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Where to start. We moved from El Paso to Vegas in 1989 and it was a great town to live in. Eating out was cheap ( 99 cent breakfast, 3.99 prime rib, buffets to die for, drink for free, etc.). Housing was very affordable and the air was fairly clean. Crime wasn't high unless you lived in North Vegas and I think the people were friendlier back then. You do get used to the heat and believe it or not my kids got to where if the temps got below 100F they thought it was too cold to swim in the pool.
My company moved me out of state after 10 years to Charlotte, NC . ( what a great place to live but don't get me started on that). After 5 years of being gone I was transferred back to Vegas and all I can say is "what the hell happened". High cost of housing, food, entertainment, smog was horrorable,crime was crazy, drugs out of control, schools were dangerous and the quality of education sucked. They even had metal detectors at the school entrances. Crime against visitors in the Casinos was getting bad and the LA gangs were moving in. We lost dear friends to the Meth problem that has totally taken over and the homeless population had grown to the point there were people living all over the desert areas.
We left after 3 years for our kids sake and moved back to El Paso to be closer to our other grown children. El Paso isn't the garden spot of our country but it's a great place to live if you just give it a chance. Neither my wife or I speak spanish and it has hurt her in finding good jobs but as someone else said it's who you know that really helps when it comes to jobs. Most of the other post about El Paso were accurate to a degree but this town is different things to different people. I miss green and water but I love the warm friendly people, great food, ease in getting around, and weather. I live on the far east side of town in a 2300sq ft 2 story home that sells for 160K. The high school and middle school my kids go to are safe and seem to be really good. On my street are about 4-5 white familes and the rest hispanic. All my neighbors are wonderful. It's all in how you approach new experiences in life. Be closed minded or open up to all the new things out there. Sorry for dragging this out so long and as always this is just my humble opinion.
Wow... I think the only metal detector we have in San Angelo is at our regional airport (American Airlines - American Eagle) flies in and out. We used to have Continental flying in, too, but they've stopped due to recent cut-backs. Most people use American Eagle because they fly to Dallas where Continental flew to Houston. Dallas was more of a central hub to catch flights than Houston was.
The only crime I can say we really have is mostly on the north side of town. That area, although being built up, is traditionally where less affluent families/people lived. There is a greater percentage of hispanics there as well, but there is a good mix of demographics throughout all of the city. Most crime is normally between people who are either related or know each other (and over drugs or alcohol).
Depending on the cost of house you can afford (If your price is the same as roughly your current house) then you can live just about anywhere. In the west-central part of the city is an area called Santa Rita. The houses in that area are just as expensive as the bluffs, and even moreso. The houses are older, but no less well-kept. Many of those houses (mansions) are owned by people who retired here with oil money.
There really is plenty to do here for how small the city is: symphony, performing arts theater, community band, etc. The hispanic community often hosts events, and Christmas on the Concho is a yearly event where they put up huge Christmas light displays along the road that fronts the Concho River. Even if you're not Christian, the lights are a true spectacle. Of course, there's July 4th at Lake Nasworthy where they have a fireworks show (and there are actually quite a few places in the city that they have those fireworks shows from). We have downtown parades, etc.
Rath
I thought SA was the beginning of green going east from west Texas? The pictures at the site you listed makes it look like it's very green there so fill me in is SA a little green oasis surrounded by desert? Can you water ski on any of the lakes? What kind of fish can be caught? Are rattlesnakes a problem in the area? Housing looks comparable to El Paso so where we'd live would depend on my wife's income since mine is set. I could work part-time to help offset the cost of living in a nicer area but I don't want to lose to much of my play-time either. Is grape creek close enough to town that commute times and gasoline cost wouldn't be a factor? My wife really wants horses so we either have to live out a ways or board. What's the drive time to San Antonio and Corpus Cristi in your opinion? I've got to get my kids to somewhere fun a couple times a year and Sea World or the beach fit that bill nicely. Lastly, if I haven't bored you to death yet what part of San Angelo should I avoid in my home search? Thanks!
Rath
I thought SA was the beginning of green going east from west Texas? The pictures at the site you listed makes it look like it's very green there so fill me in is SA a little green oasis surrounded by desert? Can you water ski on any of the lakes? What kind of fish can be caught? Are rattlesnakes a problem in the area? Housing looks comparable to El Paso so where we'd live would depend on my wife's income since mine is set. I could work part-time to help offset the cost of living in a nicer area but I don't want to lose to much of my play-time either. Is grape creek close enough to town that commute times and gasoline cost wouldn't be a factor? My wife really wants horses so we either have to live out a ways or board. What's the drive time to San Antonio and Corpus Cristi in your opinion? I've got to get my kids to somewhere fun a couple times a year and Sea World or the beach fit that bill nicely. Lastly, if I haven't bored you to death yet what part of San Angelo should I avoid in my home search? Thanks!
DD,
There is green here.. but there's a lot of brown in the summer, too. It really just depends on the amount of rain, and the time frame between the rains. My lawn is green now, I have two healthy trees (a non-fruit bearing pear tree out front, and an Arizona ash out back.
OC Fisher Lake is very low on water now, and has been for several years, but I understand there is still fish to be caught in certain parts. Lake Nasworthy is the most full, and water gets diverted to keep it that way. Fish caught are catfish (in Nasworthy as well as the Concho River), bass, crappie, carp. Here's a link with areas to fish. You will see there's lots of areas to fish in San Angelo (Texas Community Fishing Lakes).
There are rattlesnakes, but not in the more developed parts of the city. When I first moved into my house, my neighbor's dog was bitten by one, but we were developing the houses on the block, so I'm sure they were just on the move. Since then (about 8 years ago) I haven't seen any. There are black widows and some tarantulas. But, again, we don't see them that often.
Grape Creek is past the northside of the city, if you take 87 (Bryant Ave) north out of the city. It's only 10 mins north of the city, and since 87 runs from there right into the city, the drive (varying between 65-45 mph as you head in) makes it an easy drive in. If your wife works for Shannon (the big medical business, with a hospital 3-4 associated clinics), it would be a straight shot down 87 to the 306 loop, then off at Main st. (about 1/2 mile on the Loop). Even Wall (more land, normally) is southside of the city. And they are off 87 on the south side. Nothing is more than 20 mins around the city. Traffic jams used to be 5 cars at a stoplight... but now it's more like 10-15.
I tend to do the speed limit.. set the cruise control and go. So my times are only if you do the speed limit. If you're petal is a little heavier, the times will be reduced. The time to get down to San Antonio is about 3 1/2 hours. To Corpus Christi (where I haven't been yet, but the guys tell me) is about 5 1/2-6 hours. I take my wife and kids to Schlitterbahn (New Braunfels) every year, and it's about 3 1/2 hours to get there, that's skirting the north side of San Antonio.
I would say if you were going to avoid anywhere, avoid the north side, just outside the city center. It's not that crime or drugs are particularly high there, it's just more low-income housing. Although Grape Creek is north, there's open road between the real northside of town and Grape Creek. I know a lot of nice people that live there, but the things common to low-income housing areas are there as well. Not to an excessively high number to cause alarm, but higher than in most other areas.
Rathagos- I have been reading your messages and they have been very helpful! Thank you!!!! I was reading what Wings had to say and I am in the same thoughts. We are a military family and San Angelo is our next duty station come January 2009. I have been researching rental properties & haven't had any luck besides apartment living (my family is too big to live in an apartment). I have located some realtors and will be contacting them shortly. I have also been checking the crime rate, elementary schools, shopping, gas prices, etc. but am unable to locate which areas are more in crime than the others. Could you please advise me which parts of town are betting to live in than the other? I appreciate your help.
Loni
Being retired military (retired in 2003), I know that you guys get paid for living out in town; unfortunately, I don't know what the rates for that are now.
In any case, there are several areas of town that are very livable, and very few places I would say to avoid. The south and southwest side of town are good. These areas have sub-divisions (Southland, College Hills, The Bluffs). Additionally, there is an area in the center of town, but the houses are much more expensive (Santa Rita). On the northeast side of towns, houses are very comparable to some of the older homes in The Bluffs. The housing area (northeast side) is called Paul Ann.
The only places I would recommend avoiding are those on the south side of Glenna, and much of the north side of town. There are many small houses outside of base (north gate), and often families rotate through these houses (when one family transfers, another moves in). But, when I say "avoid" it's only because that's where lower income families live. Not they they are necessarily worse people or there's more crime. As I've said, crime isn't a terrible issue here.
Some of the schools considered "better" are Lamar, Bonham, and Bowie for elementary, Glenn Middle School (although my kids attended Lee - and my youngest does now - and we haven't had any real problems). Central school has a better rep than Lakeview, but that's only because many of the lower income families in the north side have their kids at Lakeview. But, again, I haven't really heard "you DON'T want your kids to go to..." The thing to remember is that the schools are all different based on location only. The only real difference is for the high schools. Wall is the smallest (and known for being where "money" families (farmers) send their kids). But I think it's only 5-man or 7-man football because of student size). Lakeview is the next largest, and Central is the largest. Because of the sizes, none of them are in the same league for sports. I guess it depends how old your kids are before I can give any good advice on schools.
If you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to ask. You can ask here or DM me.
Yesterday was my first time on this site so I don't know what "DM" is (assuming direct message?) or how to go about it. So I will respond this way.
Thank you for the quick response! I really appreciate it. You really gave me a lot of great information.
Living on base is what we are currently doing but something we would like to stay away from when we relocate. There seems to be too much drama & more of the party atmosphere on bases.
I have researched what the military will provide for BAH in your area ($1,008 for a Marine Corps Sgt for 2008, 2009 should go up a little.) As I had said previously, it is very difficult to locate property management companies in SA that deal with homes, not apartments. I just contacted 3 and they were unsucessful.
I did however found an area by Mathis Field and Lake Nasworthy. It is in the Lamar school district which you said would consider to be "better". What do you think of that area? Looks like it is kinda out of town but only by a couple of miles and that would be nice.
With reading all of your previous messages about SA, I am very excited to make our move out there. You have spoken so highly of your town. (You should be paid for this!) I have been in Southern California for too long and feel I will be able to call SA "home"!
Yesterday was my first time on this site so I don't know what "DM" is (assuming direct message?) or how to go about it. So I will respond this way.
My apologies. Yes. A DM is a direct message. If you click my name on the response, you should get a drop-down menu. On there it should say "Send Direct Message". you don't have to, but it's a way to get or give information you're not normally comfortable everyone who reads the message board to see.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SandE's mom
Living on base is what we are currently doing but something we would like to stay away from when we relocate. There seems to be too much drama & more of the party atmosphere on bases.
I'm not sure you'd even be able to stay on base here. With your husband being a Seargant and a Marine, they would probably encourage you to stay off-base. Plus, there is VERY limited housing here, it's not like a normal military base. Lots of barracks (of course Air Force likes to call them "dorms" because this is predominantly a training base. I'm sure when your husband get's his sponsor, he will let him know more.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SandE's mom
I have researched what the military will provide for BAH in your area ($1,008 for a Marine Corps Sgt for 2008, 2009 should go up a little.) As I had said previously, it is very difficult to locate property management companies in SA that deal with homes, not apartments. I just contacted 3 and they were unsucessful.
I bought a brand new house when I first moved here (1998) and my mortgage (to include property tax and insurance) is @ $775. That's for a 4-bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage, @ 1600 sqft. Houses prices have risen a little recently, but it IS a buyer's market.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SandE's mom
I did however found an area by Mathis Field and Lake Nasworthy. It is in the Lamar school district which you said would consider to be "better". What do you think of that area? Looks like it is kinda out of town but only by a couple of miles and that would be nice.
I'm not familiar with the apartments you're talking about by the airport (Mathis), but there used to be a lot of military housing over by Lake Nasworthy. It was all just recently turned over to the public, though. There are a handful of nice apartments throughout the city, if that's what you're looking for. If you gave me specific names you were considering, I can drive by there and give you my two cents worth. There's nothing really "far" from anything in this town. You can get from east to west or north to south in about 20 mins (10-15 if you make all the lights... 30 if you catch them all).
Quote:
Originally Posted by SandE's mom
With reading all of your previous messages about SA, I am very excited to make our move out there. You have spoken so highly of your town. (You should be paid for this!) I have been in Southern California for too long and feel I will be able to call SA "home"!
Thank you. I just try to help where I can. This town definitely isn't for everyone. But, I'm a boring person and everything I need is here. But if you like big-ticket sophisticated art galleries, etc, this isn't the place for it. But, it's safe, friendly, and where I decided to retire from the Navy at!
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San Angelo
Yes. A DM is a direct message. If you click my name on the response, you should get a drop-down menu. On there it should say "Send Direct Message". you don't have to, but it's a way to get or give information you're not normally comfortable everyone who reads the message board to see.
