What's Texas like?

yearofthenick

yearofthenick

Active Member
I'm planning on applying for a job in San Antonio, TX. I have never been to Texas. I was born and raised in California... I've never lived in any other state my whole life.
But I'm excited for the possibility of moving to Texas... I hear housing is cheaper and there are more Republicans.
So what are some of the benefits to living in Texas as opposed to California? Can someone share with me the awesome-ness of Texas?
P.S. I read in a news article today about the Board of Supervisors of San Francisco passed a bill that banned the McDonalds Happy Meal. True story:
http://articles.cnn.com/2010-11-23/us/california.happy.meals.ban_1_offer-toys-free-toys-veto?_s=PM:US
Aside from getting away from all the grass-eating and grass-smoking hippies, what else makes Texas greater than CA?
 
monsinour

monsinour

Active Member
HS and college FB is better in texas.
Other than that, I dont really know. My extent of texas life was when I setup the computer network at an assited living facility in Arlington. People were nice, scenery was nice, food was good, and the weather was fine.
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/382840/what-s-texas-like#post_3343882
HS and college FB is better in texas.
Other than that, I dont really know. My extent of texas life was when I setup the computer network at an assited living facility in Arlington. People were nice, scenery was nice, food was good, and the weather was fine.
The stats don't back up the football claims

Know a few people who moved from SoCal to Texas and they were happy with the move. But then again how could any sane person not LOL!
Back before the national housing bubble burst my sister was considering a move and chickened out. She was looking at a house near Austin that was selling for just over 300K. The thing was all tile and hardwood floors and quite deluxe in a nice newer neighborhood. The place she has in OC would sell for over half a million at the time, is half the size and needs a lot of work and is in a upscale barrio.
Only thing the transplants complain about is the weather but they all had lived near the coast in cal.
 
bionicarm

bionicarm

Active Member
If you like Republican's. you'll love Texas. Rick Perry is the epitome of one. I'm native Texan, born and raised here. We don't have a state income tax, but we do have nicely appointed property taxes. Here in San Antonio, it's about $5 per $1,000 in home value, depending on which school district you live in. Traffic jams last between 4PM and 7PM, if you want to call them that. Economy is 100 times better than California. Unemployment rate is better as well. What's your profession? Rackspace is one of the bigger IT outsources in the city. They took over an abandoned shopping mall. You too could become a 'Racker'. Also a big military community. Randoph AFB is the training center for pilots. Lackland AFB is 'boot camp' for new recruits. Wilford Hall is one of the largest military hospitals in the world. BAMC is the world-wide burn center and hosts the 5th Army Headquarters. Weather is two season's here. Our winter's consist of around 2 1/2 months in the 40's - 50's, with occassional freezes. More so in the Hill Country. Expect summer's to be a consisitent 95 - 100, and the last few year's we've been in a drought. Our drinking source is an aquifer. If you're bi-lingual in Spanish, it'd be a plus. Think the Hispanic population rate is around 57% now. If you love Mexican food, there's an authentic 'hole in the wall' around every street corner. There's also a large Germanic population. New Braunfels is the home of Schlitterbahn, the Number 1 water park in the nation. Lots to do outdoors. There's two lakes within a 45 minute drive of San Antonio, and the Guadalupe/Comal Rivers have excellent rafting and tubing in the summer. We also have a Six Flags and a Sea World. Of course there's the tourist traps with The Alamo and Riverwalk. The only sports team we have are The Spurs (They've won four titles, everyone of them on odd years. 2011 looks good to beat the Lakers again). Compared to home values in Cali, you could buy a mansion here. Very well-appointed homes on the North side of town run between $175,000 - $350,000. But for that price range, you're looking at custom builds, 3 to 4 bedrooms, 2 to 3 baths, and 2500 - 3000 sq. ft. in size. And to think, if you live in San Antonio, you're only an hour and a half away for a visit to see your buddy stdreb in Corpus!
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by bionicarm http:///forum/thread/382840/what-s-texas-like#post_3343933
If you like Republican's. you'll love Texas. Rick Perry is the epitome of one. I'm native Texan, born and raised here. We don't have a state income tax, but we do have nicely appointed property taxes. Here in San Antonio, it's about $5 per $1,000 in home value, depending on which school district you live in. Traffic jams last between 4PM and 7PM, if you want to call them that. Economy is 100 times better than California. Unemployment rate is better as well. What's your profession? Rackspace is one of the bigger IT outsources in the city. They took over an abandoned shopping mall. You too could become a 'Racker'. Also a big military community. Randoph AFB is the training center for pilots. Lackland AFB is 'boot camp' for new recruits. Wilford Hall is one of the largest military hospitals in the world. BAMC is the world-wide burn center and hosts the 5th Army Headquarters. Weather is two season's here. Our winter's consist of around 2 1/2 months in the 40's - 50's, with occassional freezes. More so in the Hill Country. Expect summer's to be a consisitent 95 - 100, and the last few year's we've been in a drought. Our drinking source is an aquifer. If you're bi-lingual in Spanish, it'd be a plus. Think the Hispanic population rate is around 57% now. If you love Mexican food, there's an authentic 'hole in the wall' around every street corner. There's also a large Germanic population. New Braunfels is the home of Schlitterbahn, the Number 1 water park in the nation. Lots to do outdoors. There's two lakes within a 45 minute drive of San Antonio, and the Guadalupe/Comal Rivers have excellent rafting and tubing in the summer. We also have a Six Flags and a Sea World. Of course there's the tourist traps with The Alamo and Riverwalk. The only sports team we have are The Spurs (They've won four titles, everyone of them on odd years. 2011 looks good to beat the Lakers again). Compared to home values in Cali, you could buy a mansion here. Very well-appointed homes on the North side of town run between $175,000 - $350,000. But for that price range, you're looking at custom builds, 3 to 4 bedrooms, 2 to 3 baths, and 2500 - 3000 sq. ft. in size. And to think, if you live in San Antonio, you're only an hour and a half away for a visit to see your buddy stdreb in Corpus!

Dude how fast do you drive? 1.5 hours from San Antonio to corpus?! You've gotta be FLYING! (hey Perry was a democrat for a looong time....) He only switched parties to run for governor. Greasy slimebag...
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
But depending on where you live it is a giant melting pot. Especially San Antonio. Because you have a huge Hispanic population, their is a good hipster crowd towards Austin, a strong Germanic influence (think solvang but less refined), then you have the fake and real book wearers. That area is kind of a touristy type area. The hill country is just north of there and absolutely wonderful. But I really like San Antonio. personally I think it is kind of reflecting the economic woes, as some of the more touristy spots are receding, like the big river walk mall. (but that was bad idea to begin with...) My California experience was for 2 weeks, so I don't feel like I can adequately explain the differences. But imo it is still cool to be a cowboys down here.
 
yearofthenick

yearofthenick

Active Member
Just went to texas for a week to attend a conference. Nevermind, I don't wanna live there. In our free time, we browsed the city of Austin, and even took a trip to Lockhart, which is supposedly texas's best place to go for BBQ. It was pretty sad. All of the best restaurants we ate at were so-so at best.
YearOf (Glad to be a Californian) TheNick
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by YearOfTheNick http:///forum/thread/382840/what-s-texas-like#post_3354246
Just went to texas for a week to attend a conference. Nevermind, I don't wanna live there. In our free time, we browsed the city of Austin, and even took a trip to Lockhart, which is supposedly texas's best place to go for BBQ. It was pretty sad. All of the best restaurants we ate at were so-so at best.
YearOf (Glad to be a Californian) TheNick
Austin would be enough to scare anyone away unless you happen to be wearing a Che Guevara T shirt
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by YearOfTheNick http:///forum/thread/382840/what-s-texas-like#post_3354246
Just went to texas for a week to attend a conference. Nevermind, I don't wanna live there. In our free time, we browsed the city of Austin, and even took a trip to Lockhart, which is supposedly texas's best place to go for BBQ. It was pretty sad. All of the best restaurants we ate at were so-so at best.
YearOf (Glad to be a Californian) TheNick
lol, really? Austin is what you get when you mix California weirdo's with Texas culture. We keep austin for profiling purposes.
BTW the BEST BBQ in texas is in a town called Llano. Don't let anyone tell you different.
 
B

brandonsivek

Guest
I dont know what the deal is. Seams there is always a feud between Texans and Californians. I can not figure out what it is about! Year of the Nick. Texas is the second largest state (Alaska shouldnt count but thats another thread) and you based not wanting to live here by going to one area? That would be like me going to LA and saying, man California is nasty, I would never live here. BUT, you go up to the wine country, NAPA, and its Beautiful, as are a lot of other places in your state. The same goes for Texas. I think that we feud because we are so alike, but no one wants to admit it. You just gotta give Texas a chance, OH and the best BBQ in Texas? My backyard!
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
I grew up in southern cali and have lived in many places, detroit, atlanta, little rock and now corpus. I loved cali when I was growing up but you couldn't pay me enough to ever move back there these days. You really need to look around, some people really love san antonio and austin but to be honest I don't see what the big deal is about them. We're pretty happy in corpus, nice beaches, nice fishing...it's a quaint little city, fairly laid back. The area is growing and corpus was named as one of the top 20 cities to ride out a rescession in... Infact from what I understand, I hear that Dallas is really booming right now from all of the big business moving from cali because they are being taxed to death out there. Dallas is nice (most parts). We don't pay state taxes here either. Cali is too crowded for me.
 
bionicarm

bionicarm

Active Member
D.C or the state? Either one, your loss.
You thought the BBQ was 'pretty sad' in Lockhart? I knew the taste buds in Cali were screwed up from all the smog and the second-hand smoke from the Potheads, but I didn't know they were that bad.
 
desertdawg

desertdawg

Member
Born and raised in El Paso which isn't really part of Texas, ( I think New Mexico is actually closer to El Paso than Texas is...)
Moved to Arizona which isn't part of California but we still get to enjoy all the good stuff there without paying for it year-round....
Honestly I hope none of you discover just how perfect Az is because then it will get to crowded and I'll have to move to Mexico to get away again!
 
B

brandonsivek

Guest
I have heard a lot of good things about Arizona, and I really respect that state a lot. But I could NOT live in the dessert! Plus I like to saltwater fish.
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by YearOfTheNick http:///forum/thread/382840/what-s-texas-like#post_3354497
Eh, forget it, I'm moving to Washington... TEAM EDWARD
YearOf (Twifan) TheNick
What is team edward twifan?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Desertdawg http:///forum/thread/382840/what-s-texas-like#post_3354520
Born and raised in El Paso which isn't really part of Texas, ( I think New Mexico is actually closer to El Paso than Texas is...)
Moved to Arizona which isn't part of California but we still get to enjoy all the good stuff there without paying for it year-round....
Honestly I hope none of you discover just how perfect Az is because then it will get to crowded and I'll have to move to Mexico to get away again!
lol, well, El Paso is it's own little place. I too was born there...
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/382840/what-s-texas-like#post_3354460
I grew up in southern cali and have lived in many places, detroit, atlanta, little rock and now corpus. I loved cali when I was growing up but you couldn't pay me enough to ever move back there these days. You really need to look around, some people really love san antonio and austin but to be honest I don't see what the big deal is about them. We're pretty happy in corpus, nice beaches, nice fishing...it's a quaint little city, fairly laid back. The area is growing and corpus was named as one of the top 20 cities to ride out a rescession in... Infact from what I understand, I hear that Dallas is really booming right now from all of the big business moving from cali because they are being taxed to death out there. Dallas is nice (most parts). We don't pay state taxes here either. Cali is too crowded for me.
Same deal here. 30 years ago I wouldn't have traded Cal for Texas for nothing. Now Texas would be a no brainer between the two but liking mountains and pine trees I don't think I could handle life any further south than Northern New Mexico which is as gorped up as Cal or Northeast Arizona.
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by bionicarm http:///forum/thread/382840/what-s-texas-like#post_3354508
D.C or the state? Either one, your loss.
You thought the BBQ was 'pretty sad' in Lockhart? I knew the taste buds in Cali were screwed up from all the smog and the second-hand smoke from the Potheads, but I didn't know they were that bad.
California's air is cleaner than Texas' and the pot smoke isn't an issue because you can't smoke it or cigs in public. It's because he's used to eating that tofu crap they call BBQ out there
 
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