Make sure you're also looking at property tax rates. Depending on the area you narrow your search to, you could be looking at more than double what you are accustomed to paying in Kansas.

School taxes make up the largest portion of the taxes, then city, and county. Newer growth areas could tack on a Utility District tax and some junior colleges also get to levy a tax. 3.5% is not unheard of in the metro areas of Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. As an example, you could be looking at a $8750 tax bill if your tax appraisal comes in at $250,000 in the Dallas area. The taxing districts do give you a 10% homestead exemption, BTW, but you do have to apply for it. That same $250,000 house in a rural area around Lake Fork could easily knock off $3000 so you can see how it can impact your monthly budget.

The Trinity River valley, roughly the I-45 corridor, is a flyway for waterfowl. There is alot of rice farming in southeast Texas between Houston and Beaumont, and the hunting used to be outstanding but migrations haven't been as thick as they once were. I just don't think the birds are pushing as far south any more. Dr. Duck is from the Tyler area and got his start hunting public lands throughout East Texas.

But they do have to be set back at least 2 years, right?