Potential Destination: SAN ANTONIO

[Pendragon]

Well, I have been wanting to leave CA forever. Now it is starting to look not only possible, but probable.

My wife has acknowledged a lot of the things I dislike about this place, but she also felt that family was very important for our son.

We had planed to move out of Sacramento and go back to our home town an hour North. This weekend pretty much squashed that idea. Apartment rent is climbing fast and vacancies are ~1% which essentially means no vacancies.

If we stay, we are looking at raising our son in a mid range to lower mid range apartment - no yard, poor schools, etc. You simply canot get a house here for under 200k and decent homes (3br, 1400 sqft, not scary) start at 250k.

We can't do that with just me working - we could try, but we did that and the stress of making a $2,000 per month payment is just not worth it. You cant save, any bump on the road of life will fling you in the ditch because you have no cushion - ugh. We are tired of living that way.

I have been searching home prices at http://www.sabor.com/consumer/homesrch.htm and it looks like we can get a nice family home for $80-100k. I recomend other Californians look into this. I know some people with enough equity to buy a house outright - not us, but we can at least buy one.

Are there many people here from San Antonio, Texas? Can you tell us about the gun ranges (there is alrerady a thread about SA gun shops). Whats the best areas to live - especially for schools? Looking at a map of graduation rates and poverty, the Northern area looks like the best idea. Any communities to look for in particular or avoid like the plague?

What about houses with land where you can shoot in yourback yard? Possible? Expensive? Far out of the way?

Any other SA advice you can give would be appreciated.

 

[Ledbetter]

Not to frighten you San Antonians

but I found it a nice place to visit as well and am also in the market for a little piece of free America. Any livability info would be appreciated.

 

[cola8d8]

Also give some serious thought to the Bryan/College Station area. Much smaller than SA about 120,000 + 40,000+ additional students (not included in the 120,000). We have most "big city" conviences here due to A&M being here. Houston is about an hour away and Austin is about 1.5 hours away. We have good to great schools for children, the prices of homes are reasonable (about what you mentioned above), a great college (Texas A&M), and a good junior college also (Blinn).

 

[Pendragon]

I would not mind an area like that, but I work in IT Support and so my best chances for employment are in the larger cities with more companies needing my wares...

Also, I have heard that the humidity is not as bad in SA as in other places especially Houston an BCS.

 

[Bainx]

Be sure and do "The River Walk".
It is waaay cool!

 

[El Tejon]

Pen, Saint Tony's is great. Of course, the only other city in Tejas I've been to is Austin (and that was fun as well).

I've been going down since '95 and will only be back a couple of more times. I will miss it.

Live: live north;
skuls: will not matter if you go private, but I am told government skuls are better north;
gun shoppes: I've purchased stuff from Kerrville but only went to Saint Tony's to look and shoot. I like that pawn shop place a lot.

I can tell you a lot more about touristy stuff, sushi joints, best place for Thai and, er, um, entertainment.

 

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

Have a look at www.realtor.com

It's a good website to look for rentals as well as homes for sale and you can filter your results better than most of the other sites.

Enjoy Texas. After 6 months of residency you can apply for your CHL. Just make sure you get a Texas drivers license as soon as you get an address so you can prove residency. San Antonio is a great town. You might also look in the surrounding Hill Country area as there are nice hamlets there in which to raise a family. The best thing about Saint Tony is the military employment opportunities, the cultural events, and the history. Beyond that, it's just big.

Oh, we don't worry about how many guns you want to buy or when you buy them around here, either. Just wanted to pass that along.

Regards,
Rabbit.

 

[SADshooter]

Long-time resident/grew up there/now bouncing around Texas...

Weather: Summers get hot (100+ not uncommon), less humid than Houston and B/CS, generally mild the balance of the year. Area is prone to flash flooding--exercise common sense. One of the worst places in the world for allergy sufferers.

Housing/schools: NW is growing rapidly (I-10W toward Hill Country). Schools generally better on N side (where I grew up). Real estate more reasonable on E/S sides, you can find decent neighborhoods in these areas, schools not as good. Also consider a commute from the surrounding area; traffic is congested in spots, but probably nothing compared to what you're used to in CA.

Employment/Wages: The cost of living is very reasonable in SA. Downside--the wage structure is deflated accordingly. Tech/manuf/light industry is a smaller market segment there than in comparably-sized cities. Taxes--property & sales, not great but could be worse.

Quality of life: SA is a laid back place, proud of its history. Lots of fun things to do/see (RiverWalk, Alamo/missions, theme parks, Fiesta, driving distance to parks/natural features, etc.). Great food city (one of the "fattest" US populations, according to media) no french fries with your enchilada plate. Ongoing debate over water sources will be a long term problem. Some racial tension, but I think SA manages this better than many other places. Only real downside, SA wants to be a cosmopolitan city with a small town flavor, but the one-horse mentality often wins out.

Guns/Shooting: Outdoor ranges from OK to nice (Bullet Hole, A Place to Shoot, Blackhawk, many others) range of gunshops. Police tend to be CHL friendly. Usual quotient of blissninnies, nicely balanced by being in the buckle of the redneck belt (paper's sports section runs pics of nice takes during hunting seasons).

Overall, I would recommend the San Antonio area as the place to live in Texas for a "furriner", assuming you can locate satisfactory employment. Hope this helps, just my impressions over 20+ years. I'll happily try to answer any specific questions.

 

[wingman]

I would suggest staying out of the major
cities here in the great state of Texas,
if a job is your big concern(it is for most)
Austin would be your best location and at
that make all effort to live outside the city.!!!

San Antonio is facing a lot of problems in
the next 20 years not to offend but I
would not want to raise children there,
lots of nice places in Texas however its
in the rural areas anything 100 miles
east/west of 1-35 is great.

 

[Sam Adams]

I live in SA. I would agree with virtually everything that SADshooter said, except that the employment/wage situation is about to improve. We recently found out that Toyota will be building a MAJOR pickup assembly plant here, which will generate approx. 2,500 direct jobs beginning in 2005 - and these are $20/hour manufacturing jobs, not burger-flippers at minimum wage. Toyota will likely add about 2,000 jobs a year or 2 later (assuming things work out well) for assembling SUVs. Indirect jobs from Toyota's suppliers located nearby will generate as much as 12,000 more jobs. This doesn't include the effects of infrastructure (more home construction, schools, hospitals, more stores, food service, etc.). Nor does it include the effect on Toyota coming here on other large companies - now that one of the largest companies in the world is coming here, suddenly SATX is on the corporate map. I believe that all of this adds up to a minimum of 200,000 additional people in the Bexar Cty. area within 10 years (i.e. in addition to fairly strong "natural" growth).

As for places to shoot - The Bullet Hole is my favorite. It is about 15 miles from my home, and the people there are fantastic. The owner is an ex-Navy UDT member (pre-SEAL special ops), who swam ashore at Inchon before the invasion with a few of his buddies as a 17-year-old, and who served in Vietnam (you NEED to hear his story about the Grease Gun and the Dentist). You can rent one of 3 machine guns (really subguns) and shoot them there, or bring your own if you have them (yes, this IS Texas, and they are legal if you can pay the price). I shot a silenced MP5 there a few weeks back - what a blast (pun intended).

There's AT LEAST one gun show a month, usually 2.

You'll be very welcome here, and feel very comfortable. I do, and I've only been here for 2 1/2 years (I'm an escapee from the PRNJ).

Ask me anything you want, and I'll do my best to answer.

 

[Pendragon]

A few things that jump out at me as red flags:

Area is prone to flash flooding--exercise common sense. One of the worst places in the world for allergy sufferers.

Sacramento is actually in a big floor plane - they have really improved the levees so the danger is minute and the the problem is not flash floods, but one year they will have a drought - so they keep the resivoir high - then we get an extra wet season and they cannot contain the runoff in Folsom dam so the excess water will cause flooding.

Whats flash flooding all about? Does it sweep away houses and people or just muck up the streets? Is there a "high" part of town where this does not happen? How often do houses get inundated?

As for allergies, the whole San Juaqine valley here cannot be better than there - pollens run high most of the time, pollution is very bad, etc. Are SA allergens mostly pollen or a lot of mold or what? Also - how is the pollution and if I get a little out of SA is it a lot better? Our whole valley has bad air here - so you can live way out in the sticks and still have bad air...

...Downside--the wage structure is deflated accordingly....Tech/manuf/light industry is a smaller market segment there than in comparably-sized cities

Well, I am not expecting to make 70k in San Anotonio (dont make that here). I cant imagine that a computer guy in a city of 1.6 mil cant make enough to buy a 100k house.

Since I do support, I have the best chances with places like banks, large corporations, call centers, insurance companies, etc. - if people are in business, they need their 'pooters fixed. (thats probably on the list of things not to say in Texas). So is the job base more "service" and "tourism" oriented? What about small business? I have been kicking around staring a little support operation for small and medium business - have friends who do it and have more business than they can handle in our home town of 90k people. I just dont want to do it in CA, because I dont want to be here and with my luck, it would take off and I would get entrenched...

If you can speak to these issues, I would be much obliged

 

[Pendragon]

wingman,

can you elaborate?

Are you referring to the illegals or the fact that white people are minorities now?

Specifically, what would make you not want to raise children there?

What may be a deal breaker for you may be no big deal for other people - without saying specifics, what you said is not very useful.

 

[SADshooter]

Sam:

Brain fart! I forgot about the Toyota facility. There's also the potential growth around the Kelly AFB redevelopment. I worked with economic development issues in SA for a while, though, so I'm a bit cynical about that.

wingman:

In general, I agree with you. I'm hoping my wife and I can get out of Austin next year (if I don't get RIFed first), maybe to Elgin, Rosanke, etc. Austin does have a somewhat better job market, but some other disadvantages (e.g. liberal dimension warp in the middle of Texas).

 

[Pendragon]

So how far out of the cities are you guys talking? 20 minutes or an hour?

 

[Trisha]

I don't know a thing about San Antonio, but. . .

I love living in the mountains of Colorado!

You want 2A-friendly? You want reasonably-priced homes, many where you can just go out your back door and hunt/fish/shoot? Park County's (or Teller, or Lake) the place.

OK, so we do get the wee forest fire during drought years, and we can see snow in June, and you're looking at living (most places) at 9,000ft above sea level, and up - but the I25 corridor is accessible for employment (some 1-3 hours away depending on weather, elk and big horn sheep), and you'll get real used to driving a 4WD most all of the time. . .

OK, so that's a little bit of hyperbole - most people who move up here for their "mountain experience" leave in 18 months or less because there's no night life (save for the critters, large and small), the nearest hospital is at least an hour away (OK, about half an hour by helicopter, total flight time here and back), and the back roads are mostly unpaved decomposed granite that wash out into axle-swallowing ravines after a little rain.

The high point of the year is "Burro Days" in Fairplay, and "Bailey Day" here.

San Antonio? With all that heat? Summer here wilts people when it gets above 75 for parts of three, maybe as much as five weeks (but don't be surprised if it gets near freezing some of those nights)!

We have absolutely no local industry, unless you're in emergency services, or can work from home as an electrician or plumber or handyman - and don't expect much new work to come your way - we start to trust strangers up here after about five years if we haven't heard your name & license plate over the police scanner. . .

(wrinkled-nose smile)

But if you can take the commute, contribute to the community as a volunteer firefighter or a medic, show up at all the neighborhood community meetings (homeowners association, parent-teachers/school board, County Board of Commissioners) and do your shopping locally as much as is humanly possible - you'll call home one of the harshest, most starkly beautiful of places.

Wild horses couldn't drag me away.

I guess I'm saying home is what you make of it, and when you decide to relocate get the biggest bang for your buck. Maybe really think about getting a little further off the beaten path - you'll get maybe a decade before you see many neighbors; and then you'll have something priceless to keep:

The memory of what it was like before it all got paved over.

Best of luck!

Trisha

 

[Pendragon]

Thanks Trish

I spent 5 years in Alaska and loved it. Spent a lot of summers in rural Oregon and loved it as well.

My wife is a confirmed California Girl - she needs the stores and the shopping, etc. She is a serious bargain hunter, but that is the kind of hunting grounds she prefers. Just getting her to realize we need to get out of here has taken a year and a half - shes just not the mountain type.

Sacramento has many days in the 100s - even the 110s - humidity is pretty low though but we prefer the heat to the rain and gloom.

 

[Smoke]

I can't comment on schools or cost of living in San Antone; but,

For Tech industry Austin may be a little more lucrative dependent on your area of expertise. Larger Tech industry but more compettion for jobs too. Dallas another option.

I would second living in the smaller communitites and commute. Best option is to find acreage in unincorporated areas just outside the city limits. You can often find small tracts that have community water systems but lack the other city services including city taxes. That is where you can shoot off your back porch. The farther you are willing to commute the cheaper the land will be.

 

[Pendragon]

People always tell me that Austin is the big "hi-tech" area.

It is - but mostly if you are a programmer or developer or engineer. Those kinds of people need to be in a hi-tech place since they create technology and products.

People who work in support can make a living working for any decent company that uses computers. Thats me. Maybe salaries are higher in Austin, but if I wanted to live in a place like that, I would not be moving. housing is higher and the liberals - I need to live away from them for a while.

Living out on some land out of town - I really like that idea. Depends on how far out, what the schools are like, the cost savings, etc. Around here, its MUCH more expensive to live like that.

 

[mushoot]

I live in New Braunfels, about 15 miles north of San Antonio. Life is good here. I live about 8 miles from Dietz range, pistol and rifle. You can shoot rifle up to 200 yards. 60 dollars a year for a family membership. My last duty station was the Presidio of San Francisco. It is great to be back in Texas.

 

[CleverNickname]

After 6 months of residency you can apply for your CHL.

True, but if he gets a FL non-resident he can carry here right away.

 

[El Tejon]

Ummm, what about domicile under the Tejas code?

 

[Jeff OTMG]

The price of admission to Texas will be one Valtro.

 

[WSH]

San Antonio

Hi, we have lived here for the last 23 years. We raised our kids here. San Antonio is a good place to live. It has its warts like anywhere else but by and large it has been great. School systems on the North and Northeast sides of town are good. San Antonio ISD is not so great. San Antonio is one of the 10 or 12 largest cities in the nation by population but still pretty small town in attitude. Nice thing here is once you leave the city limits you are in the country pretty quick. Not a lot of large residential communities once you leave the city limits. More growth toward I-35 going up toward Austin and on I10 going northwest of town. Someone mentioned New Braunfels area which is only a few minutes up I35 and is a beautiful area. Also only about 30 minutes east to the Seguin area which is pretty.
I've been self employed for the last 20 years so not much help on the job market. Austin does have more high tech but they have been really hard hit with layoffs in the computer/hi tech sectors. Toyota is moving a plant here and some other things look like they may be starting to grow some too. Medical research and technical fields seem to be growing.
I shoot mostly at a small local range, not much to brag about but it is relatively inexpensive and its 2 miles from the house so thats usually where I end up. Hope this helps. Give a holler if you think of any questions I might help with. Good luck. Hope you make it here. Wayne

 

[WSH]

San Antonio

Hi, we have lived here for the last 23 years. We raised our kids here. San Antonio is a good place to live. It has its warts like anywhere else but by and large it has been great. School systems on the North and Northeast sides of town are good. San Antonio ISD is not so great. San Antonio is one of the 10 or 12 largest cities in the nation by population but still pretty small town in attitude. Nice thing here is once you leave the city limits you are in the country pretty quick. Not a lot of large residential communities once you leave the city limits. More growth toward I-35 going up toward Austin and on I10 going northwest of town. Someone mentioned New Braunfels area which is only a few minutes up I35 and is a beautiful area. Also only about 30 minutes east to the Seguin area which is pretty.
I've been self employed for the last 20 years so not much help on the job market. Austin does have more high tech but they have been really hard hit with layoffs in the computer/hi tech sectors. Toyota is moving a plant here and some other things look like they may be starting to grow some too. Medical research and technical fields seem to be growing.
I shoot mostly at a small local range, not much to brag about but it is relatively inexpensive and its 2 miles from the house so thats usually where I end up. Hope this helps. Give a holler if you think of any questions I might help with. Good luck. Hope you make it here. Wayne

oops. forgot housing. You can buy a lot of house here for 100K

Flooding is not a real problem.....just stay out of low lying flood plains... Some areas along some streams and rivers had problems but if you watch where you buy it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Greybeard]

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After 6 months of residency you can apply for your CHL.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

POSSIBLY a change coming there. Not sure yet if proposed bill to change that ever passed recently or not. I'm scheduled for DPS instructor renewal skul on Aug. 26 and should get the new scoop on that and more "from the horse's' mouth".

Like Clever said tho, maybe get the wheels turning for FL license so it would be good wehn ya get to Tejas. It's good for a year longer and less expensive to boot. Although I would suggest still at least taking the TX CHL course when you get planted for at least "must know info." ...

DFW or outskirts possibly another consideration. Lots of RIFed techie-types still looking for work here. But, many still finding jobs - just not as lucrative as before the bubble burst (again) a few years back. If ya happen to land close, give a holler.