Need Insight on the Suburbs of Dallas, TX (Arlington, Plano: 2013, apartments)

[snunn222]

Hello everyone,

My family and I are considering relocating from Valdosta, GA to DFW area. My husband retires from the military in a few months, and I've accepted an offer from the VA hospital in Dallas. What is/was your experience living in the suburban areas? We were considering the following: Red Oak, Ovilla, De Soto, Cedar Hill, and Midalothian. Please provide me with any suggestions. I also want to know how the schools are; I have two girls- one in middle school and the other is starting kindergarten. What is the commute like during rush hour? We're also gong to rent before deciding to purchase a home. Which apartments would you recommend, and on what side of town? Thank you.

[WorldKlas]

Originally Posted by snunn222

Hello everyone,

My family and I are considering relocating from Valdosta, GA to DFW area. My husband retires from the military in a few months, and I've accepted an offer from the VA hospital in Dallas. What is/was your experience living in the suburban areas? We were considering the following: Red Oak, Ovilla, De Soto, Cedar Hill, and Midalothian. Please provide me with any suggestions. I also want to know how the schools are; I have two girls- one in middle school and the other is starting kindergarten. What is the commute like during rush hour? We're also gong to rent before deciding to purchase a home. Which apartments would you recommend, and on what side of town? Thank you.

Midlothian has fine schools and is where I would go. I have family there and they love it and love the schools.

[AgJack]

I second a vote for Midlothian. Cedar Hill has more dining and shopping and some really beautiful areas, but the schools in Midlothian are much better. Ovilla (from what I remember, most of Ovilla is zoned Midlothian schools) and Red Oak are also a good choices.

[Acntx]

Hello snunn222. My replies to your questions are listed below.

Originally Posted by snunn222

Hello everyone,

My family and I are considering relocating from Valdosta, GA to DFW area. My husband retires from the military in a few months, and I've accepted an offer from the VA hospital in Dallas. What is/was your experience living in the suburban areas?

We tend to get quite a few inquiries from people working at the VA and looking for places to live. The neighborhoods in and around the VA aren't the best, but there are decent options a little further out in southwestern Dallas (Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Lancaster, Glenn Heights) and northern Ellis (Midlothian, Red Oak, Ovilla, Waxahachie) counties.

I'm a longtime resident of the area. My family moved to the southern suburbs in 1988, I grew up in DeSoto, and now live in Lancaster. I'm a product of DeSoto schools and received a quality education there.

The suburbs south of Dallas have grown significantly in recent years, attracting new residents and development. While they aren't as popular as the suburbs north of Dallas, you can enjoy a good quality of life here.

Originally Posted by snunn222

We were considering the following: Red Oak, Ovilla, De Soto, Cedar Hill, and Midalothian. Please provide me with any suggestions.

All of these communities have nice, safe, family-friendly neighborhoods to choose from. Ovilla is a small, upscale residential community. Midlothian is growing rapidly and making the transition from small town to suburb. This is also occuring in Red Oak as well, although to a lesser extent. Cedar Hill and DeSoto are much larger, more diverse, and share many of the characteristics found in other middle class suburbs of DFW.

Originally Posted by snunn222

I also want to know how the schools are; I have two girls- one in middle school and the other is starting kindergarten.

Regarding education, there decent public schools in the southern suburbs where children can receive a quality education. They don't not receive much attention in this forum and there is a tendency to completely "write off" entire districts with little regard for individual school performance (particularly at the elementary and middle school levels), specialty programs offered (gifted/talented, special education, AP, IB, etc.), and other indicators that may be important to one family and not so much to another. Once you narrow down your search, I highly recommend contacting the school district to see what academic programs and resources will best serve your children's needs. These districts, like others, are regularly adding new courses and programs each year. Several public charter schools also serve the area, so there are quite a few public options available without going private.

Originally Posted by snunn222

What is the commute like during rush hour?

Of the five cities you mentioned, DeSoto and Red Oak would be around a 15-20 minute commute to and from the VA. In both of these communities, you would also have the added option of using local roads and avoiding interstate highways altogether. Add on a couple of minutes for Cedar Hill and Ovilla. Midlothian would be the most lengthy commute, around 30 minutes or so.

Originally Posted by snunn222

We're also gong to rent before deciding to purchase a home. Which apartments would you recommend, and on what side of town?

If you are only looking at apartments, Cedar Hill and DeSoto have the most options. Ovilla doesn't have any apartments. I don't know much about the complexes in the Red Oak/Midlothian area.

Here are several other VA-related threads with detailed information that you might find helpful as well:

Moving to Dallas to work in the VA hospital, from Maryland...need advice. Thanks.
Dallas VA
Moving to Dallas in 2013
Best Place to live if working at VA Hospital
Safe affordable Suburbs around Irving, Arlington, Plano
Commuting to veterans hospital
Any good communities near Dallas VA hospital
Duncanville Dallas Texas

Hope this helps

[snunn222]

Thank you everybody for sharing your experiences with me and sound advice. A friend of mine told me that Plano would be too far of a commute and quite expensive. During my research of the area it seems like some of the people were pushing for newcomers to go north of Dallas- Frisco, Plano, Mckinney etc, and to stay from the South. But from the looks of the southern suburbs online, it looks really nice. I just think my main concern really is the safety of the schools and their academics. My daughter plays in the band and is an A B student, plus she's a little quite. We'll be flying out there in a few weeks to take a look around. Thanks again, and if there's anything else you all think of please share. ��

[LookingInRichardson]

Originally Posted by snunn222

Thank you everybody for sharing your experiences with me and sound advice. A friend of mine told me that Plano would be too far of a commute and quite expensive. During my research of the area it seems like some of the people were pushing for newcomers to go north of Dallas- Frisco, Plano, Mckinney etc, and to stay from the South. But from the looks of the southern suburbs online, it looks really nice. I just think my main concern really is the safety of the schools and their academics. My daughter plays in the band and is an A B student, plus she's a little quite. We'll be flying out there in a few weeks to take a look around. Thanks again, and if there's anything else you all think of please share. ��

This is because most of the people on this board live in the Northern 'burbs and aren't familiar with Southern Dallas County or Ellis County. If top schools are your main concern and with a commute to the VA, Midlothian definitely fits the bill. It's probably a 20-30 minute drive at most. It's got more of a small town feel than most Dallas suburbs but you're not far from shopping/dining in Cedar Hill or South Arlington, and you're also only about 30 minutes away from Downtown Dallas at night and on the weekends. Best of luck. There are a lot of beautiful communities in the areas you are looking.

[AgJack]

If Band is a concern, definitely Midlothian! They have a great program and the band director at MHS is still there since I was in high school and he is the BEST.

[snunn222]

Thanks everybody, I'll be checking into these areas.

[JenAnne]

There is nothing wrong with southern parts of DFW! And I say that as a mom who is very safety focused! A lot of jobs are up in the northern parts and tons of new housing. But the southern areas are established, safe, friendly, etc.

[snunn222]

Hello everybody!

I just wanted to thank everyone for their advice and sharing their experiences with me about Dallas suburbs. Our family has decided to live in Midlothian. If I have anymore questions, I know where to come. ��