As we say, "Texas is a whole 'nuther world." Unlike the rest of the country, property values here have done nothing but gone up, up, up. So many yankees are moving in (and bringing their wacky ideas) and are willing to pay just shy of CA prices. With the rapid rise in property values, the tax office just laughs and tells you you're currently paying under the value so no way will they give you a break.
People moving into our area do the same thing....in regards to whacky ideas. Property in rural areas have pretty much held their own. But....city people seem to try and change things to what they had in the big cities. I’m expecting to see, someday, street lights on dirt roads. One thing about our area though is that when something is built that people don’t want, it seems to get torn down. I wonder why?