Re: Considering move to Dallas (Plano area) but but worried about negative views of Texas. (Fort Worth: car insurance, house)

[hamiltonpl]

Originally Posted by mtotexas

Google Earth shows a 1 hour commute to the intersection - is that right? We are looking for no more than half an hour.

Thanks again.

Maybe those were Canadian minutes? I'd say it would take no more than half an hour to get from Lakewood (Mockingbird and Abrams) to 75 and 635.

My Google Maps says it is only 7.2 miles and would take 14 minutes. That's probably true in non-rush hour traffic. If you took public transit, it would take 22 minutes.

You can plug this in on Google Maps using the following:

FROM: Abrams and Mockingbird

TO: LBJ / Central Station @32.918701,-96.751625

[nkodream]

[quote=backtotx;2951668]We lived in Flower Mound. We loved Grapevine and Fort Worth. The Stockyards are a really fun thing to do at the weekend. When we move we are thinking of either Coppell, Grapevine or Colleyville. Flower Mound was great and we have good friends that are still there but for a commuting aspect it probably won't suit aswell now. Plano is very popular as is Frisco for newbies. I lot of people from my husband's job currently live there.

Hi there....saw your post on Flower Mound and my husband and I are currently deciding between Flower Mound and Frisco...two very different places. What would you say about the two areas...I am concerned with the different lifestyles we would have in each and schools mainly. My husband would be commuting to North Dallas which is almost a similar distance. I think FM is so pretty.....very different from most of Dallas. Why are you moving?

[mtotexas]

Originally Posted by backtotx

Weather (for me) plays a big part. We are in the north west suburbs of Chicago. It is a great area and Chicago is fantastic but it is just too cold to enjoy at the moment. It does get very hot in Texas in the summer but I'd rather have to adapt to that than the freezing cold temps we have in Illinois. Having said that, today it is very pretty. We had a few inches of snow last night and we have blue skies and sunshine today.
You didn't mention if you have kids and if so do they have a preference?

We have 2 girls - 5 and 1, so as yet no official say in where we go. Just had to pick one from school - have to turn up half an hour early to get parking because of the snow banks. We will probably have to get a house with a pool to sell the move, as I know she is going to miss her friends, but we figure that is not a reason not to move.

[mtotexas]

Originally Posted by hamiltonpl

Maybe those were Canadian minutes? I'd say it would take no more than half an hour to get from Lakewood (Mockingbird and Abrams) to 75 and 635.

My Google Maps says it is only 7.2 miles and would take 14 minutes. That's probably true in non-rush hour traffic. If you took public transit, it would take 22 minutes.

You can plug this in on Google Maps using the following:

FROM: Abrams and Mockingbird

TO: LBJ / Central Station @32.918701,-96.751625

I think I was looking at lakewood village. THe only houses for sale are under 200,000 or over 695,000 so it's hard to judge. We are looking around 500,000.

[ctrres]

Originally Posted by mtotexas

I am glad that you both think we will like it in Texas. We were also considering Boston but after we saw the house prices, changed our minds. That alone would give us a lot more vacation money. I keep imaging a change of lifestyle where we hang out by a pool, palm trees, lots of outdoor activities. It may be a little idealistic. It's been a tough winter here. It is quite startling the difference in people's opinions, it was all postive for Boston, from everyone, peple who had been there and those who had not.And obviously it's not that black and white.

My friend has not been there and is basing her opinions on people she knows that have been that have been there and the Texans she has met, and again has admitted to her own prejudice.

Oh cr*p. Texas vs. Boston is no contest. Go to Texas.

[recently relocated]

I relocated to the DFW area a few months ago from Philadelphia, and unfortunately, I have found it very difficult. There is a big cultural difference - particularly in the suburbs of the midcities where we are now- from the Northeastern part of the country, and it is a huge adjustment. Contrary to the reputation of friendliness that this area has, in my experience it has been the least friendly place that I have lived, partly because everything is so spread out forcing everyone to drive everywhere and that in many neighborhoods people drive to the rear of their homes.

You don't mention if you are a SAHM or if you work outside the home-and this is not meant to be judgemental in anyway-but there also seems to be a huge trend away from women who work in this area, which is extremely disconcerting.

The other thing that was a shock was the fact that religion is discussed very openly-people you don't know will ask you if you have 'found a church' yet--I have never experienced this before and it was strange to me.

Topographically it is flatter than you can imagine. Very very flat with not a lot of areas of interest. If you are into environmental issues at all this area is a bit behind-the place where I am living now doesn't even have pick-up recycling, we have to drive it to a recycling center.

I could go on, but I think you get my point. Basically I'm an optimistic person and tend to get along fine, and will make this work. But I can't imagine that when the opportunity comes to move that I won't jump.

[MurphyPl1]

Recently relocated - where in the metroplex are you? I just recently researched recycling and waste services for a project I was working on and I think there is only one city in this entire area that doesn't have home recycling pickup. And most are moving away from the little bins to an automated system.

[hamiltonpl]

If I had to live in the 'burbs I'd hate living here also. That's why I try to promote the City of Dallas as much as possible.

The entire city of Dallas has a great pick up recycling program. Everything just goes in one huge container that is picked up twice a week. The city sorts out all the different types of recycling materials for you.

Additionally, the neighborhoods in the city are very close-knit and I've found the people incredibly friendly.

[Debsi]

Originally Posted by recently relocated

You don't mention if you are a SAHM or if you work outside the home-and this is not meant to be judgemental in anyway-but there also seems to be a huge trend away from women who work in this area, which is extremely ]disconcerting.

Really? You haven't been to my company! I don't know many SAHM's at all. I guess I would if I was one.
Working women are all over the metroplex.

Originally Posted by recently relocated

The other thing that was a shock was the fact that religion is discussed very openly-people you don't know will ask you if you have 'found a church' yet--I have never experienced this before and it was strange to me.

I agree with this. I am not often asked if I go to church, but people do talk about religion a whole lot more, and more openly than in Cali where I'm from. It wouldn't be considered appropriate workplace talk at all back home.

Flat is relative. It is generally flat compared to my hometown, but that's because we're in the Great Plains! Hardly surprising. One thing I like about the flatness is how much you notice the sky. There are days when I just look up and appreciate beautiful clouds, and the vastness of it. I was too busy looking at the pretty hills to notice the sky before.

[ctrres]

Granted topographically most of D/FW isn't exactly the Main Line, but there are some large sections of that kind of terrain in northernmost parts of the Mid-Cities either side of 360.

Philly resembles a miniature Manhattan; people live a stone's throw from Center City. I suppose Commerce St. is the closest thing to a South Street, but they don't compare (row houses rub against 50 story buildings around Walnut). They're different parts of the country.

No, nobody walks in the suburbs.

But you can take solace in the knowledge that in GP you have temporarily moved into easily the most provincial TX city in the 10-county region.