Go Back   CityProfile.com Forum - Local City and State Discussion Forums > United States City Forums > Texas > San Marcos
Click Here to Login

Reply
Old 03-16-2013, 11:02 PM  
Junior Member

Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 3 | Kudos: +10
Anyone around? Moving to San Marcos from San Antonio with lots of questions...

Hi everyone;

This San Marcos forum seems pretty quiet... I hope someone is still around reading and responding because I have had a hard time finding much of the information I need up to this point.

We live in San Antonio currently (and have been here for most of our lives) but we are planning a move to San Marcos this summer. I am currently a commuting Texas State student and I have one year left before graduation. My wife (we are a same sex family FWIW) is transferring to Texas State in the fall and will have a bit longer to graduate. We also have my 20 year old son living with us ( full time community college student here in SA), our 15 year old son and our 10 year old daughter, plus pets.

So as you can see, we are students, but a long way from the typical Texas State student, seeing as how we are non-traditional students with older kids.

We have many questions but our focus right now is on housing and schools for the younger two. Our knowledge of SM is limited to what I know from being there a few times a week, so, not much at all! I tend to only have time for class and not much exploring. We would like to know if there are any areas we should avoid in our housing search, what the deal is with this single family zoning thing and if it will affect us, what's the best way to find a rental home or duplex (prefer to avoid apartment complexes) yet still hopefully be able to use the Texas State shuttle, and any input on the schools.

Are there "good" and "bad" neighborhoods? If so, how bad are the "bad"? We have a limited budget for housing.

With the schools, we are curious about the high school primarily. Our 15 year old has spent all of his time in a small charter school with 500 kids from grades k-12. He is in 10th grade and will be a junior when we move.. the SM High School looks HUGE! Anyone have info on what it's like, the social climate, any major issues, etc.? Bullying? Do they wear uniforms? I have checked out the SM ISD website and it's pretty awful in terms of lacking a lot of basic information.

Any info will be very much appreciated.
__________________

Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2013, 07:36 AM  
Moderator Emeritus
 
Austin's Avatar

Texas
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 5,990 | Kudos: +90
Images: 8
My kids are far younger than your so the High school issue I can't really help on, but I do know a bit about the community and where to look.

You say you budget is limited? What are you able to spend monthly? Houses and duplexes in town are pretty expensive ($1,400 and up for a 4/3) but you can find things on the out skirts of town that are more affordable.

I would suggest using a rental locating service. They are free and save you time and money (you're not aimlessly driving around).
__________________

Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2013, 07:14 PM  
Junior Member

Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 3 | Kudos: +10
Quote:
Originally Posted by Austin View Post
My kids are far younger than your so the High school issue I can't really help on, but I do know a bit about the community and where to look.

You say you budget is limited? What are you able to spend monthly? Houses and duplexes in town are pretty expensive ($1,400 and up for a 4/3) but you can find things on the out skirts of town that are more affordable.

I would suggest using a rental locating service. They are free and save you time and money (you're not aimlessly driving around).
Hi;

Thanks for responding! I was beginning to think the forum was totally dead.

We've found acceptable apartments in the range of $940 to $970 (3 bedroom units that will accept our pets) so if we need to we will go that route. We've viewed a few and made notes about them but under the category of "last resort". We'll shoot for a max of $975, depending on if water is paid or not. I don't think we'll be able to afford a four bedroom so we're okay with that and aren't even looking at four bedroom units right now. The older 2 will just get the larger room regardless.

We would like to keep any rental under that, house, mobile home, duplex, triplex, whatever. I've seen other rentals between $775 and $850, for 3 bedroom duplexes, and they were fine but the problem is we cannot move until July and they are available now. We don't care about pretty, or pools, fitness centers blah blah. Just safe, decent, and with washer dryer connections. Our requirements are pretty basic. I REALLY want to avoid having to pay to park on campus though or use the car at all to and from campus really. In fact, we h ave an opportunity to live pretty cheaply in Seguin instead but because of the car issue we turned it down and we really want to be in San Marcos and only need the car to go out of town or get groceries and so forth (i.e. not for daily driving if possible). I need to investigate more to learn about the CARTS bus and the Texas state shuttle as options to make that happen. I have not yet figured out the routes and boundaries for either of those yet.

I have contacted a couple different locator services. At this point they only have apartments in complexes but I'm hoping they also might have different leads as we get closer to moving time. I am very worried about having to wait until July to seriously look though.. is that going to be too close to crunch time with other students also looking? We just can't do it any earlier for financial reasons. I mean, we can look now but we cannot sign any leases until July (ours ends here in August)... unless we decided to "pre-lease" with an apartment complex. If it means getting a place or not getting one then we'll do that I suppose.

Is there any neighborhood in particular we should absolutely avoid? Keep in mind, we've lived in some pretty "rough" areas in San Antonio out of necessity so we don't scare easily... but I still don't want to worry about letting the kids go ride their bikes and walk to the corner store or whatever.

Also do you (or anyone) know specifics about the Texas Preparatory School (charter school)? It seems to have good reviews on the greatschools site..

Does San Marcos follow the usual rule about needing to be 2 miles away from a school in order to be able to ride the bus?

And about the zoning issue.. since I am related to my older son and his brother, and my wife is related to her daughter are we going to be okay even though she and I are not related and not married either in the eyes of Texas law?
Reply With Quote
Old 03-21-2013, 09:53 AM  
Moderator Emeritus
 
Austin's Avatar

Texas
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 5,990 | Kudos: +90
Images: 8
I'm sorry but I don't know anything about Texas Charter our the Carts system, although form what I've seen and heard people like both of them very much.

You shouldn't have any problems with zoning. Texas Rental law outlines no more than 2 people to a room, but it makes no mention of their married status or otherwise.
Reply With Quote
Old 03-21-2013, 12:01 PM  
Junior Member

Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 3 | Kudos: +10
Quote:
Originally Posted by Austin View Post
I'm sorry but I don't know anything about Texas Charter our the Carts system, although form what I've seen and heard people like both of them very much.

You shouldn't have any problems with zoning. Texas Rental law outlines no more than 2 people to a room, but it makes no mention of their married status or otherwise.
Ah, ok. I thought there was some specific San Marcos rule about unrelated people in a home?
Reply With Quote
Old 03-27-2013, 08:35 AM  
Moderator Emeritus
 
Austin's Avatar

Texas
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 5,990 | Kudos: +90
Images: 8
Nope, not to my knowledge. Many of the young parents I know aren't married and it's never been an issue. I've also known many same sex couples who have not had any issue renting.
Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2013, 09:37 PM  
Senior Member

Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 124 | Kudos: +12
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlotte_Sometimes View Post
Ah, ok. I thought there was some specific San Marcos rule about unrelated people in a home?
There's single-family zoning ordinances. See here: http://www.lbjsc.txstate.edu/caso/pr...rdinances.html I know I'm a little late but it may help someone out.
__________________

Reply With Quote
Reply

Go Back   CityProfile.com Forum - Local City and State Discussion Forums > United States City Forums > Texas > San Marcos
Bookmark this Page!

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes


Suggested Threads

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.