Need help deciding about Weatherford? (Houston, Dallas: foreclosures, rental, insurance) - Fort Worth - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

paula00750 · 04-28-2009, 07:27 AM

I am planning to move to Texas and Weatherford has been mentioned to me as a growing town with small town values. and that it still feels like a small town. also that there are a lot of businesses (like walmart and home depot, etc.).

here's the thing. i am from Indianapolis, a fairly large city and i want to move to a small town. i want that small town, everyone knows everyone kinda thing. i want country side, main street, warm, cozy homey town. i want godd education for my son and low crime rate (here crime is everywhere you turn and it's getting very old very quickly). what i don't want is to move to a small dirt road hick town. i want to stay away from hickish type towns (not to offend anyone). basically, no cars on bricks, yellow grass 3 feet tall, run down homes, etc....

i want to live someone where there isn't a new housing edition every 5 feet. i like the older lived in homes! homes with personality and stories to tell.

what i want to make sure.....is this town i'm looking for weatherford?

jimboburnsy · 04-28-2009, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paula00750

I am planning to move to Texas and Weatherford has been mentioned to me as a growing town with small town values. and that it still feels like a small town. also that there are a lot of businesses (like walmart and home depot, etc.).

here's the thing. i am from Indianapolis, a fairly large city and i want to move to a small town. i want that small town, everyone knows everyone kinda thing. i want country side, main street, warm, cozy homey town. i want godd education for my son and low crime rate (here crime is everywhere you turn and it's getting very old very quickly). what i don't want is to move to a small dirt road hick town. i want to stay away from hickish type towns (not to offend anyone). basically, no cars on bricks, yellow grass 3 feet tall, run down homes, etc....

i want to live someone where there isn't a new housing edition every 5 feet. i like the older lived in homes! homes with personality and stories to tell.

what i want to make sure.....is this town i'm looking for weatherford?

I lived in Weatherford from 2004 to 2007 and I loved it. It really felt like being in small-town Texas but it didn't feel like being in double-wide country and I didn't feel completely isolated from civilization.

I visited recently and I have to say that a lot has changed. There are still a lot of "country feel" homes and neighborhoods on the south side of I-20, down Ranger highway towards Greenwod and in the older, historic areas, but there has been a lot of subdivision construction and "strip mall build-outs". The weatherford economy has suffered from the virtual collapse of Barnett Shale development and there are certain to be a lot of foreclosures in the area. This could be good or bad for someone looking to move there, it just depends on what your objectives are and what kind of work you hope to do.

You really need to put your boots on the ground there before you can make any decisions, but if you are looking for beautiful country, a small-town feel but not TOO small, Weatherford could be a good match. There isn't a ton of nightlife and meeting people can be a bit of a challenge if you don't make a concerted effort.

Weatherford is predominantly a blue collar community. I think that about 25% of the residents are college educated so you are certain to encounter some Bubbas, but it isn't a "cars on blocks" kind of place where people kick cowpies for fun.

If/when you visit, make sure you get a burger from Skinny's and eat breakfast at the Downtown Weatherford Cafe.

paula00750 · 04-28-2009, 09:36 AM

thanks for your candor! really appreciated! don't mind a few "bubba's" that's ok. I'm just afraid that i'm going to move there and it's going to blow up and "small town" will fade away. as for work, i don't care what i do, but i do need to make around $30-35y. i'm a single mom and have plenty of experience in medical office setting. from the front desk to insurance. and from what i hear there are a lot of medical facilities opening around there. it's a big move and i'm scared to make the wrong decision as i will be stuck if i do. i know that's the area. i do plan on taking a long weekend to do some footwork and actually looking around, but not until i have a few cities in mind. weatherford is the top one.

Pontificator · 04-28-2009, 09:48 AM

I would recommend you do some footwork in Weatherford, and specifically, drive the main roads! Lots of traffic due to poor planning with lots of new shopping centers. It does retain a small-town feel, but bear in mind that the town is the commerce area for a much larger radius. That said, there are lots of positives.....such as a terrific, old-fashioned Farmer's Market, and the Downtown Cafe. The old neighborhoods and outlying country home sites are peaceful and charming. Lots of gorgeous trees, too, and gently rolling hills. And beautiful sunsets. Good luck!

jimboburnsy · 04-28-2009, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pontificator

I would recommend you do some footwork in Weatherford, and specifically, drive the main roads! Lots of traffic due to poor planning with lots of new shopping centers. It does retain a small-town feel, but bear in mind that the town is the commerce area for a much larger radius. That said, there are lots of positives.....such as a terrific, old-fashioned Farmer's Market, and the Downtown Cafe. The old neighborhoods and outlying country home sites are peaceful and charming. Lots of gorgeous trees, too, and gently rolling hills. And beautiful sunsets. Good luck!

Pontificator is right about the traffic. Weatherford is situated just right to be the confluence of the major arteries (which is kind of a joke, 2 lane black-top passes for "major artery" in Weatherford) that provide access to I-20 and serve as trucking lanes between the NW Fort Worth outposts and the Granbury, Strawn, Cleburne areas. It can get very busy at certain times of day and when the roads were being built and commercial zones planned, no one ever thought about the enormous tonnage and volumes of vehicular traffic that the area would one day support. They just thought they would need room to move their horses and peaches.

I never thought the Weatherford traffic was so terrible, but I'm from Houston and have a different idea of traffic. Its all relative.

reed2009 · 05-04-2009, 07:33 AM

Hi Paula! I am also going to be locating in Weatherford, TX! I have a sister that live there as well, SHE LIVES IN THE COUNTRY..!! She loves it though! I like it because you really aren't that far from Dallas, and I have a great friend in Irving...so that works for me. I am now living in East Texas and love it very much too, but am at that point to where things are not working here for me, and I have to move on. I am also from Indiana...lived on Lake Michigan! When do you plan to relocate here? I plan on moving to Weatherford fairly soon, in fact will be going there this week for a visit and to look around some more.Good luck to you and your son, I am sure that you will enjoy Texas!

Lchimook · 07-26-2009, 08:20 PM

Hey reed2009 & paula 00750, How was your visit to Weatherford? Did you like it? Does it seem familiy/kid oriented? Paula, I too, am a single Mom w/ a 13yr.old son. I, too, am searching for a nice small town feel for my son. I grew up in the Arlington area, lived 20yrs. in Florida & the last 3 yrs. in Illinois - a very rural town w/ population of 3,500! So, I don't want to be in the Metro area either, but need to be close enough for work & good medicine. I am a nurse, so I know there will be plenty of jobs for me. I would like to rent for the 1st year and look for something to buy duing the rental period. Let me know what you ladies found on your searches. I posted on another thread and someone mentioned Argyle, Parker, Aledo & Murphy as having very good School Dist. I hope your adventures to Weatherford were fruitful! Waiting to hear!