Where to locate in the Metroplex (Dallas, Richardson: real estate, house, tech jobs)

[EEngineer]

Hello.

With a small family a couple years from empty nest, I am an independent contractor software engineer for medical, aerospace, defense, and other product types. I have worked all over Chicagoland from my Marengo, IL based farmland home office for many years and have a great network for finding work. We have thought of moving to a warmer area, and Dallas may be an area that also could provide a number of tech jobs that I wish to be around. I have been invited to look into one Dallas-based job that offers relocation, etc., so I thought I should start the thought process. I will look into the job zones, pay rates and so forth in another way, but there is something else I do not know about the Metroplex, as I will explain next.

We really enjoy living on our small farmette, as it puts people somewhat farther away from us. There are fewer people, and there is a nice big radius of land in which nobody else belongs except for us. Our noise and neighbors noise has to travel far, and gets nicely reduced. Its really great. These are farmettes in the area, not mansions and estates. We do have to drive a bit to get to civilization. Are there locations to consider where a great number of high-tech jobs are within striking distance (1 hour drive each way) and the location is laid back, quiet, and probably sparse like I described? If not, what might be some other options for folks who don't care about keeping up with Jones', can be quiet and left alone, and still have a good balance of job sites and ability to live afforably?

Thanks.

[mSooner]

/What's your budget? How many acres are you really wanting?

[EEngineer]

Originally Posted by mSooner

/What's your budget? How many acres are you really wanting?

Our place would probably sell for 300K based on recent examples. I would like to not buy something that is more than that. Much less than that would be better. At 200K, I could be mortgageless.

Sometimes there are unusual features that allow a small acreage to have the desired affect - such as a cliff. However, in a perfectly neutral and flat world, I believe 5 acres can suffice. We are on 12 now.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Dallas real estate, and surrounding towns, is crazy expensive. $200K will buy you a 3-2 house on a postage stamp lot in most areas, if you can find it. To get 5 acres at $300K, I think you have to go pretty far out, maybe Kaufman county. Others more knowledgeable will answer more definitely.

[dch526]

Originally Posted by EEngineer

Hello.

With a small family a couple years from empty nest, I am an independent contractor software engineer for medical, aerospace, defense, and other product types. I have worked all over Chicagoland from my Marengo, IL based farmland home office for many years and have a great network for finding work. We have thought of moving to a warmer area, and Dallas may be an area that also could provide a number of tech jobs that I wish to be around. I have been invited to look into one Dallas-based job that offers relocation, etc., so I thought I should start the thought process. I will look into the job zones, pay rates and so forth in another way, but there is something else I do not know about the Metroplex, as I will explain next.

We really enjoy living on our small farmette, as it puts people somewhat farther away from us. There are fewer people, and there is a nice big radius of land in which nobody else belongs except for us. Our noise and neighbors noise has to travel far, and gets nicely reduced. Its really great. These are farmettes in the area, not mansions and estates. We do have to drive a bit to get to civilization. Are there locations to consider where a great number of high-tech jobs are within striking distance (1 hour drive each way) and the location is laid back, quiet, and probably sparse like I described? If not, what might be some other options for folks who don't care about keeping up with Jones', can be quiet and left alone, and still have a good balance of job sites and ability to live afforably?

Thanks.

L-3 is located in Greenville-50 Miles east of Dallas and Raytheon has a large presence in McKinney-35 miles north of Dallas (and consolidating other offices throughout the metroplex to Richardson-Adjacent suburb north of Dallas)

I would take a look at homes in these areas(or outskirts of): Crandall, Talty, McLendon-Chisolm, North Forney, Caddo Mills, Nevada, Josephine, Fate, Royse City, Copeville, Lavon, Farmersville, Blue Ridge

This would be your best chance to get a decent home on 5(+/-) AC around your price range and still be within an hour of Downtown Dallas and the areas mentioned above.

[Rakin]

Also head south to the Waxahachie / Midlothian area or Northwest towards Decatur.

Any choices of land will probably put you 60+ minutes outside of either FW or Dallas.