Floridians heading to Dallas (Fort Worth, Gainesville: fit in, car insurance, high crime)

[Spree]

Seems to be quite a few of us? Where are you moving from in FL? We're in the Tampa area. Hope to be in place in the Dallas area by July.

b

[socketz]

Lots of Californians here as well.

Before long, we'll both be demanding that someone bring the sun into this place and build a few sandy beaches. Wait, then summer comes and you'll pray that the sun dissapears :-)

Just don't bring your hurricanes, and I promise not to bring my Earthquakes.

[pb9000]

I'm coming Ft. Lauderdale area. Looking to move to Dallas hopefully by the end of the year. I still need to do some research to make sure Dallas is for us.

[Floridasunshine]

what about the high cost of auto tag, and does it have state income tax?

[Spree]

Not sure about the auto tag? Not looking forward to the car inspection sticker situation tho. No state income tax in TX. My car insurance will be about $100 less a month, even with a brand new teen boy driver. Haven't found out about the rest, yet!

b

[Panam]

Hi folks,
I am a fellow Floridian (from Ft. Lauderdale/ Miami) and am heading back to S. FL. Dallas isnt all it's cracked up to be and pals in comparison with S. FL ammenities. The higher cost of S. FL living is worth it. I'm heading back in 2 months. Oh and for those of you coming here for the cheap houses... Ask yourself WHY they are cheap bfore you buy. Hint hint.. city offers little and the soil throughout the DFW metroplex is a clayey till that expands. what does this mean? It means you will have foundation problems sooner or later. Remember also, there is a huge cultural difference here to contend with.
It's important to ake informed decisions before we make drastic moves. My advice is not to let $$$ be your guiding light. Think long and hard before you make the move here. Dallas is grossly overrated.

[momof2dfw]

For all of you moving here you can go to texas.gov and find out how much all of that costs. Here is the link to find some of your answers:
http://www.living.texasonline.com/ca...categoryId=9.2



As for the poster w/ the bad experience. I can attest to the fact that most of what he has written is false. For starters the "cheap" housing. It is not "cheap" because of the soil. Our housing has had a slow steady pace to increases and not the huge mark ups seen in other areas that people are trying to exscape. I'd rather have this kind of inflation than that. Then the soil, not ALL of North Texas is covered in clay. Many areas have white rock. Not every home is going to have foundation problems, sooner or later. You CAN avoid foundation problems. I'm a homeowner and know from experience what can be done to avoid such. Then the "cultural differnece", LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Too funny..... rotflmao............. omy.... hahahahahahahaha, pah-leeeeaaase. Most of the people that LIVE in Dallas are NOT from Texas. OMY!!!! Too funny. Oh well, he came, he did not like it. Fine. That leaves all the good jobs for the people that appreciate our state.

[stargazer]

I am laughing too It is pretty false what he wrote. I lived in Orlando area for nearly 3 years and came back to Texas because I missed it! My actual community was Geneva which is 7 miles north of Oviedo and about 11 miles from Winter Park and 25 minutes to Titusville. I lived on the very end of 426.

First I want to tell you that my experience where I lived was not good but it did not mean that I did not meet great people and have some good times. We did however culturally it was just too different for me and too as a couple we felt we never fit in. We weren't always partying or trying to run the school, lots of strange things I could tell you about. I sometimes experienced weirdness such as when our playgroup went to a playground and sat at a picnic table. Here comes another play group and they kick us off and sat and ate their food and not think twice about what they did. They sat there eating and eating. There were other tables. Just strange stuff imo that absoultly annoyed and bothered me.

I am an Texan, born and raised but I am don't act like the sterotypical Texan. I don't own a pair of boots nor do I own a truck. The closest to a truck I have ever had was a suv and now I am looking at a crossover which is supposed to be considered to be functional like a mini van but rebells against the tallness of a suv. I am a middle class typical suburban mama and I love the area I live because there are so many women like me.

To the person who likes South Florida, well go back if you want. I KNOW exactly the culture there. My husbands grandmother is there and has been since 82 in Pompano Beach. I was just telling a person yesterday about the cultural differences and basically talked about our grandmother there. To her, she is shocked that we live the way we do. I am not talking about materialistic type things or what we drive. She was surprised to see us as a FAMILY and that my husband takes time out to be with us, love us and do things as a FAMILY. She has been so long down there that for her to see us in a typical routine of being a regular FAMILY is shocking. She thought that had long died and what does she have to draw from? Not much there. Her street is filled with different type of people. She contends with the drug dealer across the street and she does enjoy seeing this guy named David who brings a different girl home every night. He is a great friend and often tells her some great tales. She also has to contend with theives and people coming to her door asking for money and a promise to water the lawn if they spare a few dollars for them. She lives in a tiny, very worn home that is very musty and dusty. Sometimes sand comes in. Her home, she was told could get 300K and we encouraged her to leave. We said she could live with us but she is dead set against it. When you get to be as old as you do, I know you don't want to leave no matter how bad it is. We have asked all her children too, to do something but they won't. She is dead set on moving.


South Florida to me is a very adult place to live and it really is not for families ideally. There is a vast difference than living in Dallas Fort Worth.
I am not against anyone coming in to the area, I welcome it. Most people who come here like it too, they were escaping something it seems. High prices, high crime and vast cultural differences it seems.

Hey for those in Florida, when I went to the florist in Publix in SF I could not get any flowers when I asked. The florist was so happy to tell me she was leaving for her break and she had to go on break due to UNION rules. I wasn't going to wait around and I finally asked a little haitian man if he could grab a few flowers out of the cooler. He did and he was helpful. I stood there for about 5 minutes putting the bouquet together for my husbands grandmother. When the woman came back from her UNION cig break, she was mad that he had helped me. Apparently, this was her territory and she wasn't happy that that the stock boy helped me. Just so you know that kind of stuff doesn't typically happen here. Nor is curse words here considered common.


So yes there is a difference cultural wise but I am happy to contend with it and most are.

[Almeda]

I am hoping to move to Dallas at the beginning of next month.

I am a native Floridian. I live in South Tampa, from St. Petersburg, and went to school in Gainesville. I will miss parts of Florida but I will not miss; the hurricanes, the humidity, the inflated cost of housing, the lack of non-chain restaurants, the lack of public transportation, the lack of a real downtown. I could go on but I am sure you understand where I am going with this. Not all of the Florida cities are lacking but Tampa definitely is.

I find Dallas to be a nice compromise between "big city livin" and the lifesyle that I am used to. Meaning I want the amenities that come with a more urban environment but I don't want the hassles. I am hoping Dallas provides me what I am looking for.

[pb9000]

The cultural differences, stargazer, that you mention sound good to me. If the differences are family values, that is what I'm looking for.
I've lived in South Florida all my life and now that I have a family, I'm tired of my wife having to work 55 hrs. a week and me working about 70 hrs. a week just to get by. The cost of living being cheaper with the pay being about the (according to salary.com) and throw in the family values, I'm in.

However I am a little concerned about some of the things I've read about Texans not welcoming newcomers. My wife is Brazilian and I'm American so that may be a little different for Texas, I'm hoping Texans are welcoming to some diversity.