They ended up buying in Winter Garden, FL because it made the most sense to them financially. 

I recently signed up to a free DIY course at a local Home Depot and have participated in a couple Habitat for Humanity homes (mostly caulking and painting).Does anyone know of other methods to get experience in remodeling and rehabbing homes?

Can get it on sale or through the bid room at Home Depot for less than $1.50 sq foot for the basic Allure, a little more for the higher end Allure or other brands. 

Just a friendly heads up...If you can go anywhere, think twice about Houston if like to jog or golf...but maybe heaven for gardeners or having a backyard pool.Even though I know nothing about the tech or medical industries, I may as well add that DFW is American's hub and while Dallas is huge in telecommunications it is also pretty big in everything else and has maybe the best medical school in the state...Southwestern.

You can get a bag of grass seed and a spreader for $30 at Home Depot.

On the home that we are selling, we have about $100,000 worth of receipts from Lowe's, Home Depot, Plumbing Stores, Appliance Stores, permits, and contractors etc.

We can really use an Office Depot/Office Max, since most people work from home in this mostly retirement community.

I also saw a desire for HOA protection from extremes like junky cars up on blocks in the front yard, but much looser restrictions overall so that people could do what they wanted without a lot of interference, such as chicken coops, 4H projects, vegetable gardens, barndominiums, etc.

We have a house near home depot and have considered trying to parcel it.

I cut my granite with a Harbor Freight diamond blade in an old circular saw holding a garden hose on low aimed at the blade/kerf.