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Single female from DC is 6 weeks out from Dallas move...but with concerns, please help!
Hey Everyone,
Let me first thank those of you who continuously provide answers to newbie posters like me on this thread. I have literally stalked every apartment thread on this forum for an entire year to prepare for my move. I am EXTREMELY excited to be moving to Dallas first thing in August, but now that I'm under the gun for finding an apartment, I'm getting a little nervous as there are a few things that I can't find definitive answers to.
In short, I'm worried about crime: car break-ins and robberies/assaults/home invasions. It seems like every apartment I find online has reviews lamenting about one of those three issues. My budget is $900ish/mo ($1000ish with all utilities/electric included) and I would live in most areas in Dallas-proper (uptown, downtown, wherever) as long as I have access to DART (my job provides DART fare and I refuse to drive to work) and the neighborhood is SAFE.
My top choice thus far has been The Village, which has many praises online, but I've also run into several reviews of The Village that mention car thefts, apartment break-ins, and "OMG my female friend got punched in the face and her purse stolen in broad daylight as she was walking to her car!" I also did an interactive crime map search of the area near The Village (from April 2012 to June 2012) and stuff on the other side of Northwest Hwy is downright disturbing (dead body found on train tracks, sexual assault of a child, I just can't...) I thought The Village was going to be perfect but now I'm having second thoughts. Even if The Village is isolated from the horrific incidents on the other side of Northwest Hwy (is it??? Please be honest with me...), I'm still really concerned about not having garage parking because I don't want my car broken into!!!
Because if these concerns, I started researching The Manor House downtown because they have all utilities included and have garage, valet parking. The valet parking features puts the place about $100 outside of my budget (even with utilities included) but perhaps that is worth it not to have my nice, new car broken into repeatedly??? I see mixed reviews online about the quality of the place, the competency of the Valets, etc, so I am on the fence about this place too.
Everywhere else within my price range seems to have the same car/crime issues. The Villas on Katy trail have people complaining about horrible parking situation. Camden Farmers Market has people complaining about getting shot in broad daylight (definitely a no go). Amli at Bryan Place and Marquis at Texas Street look nice, but people say the Baylor area/east Dallas is sketchy on the crime and complaints of car break-ins abound. Same with Vue Live Oak. I'm starting to get really frustrated! $900ish ($1000ish all bills paid) really is my upper limit--apparently my budget does not allow me to avoid these issues. Where the heck am I supposed to live????
About me: I am a 24 year old, single, female college graduate who will be relocating to Dallas this August to start work (hence the desperation). My job is downtown (near Akard station). I lived in Dallas for 2 months last summer when I was interning for this company and I subsequently received a post-grad job offer at the end of that internship. (Yeah!) I just graduated in May from a school in DC, but I returned home to Detroit (where I'm at now) to hang out with family until I start work. Now that my start date is rapidly approaching, I'm getting serious about securing an apartment now.
Last summer, I DID NOT have a car, but I lived in apartments in the West End off Ross and I loved it! I would walk to work in the morning, walk home for lunch, walk to the West End station to get places, or walk to the Uptown Trolley further up Ross. I even took the buses up to Knox-Henderson (adore that area! Would definitely live there if I could afford it...), Oaklawn (to eatZi's), and across the bridge to the Bishop Arts District, since I heard so much about it online. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Dallas. All in all, as a student from DC, I was totally used to walking, public transportation and "unsavory" drifters in the street/on the train, so I never really felt unsafe. That said, I quickly realized that my options for exploring the entire Dallas were limited without a car, so when I came home to Detroit after graduation a few weeks ago, I bought a new(ish) car.
The car is what sort of leads me to my concerns. This is my first "real" car with my first real car note, lol. I love my car and I'm so excited to have it, but my heart sinks every time I look for apartments online and read about car-break-ins and thefts! Car break-ins are NOT common in DC and I didn't have a car anyway when I was there, so this is new and frightening to me! Also, I'm concerned about robberies/assaults/home invasions. I've seen that in quite a few apartment reviews which is a little unsettling. I know this may seem strange to worry about as I imagine DC (and definitely Detroit!) to be much more unsafe than Dallas, but this is also the first time I'll be living by myself (I've always lived with 4+ roommates just to be able to afford the rent!). Plus, I simply was never mugged or had my place broken into in DC, even though my budget forced me to live in less than pristine areas (For those of you familiar with DC: I lived in LeDroit Park near Howard University, Brookland near Catholic University, and lastly Southwest near McNair Army Base, even though the city has done an excellent job cleaning Southwest up.)
So maybe I'm being a big baby and have just temporarily let my nerves/stress get the best of me? Perhaps the reviews online don't reflect the day to day safety of most $900/mo apartments in Dallas? Is the Village that bad? Is garage parking (i.e. The Manor House) the only way? Any advice?
I know people who live in The Village and many who have lived there in the past. None of them have expressed concerns about crime. Cars get broken into all over DFW, not just in The Village. They get broken into in the Park Cities, in Preston Hollow, in Plano, Frisco, Allen, etc. They get broken into in my neighborhood.
The best way to avoid a car breakin is to never leave anything valuable in your car. There are a lot of young naive people in The Village who leave laptops, iPods/iPhones/iPads, etc. in plain view in their cars just begging to be stolen. In my area people leave their laptops, iPods/iPhones/iPads, purses, gym bags, shopping bags, etc. in plain view then complain bitterly about "rising crime" in the area. Even the cops in Richardson will tell you that if you leave valuables in plain sight in your car, you're encouraging crime.
In a nutshell: you've chosen a suitable area and you'll make tons of new friends. Just don't leave anything valuable in your car and the odds are excellent that nobody will break into it. As for your apartment, get good renter's insurance. That's all you can do. Thieves want items that are easily fenced, i.e. electronics, computers, and jewelry. If you have very fine or very valuable jewelry, you might want to consider a safety deposit box. And that's not because it's likely to be stolen. My parents keep documents and jewelry in a safety deposit box, they have for decades. It's no big deal.
I'm stunned you never experienced any of that in DC. I don't think you will find the crime rate here to be significantly different than the crime rate in DC. There are certainly areas of Dallas with higher crime rates than others, but if you use common sense you should be just fine in any of the places that you mention. I would highly recommend the Village for someone of your age and position. Sure, there are cars broken into there but that can and does happen anywhere in Dallas. Like BigDGeek said, the risk of having your car broken into is minimized by making sure you don't have anything visible that is of value. I lived in apartments in Dallas (including Camden Farmers Market) for almost ten years before buying my house and never had my car broken into once. Of course, I either put things in the trunk or took them inside with me--I never left anything inside the car that would attract thirves. I would also recommend avoiding first floor apartments and if you look at someplace like Camden Farmers Market, go for an apartment that faces an interior courtyard. Neither I nor any of my neighbors had any problems at all with crime. Good luck!
Thank you both BigD and Sandstorm for replying! I guess from a purely statistical standpoint, it is surprising that I've never experienced any crime living in DC but I applied the general common sense that you spoke of. It's not that I didn't believe common sense would work in Dallas also, but...I don't know how to describe it, but once you live in an area for a while--DC for me--the familiarity of the people, the neighborhoods, etc gives way to a certain comfort level, even in less safe areas. All in all, 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.
The car break-in thing just really through me for a loop! My BF will also be coming down to Dallas shortly after me (we won't be living together) and he drives an expensive import, so I was concerned about his car too. He can afford way more than me and probably will get a place with garage parking, but I would hate for him to come and visit me only to have his car broken in to at my place. :-/
I genuinely do want to live in the Village--I think it's a perfect fit--so I appreciate a perspective different than some of the negative comments posted online. I may be able to swing one visit to Dallas prior to moving here permanently in order to review apartments, so I look forward to seeing The Village and others up close. Still toying with the idea of The Manor House because its two hops and a skip from work and it has valet parking, but I don't know if it's worth it. Any one have any experiences with The Manor House? Or other nice apartments in my price range?
I loved living in The Village and while it was a long time ago, LPC does a very good job managing the properties. True, across NW Highway (aka Loop 12 thru there) there is a terrible area, but the wide highway does tend to segregate the neighborhoods. However, note that the teardowns/rebuilds of newer, more modern styles in The Village tend to be on the NW Hwy side, and if LPC was having crime problems there I doubt it would have made that investment there. You will be able to meet lots of women there in your situation (new to town, single living alone) and might be able to upgrade to a larger unit if you find that desirable to have a suitable roommate. The Village does provide options in order to keep occupancies high. (It offered me incentives not to move).
The DART stations nearest are Park Ln, Lovers Ln and Mockingbird. When I lived there, 3 DART bus routes came thru, and the good part was it was usually the last on/first off coming from downtown. However, you might want to look at its site and see what routes and where those originate, as the one I rode (then called "Fair Oaks") came thru the bad area you resarched, but it wasn't nearly as bad back then.
There are also alot of complexes south of The Village. You might Google Map those and find names to check out. I believe LPC also acquired some of those, some are also condos and townhomes (just an FYI). You are even closer to Lovers and Mockingbird rail stations.
Based on your concerns and budget I would recommend you find a complex in the middle to southern part of The Village. Those tend to be older and thus cheaper. They also might insulate you more from the problems to the north and east of The Village. That area tends to be insulated and Smith Security does make its presence known there.
I suggest you try it for a year to see if you like the location and culture, make friends and see if you'd then prefer a different part of town or a more upscale complex.
Seriously, every major metro has some bad'uns but I don't think that Dallas can hold a candle to DC if you look at crime on a per capita / sq mile basis.
In all seriousness, if you've managed to keep yourself safe in DC you'll be fine in Dallas. Property crime is property crime - cars and houses do get broken into like anywhere else but I wouldn't say its outrageous in the decent parts of town. Physical violence is much lower per capita than DC. If you remain worried about your personal security I suggest getting a black dog (I favor Rottweilers and Dobermans - wonderful animals). If that still doesn't work for you, consider getting a CHL, and handgun, and a good trainer.
Thanks for your advice MRG, that was really helpful! It's good to hear from a former resident. I noticed that the northern complexes within The Village were the newly renovated ones, but they are also charging rents comparable to Uptown, which defeats one of the major purposes for living in the village in the first place. My top choices within the Village are The Lakes and The Park, in that order. I was really sold on the Lakes but I was unsure of how easily one can get to any of the rail stations from there (I believe it is a 10 minute walk from The Park) so I appreciate you informing me about the bus routes.
I also understand the Park Ln. Station is a park n' ride...would anyone recommend that? Is leaving my car there all day while at work just asking for something to happen to it? Perhaps I should just leave my car at the apartment and take a bus to the train (I did this all the time in DC)?
Seriously, every major metro has some bad'uns but I don't think that Dallas can hold a candle to DC if you look at crime on a per capita / sq mile basis.
I know, I know!! it is kind of crazy, I lived in DC for 6 years and the most that ever happened to me was I got my camera stolen at a college party freshman year when I naively left in someone's room. That's not to say that I haven't seen crazy things (mostly on the metro) but those were easily avoided by getting off the train if a creep is in the same car, crossing the street, asking simeone to walk with me or simply taking a cab at night.
But as I said before, everyone develops a certain comfort level with their respective city regardless of how dangerous it may be. Though intellectually I know that Dallas is a safer city, I was thrown off after hearing about crimes I had never thought twice about before (car break-ins, apartment break-ins). Add in the fact that I don't have much experience with the city and you have a perfect recipe for doubt and anxiousness. Though crime is crime, every city's criminals have their own patterns, thought processes, etc that are slight "unique" or more common to certain cities than others. I don't know anything about Dallas' crime patterns or it's most common crime (car break-ins) so that's why I was freaking out a little bit.
But I really appreciate all the advice and commentary, I can feel my mood shifting back into excitement mode.
Thanks for your advice MRG, that was really helpful! It's good to hear from a former resident. I noticed that the northern complexes within The Village were the newly renovated ones, but they are also charging rents comparable to Uptown, which defeats one of the major purposes for living in the village in the first place. My top choices within the Village are The Lakes and The Park, in that order. I was really sold on the Lakes but I was unsure of how easily one can get to any of the rail stations from there (I believe it is a 10 minute walk from The Park) so I appreciate you informing me about the bus routes.
I also understand the Park Ln. Station is a park n' ride...would anyone recommend that? Is leaving my car there all day while at work just asking for something to happen to it? Perhaps I should just leave my car at the apartment and take a bus to the train (I did this all the time in DC)?
Hi Glad to be of some help. I mentioned the newer Village places for the purpose that they border NW Hwy, which is the rough area on the north. If you drive between US 75 (Central Expwy) and Skillman along NW HWY you will see the contrasts, the bad on the north side, The new Village complexes on the south. So that tells me that LPC was ok with the idea they could totally re-do some areas and still lease them at much higher rates without risking loss due to the neighborhood across NW Hwy. I know that's not within your budget but it might give you some assurance about the safety factor. And the further you move "inland" the more you are away from there and surrounded by other Villagers.
DART has connector services I might be thinking between bus stops and the rail stations. That might be your best bet, as the one at Lovers Ln tends to be very small without much parking space. Park Ln has lots of parking but yeah, it's a little rough there. Also bear in mind, the Texas summer heat is really rough on a car so leaving it outside all day, well, hot hot hot and probably not so good on the exterior also. Which reminds me, you might want to find a complex that has covered parking. Much of The Village has some covered parking but look at Google Satellite views and zoom in and you'll get a feel for how much covered v. open parking there is. Something to inquire about when you talk to Village management.
You will find lots of floor plans and pricing even within each complex, btw. The main leasing office was in the "country club" building next to the tennis courts and softfall diamonds. Right where Carurth Haven dead ends into Southwestern Blvd. Can't miss it on Satellite view. They might then refer you to the complex leasing office respectively, always professional Altho it's been a long time since I lived there, I did accompany a single female friend two years ago as she looked at places in your price range. In fact, I think she wound up in The Park and still lives there.
The Lakes was being built when I moved here in 1985. IT was the newest before the knockdowns of the last ten years or so. But it will be a jaunt by walking to Lovers Ln rail. A friend married couple lived there for many years and moved recently out of state. They enjoyed The Lakes and felt safe there.
Your closest walk to rail will be as far SW as you can get, which of the Village will be on Lovers Ln, just east of the big Tom Thumb grocery store on the north side. That's still a decent walk and the intersection at Greenville is busy. Not sure how available sidewalks are thru there.
The Park, that's the closest one for you. It's also very convenient for shopping, not just the grocery, but right next to Old Town Shopping Center which has lots of businesses, as well as along Greenville Ave. Old Town was and still might be also an LPC property. That area really used to be "the place to live" for single young professionals before Uptown was developed. Still a great location and alot of SMU students probably still choose to live there as well as professionals who work downtown and up and down Central Expressway. You're also very near a great mall, NorthPark.
Last edited by MRG Dallas; 06-15-2012 at 02:26 PM..
But I really appreciate all the advice and commentary, I can feel my mood shifting back into excitement mode.
Your concern is entirely understandable, I just wanted to throw some water on the fire without going into FBI stats (freely available online ).
It's a new town and the rules and SOP are going to be a bit different, so of course your concern is entirely reasonable.
Still recommend you get a dog. I know a few shelters if you decide to.
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, sexual assault of a child
, I just can't...)
I thought The Village was going to be perfect but now I'm having second thoughts. Even if The Village is isolated from the horrific incidents on the other side of Northwest Hwy (is it??? Please be honest with me...), I'm still really concerned about not having garage parking because I don't want my car broken into!!! 
. Where the heck am I supposed to live????
That's not to say that I haven't seen crazy things (mostly on the metro) but those were easily avoided by getting off the train if a creep is in the same car, crossing the street, asking simeone to walk with me or simply taking a cab at night. 
