KnowYard Community

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

Chorizo and egg with a little bit of potato mixed in. Squeeze of lime. That's the one.

Emergency fund before you buy. At least $10K set aside for repairs. The AC, water heater, or roof WILL need attention in the first 2 years. Guaranteed.

Bacon egg and cheese on flour with green salsa. That's the order. Every time. Don't overthink it.

Find a place that makes their tortillas in house. That's the only criteria that matters. Everything else follows.

My Mexican friends refuse to eat at most Tex-Mex places. But they also admit that queso (which doesn't exist in Mexico) is addictive. Cultural exchange works both ways.

If the spot doesn't have a line of construction workers at 6am it's probably not that good. That's my filter.

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.

The lawn thing is SO real. My water bill in August was $180. For GRASS. I'm seriously considering xeriscaping the whole front yard.

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.

The real authentic spots are usually in strip malls with no English on the menu. If abuela is in the kitchen you're in the right place.

The companies forcing return-to-office are just trying to justify their lease costs. It's not about productivity and everyone knows it.

Old school Tex-Mex places are the best example of this. The ones where the enchilada plate is $9.99 and it comes with rice beans and chips. No substitutions. Perfection.

Birria tacos here have gotten so much better in the last few years. The trend actually brought legit birria spots out of hiding.

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.

Tex-Mex is not Mexican food and nobody who grew up eating both would confuse them. Both are good. They're just different cuisines at this point.

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.

I'm remote and I love it but I'll be honest — the isolation is real. I go days without talking to another adult in person. Make sure you have a plan for that.

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. I waited 2 years for prices to drop and they went up $40K instead. Timing the market is a myth. Buy when you can afford to.

Trades. HVAC, plumbing, electrical. Most will hire you with zero experience and train you. Starting pay is $18-22/hr but within 2-3 years you're at $30+. Texas needs tradespeople badly.

I stop every time I see one and I'm not sorry. The kolaches are solid, the bathrooms are spotless, and the beaver nuggets are crack.

Utility companies are almost always hiring and pay decent with good benefits. Check your local electric co-op or water district. $22-28/hr starting for field positions and you don't need a degree.

It's not theater. Something like 60-70% of people who protest get a reduction. The appraisal district overshoots on purpose because they know most people won't protest. Don't be most people.

UPS warehouse and driving positions. Warehouse starts around $21/hr, drivers make $35+/hr after training. Union benefits. It's physical work but it's legit.

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.