Need Thoughts regarding Retirement on the Texas Gulf Coast

Its odd, and I've wondered about it for years.

As said above, I lived in various parts of Tejas for 20 years.

Travelled extensively in Mexico and Central America, driving alone and with buddies. I've made many good friends and met many great people. Kind, compassionate, down to earth. Very family and church orientated. If you're welcomed by the family, youre in good shape. Went to a birthday party for a friend and ate the wrong thing, fish fresh out of a river. Got sick as a dog so my buddy who is pretty influential in the area took me to his parents house and his mom tended to me for 3 days. I love those folks. In Mexico their hard workers, and even the poor take pride in their homes, keep them up and work to improve them.

When they immigrate here and seem to strive to reach the same level they knew in Mex. but no more. Rather it seems their more comfortable letting standards lower to where they were before coming here. Some of that is just that a lot of them end up in cities surrounded by their own culture and never break free, I reckon.

Back to Corpus, yeah, over all its largely peopled by the lower, and lower middle class though there are some really nice areas.

If you dont mind the hurricanes, I'd look out towards Flour Bluff, east of town near the beach, or one of the surrounding towns like Port Aransas. Or go a bit west of town and avoid the destruction that hits every once in a while.
I worked for USFWS down there at Santa Ana and Laguna Atascosa NWRs. Smack dab on the border where the Rio looks more like a creek. We had Fed Wildlife Officers at every prescribed burn, and at every burn/wildfire we had at minimum 6-10 illegals trying to sneak across using the smoke for cover. By this point they were about dead, so we'd hand them some water and let the LEO come and get them. It was usually women and children.

I'm sure if OP can get into a nice community his problems will be lessened but I'd stay away from the border of Meh-hico and maybe a little bit north up the gulf. Hurricanes will be the major issue there, but it's worth it to get away from the border crossings and smuggling routes. Some of those border towns are NOT what they used to be. Used to it was nice to go into mexico to some of the small towns and buy fruit and other items for dirt cheap. Not to mention cheap dental (wouldn't recommend major surgery). Now you couldn't force me down there. The cartels have truly ruined those areas.
 
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Fayetteville ain’t what it used to be ( traffic) , Springdale is now 55% or more Hispanics. In 1977 there were 0% non whites.…Follow the fowl ! ie: Tysons.
Bentonville is full of limp wristed snowflakes. THAT said ….Beaver Lake over to Eureka Springs , Berryville , home of Bill Wilson & Nighthawk is nice .…all the way to say Harrison/ Jasper/Mountain Home areas are beautiful and some places are totally boonies.
Only other part of the state I’d live is the Mena area , or around Hot Springs.
Fuck past Little Rock to Memphis , especially the Pine Bluff area 👎 Not familiar with the NE part at all.
Little Rock to Memphis has to be one of the uglies, most boing, stretches of Interstate.
 
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I've ridden the Talimina Skyway three times from Talahina, OK to Mena AR. Stayed at the Queen Wilhemina Lodge and rode down into Mena for dinner at a place called the Branding Iron, I think. Great Food and Great Country!
This is not far from where I am in Okrahoma. I have 115 acres with 2 creeks, 3 ponds, plus mineral rights that pays more than the taxes due. No buildings...yet. Once I get the wife and dogs a place to sleep that belongs to us, I'll be buying some more acreage. Cattle, lots of place for my wife to raise as much garden as she cares to tend, deer, hogs, coyotes and plenty of room for shooting.
 
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Its odd, and I've wondered about it for years.

As said above, I lived in various parts of Tejas for 20 years.

Travelled extensively in Mexico and Central America, driving alone and with buddies. I've made many good friends and met many great people. Kind, compassionate, down to earth. Very family and church orientated. If you're welcomed by the family, youre in good shape. Went to a birthday party for a friend and ate the wrong thing, fish fresh out of a river. Got sick as a dog so my buddy who is pretty influential in the area took me to his parents house and his mom tended to me for 3 days. I love those folks. In Mexico their hard workers, and even the poor take pride in their homes, keep them up and work to improve them.

When they immigrate here and seem to strive to reach the same level they knew in Mex. but no more. Rather it seems their more comfortable letting standards lower to where they were before coming here. Some of that is just that a lot of them end up in cities surrounded by their own culture and never break free, I reckon.

Back to Corpus, yeah, over all its largely peopled by the lower, and lower middle class though there are some really nice areas.

If you dont mind the hurricanes, I'd look out towards Flour Bluff, east of town near the beach, or one of the surrounding towns like Port Aransas. Or go a bit west of town and avoid the destruction that hits every once in a while.
Get your pocketbook out if buying in Port Aransas. It is barely recognizable since Hurricane Harvey blew most of it away. It didn't get media coverage like mainland because access was restricted to residents only. Starting prices on homes in Port Aransas on Mustang Island are now close to $1,000,000, small lots are starting at $300,000. North Padre (Corpus Christi) prices are slightly lower.
 
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