Home improvement gurus Chip and Joanna Gaines were raised in Texas. They both graduated from Baylor University before marrying and beginning their famous brand, Magnolia, in 2003. Today, they’re a big Texas family with five children. They work. They play. They cook and bake. They design and build. They run a business and raise a family—all in the Lone Star State. The Gaines family is such a great example of living a great family life in Texas. With a strong economy, fabulous culture, and opportunities for various activities, Texas is a perfect place for raising a big, happy family. Are you looking for a wonderful family life in the great state of Texas, too? Read on for good details on The Family Guide to moving to Texas.
Know where to go. With 254 counties, Texas boasts more counties than any other state. That means there are many places to consider when considering a move to Texas. From the comfort of your home—or laptop, or phone—you can research the many different areas of Texas. The Texas Economic Development Connection makes this process easy. They have a Relocation Planning Tool on their website and different community guides for the many different regions of the state. Scroll down on the homepage to connect with the Community Guides with key details on each area.
Do some footwork. Once you’ve explored online a bit, it’s a good idea to narrow down your choices to a few key Texas cities or towns. Then, take a trip to Texas to explore your prospective places. Certain things, such as walkability, charm, and overall feel, are not things that you can fully capture through a Google search. Texas offers such a great variety of landscapes and local culture. Check out the downtowns, the grocery stores, the gas stations, amenities, and even your possible daily commute. Don’t be afraid to bring the kids, too. Traveling to explore Texas like a local will give you a good idea of daily life.
Educate yourself about education. Texas has more than 1000 public school districts, and there is also a large selection of private schools of all types throughout the state. According to the Texas School Guide, most students attend the school that they are assigned to based on their home address. Choosing a high-quality school system for your kids means you must identify options in your district and magnet, charter, or private institutions. Consider your student’s needs and your needs as a family—including location, quality, and availability of extracurriculars or special resources. You can visit the schools that you’re considering, and you’ll also want to get clear on the processes for applying, enrolling, or transferring so that your student can start once you’ve relocated.
Mind your business. Are you moving a company to Texas? The Texas Economic Development Connection can help you get settled with many of the details you need to take care of for your move so that you can take care of getting your family settled into their new state. Check out this blog on What to do Before Moving a Company to Texas to get some insider info on everything from finding the best business location to identifying some key business incentives that could benefit your company.
Find some fun. Texas is well known for having plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, experience live music, explore downtown museums, discover historical sites, or root for your favorite home teams. Moving can be many things: exciting, daunting, difficult, and inspiring. Make time for some leisure time—whether it’s a state or national park, a sports park, or a local playground.
Get connected. Once you decide on a community, you can look into ways to get involved there. Getting involved can help your family feel more connected in a new place. Things to research for involvement include volunteering, joining clubs and sports, participating in the arts and music, or matching up with local business organizations.
Seal the deal. You will want to update many different things for your move to Texas. The long list includes things like your mailing address, your driver’s license, and vehicle registration, as well as your voter registration. If you’re a business owner, the Texas Economic Development Connection can help you with What to do Before Moving A Company to Texas.
Ask for help. Texans are well known for their warmth and hospitality. Let the Texas Economic Development Connection help you with the process of moving to Texas. The experts here want you to have accessible, comprehensive information about your options for moving your family and your business to the Lone Star State. Set up a call to have a helpful conversation about your business and family needs in Texas.
