Single female from DC is 6 weeks out from Dallas move...but with concerns, please help!

[ut15]

Lived in the Village when I moved up here from Austin after graduation. Never had any problems with crime and felt all the time. Good place to meet people and centrally located to everything.

[busterkeaton]

The Village is as good a place to start out in the area as any other. It is safe, there is a field nearby where you can play ball/run around the track/do cartwheels/lay in the grass and contemplate the meaning of life. There is a wonderful Half-Price book store across the highway(easy walk/bike over there). There are endless areas to hop on a DART bus and the DART train station is a close walk/bike ride away. Grocery stores/fast food/sit down eateries abound in close proximity. You can't go wrong. Welcome to Dallas!

[Willsson]

I had grown comfortable with DC even though I know full good and well that it can be a dangerous city at times. Even though I fully expect Dallas to be much more safe on the whole, I haven't developed that "comfort level" with this city yet seeing as I'm not from the city and I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing any subtleties or nuances that only a local would be mindful of.

And to think, once you start working you'll have less than half as much time to think about being broken in to.

Living in Dallas will be much like living in any large city, anywhere on the planet. Act like an adult, assume personal responsibility, always maintain your own control, always act and walk like you know where you are and where you are going. Don't call attention to yourself.

And by the way, I lived in near downtown Dallas, walking my dog most anytime of day or night on sidewalks AND in alleys, with absolutely no problem on any occasion whatever.

You'll be okay. Make your decisions and look forward to the adventure.

[gthog61]

Go with the Village. You can always move if you find something you like better when you get here. All the parking lots there are big so just always park around a lot of other cars and make yours less conspicuous for someone to mess with. They'll pick someone else's if anything. They aren't coming to get YOUR car, they are coming for the easiest opportunity. It's not hard to not be the most attractive car in the lot. Think wildebeests avoiding cheetahs - don't be the slowest one and you are alright.

[TX75007]

Dallas is pretty safe. Just avoid the three S's and get a dog.

[savanite]

Reading horror stories about car breakins can be misleading, because you don't have any balance. Nobody gets on line and reports that their car DIDN't get broken into... all you see is the bad news.

Just as other people have suggested, if you don't leave anything in your car, a thief will have no reason to break in.

[TrueDat]

Those online apartment reviews, while not necessarily untrue, always tend to skew towards the negative. So, be mindful of what people are saying (especially if several people bring up the same concerns) but don't let them rule your life.

Second, be sure to opt for covered parking even if it costs you more. The weird hailstorm last week was a nice reminder of that. (And, someone I know who recently moved into the Village whose car was parked in the open did have their windows smashed by hail. Other than that, they love it there.)

[GreyDay]

Get a roomate or sublet to get a feel for the area. You will be up against that $1000 in many places Uptown/Downtown by yourself.

I lived in DC, crime is much less in Dallas (at least the parts of Dallas you'd frequent)- but no car break-ins by W and 6th N.W.- only if you didn't have a car.

I'd try to find a nicer sublet or place in Knox-Henderson or a share first. Good luck Bison.