Gents,

I found out about a month ago I'd be PCSing to Fort Hood this summer. I plan on making a house hunting trip in early May. I'm primarily looking at Temple/Belton/Salado area since the wife will most likely find a job at Scott and White (she's an RN).

The folks I know at Hood are talking up Belton, but since both the wife and I prefer older/historic homes we've really found more homes we like in North Temple.

What would the commute be like from there going to main post? Are 35 and 190 tore up already? How long would I spend in traffic at the main gate? Any better gates to use to access main post from 190 heading west? I would imagine driving to post from Belton would be about the same minus 5-10 minutes each way.

Schools aren't a huge concern since we've only got a one year old and will be long gone by the time Kindergarten rolls around for him.

As an aside, what two or three restaurants should we visit while we're in town house hunting? We've spent the last couple of years in Carolina so I certainly miss Texas BBQ.

35 min to main gate from North Temple

I35 is about to be shredded

As far as where to live, everybody has an opinion.

If schools are no concern, I'd probably look in Harker Heights in addition to temple and belton. 15 Minutes to post.

OK I slept on it. If I'm in your situation - 2-3 year assignment, no kids in school nor will they be in school at any time during my assignment, then I'm probably going to at least give Heights a look. There are nice neighborhoods there, mostly officers, and it will mean several thousand fewer miles on your car and lower commute time. Easy access to killeen retail and culinary, as well as i-35 south for trips to austin. You live in north temple, you're gonna spend a lot of time on the road over the next few years.

Even west Adams area is less than ideal IMO. Not easy access to I-35 at all and still a long commute. Lots of Army out there though.

Really not much in belton. There is a new subdivision behind the new courthouse that has very easy access to 190 and i35. Mostly 1600-2200 square foot homes. Lots of Army. Given its location, its close to everything in bell county. 20 or so minutes to main Gate. There are also subdivisions around belton high school convenient to Loop 121, and thus, 190... 25 or so minutes to main gate..

As for salado, it's nice and quiet, but its a long commute, and you pay a premium to live there.










[This message has been edited by Captain Pablo (edited 3/19/2013 8:29a).]

BBQ - schoepfs BBQ in belton, Clem mikeskas in temple and belton, etc. there are others. I just don't eat BBQ all that much.

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Gents,

I found out about a month ago I'd be PCSing to Fort Hood this summer. I plan on making a house hunting trip in early May. I'm primarily looking at Temple/Belton/Salado area since the wife will most likely find a job at Scott and White (she's an RN).

The folks I know at Hood are talking up Belton, but since both the wife and I prefer older/historic homes we've really found more homes we like in North Temple.

What would the commute be like from there going to main post? Are 35 and 190 tore up already? How long would I spend in traffic at the main gate? Any better gates to use to access main post from 190 heading west? I would imagine driving to post from Belton would be about the same minus 5-10 minutes each way.

Schools aren't a huge concern since we've only got a one year old and will be long gone by the time Kindergarten rolls around for him.

As an aside, what two or three restaurants should we visit while we're in town house hunting? We've spent the last couple of years in Carolina so I certainly miss Texas BBQ.

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My stepmoms a realtor for temple/belton area. Let me know if you'd like her info, I'm sure she can find you some great places.

Ribs family lives in north temple, nice area, but a long commute to ft hood. Belton or heights would be way to go IMO..

Schoepfs BBQ, wings pizza n things, are my favs... Clem mikeska is at the bottom of my list, has a bad experience there several years ago.

From belton you can take 439, through killeen ( turns into rancier)and hit the east gate, a lot of stop lights tho...

Welcome home

I agree with soulslave. Clems is bad. Belton actually has some nice, older homes on the market and nothing is considered a "bad" neighborhood unless it's off ave D. Sadly you picked a bad time to avoid traffic delays. 135 and 190 construction will happen at the same time. Genius of txdot. I've heard good things about Miller's BBQ in Belton but have never been. From my house off of 190 in Belton, I can get to the Domain in Austin in 45 minutes or Barton Creek in 55. Makes for much better shopping. Waco is not an option. Nolanville has had some new neighborhoods pop up off of 439. Homes look nice. Good luck!

Oh and Scott and White is not known to be a great employer. Seaton opened a hospital in harker heights/killeen. Just another option.

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Oh and Scott and White is not known to be a great employer. Seaton opened a hospital in harker heights/killeen. Just another option.

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Agree. Seton is nice and part of ascension health, wife works for providence their sister hospital and loves it.

There's a BBQ place in Salado that is OK.

Fat Boys in Temple at 57th and Scott is OK

Probably some places in Killeen but I don't know of them.



[This message has been edited by Captain Pablo (edited 3/19/2013 9:18a).]

Here's my take on north Temple....

And there are some good folks on this board who live there (cjags?) and they may disagree...

I think it is a VERY cool area. VERY nice homes with a lot of personality.

Also, VERY prone to break-ins. I know of several who have been hit.

I suppose a security system might help. Get a good one if you move over there.






[This message has been edited by Captain Pablo (edited 3/19/2013 9:23a).]

Canyon Creek area.....nice quiet street.

http://markmahler.m.remaxtexas.com/Home/2503-Crystal-Dr.--Temple-TX-76502/3246/100341/Summary/

I love older/ historical homes but if you only plan to be here a few years, you might want to research resale and days on the market. Your agent can do that for you.

sorry for the delay in answering. i've been out of data/wifi coverage for a week.

Pablo is correct, I live in a historic home in N Temple. love it for a lot of reasons. pain in the butt as well.

that being said, they can be hard to sell and if you're only here for a few years (imho) it won't be worth it. especially with I35 construction you're adding a heck of a drive. Belton has some historic homes that won't be quite as long a drive for you and probably about the same for your wife as living on northside. and while breakins do happen. we've only had one in 5 years (and some fishing poles but that was a wide open garage). taken the correct precautions since then and been fine.

not to dissuade you from what you want to do, as I'd buy my house if i could do it again, but i wouldn't in your situation.

on the bbq situation. my favorite is miller's in Belton. Love that place. Scheopf's is fine, but not as spectacular as some make it out to be. Clem's is turrible.

[This message has been edited by c-jags (edited 3/19/2013 5:12p).]

I dont think i have met someone who likes Mikeskas. In other parts of the state that name carries some bbq weight, but not here. I had cowboys bbq in salado once - was good. Freebirds is in Killeen.

As for where to live - i dont have anything new to add. Live in south Temple and enjoy it. Plenty of retired and active duty in the neighborhood. Only concern about nolanville is who is running the city.

Not trying to derail...

But how the eff is mikeskas still in business and expanding into every crappy gas station??

I have never met someone who likes it and this thread confirms that sentiment!??

Actually, I would look in far West Adams, those heavily wooded lots near Lake Belton. Quick trip over to Belton over the dam, the back look to 190. Not a bad commute for either of you.

Food if you have been away from Temple. Bob's in Salado for steak and such. Jody's original for CFS, Oscar Store, Green's sausage house, BBQ place mentioned in Belton but not very fond of their sides. Now where I have found has good pototo Salad, and that is a staple for me with BBQ.

Chuck's Pea Ridge on Friday for all you can eat Catfish.

And Meggs for breakfast. Fancy and a little pricy but darn good.

And there is a Rudy's in Killeen. They have decent BBQ and sides.

[This message has been edited by 3rd Generation Ag (edited 3/19/2013 8:20p).]

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Not trying to derail...

But how the eff is mikeskas still in business and expanding into every crappy gas station??

I have never met someone who likes it and this thread confirms that sentiment!??

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I have the same question. I went to the new one on 57th right after it opened thru the drive-thru. It was terrible. I took one bite if the brisket, threw it out. Figured you can't mess up potato salad, gagged and threw it out and my sweet tea was stale. Never again!

Actually the CFS at the one you mentioned is pretty good. I have had good brisket and brisket so bad I could not eat it. Even sliced the wrong way at times.

What helps them is the drive thru. As a single older women I rarely ever so anywhere that does not have a drive through. I have never become comfortable eating out by myself.

I miss their salad bar. I am a married woman but often eat lunch by myself. Always after lunch hour. Pm me some time, I'll eat with you. I'm a beltonian and very defensive of my home town, even though I curse the traffic and growth.

Like I said, I rarely eat BBQ and haven't been to Clem's in years. I guess it sucks.

There is supposed to be a BBQ place in Killeen that is good but I can't think of the name of it...

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I'm a beltonian and very defensive of my home town

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Why are you defensive?

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I'm a beltonian and very defensive of my home town

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Why are you defensive?

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It's gotten some criticism on the boards. Not sure why.

Thanks for all the advice guys. I think we've already found an agent (friend of a friend). We've checked out plenty of homes online in Harker/Nolanville and to be honest, most don't do anything for me.

Hopefully i dont offend anyone, but the wife and I can't stand the typical cookie cutter new construction ranch with the giant garage door on the front and the clear cut street with a few five and six foot trees in the front yard, and that seems to be all you'll find in those places, as well as South Killeen.

To make matters worse, they all seem to run 15-20 bucks more per square foot than older homes, which we already prefer quite a bit. I've seen a few newer homes we do like out around Lake Belton on wooded lots but they're a little pricey as well.

I hadn't really thought much about resale being an issue, so thanks for putting that bug in my ear. I just sold our 1930 Tudor Revival out here in Columbia in literally a day and should profit 5-6k after only having lived in it for two years. Older homes here are flying off the market out here as everyone is trying to move back to town from the 'burbs. Sounds like that ain't the case back in Texas.

On the other hand, if I could lock in a low rate and find a place thats been listed a year plus with distressed owners willing to sell cheap, I may wind up keeping the place in Temple/Belton as a rental even after we move on down the road.

I'll let y'all know where we wind up (especially if I'll be a neighbor to c-jags), but will probably key in on the few older homes we like in Belton first.

[This message has been edited by TexasTiger14 (edited 3/19/2013 8:57p).]

[This message has been edited by TexasTiger14 (edited 3/19/2013 9:02p).]

I guess I'm the only one who likes Clem's.

If realtor.com will let you search by street name, look up Wall, Penelope, Beal, Main, 9th ave, 6 ave etc...in Belton. Google map it. Stay in that area and stay away from the ?Henard?sp mansion in Belton. It's frequently on the market with good reason. Don't trust your agent to find all that's available. Duty or not some are lazy.

And to answer the OP - if you're only going to be here for a few years, I would pick somewhere you feel comfortable and can relax. Whether that is Belton, Temple, Salado, Harker Heights, Killeen, Nolanville, whatever. You might be able to find something out on the Stillhouse Hollow lake for a decent price and then take a back road into Killeen.

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It's gotten some criticism on the boards

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Really? That's too bad.

Belton's OK. Not great, but not bad by any stretch...

One of our favorite houses is actually on Wall Street in Belton. Where was/is the Hennard house?

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I guess I'm the only one who likes Clem's.

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I doubt it. Clem's kids are making a killing...

We have Starbucks. Moving on up. But please don't judge by the retail selections.

And a wal mart

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One of our favorite houses is actually on Wall Street in Belton. Where was/is the Hennard house?

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Off of Beal on Penelope and 5th ave maybe. There is an awesome house on Penelope and close to 9th for sale. Very good friends and people live across the street. I love that house. White with columns and a basement? It looks great. From what I gather a lot of UMHB faculty live in the area.

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And a wal mart

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HEB Plus

Dp

[This message has been edited by mazzag (edited 3/19/2013 9:20p).]

I know the house you're talking about on Penelope, but I think it was just taken off the market (pending sale...?). It was definitely on my short list.