Having a hard time deciding between TX and Sac...help! (Sacramento: real estate, insurance)

[TXred]

So for the past year or so I've been planning on a move to Dallas. I currently live in Reno and have lived here almost all my life, having been born in Dallas, however. I do have some family in Houston, and that would have been a benefit of living there, but not the reason and we're not real close so it doesn't have any weight.

I also wanted to move to Dallas for the numerous jobs in my field, and the low price of housing since I'd like to buy a home in a couple years for around $150k.

Now that the time is getting near, and it's more of a plan instead of a dream, I'm freaking out. I don't know if I'm afraid to move so far away, or if these are legitimate concerns and recently I've thought of moving to Sacramento instead. I have lived in Sac previously but due to a death in the family I moved back to Reno after only a few months. I loved it though, I lived in midtown and worked out in Woodland.

Here are the things that are concerning me now...I'm starting to pay attention to the negatives about Dallas that I chose to ignore before. Apparently they have a huge mosquito issue, a lot of people have problems with allergies (which I do here), the heat that extends for long periods of time, the flatness and lack of beautiful landscape. Not to mention the expense of the toll roads or long commute, but that's not as big of a deal.

I can handle 100+ temps, we have them in Reno too, but only for a couple weeks at a time a few times a summer. And it's a dry heat, and I know Sac is a little more humid but I don't believe as much as Dallas. Also, being only two hours from Reno I feel like I won't get as homesick as I'm afraid I will be in Texas as I can constantly come back to visit. On the flipside, I guess I'm worried that Sac doesn't have as many jobs (of course it's a smaller area), there's not as much affordable housing to choose from, and I'm worried I won't get the "newness and excitement" of the change of moving to Texas.

I guess what I"m asking is if anyone has any experience in both cities, or similar experience? What is your opinion of each? Any advice at all is helpful because I'm driving myself and my friends who will still listen crazy!!! Thanks

[Majin]

If you're a conservative move to TX

[TXred]

Wow really? Where in the world would that have come through at all in my question and why would I choose where to live my life based on something so minor that barely affects my day to day life?

[NinaN]

I moved here from the Dallas area (lived there 20 years) so here's my take.

The mosquitoes can get bad, but I never thought it was bad enough that it would influence where to live. I get bites here too, just not as many.

The weather here is better. Period. There is just a lot more time when it's comfortable to be outside. In Texas, nights in summer stay hot and humid and it gets colder in winter. On the other hand, it was hard for me to adjust to the winters here the first year or two because it gets dark earlier, and it seems to rain/drizzle most days. In Texas, you get much heavier rainfall but you know it's going to clear up and be sunny in a day or two. I do miss my spectacular thunderstorms in Texas, something you really don't see out here. I don't miss the hail storms and tornado warnings...but it's almost guaranteed you will never have pay to re-roof your house because hail damage will get insurance to buy a new one every 7-8 years or so.

Dallas if flat. There are quite a few lakes around, but they can get really crowded in the summer. You can drive a couple hours, and it's still flat. Austin is the prettiest city there, but it's a 3-4 hour drive. Here...well you know the story, Tahoe in one direction, wine country in El Dorado and Amador counties is beautiful, and the beach off to the West.

Jobs are easier to find in Texas and the pay scale is not much different than here while the cost of living is much cheaper. $150K is a reasonable budget but won't get you an upscale home anywhere near the city. Move out to the burbs and your options are much better.

Toll roads can add up, and as a huge metroplex, the traffic can get really bad and the toll roads are great options.

Dallas has a lot of great nightlife; many, many fabulous restaurants that don't cost an arm and a leg; and lots and lots of shopping. I miss those things here. All in all, I much prefer living here because I like spending a lot more of my time outside and we visit Tahoe and the wine country frequently.

Hope that helps!

[caligirlz]

I've never lived in Texas, but this is my take on your dilemma

You are settling for Sacramento due to fear of the unknown. Is that really how you want to base your decision making? Live your life?

What exactly is your job that is so plentiful in TX? What would you do here? What was your job in Woodland? Do you think they would rehire you? Would you even want to return to a previous job?

Do you realize that for a house at $150k, you will be bidding against cash carrying investors now? Prices have increased quite a bit since 2011.

We have Mosquitos too, and Sacramento/Yolo counties frequently spray for West Nile. There has been recent talk about doing it again. Do you really want to be sprayed with a toxic...I mean an "officially safe" insecticide...something to think about. See Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District

Sacramento is "allergy central" as well.

sit down and write out a positive vs negative list about Texas & Sacramento. Ponder it....for a few days, a week, whatever it takes to come to a peaceful decision.

[TXred]

Thank you both for your replies!! I appreciate your honesty and opinions. Caligirlz no that job in Woodland was a low-level one I had 18 years ago. I now have a degree and will be looking at accounting jobs, there are several hundred of them in Dallas, and a couple hundred in Sacramento but it's a smaller area too. Also, I don't know if I'd use the word "settling" for Sacramento, I am merely starting to wonder if it would be better for me than Texas. And they do spray for mosquitos in Dallas too. Nina, I have heard about the amazing thunderstorms in Texas, although have not experienced one. Quite frankly anyplace that had some rain would be amazing!!! When it rains here it's not much at all...just a teaser. I am going to make the pros and cons list and am considering Seattle as well in that mix.

Thanks again!!!

[Majin]

I still say if you're a conservative you'd be more at home in TX with your friend Rick Perry.

[ryuns]

I wouldn't go so far as Majin there, but culture does come into play. I've met a lot of extremely nice Texans, but I'm not a fan of a lot of the things one associates with Texan culture--big houses and cars (conspicuous consumption and zest for consuming resources), automobile centric lifestyles, bbq and overeating (I'm lying, I actually do like that, but there are more overweight people there), boots and belt buckles (and horrid fashion sense--the middle-aged women all seem to look like bad real estate agents on a trip to the rodeo) on people who have never been on a ranch, etc. One thing to remember of course, is that in a big city, you'll probably be able to find people you like, a neighborhood that speaks to you, etc. But you'll be surrounded by Texas.

As for jobs, is there anything about your timeline for moving that prevents you from securing a job before you move? When people talk about the job market here, my answer is generally that the job market is fine if you have a job!

[Mack Knife]

So you're planning on a move to Dallas. Ever been there? If not, isn't planning a move there kinda like jumping into a pool and never having bothered to learn to swim?

I see these kinds of posts all the time and they never cease to amaze me.

Nothing anyone can tell you really makes a difference. No one is you and what one person thinks is great, another can't stand. I one lived somewhere where mosquitoes were unreal. I would never go back to the place because of that, yet, people lived there and liked the place. Who knows?

My point is, go there, visit and see what it is like. Give yourself a week, in that time you can see lots of things if you manage your time. Go when it is hot, really hot.

BTW, Texas and hot are synonymous to most people. So is flat although there are someplace there that are not.

[TXred]

Ryuns, I was hoping to secure a job before moving anywhere. Unfortunately, if I believe the people on CD, it appears it is very hard to find a job that far away until you're actually in the area. I don't think it'd be a problem finding one in Sacramento because I could interview the next day after being invited, etc. Plus Sacramento people are familiary with Reno and would not be surprised to see someone from Reno applying for a job there. Whereas Dallas has millions of people so the number of local applications would kind of edge me out, I'm afraid.

Mack...yes obviously I have been to Dallas. I was born there which doesn't count, but that means I have family there and have been there on average once every few years since I was a child. Visiting and living full time is different though, hence my hesitation.

And Majin...please just go away already. No where in any post do I bring up politics nor do I give a rats a**!!! And why do you have to insult by calling Rick Perry my friend? There's really no need for that...like I said, politics do not come into play as far as where I live whatsoever so get off it.