Electric heat question (Dallas, Plano, Winters: apartments, leasing, condos)

[Madcap]

I'll be relocating soon and may only be in the area for a couple of years, so I plan on leasing a home rather than buying. I've noticed that there are a lot of houses, townhouses, and apartments out there that show electric as the heat source. I live in the Northeast and electric heat is not the norm at all with the cold winters.
Does anyone out there have any experience with electric heat and the costs associated with it in your climate? I understand that electric rates are extremely high in the Dallas area and I should be prepared for high bills in the summer, but what can I expect in the winter?

[momof2dfw]

Most are gas heat here in the Dallas area. I've never had electric heat except in one house the builder had a "brother in law" agreement w/ an electric company and they installed heat pumps so you could use either gas or electric. Those few that I know did use elec always had much higher elec bills than we did on gas when it came to heating. Gas is MUCH more efficient. Your typical home in Dallas is going to have gas for heat and water. When it comes to cooking I prefer gas but some homes only have electric depending on when it was built and the price market it was targeted at. Gas is more desirable when it comes to stove tops.

[TXprincess]

Older homes and apartments tend to have electric heat. If you are renting an apartment or townhome chances are it is smaller than a single family home and better insulated (shared walls).
Winters? What winters?

[kaykay]

We lived in 2 homes, one in Dallas and one in Plano that had electric heat. I agree that gas is probably more economical but it was never so high that it was a problem. It was reasonable. Of course, those 2 houses were small.

[cdelena]

A large percentage of townhomes and condos have electric heat, I owned one for years (and had a single family home with a heat pump which is electric heat). Electricity is high in Texas so it can be somewhat higher to heat that way. In my experience the heating bill is the same as AC with lower bills in the spring and fall. Don't be too swayed by those that insist on gas, you can live in an all-electric home without a huge differential in cost.

[KewGee]

My house is totally electric. I live out in the country and because natural gas is not an option, I would not buy a house that uses propane. It is just too dangerous in my estimation.

I'm frugal when it comes to heating and A/C so really, my electric bills aren't "through the roof" like some who insist the setting be on 72 degrees all year long or even set higher in the winter.

I love an all electric home and would never have anything different even if natural gas were available. My home is not that big, about 1,500 square feet, and so far my highest bill this winter was only $130.00 but the rest were quite a bit lower.