The Texpatriates Thread

[Nivek 17396]

Have you considered Burlington, Vermont? I hear it has an airport.

[Snake Diggity 4713]

Youngest kid graduates in 11 years.  Only potential complication is if my parents are still around and need me to care for them.

Short list:

Charlotte

San Diego

Denver

Billings (would keep a place in TX to live Dec-Feb)

Seattle

Edited December 4 by Snake Diggity

[royiv 9749]

4 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

Youngest kid graduates in 11 years.  Only potential complication is if my parents are still around and need me to care for them.

Short list:

Charlotte

San Diego

Denver

Boise (would keep a place in TX to live Dec-Feb)

Seattle

Boise is a cool city. Get outside of the city proper and further afield and it gets cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs really fast. Also, why keep the place in Texas for Dec-Feb? Boise winters are pretty mild. Definitely milder than Denver.

Edited December 4 by royiv

[Snake Diggity 4713]

3 minutes ago, royiv said:

Boise is a cool city. Get outside of the city proper and further afield and it gets cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs really fast. Also, why keep the place in Texas for Dec-Feb? Boise winters are pretty mild. Definitely milder than Denver.

I’ve always assumed Boise was cold af.  I actually edited my comment to change it to Billings.  But would visit both before deciding.

[royiv 9749]

5 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

I’ve always assumed Boise was cold af.  I actually edited my comment to change it to Billings.  But would visit both before deciding.

Boise is considered semi-arid. I love the weather there. Four distinct seasons and winters are pleasant with some snow and cold weather, but nothing completely miserable. They get about 1/3 of the annual snowfall that Denver does.

If you think you might be interested in Billings, I would add Bozeman to the list. Billings is pretty meh in my book, although it has gotten a little better over the past couple of years. Billing is more industrial/blue collar while Bozeman is much more scenic and has the amenities of a university town.

[GenXer 3421]

17 minutes ago, royiv said:

Boise is considered semi-arid. I love the weather there. Four distinct seasons and winters are pleasant with some snow and cold weather, but nothing completely miserable. They get about 1/3 of the annual snowfall that Denver does.

If you think you might be interested in Billings, I would add Bozeman to the list. Billings is pretty meh in my book, although it has gotten a little better over the past couple of years. Billing is more industrial/blue collar while Bozeman is much more scenic and has the amenities of a university town.

Yeah. But they steal all your stuff immediately upon arrival at the bus station

 

[bluto 4995]

Bozeman is really damn cool, solid little downtown and all the outdoors stuff. 

[Pato del Muerto 53420]

34 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

I’ve always assumed Boise was cold af.  I actually edited my comment to change it to Billings.  But would visit both before deciding.

Yeah Billings sucks. Bozeman or Missoula for Montana. 
 

And I don’t understand why so many are hesitant to move their kids.  Why do your ant your kids going to Texas schools?

[MissingInAction 25548]

Y'all talking about Idaho?

That place is run by Mormons.

[royiv 9749]

2 minutes ago, MissingInAction said:

Y'all talking about Idaho?

That place is run by Mormons.

Very, very true in the eastern part of the state. Not nearly as much in Boise proper.

[MissingInAction 25548]

3 minutes ago, royiv said:

Very, very true in the eastern part of the state. Not nearly as much in Boise proper.

Ok good to know. I'm looking to escape the evolving dystopian state and 100 degrees for four fucking months.

 

[Snake Diggity 4713]

42 minutes ago, royiv said:

Boise is considered semi-arid. I love the weather there. Four distinct seasons and winters are pleasant with some snow and cold weather, but nothing completely miserable. They get about 1/3 of the annual snowfall that Denver does.

If you think you might be interested in Billings, I would add Bozeman to the list. Billings is pretty meh in my book, although it has gotten a little better over the past couple of years. Billing is more industrial/blue collar while Bozeman is much more scenic and has the amenities of a university town.

I’m a puss but Boise average high in Dec/Jan (38) is over 20 degrees colder than Dec/Jan in Austin (62).  That’s pretty damn cold.  But tolerable, especially if I was able to get out of it for 2-3 weeks around the holidays.  And you’re right, only ~6 days of snowfall each month is no big deal.

Edited December 4 by Snake Diggity

[Goredho 17642]

44 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Yeah Billings sucks. Bozeman or Missoula for Montana. 
 

And I don’t understand why so many are hesitant to move their kids.  Why do your ant your kids going to Texas schools?

Billings is Midland with grizzly bears.

[royiv 9749]

5 minutes ago, Goredho said:

Billings is Midland with grizzly bears.

Good comparison. Odessa might be a little more on the nose.

[Pato del Muerto 53420]

36 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

I’m a puss but Boise average high in Dec/Jan (38) is over 20 degrees colder than Dec/Jan in Austin (62).  That’s pretty damn cold.  But tolerable, especially if I was able to get out of it for 2-3 weeks around the holidays.  And you’re right, only ~6 days of snowfall each month is no big deal.

Check the humidity. Low humidity and sunlight makes cold temps feel good.  Unless it’s windy. 

[Goredho 17642]

44 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

I’m a puss but Boise average high in Dec/Jan (38) is over 20 degrees colder than Dec/Jan in Austin (62).  That’s pretty damn cold.  But tolerable, especially if I was able to get out of it for 2-3 weeks around the holidays.  And you’re right, only ~6 days of snowfall each month is no big deal.

Get an Airbnb for a week or two in the dead of winter and tell the owner you want to do all the snow removal during your stay.  That will help you decide if you want to live that for 3 or more months a year.

[CooterBrown 18285]

11 minutes ago, Goredho said:

Get an Airbnb for a week or two in the dead of winter and tell the owner you want to do all the snow removal during your stay.  That will help you decide if you want to live that for 3 or more months a year.

Or you could just not be a savage and pay a service to clean your driveway and sidewalks for you.  

 

 

[Pato del Muerto 53420]

Snow throwers make quick work. I was in high desert so not a ton of snow, I shoveled when needed. 

[Snake Diggity 4713]

1 hour ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Yeah Billings sucks. Bozeman or Missoula for Montana. 
 

And I don’t understand why so many are hesitant to move their kids.  Why do your ant your kids going to Texas schools?

Not really about schools, although I am relatively happy with the AISD school my kids are in.  More about giving the kids stability to develop deep relationships with neighbors and classmates but mainly staying close enough to family to have support when needed and let my kids get to know their grandparents and other extended family.

[Goredho 17642]

6 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

Not really about schools, although I am relatively happy with the AISD school my kids are in.  More about giving the kids stability to develop deep relationships with neighbors and classmates but mainly staying close enough to family to have support when needed and let my kids get to know their grandparents and other extended family.

All of that should not be discounted.  The only thing I’ll say is that we moved from Texas to Colorado when kids were 7, 5 and 3 and they handled that fine  We moved to a lower elevation about an hour and a half away within Colorado when kids were 12, 10 and 8.  This move was much harder on the older two than the move from Texas to CO.  So if your kids are 10-18, I would definitely think hard about sticking it out for their remaining childhood years before uprooting them.

Edited December 4 by Goredho

[Goredho 17642]

32 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

Or you could just not be a savage and pay a service to clean your driveway and sidewalks for you.  

 

 

Yep, in which case you probably want to factor that into your cost of living delta.  For us, it was a not insignificant expense at 11,000 feet elevation near Breckenridge.  Close to $3K a year.

[Gil Bang 26228]

2 hours ago, Snake Diggity said:

Youngest kid graduates in 11 years.  Only potential complication is if my parents are still around and need me to care for them.

Short list:

Charlotte

San Diego

Denver

Billings (would keep a place in TX to live Dec-Feb)

Seattle

GF's son lives in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles.  He got a job offer in Billings.  The houses were too expensive there.  And this is coming from L.A.

[Gil Bang 26228]

On 11/7/2024 at 11:17 AM, Constant said:

Got a pretty interesting and exciting job opportunity in Burlington, Vermont. I’ve lived in the DFW my entire life (minus OU), and I’m pretty sure I’m over it at this point. Failures at every level of local government and a state with an unrelenting commitment to beliefs that I do not share have pushed me to a brink. 
 

I think my only hang up is just the logistical nightmare. 

By closest friend's daughter lives in Vermont.  It's a nightmare to get there, but they are a couple of hours outside of Burlington.   

But, from what he says, "I'm Larry, this is my brother Darrel, and this is my other brother Darrel" is par for the course up there. 

[Pato del Muerto 53420]

1 minute ago, Gil Bang said:

GF's son lives in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles.  He got a job offer in Billings.  The houses were too expensive there.  And this is coming from L.A.

No sales tax mitigates some of that cost, though I know your point was more a comparison to the valley. 

[Gil Bang 26228]

oh yeah.  We were shocked looking at houses there. 

[NIUHuskies 505]

Tech companies have been to moving to Bozeman like crazy. Cost of real estate has skyrocketed in Bozeman due to that and the tv show Yellowstone. Buyer be aware.

[hookem2010 2700]

I forget if Fort Collins has been mentioned on this thread. I don't know much about it, but it appears to have solid schools, is affordable-ish, and close to RMNP and ski areas. I'm sure wildfires and future water supply could be a concern. Raising a family and getting outdoors being my primary requirements, as mentioned upthread. Anybody spent time there?

[bonnieblue 542]

2 Mom (no pics) family, 2 under 2. We love Austin, but think our time may be coming to an end here given the evolving climate. Still in the early planning stages, but my firm indicated I could stay on if we moved to California or Colorado, which is great news but shakes up out plans a bit as we were thinking more east coast.

Any intel on the vibes in Marin/Sonoma County or Laguna Nigel, particularly for our family situation? In Denver, should we look to the burbs or Denver proper + private school? Anywhere I'm overlooking?

 

Thanks!

[Constant 6876]

27 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

By closest friend's daughter lives in Vermont.  It's a nightmare to get there, but they are a couple of hours outside of Burlington.   

But, from what he says, "I'm Larry, this is my brother Darrel, and this is my other brother Darrel" is par for the course up there. 

Ended up turning down this specific opportunity. I have some in the works in Illinois though. 

[Goredho 17642]

33 minutes ago, hookem2010 said:

I forget if Fort Collins has been mentioned on this thread. I don't know much about it, but it appears to have solid schools, is affordable-ish, and close to RMNP and ski areas. I'm sure wildfires and future water supply could be a concern. Raising a family and getting outdoors being my primary requirements, as mentioned upthread. Anybody spent time there?

The wildfire stuff is a legit concern.  We are not there, but we got dropped by Geico for homeowners insurance earlier this year where we are at in central Colorado due to wildfire risk (we've never made a claim).

[CooterBrown 18285]

1 hour ago, hookem2010 said:

I forget if Fort Collins has been mentioned on this thread. I don't know much about it, but it appears to have solid schools, is affordable-ish, and close to RMNP and ski areas. I'm sure wildfires and future water supply could be a concern. Raising a family and getting outdoors being my primary requirements, as mentioned upthread. Anybody spent time there?

Keep quiet.

That's where we are headed in 6 years when Lil' Brown graduates.  We also have 3 sets of friends who've also independently zeroed in on Fort Collins for the same timeframe.

[hookem2010 2700]

2030ish is when we hope to get out of here too, before the kids are too entrenched in school. We're still very early on in figuring out where we might be headed. Sounds like you've done more research. What drew you to FC?

[We’reTexas 1477]

1 hour ago, bonnieblue said:

Any intel on the vibes in Marin/Sonoma County 

One of my favorite bumper stickers is “Mill Valley: Where Democrats live like Republicans.”

[Chewbacca 7828]

2 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

Or you could just not be a savage and pay a service to clean your driveway and sidewalks for you.  

 

 

Why pay someone?  I have one of  these and love it. 

 

[sidis 10011]

1 hour ago, Constant said:

Ended up turning down this specific opportunity. I have some in the works in Illinois though. 

i wonder what cops in vermont do all day. investigate maple related crimes? subaru thefts?

[Chewbacca 7828]

1 hour ago, hookem2010 said:

I forget if Fort Collins has been mentioned on this thread. I don't know much about it, but it appears to have solid schools, is affordable-ish, and close to RMNP and ski areas. I'm sure wildfires and future water supply could be a concern. Raising a family and getting outdoors being my primary requirements, as mentioned upthread. Anybody spent time there?

Ft. Collins is a great town.  Only downsides are that it's far from Denver if you need to go there regularly (and traffic on that stretch of I-25 is a nightmare) and it takes a lot longer to get to the ski resorts than it does from Denver.

[StassneyHorn 6763]

Just commit to Laramie or Cheyenne.

[Chewbacca 7828]

2 minutes ago, StassneyHorn said:

Just commit to Laramie or Cheyenne.

Hope you like wind.

Edited December 4 by Chewbacca

[royiv 9749]

Fort Collins is a cool town, but 75 miles to an airport is a deal killer for our situation.

[Chewbacca 7828]

1 minute ago, royiv said:

Fort Collins is a cool town, but 75 miles to an airport is a deal killer for our situation.

Yeah, forgot this one as well.  And you have to travel the shitty part of I-25 to get to DIA.

[royiv 9749]

1 minute ago, Chewbacca said:

Yeah, forgot this one as well.  And you have to travel the shitty part of I-25 to get to DIA.

Is there a non-shitty part of I-25?

[Chewbacca 7828]

5 minutes ago, royiv said:

Is there a non-shitty part of I-25?

True, but there's shitty parts and there's REALLY shitty parts.  That is one of the really shitty ones.

[Foosters 18267]

I'm gonna throw out Sacramento as an underrated option. Cheaper COL than coastal and access to national and state parks. Summers are hot, but its a dry heat!

[Chewbacca 7828]

3 minutes ago, Foosters said:

I'm gonna throw out Sacramento as an underrated option. Cheaper COL than coastal and access to national and state parks. Summers are hot, but its a dry heat!

Nice little airport as well. Also close to Napa/Sonoma area.

[Gil Bang 26228]

2 hours ago, bonnieblue said:

2 Mom (no pics) family, 2 under 2. We love Austin, but think our time may be coming to an end here given the evolving climate. Still in the early planning stages, but my firm indicated I could stay on if we moved to California or Colorado, which is great news but shakes up out plans a bit as we were thinking more east coast.

Any intel on the vibes in Marin/Sonoma County or Laguna Nigel, particularly for our family situation? In Denver, should we look to the burbs or Denver proper + private school? Anywhere I'm overlooking?

 

Thanks!

Laguna Niguel is a great place to live.  Perfect weather, good schools, low crime, etc.   That whole area (Dana Point, LN, San Juan Cap) is pretty great. 

[Brisketexan 106860]

9 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

Laguna Niguel is a great place to live.  Perfect weather, good schools, low crime, etc.   That whole area (Dana Point, LN, San Juan Cap) is pretty great. 

And you can get a 200 square foot place for the low low price of $3.9 million.

[royiv 9749]

13 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

Laguna Niguel is a great place to live.  Perfect weather, good schools, low crime, etc.   That whole area (Dana Point, LN, San Juan Cap) is pretty great. 

[Gil Bang 26228]

26 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

And you can get a 200 square foot place for the low low price of $3.9 million.

Median price there is about $772/sq ft.

[Brisketexan 106860]

2 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

Median price there is about $772/sq ft.

[gmr548 16683]

13 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

And I don’t understand why so many are hesitant to move their kids.  Why do your ant your kids going to Texas schools?

For real. Not wanting to go through a pregnancy or raising children in Texas was a motivating factor in our move. 

Beyond that, kids are more resilient than adults.