What was not taken into consideration before you moved to Dallas? (Earth: relocation company, good credit)

[nativeDallasite]

Originally Posted by amymaha

Actually "relocation" is one of the top 5 stresses in life.

Don't I know it; I used to live overseas and just moved back this year.

[bookworm2768]

Originally Posted by ladysrodgers

I drove with my Oregon plates for about 3 months and had no problems with Police at all. I had purchased a new car in Oregon and moved 3 days later, so I had to wait for my paperwork to get here before I could register my car in this state.

I would venture to say if anyone is complaining about being harassed, it's their driving that is the problem, and not their license plates. On two different ocassions, Police officers actually said to me, "you're not from around here are you?" They were jokingly referencing me using turn signals in a parking lot.....lol

We haven't switched out plates yet too and, yes, the whole registration, license, vehicle test scenario does not help. Its been three months now and since we will be purchasing a home soon and moving again I'm seriously thinking of not switching the registration and licence until then. We haven't been pulled over even once. Any idea what the consequences are for not switching over on time??

Is anyone else in shock at just how much the fees for these things are? Actually its not just the DMV; the phone company, the utilities, etc all had ridiculous sign up fees. And one of the utility companies actually tacked on a fee for using a credit card to pay for the sign up! Moving was much more expensive than we planned- not because of the the cost of actually dragging all our stuff down here - because of all the unheard of sign up costs they throw at you whenever you sign up for a new service. We've moved plenty of times before and never had this.

An what is with the cost of water? I know there's a water shortage etc but on my bill it doesn't look like the actual water is the price gouger - there are tons of add on charges, taxes, fees, etc that make it a nice fat bill. And we don't have a pool and tend to be pretty conservative with water use.

Our electric bill does not have us keeling over dead yet but our phone bill/Internet/cell phone company made a fair attempt at it - we were charged all kinds of fees and a two month bill coming to well over $500 for the first bill!

And this may get some people in a tiz. . . the library system is pathetic!! Not something I expected from a huge city like this. They don't carry any software for kids which was extremely disappointing for my older child. the book collection is really not impressive. However, you can order items from other libraries all over texas for a fee. The kids programming is non existent at the libraries in our area.

To the second half of the OP's post . . . yes we would do it again
I like Dallas. I like the diversity. I like the plethora of restaurants. I love having 2 indian radio stations tons of Ethnic food grocery stores. I love the weather (at the moment). I'm sure we will get used to all the negatives and adapt to all the changes. There is nothing major to get our hackles up about the move. I just wish our pockets were deeper and our darn house in Indiana would sell.

[Canine*Castle]

How totally miserable I would be in the long, hot, buggy, and humid summers.

[ladysrodgers]

Originally Posted by bookworm2768

We haven't switched out plates yet too and, yes, the whole registration, license, vehicle test scenario does not help. Its been three months now and since we will be purchasing a home soon and moving again I'm seriously thinking of not switching the registration and licence until then. We haven't been pulled over even once. Any idea what the consequences are for not switching over on time??

I don't know what the consequences are, but I doubt you'll have any problem unless you do get pulled over.

It was $190 (I think), cash - no checks or plastic, to register my car here, plus the inspection. I only had to pay 1/2 for the inspection since my car is new, but the guy wrote down my mileage wrong and added 500 miles to it - if that makes any difference. The person who typed out my paperwork at the Tax Assessor's Office spelled my last name wrong, then said she couldn't correct it because she had already input it into the system.

Driver's license is a breeze; no test, just fill out paperwork, and show the proper ID and documentation for your vehicle. How are transplants supposed to learn the driving laws in this state without a test?

Is anyone else in shock at just how much the fees for these things are? Actually its not just the DMV; the phone company, the utilities, etc all had ridiculous sign up fees. And one of the utility companies actually tacked on a fee for using a credit card to pay for the sign up! Moving was much more expensive than we planned- not because of the the cost of actually dragging all our stuff down here - because of all the unheard of sign up costs they throw at you whenever you sign up for a new service. We've moved plenty of times before and never had this.

Yes the fees were mind blowing! I've made 4 interstate moves, and never run into this before either. The taxes and various fees added to monthly bills are unreal! My phone for example is "basic" service, no long distance. The monthly rate is $15 and change. My monthly bill is $29 and change!

An what is with the cost of water? I know there's a water shortage etc but on my bill it doesn't look like the actual water is the price gouger - there are tons of add on charges, taxes, fees, etc that make it a nice fat bill. And we don't have a pool and tend to be pretty conservative with water use.

I have never had to pay for water as a renter in the past. Here, I pay slightly over $25 per month, to the apartment complex I rent from. They have two seperate charges, one for the amount of occupants (just me), then again for how many bedrooms it has. THAT doesn't seem fair to me at all, because regardless of having 2 bedrooms and 2 baths, there is still only "one" of me.

Our electric bill does not have us keeling over dead yet but our phone bill/Internet/cell phone company made a fair attempt at it - we were charged all kinds of fees and a two month bill coming to well over $500 for the first bill!

WOW, that's a lot of money! My highest electric bill (my place is total electric) during the summer was $168 with the AC on 24/7 for the most part. I just got my bill for the last month, it was $181! Whew!

And this may get some people in a tiz. . . the library system is pathetic!! Not something I expected from a huge city like this. They don't carry any software for kids which was extremely disappointing for my older child. the book collection is really not impressive. However, you can order items from other libraries all over texas for a fee. The kids programming is non existent at the libraries in our area.

To the second half of the OP's post . . . yes we would do it again
I like Dallas. I like the diversity. I like the plethora of restaurants. I love having 2 indian radio stations tons of Ethnic food grocery stores. I love the weather (at the moment). I'm sure we will get used to all the negatives and adapt to all the changes. There is nothing major to get our hackles up about the move. I just wish our pockets were deeper and our darn house in Indiana would sell.

I can relate to waiting for a house to sell. The first 6 months I lived in Oregon, we were making 2 mortgage payments. Luckily, our home in CA finally sold - not a minute too soon! LOL

[helpRhome]

Two things I drive a lot more here! a lot! the mileage went way up on my car. It is normal to drive an hour out for dinner here one way! On the other hand if you do get stranded along the way don't be surprised if up to 5 different cars stop to help and really do help you. When I first moved here and had to ask for directions I stopped at the grocery store and the guy walked me outside and then started giving me directions I was floored! And they were the right directions! It is part of the Bible belt so most people are kinder than I expected. Another thing we love about the Dallas area-you canfind and get anything and I mean anything you need. If it's hardware related you go to Elliots and the nice older guys take you right to the place where they keep the exact strange little thing you brought to them! It is amazing and fun to know that you can get everything and anything your imagination can dream up!

[TXTwizter]

Originally Posted by helpRhome

Two things I drive a lot more here! a lot! the mileage went way up on my car. It is normal to drive an hour out for dinner here one way!

If you live in Plano, then any restaurant there should be way less than an hour to get to one way. Or are you driving into Dallas for dinner? If thats the case than yes I can see an hour each way. There are endless types of restaurants in Plano, (not as good as Dallas), so you should be able to find something worthwhile.

[socketz]

Originally Posted by JVTX72

If you live in Plano, then any restaurant there should be way less than an hour to get to one way. Or are you driving into Dallas for dinner? If thats the case than yes I can see an hour each way. There are endless types of restaurants in Plano, (not as good as Dallas), so you should be able to find something worthwhile.

If not Plano, then Addison is just 10mins away as well.

No shortage of places to eat/shop in Plano. In fact, eating out is a bit too easy there, which is hard on the waist line.

[blueskies49]

Originally Posted by bookworm2768

Actually its not just the DMV;

An what is with the cost of water? I know there's a water shortage etc but on my bill it doesn't look like the actual water is the price gouger - there are tons of add on charges, taxes, fees, etc that make it a nice fat bill. And we don't have a pool and tend to be pretty conservative with water use.

Originally Posted by socketz

If not Plano, then Addison is just 10mins away as well.

No shortage of places to eat/shop in Plano. In fact, eating out is a bit too easy there, which is hard on the waist line.

It's not the "DMV". It's the DPS. You go to the subcourthouse for your registration and the Driver's License Office for your driver's license. Neither place in Texas says "DMV".

You said it - water shortage. We used to not have to pay for water in most apartments until the last few years.

I read somewhere that the DFW Metroplex has more restaurants per capita than anywhere in the US.

[TXTwizter]

Originally Posted by blueskies49

I read somewhere that the DFW Metroplex has more restaurants per capita than anywhere in the US.

We do!!!!!!

[pot_roast]

Originally Posted by nativeDallasite

*shrug* All I know is I hear Californian transplants complaining incessantly about how much they get "harassed" by the police here. Me, I've never driven in Texas without Texas plates (and I don't get pulled over either).

I haven't been pulled over in 15 years. I drove my vehicle to Dallas and was pulled over THREE TIMES in 4 days. No citations issued for anything, just pointing out things like my car having a license plate marker light being out. No fancy car either, just an old Ford Explorer. As soon as I got TX plates on (hey, my family is from Nebraska, I was just stuck in California for a while.. cut me some slack!) then the cops left me alone. :-)