The Texas Legislature nicknamed Commerce, TX Bois d'arc Capital of Texas because of its geographic location at the center of the indigenous range of the bois d'arc tree.
The small rural town of Commerce is located in Northern Texas, at the heart of the Blackland Prairies. Although it only has a population of 9,100 permanent residents, it is the second largest city in Hunt County. This could partly be due to the more than 12,000 university students that call the city home for a good part of the year. The town itself has been around since about 1872 when two entrepreneurial young men, William Jernigan and Josiah Jackson, decided to set up shop where the downtown area is located today. Commerce got its name because of the thriving economic activity that stemmed from the vast cotton fields, superior farm and ranch lands and the rich, black gumbo prairie. The town was officially incorporated in 1885. The railroad was built through town and on to Fort Worth two years later. Today the town, and especially the university still strive to feed the entrepreneurial spirit of students and long time residents.
Moving to Commerce
Commerce is a close knit community filled with friendly people ready to welcome you to their town! The beautiful scenery and relaxed atmosphere will make you feel right at home. If watersports are in your blood, you're in luck. Cooper Lake is just a short drive away ready to keep you entertained for hours.
When looking for apts for rent, you better start your search early, and don't try to find one when the university students are planning to move in -- there probably won't be any free spaces left! Vacancies are generally very low. On average you may find about seventy homes for sale and only about half a dozen rental spaces. The places you do find for rent will most likely be houses with many bedrooms. This could because university students often can't afford a place of their own and choose to share a house with friends. If you do find an available rental, you will be pleasantly surprised at how low the prices are.
The town is remarkably clean and all of the streets are lined with glorious trees. You will feel like you stepped back in history when life moved at a much slower pace. That is until you see the hustle and bustle of the university. Twelve thousand students are hard to ignore! However, they won't bother you too much. In general, the town has never had too many problems from them. They are there to learn and they take their education very seriously.
Whether you decide to rent or buy, you should look at the place beforehand. You can't tell everything about a place just by the ad in the paper or online. There may be repairs needed or maybe the location is not quite what you expected. You can never really get a feel for a place until you see it in real life. You might find the area too loud or too quiet or maybe farther away from the shops and restaurants than you were led to believe. Maybe it is closer to the university than you thought. There are all sorts of things that make a place look worse in real life than on the net.
Before you sign anything, make sure to read all of the fine print. This is important even if you have a lawyer handling the transaction when buying a property. But, it is more important when you are signing a lease or rental agreement. Different landlords expect different things. Make sure you understand and agree to what the landlord expects from you. There may be rules about roommates or changes you are allowed to make to the property. If there is anything in the agreement you do not understand or agree with, speak up. Keeping quiet will hurt you in the long run.
Neighborhoods of Commerce
The town of Commerce, Texas is basically divided into two neighborhoods - permanent residents and students. You can find a studio, one bedroom, or 2 bedroom apartment for rent in many areas of the town. Nearly all of town is very close knit and friendly. You should have no problem making friends! With new faces coming and going through town all the time, they have become accustomed to welcoming newcomers. If you want to know more about where you might be living when you move to town, check out the list below. It could help you figure out the right place to look for a home and make you search on an apartments locator much easier and quicker.
Northern Commerce: Northern Commerce is a mix of rural and residential. Things are spread out and feel like the country. Norris Park is in this part of town.
Southern Commerce: This is the bustling part of town. It has lots of apartment rentals, as well as some great attractions and amenities. If you like entertainment in your hood, this is the place to live. You can visit the Northeast Texas Children's Museum, or eat at the Lonestar Eatery.
Living in Commerce
There may not be a lot of high life in Commerce, but Dallas is only sixty miles away, so if you are in the mood for a party, you will find one there. Commerce is a very relaxed town where everyone knows everyone else and they all get along famously! There are plenty of great places to enjoy a fabulous meal or get together with your neighbors. Enjoy tasty cuisines from a variety of cultures around the world or a backyard BBQ with the locals. One of locals' favorite spots is old ice cream shop Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy Store. A favorite Mexican restaurant is Molinas Mexican Cuisine. What ever type of food you are in the mood for, you are sure to find it here. And the prices are affordable on even the tightest budgets! Take the boat out on the lake or experience all of the history and culture provided by the university. For a small town, you will be amazed at how much you can do and learn here!