I’m moving to America’s fastest-growing city. I get why it’s so popular, but I hope it keeps the small-town Texas charm.

In July, we are moving into a 2,400-square-foot home in Celina that sits on an acre of land that we purchased for around $600,000.

Celina is about an hour’s drive from Dallas and is very rural; everywhere you look, there are longhorn cattle.

We were drawn to Celina because we have friends from California who moved here and college friends who are natives. It felt like the ideal place to settle down and establish roots.

More importantly, it was about doing something completely different. We’ve experienced city life and wanted to embrace country living and own some land.

If we stayed in California, we knew that buying a home would likely require moving far east to be near the ocean, or settling for a lifetime of renting or living in a small townhouse without a backyard. We’re outdoor people, so it would feel like we were getting robbed.

I’m not usually an emotional person, but in the last month, I swear, I cried all the time — I just never thought it was going to happen.

I’ve been renting or moving almost every single year since I was 18. To finally have something that’s mine is the most amazing feeling.

Knowing that in Celina I’ll have space for my daughters to run around is the biggest blessing. I keep imagining them playing at the end of a cul-de-sac just like I did when I was growing up.

I’m just so grateful. It feels like it was all meant to be.

Our money goes further in Texas

We absolutely could not afford a home similar to ours in a Dallas neighborhood or even back in California.

I have really good friends who live in the Preston Hollow neighborhood of Dallas, and those home prices are right up there with San Diego.

Buying a home wasn’t possible in the Bay Area, especially with what we wanted within our budget of $700,000.

I had a good job, but spending so much on rent made it difficult to save for a down payment. We also had many friends and were busy with weddings, travel, and bachelorette parties.

I feel like a lot of the city’s natives will roll their eyes at me calling Celina affordable. It’s a double-edged sword with Californians coming in and raising prices.

But for me, it made our dream come true to be able to buy a home.

Celina is growing fast, but it still feels cozy

Celina is actually a big town radius-wise, but it has a small, cozy vibe.

Everyone says hi to everyone, and I feel like we all know one another. It’s hard to describe, but it feels almost like you’re going back in time.

I’m honored to consider myself a Celina resident and am grateful to be welcomed.

The city and people of Celina have done a good job of preserving their culture, with many small businesses and almost no fast-food chains.

But I do know it’s one of the fastest-growing towns in America.

My husband and I are really good friends with a land broker in Celina, so we are aware of how up-and-coming it is.

There are many residential homes and apartment complexes being built, along with a bunch of commercial businesses.

Though it might be hypocritical for me to say — especially as someone who is contributing to its growth by moving here —it’s kind of bittersweet.

While I find its growth really cool and exciting, I also feel kind of protective over it.

I hope Celina doesn’t lose that quaint feel that drew me here in the first place.