Considering moving to North DFW suburbs (Dallas, Plano: day care, cheap house, buying)

[tmtex]

Just curious, why are you moving here ? Also I assume your aware the weather is very different than Illinois. My son lives in Anna. I would consider that more of a blue collar town if that matters

[flea060]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

For sure. I am assuming the OP is planning on remote work.

Ideally, but realistically I'd probably have to look for a new gig. Which nowadays would be a few days a week in the office. But yeah good point regarding traffic. In my industry (IT) I'd assume most gigs are either in Dallas or Frisco.

[stephwin]

Avoid 380. I will say it again, do not live or work anywhere that will require you to use 380 at all.

If you end up in an area that is still growing or developing, keep in mind there will be growing pains and possibly frequent school rezoning. Areas like Anna will have lots of road construction as farm-to-mark roads are widened. As more schools are built and opened, your kids might get rezoned. If you're not okay with that, buy in an area that is already built out and has been established for a few years. Frisco ISD, as an example, has a lot of their new school openings planned a few years out and you can find that info online. My house was built in 2005 and we bought it in late 2009. We've never been rezoned.

[flea060]

Originally Posted by tmtex

Just curious, why are you moving here ? Also I assume your aware the weather is very different than Illinois. My son lives in Anna. I would consider that more of a blue collar town if that matters

Few reasons that jumble together:

- Inlaws getting older and will likely live with us. It's slightly easier to tolerate a full house when weather is warmer. For example, I can hang in the garage/backyard, kids can get outside (when weather isn't too extreme of course). We don't mind hot climates (inlaws originally from an island).

- Politics and culture. Me and my wife don't treat politics like sports. However, we DO value things like: tradition, the family unit, religion, personal accountability and responsibility, work ethic. While me and my wife enjoy the occasional night out in the city, I find city culture especially in predominantly Blue states tend to dictate the course of surrounding suburbs. As in Chicago/IL.

- Extended family lives West coast, so cheaper to fly or travel to visit them.

[ChristieP]

Originally Posted by flea060

Ideally, but realistically I'd probably have to look for a new gig. Which nowadays would be a few days a week in the office. But yeah good point regarding traffic. In my industry (IT) I'd assume most gigs are either in Dallas or Frisco.

The far northern suburbs like Anna, Celina, etc. are hell for commuting in to Frisco, McKinney, etc. Don't even think of trying to drive into Dallas from there. The post saying to avoid 380 is a very true statement.

[biafra4life]

Originally Posted by tmtex

Just curious, why are you moving here ? Also I assume your aware the weather is very different than Illinois. My son lives in Anna. I would consider that more of a blue collar town if that matters

Anna was/is originally a blue collar town, but the wave of development has finally reached it. My employee says that there are hundreds of new homes being built out there, new subdivisions being created, new schools everything. Over the next couple of decades, Anna will probably be unrecognizable from what it is currently. The same thing is happening to Wylie. In the ten years I've lived here, it's gone from a sleepy little town to busting at the seams as seemingly every piece of land has been bought up and developed. For better and for worse. Depending on when you got here.

[biafra4life]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

The far northern suburbs like Anna, Celina, etc. are hell for commuting in to Frisco, McKinney, etc. Don't even think of trying to drive into Dallas from there. The post saying to avoid 380 is a very true statement.

Meh, Plano/Frisco/McKinney are doable from Anna and Celina. Now anything further south? No bueno. Unless it's working the graveyard shift. Agree on 380. Have heard nothing good about that road.

[tmtex]

I know you said your in IT. If your in IT as a admin type working for any company/corporation, you dont want to live up there (Anna, Celina or area) and work in Las Colinas, DT Dallas. Nothing south of Plano

Also agree on the 380. Stay away, wouldnt live near that even if it was free

[Lorne]

Originally Posted by flea060

Politics and culture. Me and my wife don't treat politics like sports. However, we DO value things like: tradition, the family unit, religion, personal accountability and responsibility, work ethic. While me and my wife enjoy the occasional night out in the city, I find city culture especially in predominantly Blue states tend to dictate the course of surrounding suburbs. As in Chicago/IL.

[flea060]

Originally Posted by tmtex

I know you said your in IT. If your in IT as a admin type working for any company/corporation, you dont want to live up there (Anna, Celina or area) and work in Las Colinas, DT Dallas. Nothing south of Plano

Also agree on the 380. Stay away, wouldnt live near that even if it was free

So when folks say to stay away from 380, does that mean having to drive along 380 in order to get to work? Or does that mean avoid any suburb above the 380 bordering line?