Plano, TX or Cartersville, GA (Dallas, Austin: rent, condos, custom home)

[joyceb]

I have two boys 12 & 14, both athletes..I'm coming from a very "conservative" place in N.C. with no malls or employment. can someone please give me info. on Cartersville, for employment, and Plano for employment and property taxes?

[FarNorthDallas]

How did you narrow it down to Plano, TX and Cartersville, GA? Just curious.

[KerrTown]

Plano is the centre of the most conservative part of Texas. Just look at what happened in nearby Farmers Branch.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Plano is the centre of the most conservative part of Texas. Just look at what happened in nearby Farmers Branch.

Trying to compare Farmers Branch to Plano is hillarious. LMAO!!! Two TOTALLY different places when it comes to housing, employment, schools, retail, etc. I take it you have never really visited either.

Plano: I'd almost call it the prime example of strip mall culture, lol. Plano is a HUGE city and as diverse from one side to the other. Housing can be had in all price ranges and there is no short supply of it. You can find your older ranch homes that are original to Plano located in Central Plano. On the west and east side of 75-Central Expwy you can find your more 70's-80's smaller tract homes. Then everything around in all directions is going to be a mix of communities that can offer the high end luxury custom homes all the way to the more modern tract home. If you are wanting the larger lots or a more rural feel then head to FAR east Plano out by Murphy and Parker. Retail is plentiful in the city with strip malls on almost every corner and a handful of malls located w/in the city limits and several in the neighboring communities. When it comes to employment if you can not find it in Plano you surely can somewhere close by. Plano is home to several corporate headquarters and a handful of manufactures along w/ every other type of business having some kind of location w/in the city or close by. When it comes to high schools there are 3 Sr. Highs in the Plano ISD: Plano, Plano East and Plano West. All pretty darn competitive when it comes to athletics.

Quick run-down on Farmers Branch since it was brought up: Older suburb of Dallas. Most of the housing was built pre-1970. You can find the older ranch custom homes in areas like Brookhaven Country Club all the way down to the small frame homes of all of 900 sq ft. The last time a "new" home was constructed IN Farmers Branch was probably if one burned down and was rebuilt. In Plano you can still find new construction as it is MUCH larger. Retail, hm. Used to have MUCH more that had a wider appeal to a varying culture. Not so anymore. This is WHY the city tried to do what it did. Maybe if the poster had REALLY known the city and what has actually gone on there they would not be making such comments. I grew up there so I remember what it once was and it is not even close anymore. Most of the retail has closed up or become some kind of knock-off thrift type store that caters to those that don't speak English. Employment, now on this front FB does have something to offer as on the west side of Stemmons there is a large area of commercial, industrial, manufacturing. Not near as much as Plano though. Schools, FB is part of the Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD. There is one high school that students in FB feed into, R.L. Turner. Once upon a time they had a great and strong athletic presence. Now it is a joke amoungst my dh and I on whose team is the worst (been that way since the early 80's ).

I'm sorry I can not offer you much info at all on your other choice . I wish you luck with your decision.

[joyceb]

I have visited GA, Cartersville, it was alright, the price of housing caught my eye, 3/2 on 1/2 acre for 120-130, but not much for employment I want to travel to Atlanta. Austin or Plano a friend of mine suggested. Said it was full of job opportunities, culture, and activities. I have two boys 12 and 14

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by joyceb

I have visited GA, Cartersville, it was alright, the price of housing caught my eye, 3/2 on 1/2 acre for 120-130, but not much for employment I want to travel to Atlanta. Austin or Plano a friend of mine suggested. Said it was full of job opportunities, culture, and activities. I have two boys 12 and 14

If you do pick Plano don't be stuck on just Plano as it is part of the huge metro area of Dallas and there are a myraid of options. Employment in the Dallas area can be found and there are many opportunities available. Just boils down to what one is looking for and goes after. I would also say that with children that age that will sooner than later will be looking for their own future the Dallas area does have much to offer. Right now as far as schooling and athletics they can have the moon. If they have to live at home and attend college then that would also be a very strong alternative down the road as there are many very good colleges and universities in the area, The University of Texas at Dallas being but just one option. Collin County Community College has a program in conjunction w/ Southern Methodist Univ. (SMU) that one can attend CCCC for the first two years and everything transfers over to SMU (talk about saving a TON of $$$ and problems w/ transferring schools this is EASY). Professional internships can also be found here while they are finishing school and be able to get their foot in the door of their chosen field. With housing being affordable, jobs available and affordable secondary education for your children all wrapped up into one then it can't be beat.

[USA_Mom]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

If you do pick Plano don't be stuck on just Plano as it is part of the huge metro area of Dallas .

I have to agree with that. When we moved to Plano, we got some information off the internet and came 2x before accepting the position my husband was offered. At that point in time we decided Plano because we were renting, we only had a 5-year-old at the time, and we wanted to get a feel for what we wanted. There are lots of housing options in the area IMO, condos, new and older subdivisions (older does not necessarily mean not as nice and newer doesn't equate with better--you really have to drive around and do research), mobile homes on land, houses on 1/2 acre or more, etc., etc. I always tell people (and thankfully followed this advice myself on our year in hell-Georgia-not Cartersville though) rent first...you can buy later. It's MUCH easier to stop renting than to sell a house and move.

[GoPadge]

Originally Posted by joyceb

I have two boys 12 & 14, both athletes..I'm coming from a very "conservative" place in N.C. with no malls or employment. can someone please give me info. on Cartersville, for employment, and Plano for employment and property taxes?

Cartersville is a town of 16,000 on the fringe of Metro Atlanta and Plano is a city of over 250,000 well within the Metroplex. While Cartersville is a city in its own right, much of the new housing growth has been to support workers of Metro Atlanta. Plano also supports a number of workers in the Metroplex, but is less of a bedroom community and more of a major employer than Cartersville.

[socketz]

Georgia is just too southern for me.

I'd pick Plano in a heartbeat.

[ladysrodgers]

Originally Posted by joyceb

I have two boys 12 & 14, both athletes..I'm coming from a very "conservative" place in N.C. with no malls or employment. can someone please give me info. on Cartersville, for employment, and Plano for employment and property taxes?

I can't speak for Cartersville, but property taxes and the cost of living in general, aren't exactly cheap in Plano.

Good luck!