Move to Dallas from Baltimore - Questions..long (Houston, Tyler: mortgage broker, broker) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

sotodog · 10-23-2007, 12:41 PM

I have always dreamed of moving to Dallas but never was able to do when single (applied to UT and didn't get in, applied for jobs and didn't get them, etc) and then married DH and he wouldn't leave his family. It seems he is now loosending up a little bit. My dad will be moving to Tyler and I have an aunt who lives at White Rock Lake (I think that's it). I've visited Dallas when I was single but now I have a 3.5 and a 5 year old.

Some questions/observations that I'm looking for comments on:

1) I've seen that there are some excellent schools in the Dallas area per Newsweeks top public schools. I've also heard alot about drug (meth) problems. Also lots of materialism. Is it any worse than other places? What is it like living in a 'regular' suburb?

2) How is the 'green' mentality, i.e. recycling, health conscience, environmentalism, etc.?

3) What is the job market like? How do you think salaries compare to the Baltimore area? I am a financial analyst for a gov't contractor and DH is mortgage broker. I know most work with my company and previous company is in Houston which I'm not interested in going to. Given the housing prices, I assume we could take a 30-50% cut in salary if we had to.

4) We'd live somewhere close to work ideally. Both of us right now commute less than 5 miles. It seems we should not have a problem finding a home in a suburb for around $300k with 4 br and around 2700 sq ft, right? We would then have no mortgage!!!! I love the community idea - pools, walking/biking trails, etc. We don't have that where I live but we had it in Annapolis where I grew up and also in Northern Virginia where I lived for some time. It is so nice.

5) Long shot but would anyone know anything about the Greek community there. DH is Greek and I would like to be involved with a Greek church.

nativeDallasite · 10-23-2007, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sotodog

5) Long shot but would anyone know anything about the Greek community there. DH is Greek and I would like to be involved with a Greek church.

My father was involved with designing a Greek Orthodox church in north Dallas for Dallas's large Greek community. My high school yearbook had dozens of Greek names and faces in it (among other ethnic groups...my HS was very diverse). Even my HS English teacher my junior year was a Greek. The principal of my elementary school was married to a Greek. There are LOTS of Greek restaurants around; one that's popular with locals in my old north Dallas neighborhood is the Opa!.

Holy Trinity Main

Photos of the church:

Greek Orthodox Church The Holy Trinity Photo Gallery by rospotte at pbase.com

Lakewooder · 10-23-2007, 01:04 PM

Lots of Greeks in Lakewood (west shore of White Rock Lake), too - and they all know each other or are related in some way. Reena Papanickalou Morris led a Lakewood tour to Greece last summer: Carol Hensley trip to Greece and Italy 2007 - can you tell my area is like a small town? If Reena is not the head Greek around here it would have to be Pete Zotos Papou's Greek Kitchen and Taverna - Dallas, TX, 75214 - Citysearch or John Spyropoulos John's Café moves back to Lower Greenville home | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | News: Local News (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-johnscafe_08met.ART.West.Edition1.43c00b7.html - broken link)

Willys · 10-23-2007, 01:12 PM

sotodog, listen to/work with Lakewooder. He'll get you closer to 'Maryland in Texas' than anyone else. His area is what you're looking for.

taroberts · 10-24-2007, 08:19 AM

I am also moving from baltimore to Dallas next year. I would love to see an answer to sotodog's third question as I too am in a similar field. It's scary to move across the country with no idea about the job market and give up a great job here in Bmore. Oh well ... I look forward to so input on #3.

Lakewooder · 10-24-2007, 08:23 AM

4 bedrooms is tough around here for that price, I will warn you. But I would think being a mortgage broker would be great because this is the area (and close to the others) with high values which is seeing steady appreciation about 2-3-4 times most of the very-hyped northern suburbs. Most of the dealmakers live in town.

BTW, I love to see Baltimore in the John Waters movies! And I am a Poe afficionado.

pot_roast · 10-25-2007, 11:29 AM

"2) How is the 'green' mentality, i.e. recycling, health conscience, environmentalism, etc.?"

I'm from the green liberal haven known as the San Francisco Bay Area, and I can safely say that I was VERY impressed by the attitudes in the DFW area regarding the environment/etc.

They weren't "in your face" like we are here. DFW-ites were actually *doing it* instead of putting up billboards saying how YOU should. I saw plenty of recycling/etc.