Best Cities for a young married couple (Houston, Dallas: fit in, real estate)

[shaxs]

Hello,

This summer I will be making my way out to Texas (ahh, my birth state) from California to check out local suburbs and cities in the DFW area. I remember living in Fort Worth and loving it as a child (up to 2nd grade) and my parents have found memories of Carrollton. Actually, they went to a conference out there and went all over the DFW area taking pictures of their old homes. They said they loved being back.

Anyways, I plan on getting married this January and moving out to Texas that summer. THIS summer is going to be a checkout period. So, we will be a young married couple. We are moving for real estate issues obviously, since San Diego is ridiculous. But, we are also moving because we want a more welcoming place to live. Honestly, since I have been in San Diego (for about 5 years now) I never talked to my neighbors. Everyone keeps to themselves. We went out to Houston on our way to Gavelston to take a cruise and stayed with my aunt. They took us to their church group's potluck party. Everyone was late thirties and early forties, but man did we have a great time! And the food... oh I miss Texas BBQ. I remember when we moved around in Texas the whole neighborhood would come out and greet us and bring us food to eat while we settled in. I don't know if it is like that everywhere in Texas or if it still is, but I really want that.

Also, we go to a massive church here, 6000+ people. I volunteered for 6 months in the IT department and my girlfriend spends 2 hours every Sunday in the children's ministry as a teacher. We both feel lost and like we don't know anyone. We want a community feeling and I got that feeling when I was in Texas.

I also want to be in a state which is atleast more conservative than CA is.

Anways, long story short. We want a place where a young married couple can fit in, nice safe areas, school are not an issue, a 30-40ish minute MAX drive to UT Arlington (gf wants to get her masters in social work there), good churches (might be hard to quantify), and we can afford 250-300k for a house MX if we needed to. Can we get some recommendations on areas to scope out when we are there? I want to start doing specific research. I have been reading these forums for about a month now. Thanks to everyone here who helps out!

[Spree]

What an exciting time in your life! I'm also moving to Dallas so I can't give you any first hand info, I'm sure there will be plenty of people from the board to chime in on the specifics. I'm sure you will find what you're looking for!

Congrats and best wishes :-)

[shaxs]

Originally Posted by gulf5driver

What an exciting time in your life! I'm also moving to Dallas so I can't give you any first hand info, I'm sure there will be plenty of people from the board to chime in on the specifics. I'm sure you will find what you're looking for!

Congrats and best wishes :-)

Thanks! I am very excited. Its been 3 years already, so its a bout dang time!

[momof2dfw]

shaxs, congrats and welcome back home . As for finding a house w/ a reasonable commute to UTA, are you wanting to find somewhere that you would still live if you started a family? If so then I'd say check out Grapevine, Coppell, Keller and in that area. Okay commute to UTA and still in an area w/ good schools, close to amenities and in your price range. UTA is a commuter school so there will probably be someone that your future bride may be able to carpool with. Social services? Yes, there is a need in that area in the DFW metroplex. No problem there at all, . As for finding a large church that would be nearby to get involved in, that will not be a problem at all. There are several that are in that area - I can not think of the names off the top of my head right now but can get them for you.

[GoPadge]

I was under the impression that shaxs was looking for a smaller church family, or at least one that was more welcoming.

If that's the case, than I can sympathize, we too have been looking for a community that was both youthful and growing, without being so big as to get lost in the crowd. Often smaller churches tend to be filled with an aging congregation, while the youth run off to join the latest mega-church, with massage chair, projection screen, rock bands, and concession vendors roaming the isles. (So I exagerate a bit.... ) We've been lucky in that we recently found a new growing church (125 families) that is very welcoming and full of families. (But it is in Allen, which is quite a ways from Arlington.)

[shaxs]

Originally Posted by GoPadge

I was under the impression that shaxs was looking for a smaller church family, or at least one that was more welcoming.

If that's the case, than I can sympathize, we too have been looking for a community that was both youthful and growing, without being so big as to get lost in the crowd. Often smaller churches tend to be filled with an aging congregation, while the youth run off to join the latest mega-church, with massage chair, projection screen, rock bands, and concession vendors roaming the isles. (So I exagerate a bit.... ) We've been lucky in that we recently found a new growing church (125 families) that is very welcoming and full of families. (But it is in Allen, which is quite a ways from Arlington.)

Yeah exactly. We are looking for maybe.... 750-1000 people? I guess a medium size church.

Also, we are not necessarily looking for our dream area now. We will probably move once more when we are ready to have kids (4-5 years after marriage). We are more looking for place where we can grow as a young, newly married couple and have fun and find a good population of same age people.

[DFWMike]

Mansfield, maybe Cleburne, easy commute, resonably priced homes. Or Keller/Watauga the other direction. The nicest communties are probably Southlake and Colleyville in that area of town, but be prepared to pay for it.

[UNT_Eagle]

hey Shaxs

Great to hear that y'all are moving back to Texas. I was born/ raised in Carrollton and went to college up in Denton. That area has really seen some growth recently. My wife and I now live in the Nashville, Tn area. We were in the same situation that you guys are in our first year of marriage. We attended a large church with alot of things to do but we really missed the close fellowship and love of smaller churches. I can tell you a couple of churches that are really biblical and have a desire to grow Christians in their faith. Sojourn church, which is in Carrollton, Calvary Chapel which is in Arlington, Ft. Worth and Plano, and others. If you're interested PM me.
If your wife will be going to school at UT Arlington, check out the Grapevine, Colleyville area. For something less expensive, check out the Denton area.