KnowYard Community

Left teaching last year for corporate training. Same skills, double the salary, and I don't cry in my car anymore. I miss the kids but I don't miss the system.

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.

Starting salary in my district is $52K. Starting salary at Buc-ee's is $50K. With less stress, less responsibility, and no papers to grade at home. That tells you everything about how we value teachers.

Counterpoint: standards are what make Texas BBQ great. If we stop caring about quality we end up like every other state's mid BBQ. Gatekeeping has a purpose.

Read your CC&Rs cover to cover. Half the violations HOAs send out are either not actually in the rules or they're enforcing selectively. If your neighbor's trash can is visible too, document it and bring it up.

You can do both. Get your trade license AND take classes part-time. My buddy is a licensed plumber making $75K while finishing his business degree at night. He wants to run his own shop.

I used one of those companies that does it for you — they take 25-30% of savings. Got my value knocked down $40K. Worth it because I hate doing paperwork.

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.

Document everything in writing. Every call, every text, every email. Take photos of the thermostat showing the indoor temp. This is your evidence if it goes to court.

Buc-ee's is an experience, not a restaurant. You go for the vibes and the clean bathroom and you leave with $40 of beaver-branded impulse purchases.

$200/month HOA and they can't even maintain the common areas? Request a financial audit. You're entitled to see where that money goes.

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.

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

The "market rate" excuse is infuriating when the unit is in worse condition than when you moved in. Market rate for WHAT exactly.

The best BBQ I ever had was at a family reunion where my uncle cooked it in a homemade smoker made from a oil drum. No thermometer. No YouTube education. Just vibes.

Been waiting for someone to bring this up. Good thread.

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.

The real answer is that it depends on what trade and what degree. A CS degree from a good school pays more than plumbing. But a plumbing license pays more than a generic business degree with $40K in loans.

The unequal appraisal argument is your best weapon. If your neighbor's identical house is appraised at $50K less than yours, that's hard for them to justify. Use their own data against them.

Moved to a different complex and saved $200/month even after moving costs. Sometimes leaving is cheaper long term. Do the math on 12 months not just the moving cost.

Carlos from Carlos Lawn Care has been doing our yard in Waterview for two years. Same crew every week, usually Wednesday mornings. $40 per visit for a similar-sized lot. Consistent, careful around the flower beds, and always blows the driveway clean. His number is on the Rowlett Community Facebook group.

I walked out of an interview where the manager bragged about never taking vacation. That's not dedication, that's a warning about what they'll expect from you.

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.

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.

Fully remote jobs are getting more competitive. 500+ applicants for every decent remote posting. Be prepared to apply to 50+ positions. It took me 3 months to find my current role.