relocating to dallas in your 20s (Arlington, Plano: real estate market, houses, theater)

[Pfahla]

Hi everyone!

Me and soon to be husband are thinking of moving to the Dallas area. We've visited twice now and still are unsure where to move. The realtor we met with doesn't seem very honest about where the best areas are to live.

We want: close to malls, restaurants, amenities, safety, Low cost of living,
we want a house less than 20-25 years old and want to completly redo the inside. My parents are house flippers so im used to houses being bought ugly and redone to the way i like them. I am ridiculously picky want something cheap enough to redo to the way i like. We looked at houses in Mckinney and Allen but they are almost too new to not low enough prices for redoing. Looked at $250k-$300k price range. I would like to stay under $200 so i can flip it and live in it. With my job i can live anywhere in the country since i work from home and own my own business online. (same with my fiance)

Is Dallas really the place i want to end up? If so what cities in Dallas to live? Do you actually have to go into the city to find things to do or do people rarely go into the city unless for work?


If you live in DFW currently and have lived somewhere else you like better, please let me know! Like i said i can move anywhere

Looking at Charlotte, NC and maybe Tulsa, OK also.

[alastrian2]

You don't mention if school districts matter for you? The answer to that question will sway recommendations significantly.

[Pfahla]

schools arent super important no kids yet! But i may have them within 5 years so i guess it does matter :P

[TurtleCreek80]

The suburbs with 25+ year old homes that are under $300k are Plano (central and east), Richardson, possibly Carrollton (start to trade down on school quality), south Arlington (Martin HS and it's feeders are good).

If you would look in the city of Dallas at 1950-1960's ranch style homes, Lake Highlands, Lockwood, and northwest Dallas (DeGoyler & Walnut Hill Elementary zones) are good possibilities. A complete redo can be bought for $190-225k range and gut remodeled homes sell for $300-400k..: The math works for redo potential and tons of homes are being remodeled and flipped as original owners pass. This is also happening in Richardson.

Fair warning: Dallas has the #2 real estate market in the country right now. It's flying and at that price point, you're going to see bidding wars and be competing against all cash offers. There are no "deals" in Dallas right now.


As for living here, it's not as cheap as you may think. If you're moving from NYC, it's cheap . If you're moving from a mid sized market, it's not. Tulsa is a whole lot cheaper COL.

There are tons of things to do all around the metroplex, including the city of Dallas. No, people do not just go into Dallas for work. They come for the arts (Dallas has the largest contiguous arts district in the country with museums, theaters, the symphony, opera house, etc), great food (Lower Greenville, Knox-Henderson , and the Bishops Arts Districts are all known for awesome local restaurants), The Arboretum, the Dallas Zoo, Klyde Warren Park & it's numerous activies, shopping at NorthPark (one of the few Billion Dollar malls in the country) & Highland Park Village, etc.