Should I relocate to Park Cities from California? (Dallas, University Park: home, university)

[Captain Harlock]

Hi all,

My wife and I are trying to find the ideal place to settle.

Thanks to all the informative posts on this forum, which I've been following for over a year now, I've become enamored of the idea of Dallas (though I've never visited!) We currently live in Santa Barbara, California. Yes, the scenery is gorgeous, and the weather ideal, but we've never liked California or felt at home here. Before Santa Barbara, we lived in Los Angeles for many years, and simply couldn't stand it (I call it a "city full of Kardashians.")

I run my own business out of home, and my wife is a SAHM with two babies, so we could move anywhere in the US. Our budget is around $2 million, or somewhat higher. I love many of the things I've read on these boards about Park Cities. What appeals to me most is the idea of living in an affluent Norman Rockwell-like setting, where kids are playing in shady, tree-covered streets, yet you still have all the amenities of downtown within easy reach.

We're not at all religious, but are politically libertarian/conservative, and believe strongly in traditional family values. From what I gather on these boards, the Park Cities seems like an ideal place for us.

In your opinion, am I crazy to leave a place that has the most temperate, pleasant weather in the country for a place that's hotter than hades for four months of the year?

My fear is that we'll move to Dallas and regret it down the road, especially during the heat of summer.

In your opinion, is Highland Park/University Park the best move for us, given my circumstances above? Is there somewhere better (anywhere in the US) that you'd recommend that has the following criteria:

1) Beautiful leafy suburb that's close to downtown, 2) Affluent, educated populace, 3) polite, family-minded, Norman Rockwell setting, 4) majority conservative, but we'll settle for liberal if the first three criteria are satisfied.

Another way to phrase my question is, would YOU move to Highland Park if you could afford it and had two young children, even if you could move anywhere in the US? (with the exception of CA.)

Thanks in advance for your thoughtful replies.

[TheOverdog]

I'd probably live in a place like Bethesda MD, which I'd consider a competitor to HP and close to Washington DC, better in terms of culture and better acess to sweet sweet endless government cash.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by Captain Harlock

Another way to phrase my question is, would YOU move to Highland Park if you could afford it and had two young children, even if you could move anywhere in the US? (with the exception of CA.)

Thanks in advance for your thoughtful replies.

I wouldn't. The climate here is horrible. The Park Cities are lovely but Dallas itself is ugly as sin. The natural landscape here consists of flat, flat, and more flat. You're hundreds of miles from beaches, mountains, etc.

So...if I could live anywhere in the US with that big of a budget, would I choose to live here? No.

[JTC Mom]

Gosh - hard to say where I'd live if I could live absolutely anywhere. The Park Cities is great and Texas has no income tax and is generally more business friendly than California. I think you would like the Park Cities a lot, but I'm sure there are other wonderful places too.

I also love the DC area, recommended by another poster but I don't agree with the comparison between Bethesda, MD to Park Cities. In my opinion, the Park cities are more conservative and has a much more small town feel than Bethesda.

[Restrain]

$2M housing budget, I would look at FL, beach location.

[4Movingeast]

^^^ seriously! I'd live in Seaside if I could live anywhere. Talk about idyllic! Not sure what 2 mil will get you there, but I'd sure check that or somewhere beautiful in the mountains out first. No knock on Dallas- it's a good city, but the heat will knock y'all out for real.

[BStinson]

NO!!!!!!!! You shouldn't.

[Adamson865]

No.

How it matches to your four criteria: 1) No, 2) Most likely, 3) NO, 4) darned near anything is going to be conservative compared to where you're coming from.

[Johnhw2]

Yes you should. Living in the mountains or near water got stale for me much as the yellow and red fall foliage does after viewing it for a few hours. The people make the place to live not scenery. Dallas is an easy place to live, you have a lot in common with the people living here. You can fly to the mountains and ocean for a fix and you will enjoy it more from not seeing it daily.

Welcome to Texas

[Captain Harlock]

Originally Posted by Johnhw2

Living in the mountains or near water got stale for me much as the yellow and red fall foliage does after viewing it for a few hours.

I have to agree, natural beauty becomes stale after awhile. I lived in Hawaii for some time, and you start getting island fever.

We're looking for an idyllic place to raise a family where we can plant our roots-- not a vacation spot.

The recommendation for Bethesda, MD, sounds like a good one. I've never considered it or visited. I'm also wondering about Greenwich, CT as an option. I wonder how Highland Park compares to both.