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Question for the Texas Mommies

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rocknrollmommy616
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Post by tweetie462 Wed Feb 11, 2009 12:36 pm

Ok - as everyone knows, DH's company is closing its doors in July. They are relocating the business to Texas. He is going down next week for a big meeting (and probably a bit of a job interview) because they are considering (key word) offering him relocation. If this does happen, to Texas we go! We would probably end up in the Dallas area - any thoughts as to good/bad places to look?? What is it like living in Texas? My biggest concern is the hurricanes and torandos that we'd be in the path of! Any helpful advice would be appreciated!!!
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Post by Kim Wed Feb 11, 2009 1:07 pm

I just wanted to pipe in...I know nothing about texas other than their cost of living is WAY less than it is here on the east coast...The Dallas area seems to be good weather wise as they are further in land than the coastal communities when it comes to storms....do you own your house here? If so you will be able to get 2 to 3 size the house there for what you paid for yours here...sometimes I would love to relocate just for the housing. Let us know what happens!!!
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Post by tweetie462 Wed Feb 11, 2009 1:25 pm

Yes, we do own our house here. Getting a bigger one for less would be so nice!! And things being cheaper would be a plus too! Smile
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Post by PolloLoco75 Wed Feb 11, 2009 1:26 pm

Hey Elise! I am a Dallas girl who works for a home builder. This would all be relevant to your DH's work location but there are a bunch of good places. If you are looking toward the north of the metroplex Frisco, Allen & Plano are good school districts and great areas as far as aminities and locations. If you are looking more south of the metroplex Mansfield is going really strong right now. There are also places like Farmer's Branch, The Colony etc. Do you know approx where his company may re-locate to? The Dallas area is huge and can take approx 1-2 hours to drive from one end to the other. I live in Plano (so does Bekah). You can get great housing deals as Kim said. You can get 2000 + square feet for 200-250k depending on the location, age of the home etc. As far as tornadoes are concerned we get Tornado watches (they are on the look out for) and tornado warnings (one has been spotted) a lot esepcially in the spring. However -we hardly ever get any in the suburbs or down town. One big one hit down town Ft Worth a couple of years back but that has been it. Like last night big storm and the tornado sirens went off for about 15 minutes and then it was done. Its when you start getting to the country parts of the area that the tornados are more prevalant. There is a part of Texas out West that is called Tornado Alley and that is where they all are. Its because its flat land with no buildings so the wind has nothing to do but circulate.

I hope that helps. Let me know if you need any further info. I also know where there are good places to buy homes so if you find out the area let me know maybe I can help you.
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Post by tweetie462 Wed Feb 11, 2009 3:28 pm

The company is based in McKinney, so that is where he is headed next week. I would think we'd look in that area.
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Post by PolloLoco75 Wed Feb 11, 2009 4:07 pm

McKinney is an awesome place. Convienent to a bunch of shopping, restaurants and entertainment. Oh and it is a good place to live too. Its just north of me. So you could have your choice but if you can live and work in McKinney that is great. Plano, Frisco and Allen are all very close to McKinney. We did build homes there a while back. They are our more reasonable ones. We are out of the subdivision but we may have a couple spec homes left. You can find some great deals up there on the new homes. Oh and I was married in McKinney!
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Post by mnelson80 Wed Feb 11, 2009 5:18 pm

My SO has some family in McKinney, but we live further south, in the Austin Area. I just have to agree with pretty much everything that was said so far. Homes are cheaper, no state income tax (but slightly higher sales tax). Some tornado watches and such, but I haven't seen an actual one yet and the hurricanes always seem to miss us this far inland.

I moved here from Wisconsin so it was a pretty big change. I was young..about 22 or 23 and everyone called me a Yankee for about a year. It took a little while to get used to the 8.25% sales tax, but home prices are much cheaper. I would LOVE to buy, it just hasn't happened yet. It was pretty easy for me to find a job, but that was also about 6 or 7 years ago. It gets DAMN hot in the summer and stays soo nice in the winter. You won't be complaining about the snow here..LOL Just your A/C bill in the summer.
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Post by rocknrollmommy616 Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:05 pm

actually, Diana, the place that's starting to boom that is still very cloe to dallas, is wylie. they have nice houses and apartments there. McKinney is pretty good too, but don't move to frisco. i know a lot of people who live in frisco, and they are snobby rich brats in frisco, plus I'm pretty sure the houses in frisco are way expensive! funnily enough, a house opened up for rent or sale down the street from my mom's(where we live now), but we are going to try to move to mcKinney soon, hopefully... ^_^
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Post by MichelleL Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:41 pm

I live further south than Michelle (admin). I am in Houston. We moved here 6 years ago with DH's job. At first I was thrilled because, as said, there isn't any state income tax BUT property tax is a killer! Before you decide what area I would check the property tax rate for that county. We could have saved several hundred a year on taxes and insurance if we had moved 5 miles further North....but we had no idea. We moved from Oklahoma so the cost of living went up for us but I'm sure it would definately go down for you. A definate perk in Texas is there is no sales tax on food, OTC meds or prescription meds. There is also a lot of opportunity in the way of colleges and schools for your kids. Texas has some high ranking elementary schools! I personally think wages are right on target with the cost of living. Meaning you can make $60k a year and buy a nice house for $150K or even less around here. Dallas/Ft Worth, I think, a little more, but definately worth it IMO!!
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Post by Guest Thu Feb 12, 2009 2:20 am

My DH has often mentioned he wants to move down south. at one time even though it was only for 6 months we lived in springfield,missouri back in 2004. He has mentioned living in Texas but I have a fear if he got me that far I would never see none of my family since they all live in Michigan..as it is we only end up going down to their house near Detroit once or twice a year and they only live like 50 miles away....so I can imagine I would never see them if we moved that far...

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Post by eileen bauer Thu Feb 12, 2009 4:46 am

I live in Leander a suburb of Austin and not to up on teh dallas area but Cedar Park.Leander and round rock are awesome areas to live in in teh Asutin area.
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Post by MichelleL Thu Feb 12, 2009 12:08 pm

Man! We have quite a few texas mommies! I never realized.....

We are gonna have to have a face to face "reunion" sometime! ;-)
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Post by tweetie462 Thu Feb 12, 2009 12:32 pm

If we end up moving, I'll host! Smile

Thanks to everyone for their responses - it's taken a lot of the worry away that I did have. Of course, now they have to ask him to come down and take the job! Smile
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Post by Kim Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:39 pm

I'm moving too...just to go to the meet up!!! LOL...seriously Michelle, DH and I have a combined income of over $75,000 a year and can only afford to live in a 900sq ft modular home (read trailer) because the house prices are so outrageous here....for my trailer we paid $80,000!!!
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Post by MichelleL Thu Feb 12, 2009 6:56 pm

Mother of Gawd Kim!!!!! That's insane! My house in Oklahoma was 3000sq ft, 4 bedrooms, 3 bath, and a corner lot.....we sold it for $140k. My house here is 2700sq ft, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and corner lot....it appraised last year for $148k but we only paid $110k in 2002! You have some EXPENSIVE living on the East Coast! That stinks because ya'll make a good living! My sisters condo is 110sq ft and she makes $10/hr working at the hospital kitchen.... It's amazing the differences in the cost of living in the same country! How much would someone pay for a 2500sq ft house in your neck of the woods??
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Post by tweetie462 Thu Feb 12, 2009 7:30 pm

we paid $275k for our current house in 2006 - it is 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bath and 1967 sq ft and or property taxes are about $4,000/yr plus we have to pay property taxes on our cars in CT.
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Post by MichelleL Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:23 pm

In Texas you pay school tax, MUD tax and county tax on your home. Our tax bill is about $3k per year. IF we had known, and moved 5 miles further north, our tax bill would be about $2200 per year. BIG difference if you live in your house for the entire 30 year mortgage!

Kim - I told my DH about the high living expenses where you are and he crossed every company off his list that was in the North East! I also called a friend of mine back home....she and her DH build houses, live in them for about a year, and sell them at a profit. The home she lives in now is 4500+ sq ft, on 2 acres, 5 bedrooms, 3.5baths, both formals, a game room, and 3 car garage and they have it on the market for $250K. I can only imagine what that would cost where you live! *still shocked*
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Post by Kim Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:11 pm

keep in mind that I also live right on the coast...but even going to a non beach communtiy in RI the prices are still crazy....for 2000sq ft home here, it would be $300,000 starting...it just goes up from there, same property anywhere near the beach probably close to a million!!!...not kidding!

Elise- would you say the same...the closer you get to the coast in CT, like Groton, New London, and such the higher the prices go?
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Post by PolloLoco75 Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:21 pm

Ok here is a description of the 2nd largest home we build in our McKinney neighborhood. The plan larger than this one is this one plus a media room for a total of 3216 square feet and it goes for $225,000

2960 - 2 Story, 4 Bedrooms (Master Bedroom up), 2 & ½ Baths, Formal Dining, Formal Living or optional study, Large Family Room, Kitchen w/Breakfast Nook, Gameroom or optional 5th Bedroom, 3Car Garage
170 sf. Convert 3rd Car Garage to Media Room…(add $6,500)
Convert 3rd Car Garage to Bedroom & ½ Bath to Full Bath (add $8,000) $215,000
Elevation A & B Std.
Elevation C + $2,500
3rd car to Media + $6500
3rd car to BR & 1/2 Bath+ $8,000

Here is the floor plan:
[url=2960 floor plan
And the exterior elevations:
[url=
2960 elevations
Just for you to use as an example of whats available.

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Post by Kim Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:25 pm

okay...someone find me a dispatching job and I am out of here!
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Post by mnelson80 Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:36 pm

I know right! My parents are from WI and they were floored when they saw the real estate prices around here. Just think.. if you buy an older home what kind of vaule you can get.

Just for comparion.. I've never actually seen this house so I don't know the true condition, but it's in my old subdivision which is a fairly nice neighorhood. Not what you would call upscale, but it's a suburb and has that community feel.

Features:

• Price: $133,900
• Property Type: House
• Bedrooms: 3
• Bath: 2 Full, 1 Half
• Square Feet: 2,073
• Acres: 0.132
• Year Built: 1996
• Garage: Attached,Door Opener,Door-Single,Entry-Front
• Stories: 2
• A/C: Central Air
• Heat: Central Heat
Estimated Taxes: $2,993.98

This is the link.. click the additonal photos.. Hell.. wish I could buy it. LOL
http://www.austinhomesearch.com/Search/Details.aspx?li=89785&or=1&cp=1#
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Post by PolloLoco75 Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:41 pm

I live in an older home in Plano. It was built in 1983. Its 1997 square feet 4 beds, 2 baths with atatched 2 car garage accross the street from a park close to lots of amenities and it was 138k. People should move here! Oh but dont bring your car or plan on driving. Its crazy enough right now. That is my biggest complaint of the area. Traffic sucks and so do all the people driving their huge SUVs and Trucks with their Texas Pride thinking they own the road. Other than that its pretty great. The richey snobs are a bit much to deal with but eeh - you do what you gotta do.
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Post by mnelson80 Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:51 pm

Just for Kim - hehehe.. you didn't think we'd really try to get you here did you.. LOL

http://dallas.jobing.com/job_details2.asp?JobID=1881535&utm_source=Indeed&utm_medium=link&utr
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Post by tweetie462 Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:55 pm

OMG!!! I REALLY want them to make him an offer!!! Or someone find my DH a job so we can move!!!!!!!!!

Amy - you posted what looks to be my dream house - or damn close to it!!!!

Kim - yes, the southern part of CT is much more expensive then the northern part (where I am).
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Post by mythreesons Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:02 pm

We own our home and its 1200 sq ft with a full finished basement and we paid $52,000.But it is in the city near the bad(but not the really bad areas).DH's grandfather had a nice home in a housing tract in a REALLY nice part of NY(upstate still)and the just sold it for $225,000.It was 2700 sq ft. with a 2 car garage, and finished basement.It had 2.5 bathrooms and 3 regular bedrooms and a separate master suite.Gorgeous....I just have to add that my BFF lives in Sequin,TX and her mom and step dad live in Boerne and I LOVE Texas!!!If I could convince DH to move, I would.I've been trying to get him to for years!!!
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