Dallas could be my next city - insight please (Plano: best neighborhood, for rent)

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by PhilliesGirl

That REALLY sounds like my type of area, you're good! 30-40 minutes in rush hour I am assuming/hope? For a neighborhood that I love, I'd be ok with a 40 minute commute.

Also - both of the areas that you mention, are they both within my budget? I could go slightly higher, but I do love to travel a lot and I like to keep $$ aside for that sort of thing. Since these areas do not have a lot of corporate managed apartments, is there a good way to see what is available?

I see what looks like a very walkable area called Katy Trail on Google - is that near either of these neighborhoods you mentioned, if not is there a neighborhood that borders it that may be an option for me? Sorry for the million questions here! Thank for your insight!

Yes, 30-40 in rush hour.

You can definitely find a place to live and stay in your budget. Zip code is mostly 75206. I'd recommend checking Craig's List until you get here. Then, the best way to find something is to drive around and take phone numbers off "for rent" yard signs. For CL, search these terms: 75206, Lower Greenville, M Streets.

The Katy Trail cuts right through Uptown. It starts at Victory Park (by the W Hotel and American Airlines Center) and goes all the way up to the southern end of SMU's campus. It's kind of the east/west dividing line between Uptown and Oak Lawn / Turtle Creek neighborhoods. Uptown is over your budget and also more polished/new feeling. You can easily bike from Lower Greenville to the trail in 5-10 minutes or you can head east to White Rock Lake (about 10 min away) to use the 9-mile jog/bike trail there.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by PhilliesGirl

Ah, I just asked about the Katy Trail This is the first time I hear about the Design District, I will look to see some apartments there. What would the commute to Addison be like? From Google Maps, looks like staying near the Dallas North Tollway is a good idea, IF I want to minimize commute time, but be in Dallas.

Oh, and I have cancelled out The Village area for my search, I am not interested in old garden style apartments that may give me popcorn ceilings :/

How is the crime rate near Oak Lawn and the Medical District?

For Oak Lawn, you MUST avoid the triangle between Cedar Springs / Dallas North Tollroad/ Oak Lawn. I would not recommend living near the medical district; for simplicity's sake, I'd say avoid anything west of the Tollroad that is south of Lemon. Design District is ok because it's across I-35 and is a completely separate area.

[PhilliesGirl]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

For Oak Lawn, you MUST avoid the triangle between Cedar Springs / Dallas North Tollroad/ Oak Lawn. I would not recommend living near the medical district; for simplicity's sake, I'd say avoid anything west of the Tollroad that is south of Lemon. Design District is ok because it's across I-35 and is a completely separate area.

Avoid because .. safety? Traffic?

[ChristieP]

Safety.

[PhilliesGirl]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Safety.

Oh boy .. can you tell me the cross streets please lol. I'm looking google and I see the Tollway.. but not sure of the cross streets.

Thanks for the heads up!

[Aceraceae]

Cedar Springs Rd. and Oak Lawn Ave.

[RonnieinDallas]

Originally Posted by PhilliesGirl

Avoid because .. safety? Traffic?

That's the gayest part of Oak Lawn, and it should not be avoided. I've spent lots of time and lived in that triangle and have never experienced any crime whatsoever. I do take precautions that are necessary in any large city, but I never feel unsafe at all.

There are portions along Maple that are still a little rough, but almost everything between Cedar Springs and Maple that was rundown has been torn down and replaced with high end apartments. Even Maple Avenue is transitioning. In the last year they added a very nice Kroger grocery store, a Starbucks is under construction right next to Maple n Motor, the beautiful Old Parkland Office Park has been expanded, and they are currently building several luxury apartment blocks. There's also expensive town homes mixed in, so it's anything but an area to avoid

[move4ward]

She might have to consider noise, though. Is there much noise from the planes coming into Love Field in Oak Lawn?

[TrueDat]

That area is changing rapidly and I'm guessing in a decade it will be totally transformed. But there are still some rougher spots.

Has the OP considered North Oak Lawn? That would be the streets between Lemmon Ave. and the Highland Park border and the Tollway an Oak Lawn Ave. Lots of older but well-maintained apartments and duplexes on leafy streets, lots of young and older professionals but without the bother and expense of Uptown -- but Uptown is not far away if you want it. Look on such streets as Hawthorne, Prescott, Bowser, Newton, Holland, Avondale, and Gilbert. It's very convenient to the Tollway, Central Expressway, Uptown, downtown, and Love Field.

Since there aren't big, corporate apartments here, the best way to find a place is to scout around the neighborhood looking for "for rent" or "for lease" signs.

[PhilliesGirl]

Originally Posted by TrueDat

That area is changing rapidly and I'm guessing in a decade it will be totally transformed. But there are still some rougher spots.

Has the OP considered North Oak Lawn? That would be the streets between Lemmon Ave. and the Highland Park border and the Tollway an Oak Lawn Ave. Lots of older but well-maintained apartments and duplexes on leafy streets, lots of young and older professionals but without the bother and expense of Uptown -- but Uptown is not far away if you want it. Look on such streets as Hawthorne, Prescott, Bowser, Newton, Holland, Avondale, and Gilbert. It's very convenient to the Tollway, Central Expressway, Uptown, downtown, and Love Field.

Since there aren't big, corporate apartments here, the best way to find a place is to scout around the neighborhood looking for "for rent" or "for lease" signs.

I have not looked at North Oak Lawn .. after the "stay away from the triangle" thing..I kind of stopped looking tbh. I will refer to those streets you mentioned. I definitely would prefer to be near the Tollway, seems it is the easiest access to work. I did speak to a co-worker who works out of Addison and she and her boyfriend live at Hue Cityplace, she recommended it, and I didn't have a chance to ask about her commute - but it looks like that's off of Highway 75.. isn't that a bit far from where I need be if I want to stay within 30-40 min to work? What neighborhood is that? Safe?