Recommend areas to visit for younger couple moving from NY. (Houston: apartment, to rent)

[JH6]

I'm planning a trip to check out a few cities in Texas, and don't know where to start. I have about 9 days, and want to check out at least 2-3 major Texas cities, to plan a move in late 2012.

My background is computer science, with emphasis on computer technician type jobs. My fiance will have her MSW (Master's degree in Social Work), and will be looking for gainful employment.

We are coming from Buffalo, NY. We are very active people who like to travel, looking to rent a house at first for around $800-$900 per month, then we want to buy a ranch in the suburbs for $150k-$200k in a nice safe area.

We have done a lot of research on Houston, Dallas, and Austin. Any of them seemed like they would fit us. Is there any place else I should be looking at?

Thanks.

[ChristieP]

AUSTIN, definitely. That is the epicenter of computer activity in Texas.

[sxrckr]

Magazine articles (and people) are quick to suggest Austin, but be wary. I'm extremely concerned about Austin's sustainability and being very drought-prone. I know several people who lost homes in the recent wildfires just east of Austin. Traffic was also rated as 3rd worst in the US for another consecutive year.

I think a computer technician and social worker could work in any of the major Texas metros.

[h886]

Originally Posted by JustinH

We are coming from Buffalo, NY. We are very active people who like to travel, looking to rent a house at first for around $800-$900 per month, then we want to buy a ranch in the suburbs for $150k-$200k in a nice safe area.

Some of your requirements match with Austin, but you're way off on price and may need to look at Dallas, which is cheaper. Also, since Austin is considerably smaller than the other metros, be sure one of you has a job before coming. With the massive government cutbacks, your GF may not have the easiest time finding anything.

Austin has the highest COL in the state. You're not going to find houses in a nice area for that price range, though you could get a nice one-bedroom or a decent 2-bedroom apartment. If you kicked it up a few hundred dollars per month, you would start to get some older, smaller houses in your range, though again, they're not going to be in the most desirable neighborhoods.

"Ranch in the suburbs for $150-200K in a nice safe area" isn't realistic either. Even suburbs like Leander and Cedar Park are going to be a long commute from downtown--45 minutes to an hour each way depending where you live. You could definitely find a house in that range there, but if you're looking for a true "ranch" chances are you'll need to go further out and be prepared to pay more. Austin has grown at an amazing rate in the last decade and property within an hour's commute of downtown is getting pricey.

[SVTRay]

Originally Posted by JustinH

We are coming from Buffalo, NY. We are very active people who like to travel, looking to rent a house at first for around $800-$900 per month, then we want to buy a ranch in the suburbs for $150k-$200k in a nice safe area.
.

This is unrealistic goal in my opinion. Depending on where you look, 150-200k may get you a nice home on a .50-.75 acre lot. Open desirable land can range 1,000-5,000 an acre andthats minus a home and live stock. It all depends on what you're raising and the land as to how much you will need. Example, here in West Texas, especially with the drought, we're factoring 60 acres per head of cows. So if you wanted to raise a pair of cows here, you would want a minimum of 120 acres...X 1,500 an acre = 180,000. now some place like East Texas probably only factors in 10-25 acres a head under normal conditions since they get about 40 " of rain a year but the cost of land is probably higher as well. Starting a ranch is very costly, I would figure starting a very small one around 500,000 minus a home but that is just my guess.

[Poltracker]

I would add the Tyler and Longview areas to your search. Smaller to be sure, but they have industry which will need computer techs. and I am sure there are social workers as well. Those areas will also be more in your price range.

[jennifw]

Originally Posted by SVTRay

This is unrealistic goal in my opinion. Depending on where you look, 150-200k may get you a nice home on a .50-.75 acre lot. Open desirable land can range 1,000-5,000 an acre andthats minus a home and live stock. It all depends on what you're raising and the land as to how much you will need. Example, here in West Texas, especially with the drought, we're factoring 60 acres per head of cows. So if you wanted to raise a pair of cows here, you would want a minimum of 120 acres...X 1,500 an acre = 180,000. now some place like East Texas probably only factors in 10-25 acres a head under normal conditions since they get about 40 " of rain a year but the cost of land is probably higher as well. Starting a ranch is very costly, I would figure starting a very small one around 500,000 minus a home but that is just my guess.

I read the OP as wanting a ranch-style house, not an actual ranch.
For Dallas, your budget for a ranch-style house in the suburbs would still be pretty low without a big commute.

Good luck.

[SVTRay]

Originally Posted by jennifw

I read the OP as wanting a ranch-style house, not an actual ranch.
For Dallas, your budget for a ranch-style house in the suburbs would still be pretty low without a big commute.

Good luck.

It's subject to inturpitation I guess but they said buy a ranch and not buy a ranch style house.

then we want to buy a ranch in the suburbs for $150k-$200k

[joqua]

There are PLENTY of single family homes in the Austin area for under $200k.

Do this for any city or town to find prices and number of homes within a certain price range.

In the GOOGLE subject window, type: mls austin tx

Then enter your search criteria in the boxes provided.
There were nearly 900 homes listed for under $200k in various neighborhoods and suburbs around Austin. Not going to find anything very new though. Most older than 1980s construction.

[TX75007]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

AUSTIN, definitely. That is the epicenter of computer activity in Texas.

LOL.

DFW has four times more data center space than Austin. And most of the new space planned is in the DFW area. Almost all the bioscience and nanotechnology and fabs are in the DFW area as well.

As far as population goes, DFW has 4+ times that of Austin.

List of Texas metropolitan areas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia