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There is a spring outside Silverton, Colorado. For thousands of years its water has snaked southeast, stubbornly cutting its way through mountains, zigzagging across rocky desert for 1,500 miles. When the water came within sight of the sea, it would flood annually, as if sighing in relief that its journey was almost over, making the banks of the delta more fertile with each inundation.
The Rio Grande Valley, commonly thought of as Texas’ four southernmost counties, is a very different place from the quiet, grassy plain the Coahuiltecan Indians once roamed. For 161 years, the Rio Grande, or "Great River," has acted as an international border and seen its share of conflict. The last battle of the Civil War was fought a stone’s throw from the river’s mouth at Brownsville’s Palmito Hill. And as late as 1920, Pancho Villa was antagonizing U.S. troops with border raids. As an unquestionable beneficiary of the North American Free Trade Agreement, South Texas stands poised for massive growth at the turn of the century, and for its residents and investors, proportional prosperity. We intend to present as much of this wonderful corner of the world as can be squeezed into a few screens. The Valley offers the better of two worlds: the bustling newness of a rapidly growing economy, and the old-world charm that stems from its proximity to Mexico and its own rich history. Superimpose a subtropical climate with mild winters that draws "Winter Texans" from all over North America, and you have a region ripe with travel opportunities, success in business, and perfect for raising a family or retirement. The wildlife and beauty of the land are creating an "ecotourism" industry here. Because it is a flyway between North and South America, migratory birds practically get bottlenecked in the Valley, making for some of the best birding in the country. Shopping and dining in Mexico are less than an hour away and the mountains of Mexico’s interior are just a half-day’s drive. The emerald surf of South Padre Island, one of the premier resorts on the Gulf of Mexico, is just two hours from the Valley’s western end. While many downtowns across America have become sleepy, boarded-up reminders of yesteryear, Valley downtowns bustle with shoppers from the north and the south. Day-trippers can find dozens of points of interest from Laredo to South Padre Island. A fresh breeze is blowing through South Texas. The Valley is poised to forge ahead, building a dynamic community with an ever-richer cultural and educational foundation for the South Texans of the future. Population
South Texas appears destined to be the next major
urban conglomerate.
The big growth corridor includes Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito, Laredo
and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission.
"The three South Texas metropolitan areas and their
connecting counties now represent a major portion of the state’s
population," says Steve H. Murdock, research fellow with the Real Estate
Center and chief demographer with the State Data Center at Texas A&M
University. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in mid-1997 Laredo’s
population was more than 183,200; Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito was 320,800,
and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission was nearly 511,000.
Put in perspective, the South Texas population exceeds that of the
Austin-San Marcos area. Laredo was the fastest-growing Texas metropolitan area
from 1990 to 1997, recording a 37.5 percent increase (nearly 50,000 persons);
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission was second with a 33.2 percent increase (almost
127,400); and Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito was the fourth fastest growing
area with an increase of 23.3 percent (nearly 60,700).
In 1990, these areas accounted for 4.5 percent of the state’s
population. Including Starr and Zapata counties, the total area increased by
30.9 percent from 1990 to 1997. One of every ten new Texans in the 1990s took
up residence in South Texas. Assuming the levels of migration remain similar to 1990-96, metropolitan areas in the region also could be independent growth centers. Laredo will increase to nearly 655,000 persons by 2030, a growth rate of 391 percent since 1990; Brownsville will increase 202 percent with nearly 785,000 persons; and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission will have 1.9 million people – 397 percent increase. Murdock says this area is anticipated to have continual growth. According to projections from the State Data Center, if the growth rates continue, the total area (including Starr and Zapata counties) will have a population of more than 1.7 million by 2010 and nearly 3.5 million by 2030. These areas are likely to represent expanding markets for goods and services," says Murdock, "but growth through domestic migration is the key to most rapid-expansion markets. Examination of the 1990-97 population growth in this area shows only 9.1 percent of the area’s growth resulted from domestic immigration." If the growth mixture continues, these real estate markets are likely to be based largely on indigenous population growth rather than rapid expansion through migration. In response to these economic data findings, which show generally limited income levels, area real estate practitioners should plan carefully to address market growth
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