Proc and Cons of moving to Texas???Need Help! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

jess-n-d · 09-15-2006, 10:31 AM

Hello Everyone,

Well this will be my first post that is not about my furbaby, Nala! My husband and I currently live in Lafayette,LA. We have a 1500sq. ft three BR townhouse which we bought for a really good price but are already growing out of it. We have looked for bigger houses with yards for our children to play in (Nala and Cinco - no babies yet!)but since the hurricanes have devastated cities near our area many people have moved here causing the prices to skyrocket. If we sold our townhouse right now we could double our money, which is crazy! My husband was talking with his boss, who wants him to possibly move to Houston TX within the next year. I searched online and was so suprised at the amount of house you can get for your money there which makes me ready to pack up our things and move soon. I have heard that there are cons to living in houston, one being high taxes on your property and your vehicle. I was wondering if anyone on here would be able to give me some insight into the differences between Texas and Louisiana. Sorry for the long post!!!!any help/advise would be appreciated!

Jessica

gutu28 · 09-15-2006, 10:42 AM

Everything's bigger in Texas?

..sorry can't help ya! Ive lived in GA since I was six! Good luck with your move!

doortego · 09-15-2006, 10:44 AM

I'm afraid you will find the property taxes a lot higher in Tx and if I remember correctly the sales tax in LA is also much less. Food also seems to cost more here than in La. Also for the housing prices, it really depends a lot on what area you want to live. The nicer areas in Houston are super expensive. If your husband doesn't mind a commute, there are areas in smaller surrounding towns that are not as expensive. The commute in Houston can be horrible as well. The traffic is deadly.

I live near Houston but my husband has had family in La so I know that there are quite a bit of price differences even in things like utilities.

If you are in Lafayette, I'm sure you are already dealing with the heat, humidity & mosquitoes, so that shouldn't be a surprise to you. I guess that is what I really hate the most. I would love to live in an area where you could actually go outside in your yard sometime between April & October.

I hear other parts of the US actually have seasons. Wow@

Good luck to you whatever you decide. I would do a lot of praying before I moved but I don't know where your extended families are. That would have to be a major factor for me.

jess-n-d · 09-15-2006, 11:03 AM

Thanks! I do know about the weather!!Our family is here in LA which would be hard, but it's not too far so we would still be close enough to visit often. Do you know if there is a place you can go online to figure out what the average taxes would be? Are there really taxes on vehicles also?

neersyorkies · 09-15-2006, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jess-n-d

Thanks! I do know about the weather!!Our family is here in LA which would be hard, but it's not too far so we would still be close enough to visit often. Do you know if there is a place you can go online to figure out what the average taxes would be? Are there really taxes on vehicles also?

The taxes on houses and on vehicles depend on the county you are living in .The county's outside of Houston are mostly cheaper,maby you need to check with an reale estate office.Hope this help's you a little bit.
Good luck !!!

Shanatink · 09-15-2006, 01:49 PM

I love the Houston area there is so much to do there

doortego · 09-15-2006, 02:11 PM

Yes, we do pay taxes on vehicles as well.

I wouldn't want to live in Houston but it is nice to be within driving distance of a large city so you can go when you want but not have to deal with all the people & traffic when you don't want to.

Good luck to you.

RowdysMom · 09-15-2006, 02:42 PM

I can't help you with Houston - I live in Austin - but I moved from Oklahoma and everyone told me how much more expensive it would be to live in Texas - but I did not find that to be true. There is no tax on food or medication - that makes a big difference. There were taxes on new cars in Oklahoma, and I didn't find them any more expensive in Texas and the yearly car tag cost was waaaay lower in Texas. The school/property taxes depend on the city/county where you live and that can vary ALOT! My daughter bought a house in Round Rock as opposed to Austin because the taxes were about $3000 less in Round Rock (it's a suburb of Austin and the commute to Austin is OK) There is no income tax in Texas - this was a big boost in salary from Oklahoma to Texas - I don't know if there is an income tax in La??? There probably will be an income tax in Texas at some point - but not now.

If you choose carefully, it should be just fine - but whomever said the commute in Houston can be deadly, was correct.

ChestersMom · 09-15-2006, 03:04 PM

I've lived in the Houston area for 33 years now and boy, has it changed! You do have to be very careful what part of town you choose to live in, you don't want a 20+ mile commute if it involves a freeway, be careful of MUD taxes in some of the surrounding areas, there's TONS to do, a million places to shop and some of the best restaurants in the country. It's like living anywhere else, it is what you make it, you just have to do your homework and ask a lot of questions. My first suggestion, if you do decide, is to find a really, really, really good realtor. Heck, if you move to the south side, our babies can have play dates!

09-15-2006, 10:31 AM	#1
jess-n-d Yorkie Yakker Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lafayette Posts: 34	Proc and Cons of moving to Texas???Need Help! Hello Everyone, Well this will be my first post that is not about my furbaby, Nala! My husband and I currently live in Lafayette,LA. We have a 1500sq. ft three BR townhouse which we bought for a really good price but are already growing out of it. We have looked for bigger houses with yards for our children to play in (Nala and Cinco - no babies yet!)but since the hurricanes have devastated cities near our area many people have moved here causing the prices to skyrocket. If we sold our townhouse right now we could double our money, which is crazy! My husband was talking with his boss, who wants him to possibly move to Houston TX within the next year. I searched online and was so suprised at the amount of house you can get for your money there which makes me ready to pack up our things and move soon. I have heard that there are cons to living in houston, one being high taxes on your property and your vehicle. I was wondering if anyone on here would be able to give me some insight into the differences between Texas and Louisiana. Sorry for the long post!!!!any help/advise would be appreciated! Jessica

09-15-2006, 10:42 AM	#2
gutu28 Lovin' the Cali kisses! Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Lawrenceville, Georgia Posts: 2,990	Everything's bigger in Texas? ..sorry can't help ya! Ive lived in GA since I was six! Good luck with your move! __________________ Larissa and Cali Let's go Georgia Bulldogs!

09-15-2006, 01:49 PM	#6
Shanatink Mommy to 3 Princesses Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: DFW Texas Posts: 11,030	I love the Houston area there is so much to do there __________________ Custom Dog Clothing Boutique www.TinkerbellsCloset.com

09-15-2006, 02:42 PM	#8
RowdysMom Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Central Texas Posts: 2,624	I can't help you with Houston - I live in Austin - but I moved from Oklahoma and everyone told me how much more expensive it would be to live in Texas - but I did not find that to be true. There is no tax on food or medication - that makes a big difference. There were taxes on new cars in Oklahoma, and I didn't find them any more expensive in Texas and the yearly car tag cost was waaaay lower in Texas. The school/property taxes depend on the city/county where you live and that can vary ALOT! My daughter bought a house in Round Rock as opposed to Austin because the taxes were about $3000 less in Round Rock (it's a suburb of Austin and the commute to Austin is OK) There is no income tax in Texas - this was a big boost in salary from Oklahoma to Texas - I don't know if there is an income tax in La??? There probably will be an income tax in Texas at some point - but not now. If you choose carefully, it should be just fine - but whomever said the commute in Houston can be deadly, was correct. __________________ Rex & Rowdy's Mom

09-15-2006, 10:44 AM	#3
doortego Little Bit & Buttons Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: US Posts: 2,160	I'm afraid you will find the property taxes a lot higher in Tx and if I remember correctly the sales tax in LA is also much less. Food also seems to cost more here than in La. Also for the housing prices, it really depends a lot on what area you want to live. The nicer areas in Houston are super expensive. If your husband doesn't mind a commute, there are areas in smaller surrounding towns that are not as expensive. The commute in Houston can be horrible as well. The traffic is deadly. I live near Houston but my husband has had family in La so I know that there are quite a bit of price differences even in things like utilities. If you are in Lafayette, I'm sure you are already dealing with the heat, humidity & mosquitoes, so that shouldn't be a surprise to you. I guess that is what I really hate the most. I would love to live in an area where you could actually go outside in your yard sometime between April & October. I hear other parts of the US actually have seasons. Wow@ Good luck to you whatever you decide. I would do a lot of praying before I moved but I don't know where your extended families are. That would have to be a major factor for me.

09-15-2006, 11:03 AM	#4
jess-n-d Yorkie Yakker Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lafayette Posts: 34	Thanks! I do know about the weather!!Our family is here in LA which would be hard, but it's not too far so we would still be close enough to visit often. Do you know if there is a place you can go online to figure out what the average taxes would be? Are there really taxes on vehicles also?

09-15-2006, 02:11 PM	#7
doortego Little Bit & Buttons Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: US Posts: 2,160	Yes, we do pay taxes on vehicles as well. I wouldn't want to live in Houston but it is nice to be within driving distance of a large city so you can go when you want but not have to deal with all the people & traffic when you don't want to. Good luck to you.

09-15-2006, 03:04 PM	#9
ChestersMom YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bacliff, TX Posts: 947	I've lived in the Houston area for 33 years now and boy, has it changed! You do have to be very careful what part of town you choose to live in, you don't want a 20+ mile commute if it involves a freeway, be careful of MUD taxes in some of the surrounding areas, there's TONS to do, a million places to shop and some of the best restaurants in the country. It's like living anywhere else, it is what you make it, you just have to do your homework and ask a lot of questions. My first suggestion, if you do decide, is to find a really, really, really good realtor. Heck, if you move to the south side, our babies can have play dates!