Reasons to move to Dallas area or Texas in general? (Plano: apartment complex, homes)

[galore]

Originally Posted by SickOfTheSunbelt

Don't take that crisp cool Wisconsin air for granted.

Well, it is 39F in DFW right now. Plenty of "crisp cool air". Oh, this weekend is going to be low 39F, high 67F. Crispy and sunny galore!

Compare with ultra crisp 13F and snowfall in Milwaukee right now and a whopping high of 34F for Sunday. LOL!

Feelings about temperature are so subjective. I can't wait for 75F at 6am in the morning in Dallas. Makes my bicycle commute so much more pleasant than 39F like today. And no, I don't mind sweating in 105F in the afternoon. That is what margaritas and mojitos were invented for.

[hoffmtl2]

I am so confused now! I put my resume out there to see what kind of jobs I can get and it seems like Dallas area has great opportunities! I have 2 small boys, 11 months and 27 months old so I don't have much time to go travel, I have talked my parents into watching my boys so my and my husband can either check out Dallas or NC. So I need to make a decision of where to check out with him. I have the ability to travel on my own to check places out. I read on here that the air quality is not good. Well, I am from Chicago and work there right now but live in Wisconsin and I can't imagine the air being worse than CHicago. Is it? I am into english horse back riding and my horse that I just retired lives in Texas now so I would love to meet up with him again. =) I just don't know what to do!! The cost of living is so much less than WI/IL but what are taxes on a home?

[CallMeLaura]

I can't tell a difference between Chicago pollution and Dallas pollution, but there's a huge difference in Wisconsin. I have cold induced asthma, though, so it was harder on me than hot and muggy.

Property taxes are a higher percentage, but houses are less. Well, in Milwaukee and Chicago; not sure about the smaller towns in between. The difference in state income tax on just my income is about what we pay in property taxes, and my SO makes twice what I do, so that's all available for whatever we want. Those are just the numbers for our situation, so you'll need figure out your numbers to see how it plays out.

[relocatingtodallas]

I am moving to Dallas in 2 months...I am single with no children and I'll be working from home... I am considering buying instead of renting...and I am looking at the Richardson, Canyon Creek, and possibly Garland areas. I understand that Richardson has older homes...that is fine with me, I like the charm of an older home. However, since I do not know the area...would I be bored out of my mind in Richardson and Garland? I want to buy a home in a good school district so I don't want to live downtown, I just want an affordable home in a nice neighborhood with a good school district close to some shopping and restaurants...and not too far from downtown. Does Richardson and Garland meet those needs? Is Richardson better than Garland as far as schools and upkeep of the neighborhoods? Any areas I should stay away from? HELP! I have to make some quick decision, I fly out to dallas next week to look at houses! Thanks!

[SickOfTheSunbelt]

Originally Posted by hoffmtl2

I read on here that the air quality is not good. Well, I am from Chicago and work there right now but live in Wisconsin and I can't imagine the air being worse than CHicago. Is it?

I am from Chicago. Grew up in Rogers Park. The brown cloud that hangs over Dallas for weeks on end in the summertime is like nothing you will ever experience in Chicago.

Look, people on this board love to pretend that I'm making this stuff up because it contradicts their opinions, but facts are facts. I am the voice of reason among this cult of Dallas homers.

I would strongly suggest visiting here for a week in the middle of August before packing up and moving everybody down.

You're welcome.

[lpepping]

Originally Posted by SickOfTheSunbelt

I am from Chicago. Grew up in Rogers Park. The brown cloud that hangs over Dallas for weeks on end in the summertime is like nothing you will ever experience in Chicago.

Look, people on this board love to pretend that I'm making this stuff up because it contradicts their opinions, but facts are facts. I am the voice of reason among this cult of Dallas homers.

I would strongly suggest visiting here for a week in the middle of August before packing up and moving everybody down.

You're welcome.

Yes anyone who moves here should come during the summer to see how it is. I don't think anyone is against that.

[BstYet2Be]

Originally Posted by lpepping

Yes anyone who moves here should come during the summer to see how it is. I don't think anyone is against that.

We did just that... moved here in the summer of 1980... by far the hottest summer on record... 69 days over 100 w/no rain... still here almost 30 yrs later!

And, the only "brown clouds" we've seen in that time is when we've had sandstorms blow in.

[rb4browns]

Originally Posted by SickOfTheSunbelt

I am from Chicago. Grew up in Rogers Park. The brown cloud that hangs over Dallas for weeks on end in the summertime is like nothing you will ever experience in Chicago.

Look, people on this board love to pretend that I'm making this stuff up because it contradicts their opinions, but facts are facts. I am the voice of reason among this cult of Dallas homers.

I would strongly suggest visiting here for a week in the middle of August before packing up and moving everybody down.

You're welcome.

<shrug> if by making statements to the effect of the heat here will take years off of your life, than yes, je accuse! You are indeed making stuff up. If your point is that it is really hot here in the summer and some people won't like it, well, I challenge you to find one person on this board who would disagree.

And duh, if we take the time to write all this nice stuff about Dallas here, of course we're Dallas homers. What's your excuse for not having anything better to do?

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by relocatingtodallas

I am moving to Dallas in 2 months...I am single with no children and I'll be working from home... I am considering buying instead of renting...and I am looking at the Richardson, Canyon Creek, and possibly Garland areas. I understand that Richardson has older homes...that is fine with me, I like the charm of an older home. However, since I do not know the area...would I be bored out of my mind in Richardson and Garland? I want to buy a home in a good school district so I don't want to live downtown, I just want an affordable home in a nice neighborhood with a good school district close to some shopping and restaurants...and not too far from downtown. Does Richardson and Garland meet those needs? Is Richardson better than Garland as far as schools and upkeep of the neighborhoods? Any areas I should stay away from? HELP! I have to make some quick decision, I fly out to dallas next week to look at houses! Thanks!

In Richardson and Garland your going to find some pockets of areas that are not as well kept up just as you will in EVERY city around here. Both are some of the older burbs of Dallas but have a lot of new growth and are trying to revamp older areas to bring them up to par and revitalize. The Canyon Creek area of Richardson will keep you close to shopping and restaurants probably moreso than a lot of other areas. The neighborhood of SpringPark is in the city limits of Garland but Richardson ISD. Has older homes w/ a mix of large customs down to zero lot line "patio homes". GREAT area for checking out Christmas lights. Both of these have super easy access to Hwy 190 and then to 75/Central Expwy. I'd look alll along Hwy 190 (aka George Bush Turnpike) from the minute you enter Richardson all the way to just east of Hwy 78 in Garland around Firewheel Town Center. If you want to try to rent an apartment first for 6 months in the area then you will see a few very nice ones in these areas on 190 (avoid the apartments off of 190 at Coit though - the homes just south of there before Campbell are great but the apartments are not). There are some nice new apartments in Garland located on the backside of the mall, Parkside at Firewheel. From what I have heard the rent is VERY reasonable. I've had to be at the mall early on Saturday morning and seen a lot of people walking that I will assume live there as none of the shops were open yet. You would have a wide range of dining options to walk to along w/ the movie theater and shopping. Oh, it is an outdoor mall. DART also goes by there.

Richardson Heights is another good, older area of Richardson that has a great vibe of older homes and architecture. Have a friend that still has the original PINK double ovens in their house. Totally cool.

As for being single and living in these areas........ I really don't see it as a problem. We have a few singles in our neighborhood. I've noticed w/ all of the development around 190 in Garland w/ the mall, LifeTime Fitness and all that there seems to be a lot of singles for a suburb. Places like TGIFridays on any night during the week is packed at the bar till they close.

Schoos - both have some really good schools. My kids are in the GISD and I've been very happy. I have one that has been in the Gifted & Talented magnet program since kindergarten. That is something that is hard to find in any district.

[Lakewooder]

Originally Posted by relocatingtodallas

I am moving to Dallas in 2 months...I am single with no children and I'll be working from home... I am considering buying instead of renting...and I am looking at the Richardson, Canyon Creek, and possibly Garland areas. I understand that Richardson has older homes...that is fine with me, I like the charm of an older home. However, since I do not know the area...would I be bored out of my mind in Richardson and Garland? I want to buy a home in a good school district so I don't want to live downtown, I just want an affordable home in a nice neighborhood with a good school district close to some shopping and restaurants...and not too far from downtown. Does Richardson and Garland meet those needs? Is Richardson better than Garland as far as schools and upkeep of the neighborhoods? Any areas I should stay away from? HELP! I have to make some quick decision, I fly out to dallas next week to look at houses! Thanks!

What is your age and budget? If you are looking for older homes than the 1950s and 1960s then you probably don't want the areas you mentioned. There are good schools in the Lakewood/MStreets (75214 and 75206) area near downtown and near all the restaurants, shops, etc. We have many people working from home and there's a local women's business networking group where many do so:Lakewood-Now.net - Dallas Texas - online community newspaper and Lakewood-Now.net - Dallas Texas - online community newspaper If you are younger I would suggest Knox-Henderson, Uptown and even Downtown, but the schools are not as good in those districts (which are all close together).