Posted on 02/09/2010 1:10:32 PM PST by erod
Hi everyone, I was wondering if you could give a fellow conservative some advice on moving to Texas. I am currently living in Chicago, and I am fed up with the taxes, cold weather, Democratic culture and bad economy here. I am seriously considering a move to Texas, I am fairly young, 26, and I am almost done with my degree in marketing, although I currently posses a B.A. in journalism. I think Texas sounds really cool and I just wanted to get advice from fellow FReepers who have either made the move from other states to Texas or FReepers who currently live there.
Some of my questions are: 1. Do you like Texas better than your former state or why do you think Texas is second to none? 2. Out of the two cities there: Dallas and Houston, which one is the better one to live in? (Basically I want the city that least resembles Chicago, but is fun to live in and doesn’t end up costing me an arm and a leg in rent and taxes) 3. How’s the economic climate in Texas? I know we’re in the midst of a recession but what’s the unemployment rate etc.
Those are just some sample questions feel free to tell me about your move or whatever other advice you can give if you can. Thanks for responding to my thread, God Bless. -Eric
It ain’t braggin when it is a fact. You don’t brag that the sun rose, it just is a fact of life. Texas is the best state- fact. :->
Mosquito’s??
You mean the ones who have their own runways??
I was and engineer for Texas Instruments in Cyprus N.W. HOuston.
Weather was constantly bad and it took forever to get anywhere. Geesh I thought it was bad geting around L.A.
You are right in that Houston came back in bettyer shape than most other areas.
Another thing: you will have to buy a pickup truck. And learn how to fix a brisket. Don’t say “pop”. It’s a cold drink or soda. Just tryin’ to keep you out of trouble.
Hi There:
Well, I am transplanted Texas of many years... probably the best decision I ever made.
As you know Texas is huge with big distances between major cities. I live fairly close to Fort Worth. Check out a map and you will easily see that Dallas - Fort Worth (DFW) are practically one giant city - with lots of other smaller cities filling the gaps in between.
We have a widely diverse economy in the greater DFW Metroplex as we call it. We have weathered the economic downturn fairly well - not untouched mind you. But better than most places.
Cost of living is manageable. Jobs can be found. Affordable apartments and homes can be found. It is possible to live in the countryside and commute to one of the outlying edges of the metroplex for work if you desire. Or you can get right in the middle of it.
Las Colinas is part of Irving, TX - next to Dallas... Las Colinas is full of corporations from all over America and International. Plus it is close to the airport entrances and lots of trendy apartments and condos. You could actually live in a Condo and walk or cycle to work.
The weather is SO much better than up north. But this year we have had a pretty cold - snowy time of it - nothing like the north or north east U.S.
Also - the biggest problem most Northerners have is the summer heat - it gets HOT. June-July-August most often gets into the high 90’s and low 100’s and stays there until the middle of September. But we have long mile Falls and pleasant Springtimes. But spring also brings toronados.
Check out good job finding boards - even Craigslist for Dallas (which includes the whole metroplex).
Good Luck. I’ve heard we are getting 2000 new folks a month and that doesn’t even count illegal aliens.
Wow, really? I am genuinely bummed to hear that. Once they hear Texas spanglish I get great service. They appreciate the effort to mangle the language a hell of a lot more than the French ever did (or Quebecois, for that matter).
I would eat Botanas for lunch sitting at the grand old oaken Mariachi Bar in Mi Tierra every day if I could.
Speaking of smells, avoid the following towns:
Pittsburg
Domino
Baytown
La Porte
Lubbock
Post
Wollforth
Lone Star
Ore City
Some of my questions are: 1. Do you like Texas better than your former state or why do you think Texas is second to none? 2. Out of the two cities there: Dallas and Houston, which one is the better one to live in?
I've lived in Texas, and Oklahoma and Oregon... so I have some comparisons here. I know you're not talking about anywhere near Oregon, but the Pacific Northwest has super great scenery and great mountains and downhill skiing and cross-country skiing and you've got the ocean (although it's a cold ocean out that way... :-) ...).
I was in Portland for a long while (some suburbs and in the city, too). Portland was a great town for basic quality of life (lots of things to do and see, plus a good location for the outdoors and city stuff both).
In Texas, I've lived in Houston and Dallas. I prefer Dallas (and/or suburbs, depending on what you want). They've got a town just north of Dallas called Frisco, that is right on the Dallas North Tollway and it looks like it was just built yesterday, everything is so new. And the entire town looks like it's built around the concept of "shop until you drop" ... LOL ... But, it looks like a very nice place to live, as long as you don't mind paying the daily tolls on the tollway... (get a NTTA TollTag and just zip along...).
When I would go to Dallas, while living in Oregon and come back to Oregon (visiting the relatives there, doncha know...), I would always tell them that people in Dallas shop by driving down the freeway at 70 MPH until they see the store they want and get off. Then they get back on and shop some more... LOL...
It seems that people in Dallas shop till they drop too... seems like an awful lot of shopping and business goes on -- everyone has a lot of money to throw around there, it seems... :-)
It's been a while since I was living in Houston, though, and I imagine it's changed, but I'm sure the humidity hasn't changed and it's much worse than it is in Dallas (and that was bad enough, in Dallas, coming from Oregon... LOL...). It's way too hot down that way for me, a bit better in Dallas, and just a bit better in Tulsa (where I'm at now). Portland, Oregon had the best climate as far as I was concerned.
It was nice in Houston, being so close to Galveston (or other parts nearby... on the Gulf of Mexico). But, I would rather drive down from Dallas, rather than live right next door in Houston. Besides, I've been through a few hurricanes down that way, and they don't get that far up north to reach Dallas... :-)
All you gotta worry about in Dallas are some tornadoes now and again. Of course, they've been talking about the "Super Tornado" that's supposed to absolutely destroy Dallas (one of these days), but you know how these kinds of predictions are... sometime a lot of hype. But, one did just about destroy downtown Fort Worth a number of years, back so it can happen.
But real tornado country (at least to me) seems to be up in Oklahoma where I've seen more tornadoes in a short period of time than all the time I lived in Texas... :-)
Of course, I do have to say that the only tornado that I've actually been through (exactly in the building where I was), and "lived through" was one in Galveston, that went right over the top of the building I was in. It was technically a waterspout, I guess, and they're typcially less powerful than the ones on land, so maybe it wasn't that big of a deal, except for all the glass breaking out in the building and the doors flying open and everyone screaming inside as it tore up the place... LOL... That happened during Hurrican Katrina, as it was striking New Orleans, I was having a tornado go right over the top of me. That place is no longer there, as it got wiped out during the last Hurricane to hit Galveston, and the pier is gone now... (the 61st Street Pier... I'm sorry to see it gone now...).
To make a long story short... go to Dallas... :-)
But, as for me, I like Oklahoma and especially Tulsa, and that's where I'm at right now. So, you might drop on by Tulsa and see how you like it here, but I'm not sure if the job prospects are as good as they probably are in Dallas.
mark.
Are you describing my wife again? :->
Women here take entire weekends to go shopping- it is an event like we have the Super Bowl. Her and her friends will sometimes go to Dallas' Crescent Court on Saturday morning and not come home until Sunday night.
I grew up in Chicago and moved to Houston in 1973. I have been in sales so I have traveled extensively across the state. Any city in Texas is better than Chicago, I live in Austin now and would never consider moving back to Chicago. Do yourself a favor and check out Austin or San Antonio before you settle on Dallas or Houston. Houston has better weather and great access to the coast. Good luck. In spite of the global economic downturn the Texas economy remains strong.
Yes. Go to Texas. Excellent idea. (Seruzawa.... keeping Chicagoans out of Utah for 60 years).
If you are interested in purchasing or building a home in Tx. be aware that the middle of the state the soil type is clay—awful for foundations if the soil gets dry or waterlogged since clay expands and contracts moving the soil and then your home’s foundation. Make sure to apply soaker houses to the foundation in the summer and drain away excess rainfall away from the foundation.
Tulsa is to OKC as Dallas is to Fort Worth if that makes any sense.
Hmmmm... that's an interesting comparison... and maybe that's why I would live in either Tulsa or Dallas, but never Fort Worth or Oklahoma City... LOL...
Texarkana has a horrible stench. Their downtown looks and smells like a ghetto. Apologies to any Texarkana FReepers.
Hey thanks Texan, I love sports and can’t live without them so I guess I will check out Dallas. I need some teams to root for, even though I will always love my Chicago teams and pizza.
And a big thanks to everyone for commenting on my thread I have gotten some awesome advice. :)
Thanks to the wonders of wikipedia I have. I’m new to the game of golf as well, thanks for the tips.
That’s just from the “arkana” part.
I always blamed that on Arkansas.
If you’re into golf, You gotta move to San Antonio! The PGA has just opened their new venue and promises to be a good one! There are hundreds of golf courses within a 50 mile range of San Antonio. I love San Antonio. Lived here for 16 years. It’s a big city with a small town feel. I lived in Midland most all my life and wouldn’t suggest going there! Dallas and Houston are big concrete jungles. The Hill country is beautiful and friendly! Just make sure to vote conservatively if you move here! We don’t need no stinking Change!
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