KnowYard Community

The no turn signal thing drives me INSANE. It's a lever. Right there. On the steering column. Takes zero effort.

Brace for the first time someone invites you to a backyard BBQ and it turns into a 7 hour event with 40 people you've never met.

Hot take: Texas drivers are aggressive but predictable. They're going fast and they expect you to keep up. Northeast drivers are passive-aggressive which is somehow worse.

Mowing lawns. Seriously. Especially in summer when people don't want to be outside. $40-60 per yard, you can do 6-8 in a day. A truck and a mower is all you need.

Call your city's code compliance. An apartment without AC in July may violate habitability codes. The city inspector showing up lights a fire under landlords real fast.

Do NOT withhold rent without following the proper legal steps. Texas is very landlord-friendly and they can evict you fast if you just stop paying without going through the process.

Wait until someone waves you through a 4-way stop when they got there first. Texas politeness actually slows down traffic lol

My barber recommended a BBQ spot that's been open since 1991. Went there. No signage. Just a smoker and some picnic tables. Best ribs I've had in this state.

Look for areas near good school districts. Even if you don't have kids, school district quality correlates with neighborhood safety and maintenance. It's a useful proxy.

Paper plates = no insurance and possibly no registration. And they drive like it because they know they can't be traced. Biggest problem on Texas roads right now.

At $110K combined you can make $350K work but it will be tight with Texas property taxes. Run the real numbers including tax, insurance, and a maintenance fund. Not just principal and interest.

Bought a home warranty for $600/year. Covered the AC repair and a plumbing issue in the first 6 months. Paid for itself twice over. Get one for the first year at least.

Pressure washing. You can get a decent setup for $400. Driveways, fences, patios. Post on Nextdoor and you'll be booked within a week. $100-200 per driveway.

The insurance situation in Texas is rough right now. Get quotes BEFORE you make an offer on a house. Some areas are seeing 40-50% premium increases after recent storm seasons.

Texas Property Code 92.056. Send a WRITTEN notice (certified mail or email with delivery receipt) describing the condition and giving them reasonable time to fix it. If they don't, you have options including repair-and-deduct.

Bought last year at 6.8%. Monthly payment is more than my old rent but I'm not throwing money away anymore. You can always refinance when rates drop. You can't un-rent money you already spent.

Kroger digital coupons are annoying but I save $15-20 a trip when I actually clip them. It takes 3 minutes on the app.

The family-owned Chinese spot near me has been open since the 80s. Same family. Same recipes. Still the best egg drop soup I've ever had.

The freedom is worth every extra dollar though. I can paint walls, have a dog, play music at midnight. After 6 years of apartment living the privacy alone is priceless.

There's a burger joint near me that's been cash only for 30 years. No website. No social media. Packed every day at lunch. That's the ultimate endorsement.

HEB store brand stuff is genuinely good quality. Their creamy creations ice cream competes with Blue Bell. I said what I said.

Nobody ever includes property tax and insurance when they compare mortgage to rent. With those factored in, my "cheaper than rent" mortgage is actually $500 more than my old apartment.

Furniture flipping. Grab free stuff off Facebook Marketplace, clean it up or do minor repairs, resell. A truck is your biggest advantage. I clear $500-800/month doing this on weekends.

Factor in ALL costs not just mortgage. Property tax, insurance, HOA, maintenance, and the stuff that breaks. My first year I spent $8K on things the inspection missed.

Walmart grocery pickup changed my life. I don't go inside anymore. Order on the app, pull up, they load it. Under 5 minutes.