TX Gulf Coast Affordable

For all of you who love the gulf, but missed your chance to buy a slice of it like me.

First, I'd like to thank whoever it was who said on this site sometime in 2004 something like "Check out Mustang Island in TX, reminds me of Grayton Beach 20 years ago" or something like that.

I am sad to say i am priced out of the Emerald Coast Market. I live in CA and love the EC. I have been traveling there for years and in fact will be there in Dune Allen rental in June with my young kids, wife and 14 other family members renting gulffront - and that sure has gotten expensive too). i am sure i will continue to come there - hopefully at least 1x/year. But i can't afford to buy my little slice of waterfront,waterview or stumbling distance walk to beach). i missed my opportunity 3 years ago when I almost made an offer and chickened out.

I am kicking myself for not moving faster when I saw that Port Aransas/Mustang island post here last year. The word is sort of out on Mustang Island, and the gulf front props that were a mere $$400K last year appear to be scarce and more like $700K-$1MM now. And the dune is so wide there, beachfront is often a heck of a hike to the actual beach

So i literally arrowed my way around the entire gulf coast on mapquest looking for somewhre on the gulf within an hour drive of a decent sized airport. I found Surfside Beach, TX. www.surfside.org 45 mins drive from Houston Hobby airport and 45 mins so. of Galveston. With the exception of some somewhat remote parts of LA, i think this may be the last place on the gulf that you can buy at a 'reasonable' price.

I learned a painful lesson in FL gulf coast. There is only so much gulf, a lot of people have a lot more money than me, and i would up on the wrong side of supply and demand.

I just purchased a 4BR/3BA built in 2002 beach house that is in the rental pool and fully booked for 11 weeks in summer at $2K/week. I paid $320K.

I am also in contract on a gulf front lot that includes the two contiguous lots behind it (i.e 2nd and 3rd row) for a grand total of $145K on the 3.

I am not a large land investor, in fact the only property i ever purchased prior to these is my 1st and only primary residence.

This is NOT emerald coast beach. The water is not aqua-marine. The beach is not fluffy white. You drive right through ugly industrial to get to it. But it is the gulf. Gulf front.

If I can figure out how to post a picture, I will.