College Grad moving to Dallas/Planoarea (Austin, Frisco: apartments, lease, house)

[sicem13]

Hi everyone,

I'm graduating this December and will be moving to Dallas to start my job in January and I'm currently looking for a one bedroom apartment in the Dallas/Plano area. I've looked in Uptown, Victory Park, Austin Ranch and Shops at Legacy areas.

I'm mainly interested in finding out what the nightlife/social scene of those areas are. I've heard Austin Ranch and Shops at Legacy have a lot of young professionals, but is everyone just making the commute to uptown on weekends? So why not just live in the Uptown area?

My job is going to be in the Legacy area, so it would be ideal to live in Austin Ranch or Shops at Legacy as far as a commute, but I don't want to regret doing so if I'm going to be traveling to Uptown a lot (I plan on bar hopping and such so the 30 min drive to and from Uptown is bothersome).

Also, I hear Shops at Legacy has a good nightlife, but I also hear it's a bunch of divorcees...which is it? or is it both?

Thanks for the help!

[RonnieinDallas]

Originally Posted by sicem13

Also, I hear Shops at Legacy has a good nightlife, but I also hear it's a bunch of divorcees...which is it? or is it both?

This question comes up a lot! I'm 27 and I use to work off Legacy, but I chose to live in Oak Lawn after 2 years of living in far north Dallas. I never regretted the move once.

The problem with Legacy and Austin Ranch is: "what you see, is what you get". There is no little road around the corner from either area with an interesting dive bar or a piano bar a few blocks away. The last time I went to Austin Ranch there were 2 bars there Zen and Gecko, and that's it. It's been at least 2 years since I've been to either, and I've had zero desire to drive from Dallas to The Colony to check them out again. Legacy has more options, but many are copies of things Uptown had first, and the originals in Uptown are usually better.

It's probably more practical to live closer to work, but you're only young and single once...

[TurtleCreek80]

I work off Legacy and did the drive from Uptown for 5 years when I was single. We still live in-town now and I still commute, just not from Uptown. As commutes go, it's super easy (mostly at high speeds in moving traffic, with the occasional accident that will slow down your am or pm). Personally, I would rather come home to a neighborhood I love than live 2 minutes from the office.

Of all the 20-something's who work in my office, I'd say about 25% live in Shops @ Leg / Austin Ranch / misc Plano or Frisco apartments, 50% live in Uptown / Design District/ in-town Dallas neighborhoods, and 25% live in an apartment somewhere else (Las Colinas, Addison, etc) or own a house somewhere. I know very few people who have continued to rent at Shops of Legacy...it's a decent spot to start if you're relocating and a commute intimidates you, but most of the people I know have moved down to Uptown or just out of Shops / Austin Ranch after 1 lease term. Ronnie hit the nail on he head - its very "what you see is all there is". No grocery store, nothing more to "explore" outside the development, stuck on the side of a highway, difficult to escape people who work at your office (which sometimes you DO want to do after work or at Saturday brunch).

The cab ride to Uptown isn't cheap and there is no public transit option. I'd say the people I know are going into Uptown 3 of 4 weekends a month and the cab fares - even split 2-3 ways- can easily top the additional gas & tolls you'd spend money on if you commuted daily from Uptown.

[brandonsimmons]

i dont know, if it were me id stay up north. not sure how long ago those guys lived up there but that whole area is a boom area and in just 6 months it looks completely different. there are 3-4 cranes at shops at legacy with new buildings going up.

i think its a very neat area and to answer your question it has a great mix of young and divorcee but id say majority of people there are under 35.

Everyone ive known thats lived at austin ranch or legacy has loved it. they are also building some awesome apartments off parker and the tollway next to the movie theater and eatzis. its a little further south for you and a great location. not sure of the name but its owned by AMLI.

[Considering Coming Back]

You are 22? You do not want to be in the northern suburbs. Bar hopping = uptown.

If you were 27, or had ties to the area, I might not make that suggestion. I might suggest Addison. But you are 22 and you sound like you want to live the life uptown offers. If it turns out you never have time to hit happy hour or your main squeeze is living in Austin Ranch you can always move.

[BeenThereDunThat]

Gotta add My2Cents... You should definitely consider staying North... it is continually developing and I was in the area two weeks ago to have dinner with colleagues at the Shoppes on Legacy area. It has a thriving nightlife, there were street musicians (4 group bands) and I had dinner at Nicolas which was simply superb! We were walking to our car afterwards and noticed there were a lot of people out in the different cafes' & bistros.
It may not be Uptown but if I worked close-by, I couldn't imagine not considering living in the area. There's a lot going on and more to come. Worth a try for a couple years I'd think.

Good Luck

[brandonsimmons]

AGREE 100% with what he just said

its rocking at night and the food and bars are plenty and more on the way

its right in the center of everything

[BeenThereDunThat]

P.S. As we were walking... I nearly busted my tail not watching where I was going because I was "distracted" by quite a few pretty ladies who were in a group and dressed to the 9's. I thought to myself... "oh to be 20-something, single and not too worried about the Roth account..." I think there's plenty going on in this neck O' the woods.

[Sweetkisses4511]

I just moved to the west plano area last month. I am already regretting not living in Uptown or Addison. I do not suggest living at the shops at legacy and I am 27. This area is very nice, but not the nightlife I am looking for.

[CMC_TX]

Originally Posted by sicem13

Hi everyone,

I'm graduating this December and will be moving to Dallas to start my job in January and I'm currently looking for a one bedroom apartment in the Dallas/Plano area. I've looked in Uptown, Victory Park, Austin Ranch and Shops at Legacy areas.

I'm mainly interested in finding out what the nightlife/social scene of those areas are. I've heard Austin Ranch and Shops at Legacy have a lot of young professionals, but is everyone just making the commute to uptown on weekends? So why not just live in the Uptown area?

My job is going to be in the Legacy area, so it would be ideal to live in Austin Ranch or Shops at Legacy as far as a commute, but I don't want to regret doing so if I'm going to be traveling to Uptown a lot (I plan on bar hopping and such so the 30 min drive to and from Uptown is bothersome).

Also, I hear Shops at Legacy has a good nightlife, but I also hear it's a bunch of divorcees...which is it? or is it both?

Thanks for the help!

I didn't see where anyone had asked about your budget. When I graduated I was working near where you'll be working, and I wanted to live close to work. The apartments were also much cheaper than Uptown.

I can honestly tell you that this was a bad decision, and I wish I had moved to Uptown or somewhere closer to it at that point in my life.

If you are interested in nightlife and being able to go out to bars with friends, living around a lot of other young professionals, etc than Uptown is your best option. The rent for anywhere decent will probably start at $1400/month, but I guess if that's too much you could always look into getting a roommate to split costs with.

It is worth it at being fresh out of college to drive a little further to work in order to enjoy where you're living. Other areas worth considering might be Greenville, or if you have a tight budget, maybe the Village? I'm not a fan personally, but the cab rides to Uptown are more reasonable and there are still some younger people living in the area.

Shops at Legacy & Addison are better options for 30 + age range.