I am Socal resident and want to get a way from the high price homes and insane crime we have in Los Angeles. I also want some money to investment for retirement and selling my home here and buying a cheaper home in Texas would benefit us all.

I need to be near a major metropolitan area for job options. Want to spend from $150k-$200k for a home. I dont mind driving 30-45 minutes to work.

Where would you move and why?

 

El Paso!




Austin is not a bad area from what I am hearing! I live in San Angelo (West Tx) and I paid just over $96K for a 3 bedroom/2 bath/2 car garage (1600 Sq feet) brand new home!

 

Austin is a strong posibility for me...How's the weather?

 

austin is pretty nice but i dont know how business is there.

 

typical Texas weather, hot, lol!

 

Hot. Lived there for 5 years during school. Dallas is hot too. You could try Houston, it's humid hot. . But really there's a saying in Texas..."If you don't like Texas weather that's okay. Wait a minute and it'll change."


Back to your question I really like Austin because the hill country is the closest thing to Cali without the weather in Texas. Dallas is nice too because of the business and industry here.

 

dallas it's near fort worth which is another major city. lots of great shows/sports events. very nice ppl.

 

Houston isn't bad it's very large and long drives, but there is always TONS of jobs in Houston. You'll never have to worry about finding a job.

 

I'm looking at the hill country west of Austin where I can trade the equity in my 4/2.5 McMansion for the same on 15 acres of land paid off with cash. Be aware that Texas has 250% higher real estate taxes then we Californian's have - but you gain from the income tax in their favor. That actually discourages people retiring there - those with low incomes and major bucks to invest in land.

I found a nice 5200 sq.ft. home with a 1500 sq.ft. work shop, on 10 acres of land for less than I could sell my home for here in the Inland Empire. Very tempting. Very.

 

Houston, huh. I considered it for a minute, but droped the thought after seeing its location on the map. I knew it had to be humid. A friend also told me alot of my people (Mexicans) are messing up the place!

The excess amount of jobs sounds job...Accountants dont tend to leave their jobs and finding a position may be more difficult than expected.

 

I am aware of the higher real estate taxes! The difference is not discouraging to me considering I will be buying a home cash and all I need to worry about is taxes (5-6k a year). I just dont know if I can bare the heat!

Thanks for all the input guys...Keep it coming!

 

In Houston, you could easily drive 30-45 minutes to work while never leaving the city limits!

 

Really! It sounds like L.A.. I dont know if this is a good or bad thing. Price homes are probably higher.

 

houston is way too crowded....traffic there is a biatch.

 

Lots of job opportunities in San Antonio and the cost of living is great. Plenty of schools both private and public. Good public schools too. Most Northside schools are going to be good. Traffic is much better here than in Austin in my opinion. I would say the big thing is job, your field and how easy it would be for you to get a job in any one of these cities.

 

What made you choose Texas?

 

My main reason for leaving Cali is home prices and cost of living. The wife and I are doing fine, but with possibilities of a growing family my priorities have shifted. I never thought I would consider moving from good o' L.A., but homes are to damn expensive to upgrade to a better neighborhood.

Please PM me your complaints if you dont want them aired. I would really like an insiders view. Dont worry, I dont get bothered by racism!

 

Having lived in Texas for 35 years and my current home outside the SA area for the last 18 years, I think I can provide you a good insight. I did an extensive research on the best location to raise a family, before settling where I live now. I built a custom house just outside SA, on 18 acres on the edge of the Hill Country. I am 30 minutes from SA & 45 minutes from Austin.

I did not want to live in a large city, whether Texas or any other state. Having been born & lived in a large city had their pros & cons but I preferred the quiet lifestyle. The added bonus of living outside the city are lower taxes & insurance, as well as lower crime rates, better student to teacher ratio, etc. The bottom line is the quality of life is a huge factor for me as far as my family is concerned.

I have spent considerable time in Austin & SA, as well as Houston & Dallas. I also have relatives in CA so I can symphatize with you on the high cost of living in your state. IMO, the ideal location is between Austin & SA, somewhere in the Hill Country. Housing is more affordable, along with the qualities I listed earlier. Canyon Lake is nearby as well as other recreational activities, but Austin & SA are only less than an hour away if you have to commute to work.

Life is great in Texas . . . PM me if you would like to discuss more specific locations and I'll be glad to help.

 

San Antonio by a long shot. Cheaper to live, alot more things to do, larger town and better highway systems. A lot of kiddie places to go. And we even have Sea World and Fiesta Texas.

 

LOL!!!

Texas does not have STATE TAX. Reason why Texas is the #1 state people move to from Cali.

Houses here, especially in San Antonio are the cheapest anywhere. Our house, 180k now (we purchased for 129k) has 3600 sq feet. Austin is more expensive than here as well. So be careful.