Property Taxes in TX can be very high and Texas cities are becoming just as traffic logged and Smog is becoming a real problem now in most TX cities.[/quote]
Yep. Many people forget to mention this point. I lived in Texas for many years. In fact, I moved there straight out of graduating University. It was a great place to build up wealth and net worth with no state income taxes.
However, it should be emphasized how brutal the property taxes are there. People often neglect to mention that fact when they are only talking about cheaper homes. Property taxes in some areas approach almost 3% a year! And it’s not as if nice areas there aren’t expensive.
Go to the best areas of Dallas like Highland Park and University Park and you will spend more on a house than you would in San Diego.
Plus your utility bills in the summer can be brutal! I lived there a while ago and even then on my 5 bedroom house my electricity bills in the summer could approach $1,000 a MONTH. You’re talking about 100+ degree weather in the summer often times for 40+ days in a row. Just brutal.
And traffic in Dallas is just brutal now. I don’t care what time it is every time I go back it seems like I’m stuck in traffic. I-635, I-75, Tollway. It doesn’t matter.
You have to weigh the upsides and downsides of each area. San Diego and much of Coastal California are paradise. Even at the higher cost of living and high taxes for many people, IMHO. Everyone has to evaluate their own situations.
