moving to TX from Seattle (Dallas, Plano: job transfer, live in, restaurant)

[Peter5457]

Really, kids outside playing in Plano??? No. not anywhere close to the way kids play outside in CT where my kids grew up. Or even in Katy/Houston where i grew up.

Maybe Frisco, Allen, Mckinney or Dallas i dont know , dont drive thru residential areas there much. But definitely not what i see when driving around Plano. In fact the exact opposite. Only see kids at the parks. Maybe a few kids in the neighborhoods but that is nothing compared to what ive seen in North NJ, CT or even in Katy growing up.

[BLDSoon]

Originally Posted by Peter5457

Really, kids outside playing in Plano??? No. not anywhere close to the way kids play outside in CT where my kids grew up. Or even in Katy/Houston where i grew up.

Maybe Frisco, Allen, Mckinney or Dallas i dont know , dont drive thru residential areas there much. But definitely not what i see when driving around Plano. In fact the exact opposite. Only see kids at the parks. Maybe a few kids in the neighborhoods but that is nothing compared to what ive seen in North NJ, CT or even in Katy growing up.

That much is true.... No kids outside in Plano... Or west Frisco. Maybe a little league at the park but not in the streets. Its oh so quiet...

[BLDSoon]

Originally Posted by move_to_tx

Hello,
We are planning to move to Plano/Frisco/Allen with two kids. We are looking for a kids friendly neighborhood , where kids get together in the evenings to play,ride bikes. Any ideas?
Thanks

Have you spent time in Dallas? Seattle and DFW are almost polar opposites and not just weather-wise. If you havent it might be a difficult adjustment.
Otherwise those neighborhoods are pretty great....except those children wont be outside.

[Souleiado]

Allen, Frisco and Plano have very good schools and have neighborhoods that are family oriented. It will come down on what is available and your budget. You need to drive around to get a feel of what you would like , but you cannot go wrong with those cities.
But as much as I like Texas , I would move to Seatle in a nano second if given the opportunity . Don't make any mistake , you will be crying for the nice Seattle weather in a short time.

[Hacker1234]

Prosper has kids outside all the time.

[Brookside]

Originally Posted by Peter5457

Really, kids outside playing in Plano??? No. not anywhere close to the way kids play outside in CT where my kids grew up. Or even in Katy/Houston where i grew up.

Maybe Frisco, Allen, Mckinney or Dallas i dont know , dont drive thru residential areas there much. But definitely not what i see when driving around Plano. In fact the exact opposite. Only see kids at the parks. Maybe a few kids in the neighborhoods but that is nothing compared to what ive seen in North NJ, CT or even in Katy growing up.

You obviously don't live anywhere near Plano. Kids are on skateboards, bicycles, shooting hoops at all hours everywhere.

Of course, in the summer they also are in their pools -

[Peter5457]

Originally Posted by Brookside

You obviously don't live anywhere near Plano. Kids are on skateboards, bicycles, shooting hoops at all hours everywhere.

Of course, in the summer they also are in their pools -

Oh, i like living in plano but compared to other areas ive lived i see less kids playing outside in north plano neighborhoods than any of the other numerous places ive lived throughout the country. I'm always giving my kids rides and running errands all over north plano between preston and custer everyday. I do drive to other parts of plano but dont drive thru the residential streets there. Nor do i really drive residential streets much in neighboring towns.

Actually, its quite noticeable. Maybe you havent lived in many other parts of the country to notice the comparison.

[USNomad]

Originally Posted by move_to_tx

I hate seattle weather..and very very expensive. Our budget is around 500K.But our priority is good schools and ofcouse safe and kid friendly neighborhood.

I can respect those reasons for wanting to move to DFW however, if you haven't noticed already, many people move here out of necessity and "practicality" rather than true desire. IMHO, One of the things that DFW does best (besides eating/drinking/buying stuff), is the fact that they make it a priority to try to cater to families to lure people in. While I have noticed kids playing outdoors, most people spend more time indoors. In fact, i was told homes are larger here because you'll end up spending more time inside.

So, despite the expensive cost of living & cloudy days in Seattle, many people, myself included, still find Seattle a bit more desirable area to live vs. Dallas as I hate the Dallas weather and lack of scenery. But hey, you gotta do what you gotta do to make life easier for your family.

If you hate Seattle weather, you may very well truly enjoy Dallas weather, so good luck with your move. I'm sure you'll obtain some great information on here. Also, 500k will get you a very nice place, however home prices certainly are not what they once were & property tax/insurance are not a game either.

Be cautious of where you plan to live and how far your willing to commute (unless you work from home) because the traffic is not getting better, and you don't want to end up spending 2 hours getting to/from work, blowing your Texas-sized savings on tolls, fuel and vehicle maintenance.

[USNomad]

Originally Posted by Peter5457

Really, kids outside playing in Plano??? No. not anywhere close to the way kids play outside in CT where my kids grew up. Or even in Katy/Houston where i grew up.

Maybe Frisco, Allen, Mckinney or Dallas i dont know , dont drive thru residential areas there much. But definitely not what i see when driving around Plano. In fact the exact opposite. Only see kids at the parks. Maybe a few kids in the neighborhoods but that is nothing compared to what ive seen in North NJ, CT or even in Katy growing up.

I, being a New Jersey native can attest to this...growing up, I'd get home from school, knock out my homework and played outside until the street lights came on. Here, I see the majority of kids at local parks, but not so much in residential neighborhoods.

[mSooner]

OP, any of those 2 areas are probably going to be ok. Where is your job? You can minimize your commute