Dallas vs. Los Angeles (economy, beautiful, expensive, NYC)

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by rotorholic

There are more opportunities in Dallas to make money, make a living, raise a family, OWN a home in a better neighborhood without being rich. Don't believe these negative posters trying to keep you in the dump called so-cal.

Say "Hi" to Rick Perry for us. A quality, fitting representative of the great Republic.

Places due east are cheaper for a reason.

[rotorholic]

Originally Posted by nslander

You might want to look up the definition of "negative", because repeatedly generalizing millions of other peoples' homes over a huge region as one gang-infested dump and gleefully mocking foreclosure and unemployment rates while ignoring the same in your own backyard is a ****-poor way of being positive.

You're original post is below. Assuming all that is accurate, you sold near the top of the market and took with you $200k gained from the CA real estate market. Instead of expressing a shred of humility for benefiting from that fortuitous windfall and saying you are happy with your decision and you have found more economic opportunity since moving, you went out of your way to deride everything in Southern California from the mountains, the beaches, the housing market, the crime, the unemployment, to the people.

If you lived here for 30 years, took a bunch of equity in 2007 and have already paid off your TX home at a "young age", you must have been very young when you purchased in CA, and you must have been doing well financially to have purchased when you did, especially at such a young age. One would think you'd be escatic you entered and exited this market when you did, or be gracious enough to at least acknowledge the oportunity provided by CA at that time. But, nope.

People happy with their decisions don't feel the need to convince other people their lives suck, especially by resorting to such massive generalizations. Seriously, what the hell dis you expect when this was read by people who are doing fairly well and love living here? I've been to TX more than enough times to know I never want to live there, but I feel no need convince Texans otherwise. In fact, I want them to stay put. The only reason I'm wasting time on this is because you are torturing objective criteria to justify your subjective opinion, which only insults the reader.

"I lived in LA for nearly 30yrs and will tell you first hand, its a dump! Horrible place to live and raise a family at, I laugh when I read how people say, there is so much to do jere with the beaches and mountains close by.lol

What about all the Gangs, foreclosures, unemployment rate? All of my family and friends are doing worst since I moved to Dallas four years ago. I was lucky and sold my LA home in 2007, Came to Dallas with 200k and paid of my home at a young age.

For those thinking in moving here, DO IT! There are more opportunity's to make money than SO-CAL."

There is no need to dissect my post, You are not in a court room trying to prove a case, My posting is from my personal experience from living there 30years.

My intentions are not to make anyone feel like their life sucks as you stated, You posted you would not live in Dallas, Big deal! I'm just sharing my personal experience.

I am fortunate and lucky for my decisions I have made for me and my family. FYI, I was 27 years old when I bought in so-cal and 35 years old when I was able to pay off my current home in a great neighborhood.

I thought the thread was about Dallas vs Los Angeles?

[CA Dreamer]

You are 22 years old? Take it from me (i'm 26)--get yer ass out to Los Angeles. Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston COMBINED cannot compare to Los Angeles. I've lived in every major city in Texas and there is no comparison, buddy.

San Antonio is the biggest small town in the country. If you want to "raise a family" while keeping a ridiculous amount of your income, live here (this doesn't apply to you). The night life sucks big time, though--every bar or club is located in a friggin strip mall unless you drive downtown...which is a long drive without the payoff.

Austin is the "coolest" city in Texas. Everyone is laid back and doesn't really care about anything other than having a good time. The least competitve and least pretentious city in the state (outside of SA, actually). But its small size makes it really easy to figure out/concur.

Houston is by far the biggest city. I'd say Houston has the best nightlife of the bunch since you get a little of everything and it is a less "douche" crowd than in Dallas. A lot more culturally diverse as well. Traffic is the worst in Houston though.

Dallas? Pretty white washed. Surrounded by identical, boring, depressing ass suburbs that make you want to rip your eyes out. All the clubs in Dallas are tiny and, after a while, you notice that it is the same crowd all the time. And EVERYONE is pretentious at the clubs. Half the chicks sit around the tables waiting for the after party so they can go do coke. But they are fake pretentious bc (unless they go to SMU) they are the 30k a year millionaires. It's poser city. At least in LA, the people have a reason to be pretentious.

In all honesty, Dallas is a great city...but not when you compare it to Los Angeles. Everything is better in LA. You want to worry about money and keeping more of your income? Move to North Dakota.

[Lakers all day]

Dallas is not a mini L.A, yeah both cities have smog, they're both swarmed with Hispanics and both are business and commercial cities, dallas isn't at L.A's level. L.A looks way better with the palm trees everywhere and mountains, and the building and houses generally look better. weather wise they're kinda close, L.A is is just a mild dallas climate in summer dallas can go a week straight with highs in the 100's and winters with lows in the 30's and L.A summers days ranging from the 90's to the 70's on average and winters ranging from the 70's to the 50's while dallas can be snowing. Both cities do have great sports atmosphere tho. L.A tho is just... Different, I can't explain why but apart from the physical looks from the city it's like dallas but at the same time nothing like dallas at all

[munchitup]

Looking at Dallas on Streetview is really eery. Where are all the people? There is almost literally nobody walking on the streets.

Are there any pedestrian districts in Dallas? Even in the most pedestrian-unfriendly parts of LA, you still see plenty of people on the street.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by munchitup

Are there any pedestrian districts in Dallas? Even in the most pedestrian-unfriendly parts of LA, you still see plenty of people on the street.

I found some!

[chessgeek]

If you were just comparing the downtown areas, Dallas would easily match LA. However, the access to the ocean and mountains does exist in LA and then they still have the thriving west side areas...Westwood, Wilshire, Miracle Mile, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, etc. There are also some nice places in other LA regions like Pasadena to the northeast. The summers are not as miserable except for some cities at the LA region's eastern edge that are basically in the desert. Dallas does have an NFL football team, though. LA does not. Dallas also has a lower COL than LA. Overall, LA may have an edge, but it is not so significant that anyone should realistically brag about it.

[ChiTex]

Originally Posted by AVMan

I lived in Central Texas for 4 years. This statement is not true at all. Dallas is absurdly hot and humid in the Summer, colder in the Winter (it even ices & snows there on occassion) and probably 3 times as much rain falls during the year. Dallas gets tornadoes and hailstorms, which are basically unknown in Los Angeles (or very very rare). LA gets hot on occassion, but rarely is humid, and is much more pleasant from a weather perspective.

I have friends still in Dallas, and they were complaining last summer (or the summer before) about something like 40+ days IN A ROW of 100+ temperatures (and humidity). That doesn't happen in LA.

(Although I do like the warm summer nights in Dallas... LA is definitely cooler at night.)

Ditto the warm summer nights

[ChiTex]

Originally Posted by CA Dreamer

In all honesty, Dallas is a great city...but not when you compare it to Los Angeles. Everything is better in LA. You want to worry about money and keeping more of your income? Move to North Dakota.

Fair comment

[ChiTex]

Originally Posted by chessgeek

Dallas does have an NFL football team, though.

Nope. Jerry Jones decided to put the team in Arlington, which is why the Final Four was said to be in "North Texas". Huge loss for Dallas, 30+ year mistake. People here give Jerry a pass and blame the then mayor, but it was his decision and he could have waited a couple years for the next mayor if he wanted. They say he got a better deal; yeah the rent is lower in the low rent district go figure. People don't want to fly to Dallas only to have a long commute to Arlington for an event and then straight back to Dallas for the after party because there is no reason for a tourist to hang in Arlington. People from out of town have not been happy about their Superbowl, Final Four, etc. experience. Conversely if the stadium has been put in west Dallas where the new bridge leads it could have really had an impact on that area like the American Airlines Center has had, or even Fair Park as many have suggested, but west Dallas would have been better. And a lot more people would be willing to do a weekend trip for an event.