Money Mag: Best Small Cities- Mckinney #5 !!!

[skids929]

While on the subject of government was hoping you could elaborate on 'mess'?? What types of challenges do the cities down there face?

I know one of the things I am looking forward to getting away from here in MA is my town way of handling things. Basically they do nothing about anything. Looks to me like alot of towns/cities down there have it together, websites are fantastic, coding officials is a big plus etc and I like that the tax is at a local level rather than state level like here where we have little influence.

Like anything, nothing is as it appears or perfect. Would just like to hear the types of problems locals experience.

[PlanoGirl]

Originally Posted by skids929

Thanks PG and FarNorth, much appreciated...We aren't completely sure where the jobs will be yet..My wife will most likely work from home with the option to go to her offices in Richardson. For me I will be working in the healthcare field, for an insurer. Cigna, United Health or BCBS. I think Cigna has an office in Plano actually, but I think it is more operations and I am in sales and business development. We're coming down to Southlake in August to see family that is there, so I am hoping this trip answers some questions for us. Not sure I will make it out to McKinney, but at some point I will be down by myself for job interviews and to explore without the wife and kids.

I really like McKinney, it looks beautiful and the house prices usually include all we want to get. Commute is important to us, since my wife currently has a 1 hour commute here in MA. We would happily give up any of the creature comforts we would wish for (e.g. pool and lots of square footage) in any house we buy before we settle for a long exhausting commute again. Before we had a family a long commute wasn't as much of a problem, but it's just not possible with three kids under the age of three anymore. Hopefully McKinney doesn't seduce us enough to look past that, or maybe we will be lucky and not have to work downtown.

Then, to be honest, if you don't know where you jobs will be, I would rent first. It may seem like a pain...but not near as much of a pain as moving somewhere and then getting a job an hour or more away (and this could happen whether you moved to the city or the suburbs). It would also give you plenty more time to explore the metroplex and figure out what area works best for your needs and wants.