be within 30 minutes or so of Tyler.

You MAY be able to find a property in your price range that's suitable, if you don't mind smallish or a fixer upper. Of course, the further out you go from Tyler, the more your dollar will buy.

Let me know if I can help any more - and Happy New Year!

What's wrong with being blue collar? It's just hard working people, no need to downgrade or insult them.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by gtt99

What's wrong with being blue collar? It's just hard working people, no need to downgrade or insult them.

Nothing's wrong with being blue collar. Now - blue collar AND redneck - I sort of have an issue with. (As well as white collar and redneck, but I digress - Longview is more blue collar and redneck.)

By the way, just for the record, my husband is what is often called "Blue Collar Professional." So clearly I don't have a problem with anyone being blue collar, since I married one. But he's not a redneck.

[gtt99]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

Nothing's wrong with being blue collar. Now - blue collar AND redneck - I sort of have an issue with. (As well as white collar and redneck, but I digress - Longview is more blue collar and redneck.)

By the way, just for the record, my husband is what is often called "Blue Collar Professional." So clearly I don't have a problem with anyone being blue collar, since I married one. But he's not a redneck.

"red·neck
/ˈredˌnek/
noun informal •mderogatory
noun: redneck; plural noun: rednecks a working-class white person, especially a politically reactionary one from a rural area.
"

[GardenPainter]

Also, was wondering if the Tyler area has people, groups or organizations available to those who love old cars, muscle cars and hot rods.

And groups or people who are interested in painting. Those are interests that figure considerably in our lives. Thanks again...

Mona

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by gtt99

"red·neck
/ˈredˌnek/
noun informal •mderogatory
noun: redneck; plural noun: rednecks a working-class white person, especially a politically reactionary one from a rural area.
"

redneck
noun [ C ] US ​ /ˈredˌnek/ slang
​
a poor, white person without education, esp. one living in the countryside in the southern US, who is believed to have prejudiced (= unfair and unreasonable) ideas and beliefs

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/...nglish/redneck

Yeah...uh, no thanks.

Like I said, I have no issue with ANYONE of ANY income level based on their income level. But I have a really low tolerance level for prejudiced and/or politically inflammatory (especially uninformed politically inflammatory) behavior.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by GardenPainter

Also, was wondering if the Tyler area has people, groups or organizations available to those who love old cars, muscle cars and hot rods.

And groups or people who are interested in painting. Those are interests that figure considerably in our lives. Thanks again...

Mona

I know there are lots of painters and artists in this area.

I don't know anything about old cars, muscle cars, etc. but I know that there are car shows around here pretty often.

Check out Miller's Classic Cars in Tyler - they have been around a long time and have a good reputation and the owners should be able to tell you a lot more about that scene than I can! 903-839-2301