Those who have relocated.

[jrhagen]

Originally Posted by xrivera91

Nope didn't vote blue not sure why that would matter

It matters in Texas to those who like it the way it is. If you like blue, Texas is full as earlier stated.

[xrivera91]

Originally Posted by jrhagen

It matters in Texas to those who like it the way it is. If you like blue, Texas is full as earlier stated.

I mean if I'm interested in moving to Texas that means I like the way it already is. Not sure I would want to change it. How about we leave politics aside.

[xrivera91]

Originally Posted by Mortious

I get you, I came to Texas because of the tech, and stayed because of how freaking awesome it is here.

Austin has some top notch schools (Round Rock ISD has a number of nationally ranked schools), but not the wide open feel you want, you head north and it opens up but not quite the great schools. Dallas and Houston I can't say.

And like everyone else has said, traffic sucks in the major cities (and sucks ass on I35 between Austin and Dallas) and most people (I would say 99%) are super nice.

I would suggest doing a quick bit of research on Texas history, from there you will understand why Texans have an attitude.

Exactly the type of info I'm looking for. I want the space to allow my son to play without worry and have privacy but now I know that I sacrifice the whole good school thing. HMMM I plan to rent for a while so I could always move if one area does not work for me.

[nosmr2]

Originally Posted by xrivera91

My main goal is to find a location that offers wide open space (hate feeling like I'm on top of my neighbors. Also, good schools for my son. I don't mind commutes that are under 45 minutes.

I did not move to Texas from up north as requested in the title, but moved from west Texas to Houston in 1980. I have lived south of Houston for the majority of that time. Houston is quickly filling up. Katy, west of Houston on I-10, is really nice and really full now. The commute is horrible to downtown. There isn't much really nice east of Houston, just refineries and plants, there are some spots, but not many. North of Houston is real similar to west of Houston, nice spots but getting full. The only place with room left to grow is south of Houston, in areas like Pearland. The shortest commute might be 45 minutes now, but will be longer in 5-10 years. I saw this first hand years ago. Most new houses will put you on top of your neighbors. Even the $200,000 and up new houses are being built as close as possible to your neighbors with a driveway 2 cars wide and only 1 car deep, along with tiny streets and not much of a backyard.
You can find some acreage, but you are going to really pay for it.
My commute is 26 miles and takes 50 minutes and none of that is sitting in freeway traffic.
Nothing like sitting in traffic on a weekend.

I guess I would suggest getting a job real close to where you anticipate living.

Or if you really want space, west Texas has plenty of wide open space.

[jrhagen]

I'm thinking Austin, Houston or San Antonio areas would be good for you.

[Netraa]

I've lived here my entire life, and can't imagine living anywhere else.

To give you an idea of the above reported 'huge'.....

If you are in Orange, TX... as far east as you get, Daytona Beach, FL is closer than El Paso TX. If you are in El Paso TX, San Francisco CA is closer than Orange TX. If you were to drive from San Fran to Daytona, you spend 1/3 of your time west of Texas, 1/3 of your time in Texas, and 1/3 of your time east of Texas.

Natives really do relate to drives in hours, not miles. You will be going down a back road doing 75 MPH, come up on an old pickup in the shoulder doing 20 MPH, have oncoming traffic, and they will move into their shoulder allowing you to pass 3 wide at speed and no one blinks.

The Dallas/Fort Worth metro area is larger than DC, Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and Maryland.

Austin is full, move on.

San Antonio is nice, had some tech, lots of businesses, Gobs and gobs of culture, and is not yet too full of itself.

Houston stinks, literally, the refineries make the air stink.

Corpus is a nice place to visit, but a horrible place to live. It has no significant economy outside of the refineries, or tourism.

If you want BIG city, really the nice places to live are between Austin and San Antonio on the IH35 corridor. West of Houston on IH10 before you get into the no-mans land west of Sealy. 3rd choice would be between DFW and Austin on IH35.... but you have to be careful there, you get into some strange places in there and IH35 has been under construction there for 25 years.

If you want town... there are thousands of them from big (couple hundred thousand) to small (<10 people), some 40 mins from 'civilization', some hours from...

If you want WIDE open spaces.... west Texas fits the bill.

If you want prarie, north central texas is for you.
Mountains, way West texas.
costal plains... yeah, the coast.
Piney woods... north of houston.
Desert... southwest texas Big bend area.
frozen tundra... north texas
rolling hills, west of ausitn
swamp, deep SE texas houston/beaumont ...

Personally, I have lived in: San Antonio, Houston, Clear lake, San Angelo, Abilene, Austin, Round Rock, Creedmore, Menchaca, Kyle, San Marcos, and currently New Braunfels,

[nosmr2]

Originally Posted by Netraa

I've lived here my entire life, and can't imagine living anywhere else.

To give you an idea of the above reported 'huge'.....

If you are in Orange, TX... as far east as you get, Daytona Beach, FL is closer than El Paso TX. If you are in El Paso TX, San Francisco CA is closer than Orange TX. If you were to drive from San Fran to Daytona, you spend 1/3 of your time west of Texas, 1/3 of your time in Texas, and 1/3 of your time east of Texas.

Natives really do relate to drives in hours, not miles. You will be going down a back road doing 75 MPH, come up on an old pickup in the shoulder doing 20 MPH, have oncoming traffic, and they will move into their shoulder allowing you to pass 3 wide at speed and no one blinks.

The Dallas/Fort Worth metro area is larger than DC, Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and Maryland.

Austin is full, move on.

San Antonio is nice, had some tech, lots of businesses, Gobs and gobs of culture, and is not yet too full of itself.

Houston stinks, literally, the refineries make the air stink.

Corpus is a nice place to visit, but a horrible place to live. It has no significant economy outside of the refineries, or tourism.

If you want BIG city, really the nice places to live are between Austin and San Antonio on the IH35 corridor. West of Houston on IH10 before you get into the no-mans land west of Sealy. 3rd choice would be between DFW and Austin on IH35.... but you have to be careful there, you get into some strange places in there and IH35 has been under construction there for 25 years.

If you want town... there are thousands of them from big (couple hundred thousand) to small (<10 people), some 40 mins from 'civilization', some hours from...

If you want WIDE open spaces.... west Texas fits the bill.

If you want prarie, north central texas is for you.
Mountains, way West texas.
costal plains... yeah, the coast.
Piney woods... north of houston.
Desert... southwest texas Big bend area.
frozen tundra... north texas
rolling hills, west of ausitn
swamp, deep SE texas houston/beaumont ...

Personally, I have lived in: San Antonio, Houston, Clear lake, San Angelo, Abilene, Austin, Round Rock, Creedmore, Menchaca, Kyle, San Marcos, and currently New Braunfels,

The refineries stink, stink like money and jobs.

San Marcos and New Braunfels are awesome, I'd love to live in either or another place along I-35. I grew up in Clear Lake and drive through it daily, way too crowded now.

[sherob]

I moved to Houston in 1979, and moved to Denver in 2007... I would move back to Texas in a heartbeat if I could find a great job... I love Texas... the people, culture, and food is what make Texas, Texas!

The cost of living in Texas will be nothing compared to NJ... you'll be surprised.

Austin is just like Boulder Colorado, very liberal.... Houston is more of a melting pot than any other large Texas city, and I find it more friendlier and laid back than DFW. I love San Antonio, and would probably move there if I had a choice of the bigger cities.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/dalla...houston-3.html

[RichP]

Moved from NJ - Exit 8a (grew up in Staten Island) to Austin about 4.5 years ago and haven't looked back!

Schools are pretty good here (I have a 9 year old in public school).

I don't miss those miserable winters and love being able to have the top down on my SS 12 months of the year (supposed to be 76F today...how's the snow?)

There is traffic in Austin, but nothing you're not used to ;-) The roads are 100x times better hear as well.

Quality of life is much better and although home costs are going up, I think you'll do ok coming from NJ(we were able to buy a nicer house for less than we sold our NJ for).

Feel free to ask me any other questions or message me.

Rich

Originally Posted by xrivera91

Anybody here who is originally from NJ that now lives in Texas? Currently in Jersey and playing around with the idea of moving out there. I would love to get some insight on what it's like or ideal places to love and what not.

If this is not the right place for this sorry mods delete!!!

[xrivera91]

Thanks everybody for the responses you've all provided valuable information!!

[xrivera91]

Originally Posted by RichP

Moved from NJ - Exit 8a (grew up in Staten Island) to Austin about 4.5 years ago and haven't looked back!

Schools are pretty good here (I have a 9 year old in public school).

I don't miss those miserable winters and love being able to have the top down on my SS 12 months of the year (supposed to be 76F today...how's the snow?)

There is traffic in Austin, but nothing you're not used to ;-) The roads are 100x times better hear as well.

Quality of life is much better and although home costs are going up, I think you'll do ok coming from NJ(we were able to buy a nicer house for less than we sold our NJ for).

Feel free to ask me any other questions or message me.

Rich

Awesome! I'll definitely be asking plenty of questions. I have plenty of them and would really like to just up and leave but I'd rather know as much as I can first.

[Netraa]

Originally Posted by xrivera91

Thanks everybody for the spouses you've all provided valuable information!!

I'm keeping my spouse.... you'll have to find your own.

but, April 7-9..... texas camaro revolution... second largest camaro gathering outside of fest....

http://www.texascamarorevolution.com/

nice weekend for a roadie.

~N

[zman1969]

I moved to Texas in 1978 after living in Durango Co for 2 years and prior that was Chicago burbs so in Durango I was bored stiff! Dallas area was like Chicago and more to do, so in the 39 years I have been here I don't miss winters much- don't even own a snow shovel
but I have to admit what I hate most is the unrelenting heat and humidity (hard for me to complain about that compared to Houston) but June, July and August Ugh! I love the people, lots of space here Texas is so big we have Desert(west Texas jungle(Houston ) and hill country heck I even met and married my first wife here - and she still gets on my nerves but whose don't?
I'm staying here!

[riozlander]

sorry to resurrect a old thread.

lots of usefull info in this thread. currently trying to save up to move to dallas fort worth area. kinda by choice kinda not. goal is September 20th come hell or high water. California has gone off its rocker cost of living/tax wise.

my buddy who is there right now has offered his place for about 3-4 months to get on my feet only charge is utilities. I work in the over night security guard sector.
I loved Texas when I was truck driving threw that state. put on a few pound from the food lol

but one thing I have always woundered because I never got to go near it.
what traffic like in Dallas like 7am
or what fun things is there to do ?
not much of a drinker or club person. more of a nerd if anything