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I'll probably be moving back to the East Coast when my lease is up here next April. It will be nice to be closer to family anyways. I really miss being just a few hours drive from the beach, mountains, and DC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigDGeek
Where'd you end up?
DH and I literally talk about moving every day.
We knew DFW wasn't gonna be long term after the first 2 years. So first, we developed a financial plan to get out. Then we wrote down the things that are most important to our lifestyle, such as weather/climate, potential for natural disasters, careers, outdoor recreation, professional sports, options for weekend getaways within a few hours drive. Next, we narrowed down the overall cost of living for our preferred locations on the east and west coasts.
....and boom. We're in Phoenix, AZ. We really like Phoenix however, the actual location had more to do with our move as its within reasonable proximity to things we like and places we enjoy visiting on weekends. Within the last few weeks we were on the beach in Del Mar, CA, and the next week we were enjoying the sunsets and wineries in Sonoita, AZ. During the weekday evenings, we take nice strolls in parks or scenic drives admiring the pink/purple/orange sunsets behind the mountain ranges which costs us little to nothing. We spend way less $ on stuff to do than we did in DFW and funny, we don't eat out and shop as much either. Our friends in DFW told us we were crazy for leaving. As soon as we crossed the New Mexico state line, we knew we were gone for good, no looking back.
Thankfully, we landed great careers, and our preferred quality of life is awesome. We'll be driving to Las Vegas within the next few weeks. I also hope to visit Havasupai Falls soon too. Plenty of stuff to do within 5.5 hours drive or less.
We work to live and it works for us. Some people move to DFW and may find it to be just as amazing; its all a matter of what's important to folks, and their lifestyle desires.
We knew DFW wasn't gonna be long term after the first 2 years. So first, we developed a financial plan to get out. Then we wrote down the things that are most important to our lifestyle, such as weather/climate, potential for natural disasters, careers, outdoor recreation, professional sports, options for weekend getaways within a few hours drive. Next, we narrowed down the overall cost of living for our preferred locations on the east and west coasts.
....and boom. We're in Phoenix, AZ. We really like Phoenix however, the actual location had more to do with our move as its within reasonable proximity to things we like and places we enjoy visiting on weekends. Within the last few weeks we were on the beach in Del Mar, CA, and the next week we were enjoying the sunsets and wineries in Sonoita, AZ. During the weekday evenings, we take nice strolls in parks or scenic drives admiring the pink/purple/orange sunsets behind the mountain ranges which costs us little to nothing. We spend way less $ on stuff to do than we did in DFW and funny, we don't eat out and shop as much either. Our friends in DFW told us we were crazy for leaving. As soon as we crossed the New Mexico state line, we knew we were gone for good, no looking back.
Thankfully, we landed great careers, and our preferred quality of life is awesome. We'll be driving to Las Vegas within the next few weeks. I also hope to visit Havasupai Falls soon too. Plenty of stuff to do within 5.5 hours drive or less.
We work to live and it works for us. Some people move to DFW and may find it to be just as amazing; its all a matter of what's important to folks, and their lifestyle desires.
I hope Phoenix is working out for you! The wife and I are already planning on leaving the area once our lease is up next spring. My salary is much lower than what it should be, rent/housing is high and increasing, we don't like the boring scenery and lack of outdoor activities, and we had to downgrade to a smaller apartment to stay within budget. If the food and people weren't great here, we'd be leaving before the lease is up.
I'm from NC and all of our family lives there, so most likely that's where we will end up. If not, SC, GA, TN, or VA will be options as well. We even thought about MD, PA, NJ, or NY. We would probably move back to the Midwest if an opportunity came up.
I accepted my job in Arlington because I was tired of teaching and I wanted a change. I was living in a super small town in Missouri and we really disliked it. We came down to Arlington to visit after I accepted the job and we both already knew that DFW wasn't going to be the place for us long term. I remember the day we left Missouri. I was actually sad. Usually I am super excited to move somewhere new. Sometimes I regret not staying in Missouri another year. But I was miserable at my job and disliked the small town, so that wouldn't have worked out either.
You mentioned going to other places. That's something I miss! When I was in Kansas City, I was never too far from Minneapolis, Omaha, Chicago, St Louis, and a few other places. Because Texas is so big, you are pretty much limited to just Texas cities for weekend trips. Even though Texas has many places to go, it feels nice being able to go outside of the state.
In the mean time, we are going to make the best of our time in DFW and enjoy the Mexican food and nice people until we move on.
We knew DFW wasn't gonna be long term after the first 2 years. So first, we developed a financial plan to get out. Then we wrote down the things that are most important to our lifestyle, such as weather/climate, potential for natural disasters, careers, outdoor recreation, professional sports, options for weekend getaways within a few hours drive. Next, we narrowed down the overall cost of living for our preferred locations on the east and west coasts.
....and boom. We're in Phoenix, AZ. We really like Phoenix however, the actual location had more to do with our move as its within reasonable proximity to things we like and places we enjoy visiting on weekends. Within the last few weeks we were on the beach in Del Mar, CA, and the next week we were enjoying the sunsets and wineries in Sonoita, AZ. During the weekday evenings, we take nice strolls in parks or scenic drives admiring the pink/purple/orange sunsets behind the mountain ranges which costs us little to nothing. We spend way less $ on stuff to do than we did in DFW and funny, we don't eat out and shop as much either. Our friends in DFW told us we were crazy for leaving. As soon as we crossed the New Mexico state line, we knew we were gone for good, no looking back.
Thankfully, we landed great careers, and our preferred quality of life is awesome. We'll be driving to Las Vegas within the next few weeks. I also hope to visit Havasupai Falls soon too. Plenty of stuff to do within 5.5 hours drive or less.
We work to live and it works for us. Some people move to DFW and may find it to be just as amazing; its all a matter of what's important to folks, and their lifestyle desires.
DFW, like most growing metros, is absolutely becoming less affordable. Much of this has to due with the low interest rate policy of the fed. We're reaching 8 years of zero or near-zero fed rates, which is unprecedented. Low rates drive up prices of assets like real estate and most other things, and is intended to spur economic growth. Usually incomes rise along with everything else but so far they have been stagnant. This could be a recipe for disaster, but that remains to be seen.
That being said, it will probably take some type of recession for real estate/rents to come down. It's been 7 years since the last one, so we're probably due for another sometime in the near future. I do believe, however, that the 2008-10 housing crisis was an anomaly and future pullbacks will not be severe. Time will tell...
When I moved to Plano from NY in 2013 I really could feel the difference in cost of living. In early 2014 I bought a 3500 Sq ft house in West Plano for little under $400,000 and I could really feel how much every dollar could stretch in Dallas VS NY, not to mention I changed my job and took an offer here that ended up paying me more than what I made in NY (minus the state tax) so yes, I really could feel the lower cost of living.
Fast forward in 2016 I can see the price of housing in my community and across the metropolis go up. The property tax too have gone up by a few hundred dollars but I still think Dallas is an affordable city. On the other hand one of my cousin moved in from outer Detroit to Coppell and got a brand new home for a little under $500,000. O'coz from his view Dallas in very costly to live compared to the small town he was living in Detroit so basically what I feel is -
1) Affordability in Dallas very much boils down to the state/city you are moving from
2) How much you spend on your home
3) The kind of job you are into and the pay associated with it. I am in IT and my wife is a CPA. Both of us combined make good money and have been able to maintain similar household income (infact we make more here) that we made in NY.
4) Toll prices are increasing in DFW but nowhere compared to $15 that we used to pay when crossing the Whitestone Bridge
5) Property taxes are up but again nowhere compared to what my In laws pay in Westchester County in NY
So yeah Dallas is getting costlier but still affordable for many..
I hope Phoenix is working out for you!
In the mean time, we are going to make the best of our time in DFW and enjoy the Mexican food and nice people until we move on.
Thank you, and good luck. All these experiences are significant to your journey.
As for Mexican grub, my favorites that I'd suggest in DFW were Chilito's (loved the California Burrito) and Silvia's in Lake Dallas; Taco's Ernesto in Fort Worth.
That's just utter nonsense, the last part (and yea if you want me to do so I can prove it). Whatever your deal is with DFW let if go you'll feel better.
You disagreed that DFW is about double what it costs in other areas of the Midwest. Here is how much I paid for things in Kansas City vs what I pay in Arlington. Arlington is close to FW and Dallas, but it SUCKS compared to KC. It's probably one of the most bland, uninteresting, and boring cities I've ever lived. I would have a better experience in Dallas or Fort Worth, but I work in Arlington, so it makes more sense to live here. Also, my rent would be over $1200/mo in a safe part of Dallas or FW. Honestly, there isn't much in DFW that I couldn't get in KC (besides the nice DFW airport and having several malls instead of just a handful).
Car insurance: $75 KC $125 DFW
Electric (summer): 660kWh KC 1100kWh DFW
Rent: $650 (2br) KC $1000 (1br) DFW
Gasoline: Usually 10-15c per gallon cheaper in KC
Obviously this is just my personal experience. I'm sure others might find KC more expensive depending on their living situation. I think the biggest difference I've noticed is rent prices. In Kansas City, cheaper rentals weren't unsafe, they were just older and in a less desirable location. In Arlington, any 1br for less than $800 will get your car broken into.
I got a $4000 raise from Kansas City. But it costs me at least $4000/year more to live here.
I honestly don't really have anything against DFW. It's got some great qualities, but it just doesn't do anything for me. I visisted the area after I had accepted my job offer here (dumb, I know) and I already knew it wasn't going to be the place for me long term. Overall, the area doesn't have much character and feels like one huge suburb with strip centers that constantly expand. It's easily one of the most drab areas I've ever visited/lived in.
Last edited by lepoisson; 08-02-2016 at 07:20 AM..
You disagreed that DFW is about double what it costs in other areas of the Midwest. Here is how much I paid for things in Kansas City vs what I pay in Arlington. Arlington is close to FW and Dallas, but it SUCKS compared to KC. It's probably one of the most bland, uninteresting, and boring cities I've ever lived. I would have a better experience in Dallas or Fort Worth, but I work in Arlington, so it makes more sense to live here. Also, my rent would be over $1200/mo in a safe part of Dallas or FW. Honestly, there isn't much in DFW that I couldn't get in KC (besides the nice DFW airport and having several malls instead of just a handful).
Car insurance: $75 KC $125 DFW
Electric (summer): 660kWh KC 1100kWh DFW
Rent: $650 (2br) KC $1000 (1br) DFW
Gasoline: Usually 10-15c per gallon cheaper in KC
Obviously this is just my personal experience. I'm sure others might find KC more expensive depending on their living situation. I think the biggest difference I've noticed is rent prices. In Kansas City, cheaper rentals weren't unsafe, they were just older and in a less desirable location. In Arlington, any 1br for less than $800 will get your car broken into.
I got a $4000 raise from Kansas City. But it costs me at least $4000/year more to live here.
I honestly don't really have anything against DFW. It's got some great qualities, but it just doesn't do anything for me. I visisted the area after I had accepted my job offer here (dumb, I know) and I already knew it wasn't going to be the place for me long term. Overall, the area doesn't have much character and feels like one huge suburb with strip centers that constantly expand. It's easily one of the most drab areas I've ever visited/lived in.
First off you can't compare overall cost of living looking at the prices of a few things. Secondly, I don't know where you are coming up with your rent numbers. My son lives in the Medical District Dallas in large 2 bedroom that is $1,275 - it sports granite, two fairly large bedrooms, newish AC, new appliances, 24x7 security, sweet pool, gates etc.
I pulled these numbers from a well known and accurate COL comparator. The only weakness is the numbers haven't been refreshed since the end of March '16. They will be updated through the end of June in a few weeks.
Income required to live at roughly the same quality of life as if one made $50,000 in Dallas:
St. Louis Mo. - $48,288.................~3.5% less than Dallas
KC Mo. - $49,429........................~1.1% less than Dallas (I know you don't like it but that is just reality)
Champaign-Urbana Ill. - $50,156...~0.3% more expensive than Dallas
Chicago Ill. - $60,270...................~20% more expensive
Peoria Ill. - $51,297.....................~2.5% more expensive
Denver Co. - $56,691..................~13% more expensive
Lincoln NE. - $47,355..................~5.2% less expensive
OKC OK. - $46,266......................~7.4% less expensive
The takeaway is there is no metro of any size in the Midwest that is even 20% less expensive, I didn't see one even 10% less, than DFW let alone 50% less expensive.
When I moved to Plano from NY in 2013 I really could feel the difference in cost of living. In early 2014 I bought a 3500 Sq ft house in West Plano for little under $400,000 and I could really feel how much every dollar could stretch in Dallas VS NY, not to mention I changed my job and took an offer here that ended up paying me more than what I made in NY (minus the state tax) so yes, I really could feel the lower cost of living.
Fast forward in 2016 I can see the price of housing in my community and across the metropolis go up. The property tax too have gone up by a few hundred dollars but I still think Dallas is an affordable city. On the other hand one of my cousin moved in from outer Detroit to Coppell and got a brand new home for a little under $500,000. O'coz from his view Dallas in very costly to live compared to the small town he was living in Detroit so basically what I feel is -
1) Affordability in Dallas very much boils down to the state/city you are moving from
2) How much you spend on your home
3) The kind of job you are into and the pay associated with it. I am in IT and my wife is a CPA. Both of us combined make good money and have been able to maintain similar household income (infact we make more here) that we made in NY.
4) Toll prices are increasing in DFW but nowhere compared to $15 that we used to pay when crossing the Whitestone Bridge
5) Property taxes are up but again nowhere compared to what my In laws pay in Westchester County in NY
So yeah Dallas is getting costlier but still affordable for many..
That's very well said.
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. We really like Phoenix however, the actual location had more to do with our move as its within reasonable proximity to things we like and places we enjoy visiting on weekends. Within the last few weeks we were on the beach in Del Mar, CA, and the next week we were enjoying the sunsets and wineries in Sonoita, AZ. During the weekday evenings, we take nice strolls in parks or scenic drives admiring the pink/purple/orange sunsets behind the mountain ranges which costs us little to nothing. We spend way less $ on stuff to do than we did in DFW and funny, we don't eat out and shop as much either. Our friends in DFW told us we were crazy for leaving. As soon as we crossed the New Mexico state line, we knew we were gone for good, no looking back.
