View Full Version : Texas house search
68Charger
06-24-2016, 09:05
Getting ready to put an offer in on a house that is a little higher than we wanted to pay, but has everything we need... other leading contender is listed $100k less, but doesn't have 4 bedrooms (despite the listing saying that) and would need an add-on to meet our needs.
I thought I'd throw this one out here that made it to the final review but we wound up rejecting it due to the crime rate in Jacksonville, TX... this is outside the city so I would have no concerns at it's location- but with 3 kids going to school within the city we just couldn't do it.
This was what really lead to ruling it out: https://www.roadsnacks.net/worst-places-to-live-in-texas/
Looking at the demographics on our CMA report:
>75% of kids in the school are on free or subsidised lunch program
<$25K/yr is the most common income bracket, with 13% of households making <$10K/yr
Most prevalent occupation is "Health care and social assistance"
All that being said, if you don't go into the city of Jacksonville- or are interested in law enforcement (current owner is in the oil industry), the property itself is exceptional.
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/384-County-Road-3216_Jacksonville_TX_75766_M71714-79528
Google doesn't like the address- search the address in Bing maps to find it.
What you don't see on the the listing is that it's surrounded by 250 acres of forest that is owned by a lumber company- the current owner leases this land for $1700/yr. With that combination, you get something that has a real isolated feel to it- and lots of hunting potential.
Lived in Jacksonville, TX. Fuck Jacksonville, TX. Went to high school there. Moved here when our job closed it doors.
For a good example, you can look at the Cherokee County arrest report weekly at thecherokeean.com/styles/jailreport.pdf
ETA: there is another member here that moved when the center closed there. He has the same high opinion of the place.
A plus is that I met a girl in high school there that has put up with my shit for the last dozen years...
"Jacksonville is in eastern Texas, just south of Tyler."
Wow, no kidding? My brother lives nearby in Troup. I thought that was a pretty decent area.
68Charger
06-24-2016, 10:33
"Jacksonville is in eastern Texas, just south of Tyler."
Wow, no kidding? My brother lives nearby in Troup. I thought that was a pretty decent area.
In East Texas, it seems to vary a LOT by community... best guess is pockets of poverty & Illegal aliens...
We visited the area, and parts of Jacksonville seemed decent, but there were other parts that look like projects
In East Texas, it seems to vary a LOT by community... best guess is pockets of poverty & Illegal aliens...
We visited the area, and parts of Jacksonville seemed decent, but there were other parts that look like projects
Exactly. Troup isn't bad. Sister in law lives outside Henderson. Brother in law (wife doesn't talk to much) is the police chief in Henderson.
A large problem with Jacksonville is the lack of gainful employment. Too many people for the amount of jobs. Without jobs, people just get bored and reproduce, then you have more people for the same amount of jobs. Meth has a hold on the town as well.
For the most part, the people that I know from the area that are successful with their lives are the ones who left Jacksonville. Many of them just move to other towns in E TX.
When researching towns / places to live, www.city-data.com (http://www.city-data.com) is a good resource. More statistics and demographics than you can shake a stick at. Their layout does kind of suck though.
Good luck with the search!
68Charger
06-26-2016, 09:15
Have an offer in on a house in Caddo Mills (that I haven't even seen in person- our agent took videos while looking it over for us), and if that falls through, still considering one near Bonham... not wild about the town of Bonham, but it's also 40 minutes away from Sherman, McKinney and Greenville
The schools in Caddo Mills look very good- the land is better on the Bonham house, but the Bonham house needs some work to do what we need. (It's short a bedroom)
Listing agent asked for our lenders mobile#, so that may be promising.
68Charger
10-12-2016, 18:09
Just to close this loop, we have now closed on a 20 acre property with a 2100sqft house and 2 ADU (accessory dwelling units, AKA guest houses of 1000 and 800 sqft each) and a barn, and a greenhouse, and a pool, in Canton, TX...
working on plan to move us, our dogs, our horses, my Mother-in-law and her dogs, and all our stuff... some stuff moved in the initial trip to close.
If you're not Christian, I would NOT suggest Canton as a destination... but according to neighbors, we're an answer to prayers.. (long story with previous owners)
Anyone wanting to have trips to TX in exchange for loading/unloading work- feel free to PM me... PLEASE
As a bonus, after discussion with a neighbor, there will likely be Coyote and wild boar hunting very prevalent (They are both considered nuisance "game" there0... no tags if you have a hunting license.
Working on scheduling a LTC (license to carry) permit there...
hurley842002
10-12-2016, 18:28
Very nice, congratulations! I have fond memories of Canton, when my Aunt and Uncle lived in Greenville, we'd visit every year and go to Canton for the big flea market (or whatever they called it).
Very nice, congratulations! I have fond memories of Canton, when my Aunt and Uncle lived in Greenville, we'd visit every year and go to Canton for the big flea market (or whatever they called it).
The weekend before the first Monday of every month....
hurley842002
10-12-2016, 19:25
The weekend before the first Monday of every month....
That's right! I had forgotten about the timeframe.
Bailey Guns
10-12-2016, 19:46
My mom lives about an hour and a half SE of there in Reklaw. Makes me sweat just thinking about the humidity!
Congrats and good luck with your move.
Canton is the flea market/antiquing capital of the state.
68Charger
10-12-2016, 20:48
Yes, the "First Monday Trade Days"
500 Acres of swap meet, been going on since 1850
Apparently almost everyone in Canton hates it, over the course of 4 days it turns from a town of 5000 (officially) to the 7th largest city in Texas if you count all the visitors that week
That part will be interesting, but we can just head West that week If we don't want to deal with it. (Property is about 4-5 miles West of town)
67504
67505
67506
67507
We just got back to Penrose yesterday and we already miss it...
Got Internet service installed Monday, guaranteed 10Mb down / 5Mb up... tested at 35Mbps down/ 37 Mbps up
68Charger
10-12-2016, 22:43
Great looking place. Buy the best riding lawnmover you can and the best weed eater. If you don't literally mow everything it will probably get out of control in fast order, especially with saplings.
Got a 45hp HST Kioti tractor with a 6' brush hog.... but may need a riding mower for the front and around trees... plus we'll need to get something to keep the Agricultural tax exemption.... probably a few head of cattle in addition to the horses (which don't qualify unless you're actively breeding them)
Great-Kazoo
10-12-2016, 23:07
Got a 45hp HST Kioti tractor with a 6' brush hog.... but may need a riding mower for the front and around trees... plus we'll need to get something to keep the Agricultural tax exemption.... probably a few head of cattle in addition to the horses (which don't qualify unless you're actively breeding them)
Goats. They qualify and if done right very tasty.
I'm jealous. Congrats on that fine lookin piece of property!
ETA: Are the pool ownership regs a little more laid back there? We pretty much have to have the pool area locked down to keep little ones from wandering on in.
Got a 45hp HST Kioti tractor with a 6' brush hog.... but may need a riding mower for the front and around trees... plus we'll need to get something to keep the Agricultural tax exemption.... probably a few head of cattle in addition to the horses (which don't qualify unless you're actively breeding them)
My brother leases out bees for folks to get their exemption. Don't know if he goes that far from where he's at (San Antonio) but I can ask.
Anyone else end up here expecting to read about some over-reaching door kickers? :)
O2
Bailey Guns
10-13-2016, 06:27
That's a nice looking place.
68Charger
10-13-2016, 07:17
I'm jealous. Congrats on that fine lookin piece of property!
ETA: Are the pool ownership regs a little more laid back there? We pretty much have to have the pool area locked down to keep little ones from wandering on in.
It seems they're a little laid back about everything there... code calls for a fence, but they were essentially grandfathered- never came up as an issue in closing.
we'll likely put up a fence- if no other reason than to make the dogs swimming optional, and not their decision alone. [Swim]
Can you get an ag exemption for growing and cutting hay?
Are you sure it's a pool? Could be a cement pond.
Goats. They qualify and if done right very tasty.
Yep, and they can help with the mowing. Plus, every year in Brady, TX there's an annual goat cook off.
spqrzilla
10-13-2016, 16:41
.... to keep the Agricultural tax exemption.... probably a few head of cattle in addition to the horses (which don't qualify unless you're actively breeding them)
Is that even legal in Texas? Eeeyyyyuuuuu.
hurley842002
10-13-2016, 19:19
How deep is the pond?
Koi perhaps?
Koi perhaps?
No, put the slide at the pond and avoid the maintenance nightmare of a pool all together.
hurley842002
10-13-2016, 19:39
No, put the slide at the pond and avoid the maintenance nightmare of a pool all together.
Lol
68Charger
10-13-2016, 21:58
How deep is the pond?
There are 3 ponds, no watery tarts with swords found in any of them...
They are not very deep, but that can be corrected with some excavation... the biggest/longest one has been stocked with tilapia this year
And it's generally known that you breed horses with other horses, or if you're KINKY, then a donkey... if you're REALLY KINKY, then a zebra... yes, there are Zorses, or even Zonkeys...
A neighbor in the area even has a Zebra... I'll post up a pic next time I'm there
68Charger
10-13-2016, 22:04
No, put the slide at the pond and avoid the maintenance nightmare of a pool all together.
You may have forgotten I'm an engineer (which means I live for these kinds of challenges) and have some chemistry background from previous jobs... and I've owned a pool before in Phoenix
Pool chemistry is cake compared to working with cyanide and hydrofluoric acid to do quality or failure analysis on integrated circuits [Beer]
I actually know nothing about pools, and assume that they can be a nightmare. It's also my wife's dream to have her own pool, and I have to tell myself what a nightmare it would be so I can convince her as well.
I'd love a pool, as long as it wasn't a nightmare.
If you stay up on keeping the chemistry balanced, pools are easy to take care of. It was one of my responsibilities as a kid to keep the pool clean and the chemistry where it needed to be.
At least there are no overhanging trees.
68Charger
12-27-2016, 20:04
Just an update- been back and forth between Colorado and Texas since we closed in the beginning of October... I've lost count on the number of trips.
Still a Colorado Resident... haven't spent 30 consecutive days in TX, my DL and plates still show CO... and I still own property in CO.
Been absolutely NUTS with moving, trips, logistics, etc... just moved my Mother-In-Law with 5 dogs (at least 2 of which hate me) this week... drove back during the -17 degree storm (At least that's what I saw in a Pueblo story about a bus that was stranded)... my '98 Ram Cummins showed that I need to replace fuel filter... couldn't get the EGTs above 900 degrees (less than 1/2 throttle) even thru Raton Pass.... due to temps below 0... noticed a slight reduction in power while in TX, but wasn't bad at all until I hit low temps.
Whole family was here for Christmas...including all 5 horses, and all of our dogs... then I got the flu... 102.3 fever on Christmas eve... getting better now, and work started back up today.
overall mood is... TIRED... just a LOT of things to do moving... wife is currently back in CO, packing up more of MIL's "crap" (her words, not mine) and then I'll head back there to house-sit since my job doesn't require me to go into an office anywhere.
Real estate agent has not contacted us for 3 weeks... she's doing a SHITTY job, and we're working on what we need to fire her (contract expires in another 3 months... but interest alone costs me $1200/mo based on current listed price) We've got my MIL's place to put on the market once it's cleaned, but she's certainly not getting that contract- FSBO looks tempting, since it's in a price range that will last <10days in this market
Just for those that were interested in pool chemistry, Chlorine is down slightly since putting the cover on and ignoring it for a while.. PH is also up to around 7.8... I need to get some pool acid to bring that down, and have added some tablets to bring up Cl levels...
Great-Kazoo
12-27-2016, 22:03
Where's the link to your place for sale, again?
68Charger
12-27-2016, 22:27
Where's the link to your place for sale, again?
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/485-Tepley-Trl-Penrose-CO-81240/63585295_zpid/
let me know via PM if anyone wants to look at it- not confident that our agent will communicate properly.. been a problem.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.