Lancaster Area (Dallas, Fort Worth, Garland: apartment, foreclosure, lofts)

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by LOK222

I'd live in Frisco and commute before I lived in questionable areas aka Garland

Huh? Garland is not "questionable". You personally don't like it, now if you have even BEEN there is one thing but it is FAR from being considered "questionable". Actually if you lived in some areas of Garland and commuted to the VA hospital you could make pretty good time as you would be going against the heavy traffic till you got on around to 20 and then not much at all as far as traffic.

[shaunnol]

I think I said it earlier, but avoid anywhere in southern Dallas County, including the suburbs there. Crime is highest in the whole DFW area and the schools are not all that good. The elephant in the room everyone on this board is afraid of mentioning (due to fears of coming off as being offensive) is that most of the residents in this area are black and Latino, but being black myself, I guess I can be less politically correct about the issue. While South Oak Cliff is a no go zone, there are places in northern Oak Cliff that are experiencing an urban renewal, that can be seen with the Bishop Arts District (which has also become a gay village somewhat, only showing how the area is going in a good direction), so if you are young, you might check that hotspot out. And the earlier person is right, if you drove though Garland from Dallas, you wouldn't know you have left Dallas, but that is the same with all of the inner-ring suburbs of Dallas.

[romeoDNB]

Shaunnol and others,

Thanks for the insight once again on this particular area. Thanks for giving me insight on that particular area regarding the type of residents that live there. One good thing about my past military experience and from living in the San Francisco Bay Area is that I have been exposed to a plethora of people. I'm Asian-American, young, highly educated and professional.

I've narrowed my sights to the downtown area and the area north and east of it. I will still need to make a visit to check out everything with my own eyes though.

[soldierboy]

Originally Posted by Guerilla

South Dallas County is ugly.

It's amazing how one think that Dallas is only worth living in if you are downtown and north of downtown. My perception of UGLY is based on demographics of the southern sector or should I say ethnicity. Not everyone in South Dallas county are poor,uneducated, black and latino. White Dallas get a grip on your BIASED mentality.

[GoPadge]

Before you assume that a member's opinions are motivated by racial bias, you might want to ask them to clarify their statements. There certainly are a number of industrial areas in South Dallas County that would qualify in most people's opinions as ugly.

[stargazer]

Are you going to be working at the VA Hospital? My mother in law volunteers there twice a month and does the Christmas store for the vets. She along with her husband live in a good neighborhood in Duncanville. Though it is one of the nicer areas, that area has break ins.

I would not live in Lancaster at all, when I lived over in Southwest Dallas County from 93- 01 I was even told then that was crime ridden. Hey just the other day I did a google of all the one story homes in the metroplex and a home came up over there and it was CHEAP for a custom. There is a reason why it is CHEAP. I would invest in a safer area to live in.

[FarNorthDallas]

You might check the South Lamar area just south of downtown. There is some new (re)development there - one complex called South Lamar. It's near the new Dallas Police Headquarters. It's starting to become a hip area. Bill's Records and Tapes just moved down there from Far North Dallas.

I had a friend who taught English at Lancaster High School and there is no way I would live there. I would live in Ennis though. I know several people who live there and they all like it there (but all commute into Dallas to work).

[catluvr]

The VA must be booming. I will be relocating there to start a job myself. Leaving Saturday as a matter of fact.

I am seriously thinking about Irving/ Las Colinas. Some nice houses there and a good charter school from what I can see. Seems accessable to both N and S of Dallas. There seem to be some nice houses there and several people from the VA live there it seems. But, haven't visited yet so we'll see. Need to be close to both IT in the north and my job in the south.

Good luck.

[FarNorthDallas]

Is the charter school you are talking about called North Hills? I think you have to win a lottery to get in that school.

[dalgal512]

I know SEVERAL families who live in Lancaster & love it. Families of all races... Lancaster is very diverse. Many people do not see this as a bad thing! However, I don't know what all there is to offer for a young, single person.

I have not spent any time in Oak Cliff nor do I know anyone there, but it certainly has a bad reputation.