Considering move to Plano- what's the catch? (Dallas, Garland: renting, condos)

[RonnieinDallas]

Originally Posted by UpstateBooster

Remember folks, the OP does have a budget constraint - yeah, technically, Uptown, West Village, etc would be more suited to singles, but the 'burbs are much more amenable to his stated budget. Also, the OP did mention he's not so much into the "nightlife" scene as well.

So you'll spend $100-$200 less a month to live in Austin Ranch or Shops at Legacy and end up driving 30 minutes to stuff all the time. It doesn't sound like a deal to me. The apartments in Dallas are new and well insulated. You won't have to worry about street noise or neighbors coming in late. You can still be a home body in uptown, and instead of families at the Albertsons, you'll have other young professionals. Way more chances to network and mingle with people when your in an area with people like you, or you can isolate yourself and just hope friends find you, and in a few months you can come on here and talk about how boring Dallas is, when you actually moved to Plano. It's boring up there, spend the extra money on rent. Its worth it. Uptown Dallas is filled with lots of small town young people looking for better careers. You won't have a problem finding a "normal" roommate if That's an option. There are lots of people in that situation trying to get on their feet.

On a separate topic, Plano's water tastes disgusting. If you like the taste of mud you'll love drinking it. The water in Dallas tastes much better.

There's also a myth on here about jobs in Plano. 50% of Collin county residents commute to Dallas county for work. This myth is really getting out of hand.http://www.ntc-dfw.org/northtexas/commute.html

[Seekingcreativity]

Originally Posted by Superbear

Hi, I'm considering moving to the Plano area. It seems like a great place... almost too good to be true but I get differing stats on cost of living depending on where I look online. Moderator cut: competitor sites not permitted on City-Data

I've been living up in the Des Moines/Kent area of Washington which is truly an awful place and I'm originally from Salt Lake City. Here's my basic stats and please give me the brutal truth of what I might run into if I do move to Plano.

28, single white male, no kids, $13,000 in savings, have car, non religious but easygoing with all faiths, would not have job upon arrival, would settle for a room rental as opposed to my own apt to start, only high school diploma but solid customer service/data entry background, not many bills and great credit/rental history, I don't want to commute too far but if there were more opportunities in Dallas or nearby areas then I'd reluctantly accept a commute.

I'm ready to move into my 30's and not looking for too much hip partying action and nightlife anymore, I don't mind snobby people so much (I'll take snobs over the very real threat of robbery or violence every time i'm outdoors here in Des Moines/Kent any day) but I would like to deal with mostly friendly people, I don't mind the heat and I abhor the cold so I can tough out the 100+ temperatures.
Any info on job market/cost of living and anything else is much appreciated. Thanks!

Seems to be a lot of jobs out in the Plano area, that I just get to since my limited transportation. Plano is thriving very much, I remember when there weren't so many homes, or things to do, or stores, or even public transportation, but now it's liveable. I think you can find some apartments for a great price out there, that's good that you have your own mode of transportation. Plano is close to Irving, and Dallas, and so your job hunting has more variety. Plano is also close to Carrollton which is a pretty nice city as well.

[ggolf]

Originally Posted by RonnieinDallas

So you'll spend $100-$200 less a month to live in Austin Ranch or Shops at Legacy and end up driving 30 minutes to stuff all the time. Doesn't sound like a deal to me. The apartments in Dallas are new and well insulted. You won't have to worry about street noise or neighbors coming in late. You can still be a home body in uptown, and instead of families at the Albertsons, you'll have other young professionals. Way more chances to network and mingle with people when your in an area with people like you, or you can isolate yourself and just hope friends find you, and in a few monthhs you can come on here and talk about how boring Dallas is when you actually moved to Plano. It's boring up there, spend the extra money on rent or find a roomate. Its worth it.

On a separate topic, Plano's water tastes disgusting. If you like the taste of mud you'll love drinking it. The water in Dallas tastes much better.

I wouldn't live in a well "insulted" apartment in Dallas, Ronnie. I get enough insults on my own! And I lived in 3 different areas of Plano and the water was just fine. What part of Plano did you experience this mud? Facts please?

I recall that in Augusts we had a touch of algae in Lake Lavon so the water had a bit of a flavor but it was still drinkable and useful for cooking. Safe per government standards. Well, unless it was laced with Solyent Green!

[CptnRn]

http://www.city-data.com/city/Texas.html

Median gross rent in 2009: $977
Mar. 2012 cost of living index in Plano: 94.4 (less than average, U.S. average is 100)
Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2009: 8.1%

[RonnieinDallas]

Originally Posted by ggolf

I wouldn't live in a well "insulted" apartment in Dallas, Ronnie. I get enough insults on my own! And I lived in 3 different areas of Plano and the water was just fine. What part of Plano did you experience this mud? Facts please?

I recall that in Augusts we had a touch of algae in Lake Lavon so the water had a bit of a flavor but it was still drinkable and useful for cooking. Safe per government standards. Well, unless it was laced with Solyent Green!

Shops at willow bend food court 2 weeks ago. Still tastes awful. Thanks for finding my typo spell-check

I'm not the only one who notices it. Just google: "Plano water taste"

I have a friend who use to wait tables up there she said people complained all the time.

[ggolf]

Shops at Willow Bend? Yikes. Did you bring this up with anyone there? I used to live and work very near there and never had issues with the water. Low pressure problem?

Sorry about the typo post. 40 plus years of ad copy editing will do that to you. Not a day goes by that I don't trash the Dallas Morning News for some grammar or poor writing error. Except the writers get paid for it, I don't get paid for editing it, and I still have to pay for a subscription. Who's stupid now?

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by RonnieinDallas

Shops at willow bend food court 2 weeks ago. Still tastes awful. Thanks for finding my typo spell-check

I'm not the only one who notices it. Just google: "Plano water taste"

I have a friend who use to wait tables up there she said people complained all the time.

I agree with you. I refuse to drink the water at my Plano office which means I spend a small fortune on bottled water

This is a few years out of date (2009), but still scary enough to make me not touch the water fountains or ice machine.

"Among the large utilities, those finding the highest average levels of cancer-causing water disinfection byproducts were Plano, TX (City of Plano Utility Operations Department), Pittsburgh, PA (Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority and Pennsylvania American Water Company), and Monroe County, NY (Monroe County Water Authority- Shoremont Water Treatment Plant). While these levels comply with the federal government’s legal limit, they are far above non-enforceable health guidelines."
Report of contaminants and chemicals found in drinking water in the US | Environmental Working Group


I can't find any articles via Google to back this up, but my SIL teaches in Plano ISD and says Plano has a higher than avg rate of Autism and other birth defects / learning disorders that are attributed to the chemicals found in drinking water. It's not off the charts high, but it's high enough that a lot of people refuse to drink it because even a slightly elevated risk of birth defects is too much to risk.

[ggolf]

Doesn't Plano have those signs when you enter the city on main thoroughfares about how they have the highest quality water? Or is that just a joke like "the next 2 miles of highway trash is picked up by XYZ company"? Same difference?

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

I agree with you. I refuse to drink the water at my Plano office which means I spend a small fortune on bottled water

Get a Bobble. Way cheaper. I filter my tap water with a Brita pitcher...works really well. We get our water from the same source as Plano does, and when there are algal blooms it tastes a little off but it's safe to drink.

[TheOverdog]

SIL teaches in Plano ISD and says Plano has a higher than avg rate of Autism and other birth defects / learning disorders that are attributed to the chemicals found in drinking water.

I hope your sister in law doesn't teach anything more than PE, because doctors currently have no idea what causes autism or most other birth defects beyond the major causes (ie drinking, drug use, and 3rd world-type water pollution), and so a teacher making such a statement would be the equivelent of me countering by saying Uptown is filled with rapists and murderers. Plano's water may not taste great, but it's perfectly safe to drink.