Y'all might look into the new apple released last year, Carnavale. It was *all* the rage here in greater Houston. The Urban Harvest fruit tree sale was insanity and we were worried we wouldn't be able to get any as we were near the back of the line, but we got two bare root trees. Even the local nurseries had their own fruit tree sales and they had them in stock, though by far everyone was looking for them. So far our two trees are doing ok, one better than the other. The other has been nibbled on by the deer a few times (need to make our cage around it bigger!). Will be a few years before we get fruit so I can't report on that yet.
A&M has a PDF for the tree and there are a few articles around about it. Treesearch Farms is who put it out. Hope that isn't one of your bad nurseries! ;)
*now to finish listening*
