5 Reasons to live/move to Dallas (Frisco, Southlake: middle-class, new home, movie theater)

[aceplace]

Originally Posted by GABMER

I understand we are all looking for something different and that is why I started the thread. It is very interesting and enlighting to hear all of the opinions it helps people like me when they are considering a move. Lets keep the reasons only for Dallas, since this is the city we are interested in.
Thanks!

It would be germane and helpful if you told us what you want. If you strongly dislike hot summers, Texas and the surrounding states is not the place for you.

[Dweller123]

Originally Posted by Cupcake77

Everyone has a different idea what quality of life is.

That's right, and most people don't want to live in Dallas, they have to. Either they can't get a job where they're from or RE has priced them out.

A lot of people I met in DFW, specifically more Dallas, felt they got stuck there. Of course some people like it, more power to em.

[aceplace]

Originally Posted by Dweller123

That's right, and most people don't want to live in Dallas, they have to. Either they can't get a job where they're from or RE has priced them out.

A lot of people I met in DFW, specifically more Dallas, felt they got stuck there. Of course some people like it, more power to em.

I've run into that argument before, but it seems absurd on its face.

Does anyone honestly believe that Dallas is the only place in America that has job opportunities and inexpensive housing? I would think that the entire sunbelt, from Arizona through Texas, to the Southeast, has a strong enough economy to support high job growth.

In reality, people balance employment opportunities against the perceived value of quality of life. If Dallas had a quality of life problem, people would bypass it for any one of dozens of places that also have job opportunity. What the numbers tell us, however, is that DFW has been the national growth leader the past two years, at least in terms of absolute numbers.

In fact, you could make a case that Dallas' job opportunities are an effect, not a cause, of its desirability as a place to live... the number of people moving in are expanding the size of the skilled labor force and importing capital into North Texas, capitalizing the region and boosting its economy. In other words, an inflow of people creates opportunity, because people bring their skills and their money with them.

[Cupcake77]

Originally Posted by Dweller123

That's right, and most people don't want to live in Dallas, they have to. Either they can't get a job where they're from or RE has priced them out.

A lot of people I met in DFW, specifically more Dallas, felt they got stuck there. Of course some people like it, more power to em.

Exactly. We were only supposed to be here a year, well that turned out to not be true. Now we can't get out. No jobs and and combine that with higher cost of living etc... There is a reason it's so cheap here.

I have run across some transplants as well. One moved from Maryland, he was offered a job here and he said the houses are cheap. He has 3 kids now and his wife doesn't work, she stays home with the kids. So for him, it's been working out because he has a big home and a job. But recently it seems he might be unhappy here. Doesn't like his neighbourhood anymore, doesn't know where to move because the neighbourhoods here are so poorly planned as to their location, Nothing to do here, I don't know what it was like in Maryland for him, but he claims Dallas is ugly compared to where he came from and nothing to do... extreme weather... He feels stuck too now. He leaves the state every chance he gets and goes on mini vacations.

I think a developer should make a sub division called Transplant Estates. We could have lots of trees, green grass, our own Trader Joes, bike paths, In and Out burger place, REAL italian resturants and Deli's from the east coast, REAL health food stores (not whole foods), No trucks allowed, only SUV's, our own snow machine during the winter months, far away from trains, industrial plants and the highway.. I could go on.

It is what it is. Just have to make the best of it.

[GABMER]

Originally Posted by aceplace

It would be germane and helpful if you told us what you want. If you strongly dislike hot summers, Texas and the surrounding states is not the place for you.

We will like to relocate from Florida so we are use of the hot-humid summer. Some people think Florida-Orlando are paradise. We are looking for a change, we are a family of 4 one kid starting college and another one in middle school. Education is very important, we love sports and outdoor activities. We are looking to relocate to an area that will not be very difficult to start so a good job market is important. Crime is another reason, we know there is no crime-free area but Orlando has been getting very dangerous thru the years. Overall we will like a nice city with a good job market, schools, things to do, quiet neighborhoods. And very important nice people, people here are rude, unfriendly and disrespectful.

[aceplace]

Originally Posted by GABMER

We will like to relocate from Florida so we are use of the hot-humid summer. Some people think Florida-Orlando are paradise. We are looking for a change, we are a family of 4 one kid starting college and another one in middle school. Education is very important, we love sports and outdoor activities. We are looking to relocate to an area that will not be very difficult to start so a good job market is important. Crime is another reason, we know there is no crime-free area but Orlando has been getting very dangerous thru the years. Overall we will like a nice city with a good job market, schools, things to do, quiet neighborhoods. And very important nice people, people here are rude, unfriendly and disrespectful.

If you want to replicate your Florida-type weather, Houston would be suitable. It has much more humidity than Dallas. Other than that, any of the major Texas cities will fill the criteria you mention. And yes, Dallas has neighborhoods that are safe, clean and prosperous, friendly people, with good educational opportunities.

[aceplace]

Originally Posted by Cupcake77

Exactly. We were only supposed to be here a year, well that turned out to not be true. Now we can't get out. No jobs and and combine that with higher cost of living etc... There is a reason it's so cheap here.

I have run across some transplants as well. One moved from Maryland, he was offered a job here and he said the houses are cheap. He has 3 kids now and his wife doesn't work, she stays home with the kids. So for him, it's been working out because he has a big home and a job. But recently it seems he might be unhappy here. Doesn't like his neighbourhood anymore, doesn't know where to move because the neighbourhoods here are so poorly planned as to their location, Nothing to do here, I don't know what it was like in Maryland for him, but he claims Dallas is ugly compared to where he came from and nothing to do... extreme weather... He feels stuck too now. He leaves the state every chance he gets and goes on mini vacations.

I think a developer should make a sub division called Transplant Estates. We could have lots of trees, green grass, our own Trader Joes, bike paths, In and Out burger place, REAL italian resturants and Deli's from the east coast, REAL health food stores (not whole foods), No trucks allowed, only SUV's, our own snow machine during the winter months, far away from trains, industrial plants and the highway.. I could go on.

It is what it is. Just have to make the best of it.

Cupcake, are you blaming Texas for the fact that you don't like Texas?

[hsw]

Most parts of world, aside from SF Peninsula and LA's Westside, have weather/topography that sucks

Much of Dallas' appeal to many major companies (like Exxon or ATT) that can locate HQs anywhere is its balance of low taxes, pro-business ethos and generally high QOL w/newer suburban housing and infrastructure, affordable for most middle-income workers

That same pro-business ethos is helpful for workers who may become entrepreneurs in future

Reality is, for upper-income people Dallas' Preston Hollow/HP is more costly than SF's Woodside and about as costly as LA's Brentwood/Palisades; suspect much of wealth in Dallas is oil&gas related...and other industries more specific to TX

However, it is probably career suicide for a promising software engineer to not be based in Silicon Valley or for a young financier to not start his career in Manhattan, no matter how "cheap" Dallas may seem to an entry-level worker

Most of SunBelt lacks much of pro-business, pro-education, modern infrastructure ethos of Dallas...consider how few major co. HQs relocate to Phx or SD or Austin or Atlanta or FL; even Houston rarely competes with Dallas for major HQ relocations, perhaps b/c of its less well-organized airports (esp useful for business travelers) and arguably weaker suburban schools (public or private; StMarks in Dallas is one of foremost schools in US in % of kids who enter top 5 colleges)

[GABMER]

Originally Posted by Cupcake77

Exactly. We were only supposed to be here a year, well that turned out to not be true. Now we can't get out. No jobs and and combine that with higher cost of living etc... There is a reason it's so cheap here.

I have run across some transplants as well. One moved from Maryland, he was offered a job here and he said the houses are cheap. He has 3 kids now and his wife doesn't work, she stays home with the kids. So for him, it's been working out because he has a big home and a job. But recently it seems he might be unhappy here. Doesn't like his neighbourhood anymore, doesn't know where to move because the neighbourhoods here are so poorly planned as to their location, Nothing to do here, I don't know what it was like in Maryland for him, but he claims Dallas is ugly compared to where he came from and nothing to do... extreme weather... He feels stuck too now. He leaves the state every chance he gets and goes on mini vacations.

I think a developer should make a sub division called Transplant Estates. We could have lots of trees, green grass, our own Trader Joes, bike paths, In and Out burger place, REAL italian resturants and Deli's from the east coast, REAL health food stores (not whole foods), No trucks allowed, only SUV's, our own snow machine during the winter months, far away from trains, industrial plants and the highway.. I could go on.

It is what it is. Just have to make the best of it.

Cupcake, I feel your pain I know what it is to live in a place that you dont like

[TrueDat]

If you want some old-growth trees, hills, and grass, come down to Oak Cliff. We've got 'em to spare. Is it Vermont? No, but it's still nice. If you can wait, Trader Joe's will probably be here in the next 2-5 years. And there are some "real," independently owned health food stores that aren't Whole Foods, such as

Roy's in North Dallas
Roy's Natural Market: Celebrating 40 years in Dallas!

and Ann's Health Food Center in Oak Cliff

Ann's Health Food Center & Market - Dallas, TX

The problem with Dallas is that, like LA, it's so spread out and daunting in some ways that people say it doesn't have this or that when the truth is that whatever they're looking for might exist somewhere in the Metroplex but they've never run across it.

Originally Posted by Cupcake77

Exactly. We were only supposed to be here a year, well that turned out to not be true. Now we can't get out. No jobs and and combine that with higher cost of living etc... There is a reason it's so cheap here.

I have run across some transplants as well. One moved from Maryland, he was offered a job here and he said the houses are cheap. He has 3 kids now and his wife doesn't work, she stays home with the kids. So for him, it's been working out because he has a big home and a job. But recently it seems he might be unhappy here. Doesn't like his neighbourhood anymore, doesn't know where to move because the neighbourhoods here are so poorly planned as to their location, Nothing to do here, I don't know what it was like in Maryland for him, but he claims Dallas is ugly compared to where he came from and nothing to do... extreme weather... He feels stuck too now. He leaves the state every chance he gets and goes on mini vacations.

I think a developer should make a sub division called Transplant Estates. We could have lots of trees, green grass, our own Trader Joes, bike paths, In and Out burger place, REAL italian resturants and Deli's from the east coast, REAL health food stores (not whole foods), No trucks allowed, only SUV's, our own snow machine during the winter months, far away from trains, industrial plants and the highway.. I could go on.

It is what it is. Just have to make the best of it.