Moving from DC/MD/VA (DMV) Area to Arlington TX (Fort Worth: apartment, rentals)

[DMVtoDFW]

Hi - we are an Afr-Amer family of 4 currently working and living in the DC/MD/VA (DMV) area and are sooo ready to get out of here!!!! We are moving to the DFW area to accept a job offer in Arlington, TX, but mostly to live closer to our family who just relocated to the DFW area about a year ago and they LOVE it! After our trip to visit them (they live in the Frisco area near Hwy 380/Preston Rd) we fell in love with DFW, too, and will be soon following them!!!!

Thing is, our new job is in Arlington, TX, which seems like a LONG way from the Frisco area (where we have family, as already mentioned). We liked the general Frisco/Allen vicinity, but it seems like that commute would be LONG to do every day to/from to the job in Arlington! NOT interested in doing THAT again (been there, still there, done that, still doing that now and for way too long lol). Our family in the Frisco area have been helpful, but they can't speak as well about schools or neighborhoods in/around Arlington since they, too, are relatively new to DFW area. Would like to find good schools (7th grader and 9th grader) and good neighborhoods w/close commute to Arlington (30-35 mins or less is most preferable). Not looking to buy right now. Looking to rent first (can you even rent a 3 or 4BR house/townhouse/condo for $1400/mo or less near Arlington with good, safe schools? Or do you have to go out further?).

Any advice is MOST appreciated! Thx very much!

[robmab]

What part of Arlington is the job in? There's a big difference between commuting to north Arlington vs. south Arlington. If it's in North Arlington, you could look at Grapevine for a house or large apartment in your budget. Schools in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD are generally pretty good, and you can easily get to Frisco on 121.

If it's in South Arlington, I'm not sure what to tell you. That's a hard area to get to within a 30-35 minute commute. There are some good schools in south Arlington and Mansfield, but that will be a very long drive (about an hour or more) from Frisco.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by DMVtoDFW

Hi - we are an Afr-Amer family of 4 currently working and living in the DC/MD/VA (DMV) area and are sooo ready to get out of here!!!! We are moving to the DFW area to accept a job offer in Arlington, TX, but mostly to live closer to our family who just relocated to the DFW area about a year ago and they LOVE it! After our trip to visit them (they live in the Frisco area near Hwy 380/Preston Rd) we fell in love with DFW, too, and will be soon following them!!!!

Thing is, our new job is in Arlington, TX, which seems like a LONG way from the Frisco area (where we have family, as already mentioned). We liked the general Frisco/Allen vicinity, but it seems like that commute would be LONG to do every day to/from to the job in Arlington! NOT interested in doing THAT again (been there, still there, done that, still doing that now and for way too long lol). Our family in the Frisco area have been helpful, but they can't speak as well about schools or neighborhoods in/around Arlington since they, too, are relatively new to DFW area. Would like to find good schools (7th grader and 9th grader) and good neighborhoods w/close commute to Arlington (30-35 mins or less is most preferable). Not looking to buy right now. Looking to rent first (can you even rent a 3 or 4BR house/townhouse/condo for $1400/mo or less near Arlington with good, safe schools? Or do you have to go out further?).

Any advice is MOST appreciated! Thx very much!

You're going to want to focus your house search in Tarrant County (where Fort Worth and Arlington are located)...mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmaybe include Grand Prairie.

Have you asked in the Fort Worth forum? Might want to do that.

[DMVtoDFW]

Hi. Thanks. Job is not far from I-30 and Hwy 360. Just to restate here, not deadset on living in Frisco area. Just don't want to do a Frisco to Arlington commute if that's longer than 30-35 mins each way. How long might that commute be? Generally speaking, what areas to avoid in/near Arlington for housing and schools?

[DMVtoDFW]

Thx BigDGeek. Will post in FW forum.

[Squirl]

Look in Euless or Hurst. Very short drive to 1-30 and 360.
Frisco would be outright ridiculous! If you want to live closer to Frisco, look at Flower Mound, but that will be a bad commute, too, still waaaay better than Frisco.
Avoid N. Arlington for middle schools; Shakleford is not a good school. There are some great middle schools in southwest Arlington....both that feed into Martin HS. All others (except Martin HS feeders), I'd not recommend.
Your budget will be difficult for Grapevine, but worth a try so look there, too! Look for rentals on zillow.com

[DMVtoDFW]

Yeah, that's what we thought: that Frisco would be outright ridiculous. So glad this citydata forum is out here to ask/post questions.

Appreciate the Euless and Hurst suggestions, and will look into those.

[ChristieP]

You will not find a 3/4 br house for rent in Grapevine for $1400. That is at least $250 under the current market for Grapevine. Example: there is currently a 4 br (2100 sq ft) for rent near my house that is asking $2000.

Euless, Hurst and Bedford (also known as HEB) in the parts south of 183 might be possible. That area is older, but still a good area.

I agree with everyone else that commuting from Frisco to Arlington would be insane.

[DMVtoDFW]

Can anyone pls recommend any nice Apt communities (3BR) near I-30/Hwy 360 in Arlington. Willing to consider in a 10-12 mile radius. Thanks.

[DMVtoDFW]

Can anybody please suggest any nice Apt communities (3BR) near I-30/Hwy 360 in Arlington area? Would be willing to consider something in a 10-12 mile radius. Or if anyone could suggest any reputable rental home/property management companies where we could check for houses to rent would be helpful too.

Thank you in advance.