SFBay Area to Dallas? (Houston, Austin: apartments, lawyers, buying a house)

[SloRoller]

hstfan82, Proud Rowlett, momof2, et al -

The information you've posted is very much appreciated. I, too, will be relocating from the SF Bay Area to the DFW region in the very near future. I don't know the area well but will be working in the W. Mockingbird / Stemmons Fwy area.

Aside from wanting to purchase a home in a decent neighborhood, I am trying very hard to keep my commute under 30 minutes. I've had enough of sitting bumper to bumper in a metal box inhaling fossil fuel fumes for the better part of an hour with 10,000 of my closest friends, all in the name of getting to work and back home.

I'm not overly-concerned about the schools since the kids are grown and gone. Nor am I overly-concerned about the ethnic makeup of the neighborhood, although my experience has shown me that the more a community is diverse in person and thought, the more livable and tolerant of differences it tends to be. I'm not interested in living around folks who are still fighting the Civil War.

Any additional information you all can provide would be much appreciated.

[D-Towner]

Originally Posted by SloRoller

hstfan82, Proud Rowlett, momof2, et al -

The information you've posted is very much appreciated. I, too, will be relocating from the SF Bay Area to the DFW region in the very near future. I don't know the area well but will be working in the W. Mockingbird / Stemmons Fwy area.

Aside from wanting to purchase a home in a decent neighborhood, I am trying very hard to keep my commute under 30 minutes. I've had enough of sitting bumper to bumper in a metal box inhaling fossil fuel fumes for the better part of an hour with 10,000 of my closest friends, all in the name of getting to work and back home.

I'm not overly-concerned about the schools since the kids are grown and gone. Nor am I overly-concerned about the ethnic makeup of the neighborhood, although my experience has shown me that the more a community is diverse in person and thought, the more livable and tolerant of differences it tends to be. I'm not interested in living around folks who are still fighting the Civil War.

Any additional information you all can provide would be much appreciated.

WTF dude? I'm guessing that if you live in a conservative neighborhood, then those people are interested in fighting the civil war? please don't come to my state if that is going to be your smug attitude.

[sftransplant]

Sloroller, I've found the people of Dallas to be very kind, friendly, and helpful and am really enjoying my stay here. I think you may want to look at the neighborhood called Lakewood cos it seems to provide some of the things that people from California seem to enjoy.

[mobert]

My friend who also relocated from the Central Coast of California said the culture shock one receives when moving from CA to TX is much much less when moving to Austin as opposed to other areas of TX. Austin is much closer to the TX Hill Country and is much closer to the beach than Dallas. I'm sure most natives who know both areas well would agree.....Just a thought

[Lakewooder]

Austin, closer to a beach? Well maybe if you consider Hippie Hollow a beach. If you want to be close to a beach you will have to live in Corpus, Galveston or Padre. But I don't think you really want to do that. If you must be close to a decent beach, live next to DFW airport. Then you can get to almost any beach you desire in just 2-3 hours for around $300 on a cheap ticket. A little longer for the Eastern Carribbean.

Most of the older/central parts of Dallas are more Austin than Austin plus there are better job opportunities and access to all the cultural, sports and arts amenities of a 6.5 million population.

[south-to-west]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Most of the older/central parts of Dallas are more Austin than Austin plus there are better job opportunities and access to all the cultural, sports and arts amenities of a 6.5 million population.

I found that to be surprisingly true. Dallas often gets the bum rap for being a very plain, boring metro; which is unsurprising since most visitors visit the small downtown area or the newer northern burbs like Addison and Plano.

However the city of Dallas has a lot of cool neighborhoods with eclectic establishments. Some of my favorites are the Belmont Hotel (great stiff drinks with an unbelievable view of Dallas), Lee Harvey's (a bar completely off the beaten path), and Fuel City (a truck stop in the industrial area near downtown that has the best tacos in the city and girls in bikinis hanging out at the pool at back).

[Lakewooder]

Hey there's a new place with firepits ala Lee Harvey's on Fort Worth Avenue just below the Belmont. I am dying to try it out.

Also see info on St. Paddy's Parade on Greenville Avenue -- does Austin have anything like that?

[rb4browns]

Originally Posted by SloRoller

hstfan82, Proud Rowlett, momof2, et al -

The information you've posted is very much appreciated. I, too, will be relocating from the SF Bay Area to the DFW region in the very near future. I don't know the area well but will be working in the W. Mockingbird / Stemmons Fwy area.

Aside from wanting to purchase a home in a decent neighborhood, I am trying very hard to keep my commute under 30 minutes. I've had enough of sitting bumper to bumper in a metal box inhaling fossil fuel fumes for the better part of an hour with 10,000 of my closest friends, all in the name of getting to work and back home.

I'm not overly-concerned about the schools since the kids are grown and gone. Nor am I overly-concerned about the ethnic makeup of the neighborhood, although my experience has shown me that the more a community is diverse in person and thought, the more livable and tolerant of differences it tends to be. I'm not interested in living around folks who are still fighting the Civil War.

Any additional information you all can provide would be much appreciated.

Always nice to see how open minded and tolerant of diversity my fellow Californians are. SloRoller you are going to love Texas. But just a few things to help your transition. First of all, if you don't know how to tie a noose they won't let you register your car. Second, they don't even have cars in Texas. Everyone rides horses. The public schools have weekly Klan rallies on Friday, it's state law. Jews are allowed but only 'cause sometimes Texans get a little crazy, shoot out the street lights and need a lawyer to get 'em out of jail. Texans like Jew lawyers. They like Blacks and Mexicans too. Somebody's gotta clean the houses and mow the lawns! And Asians? Texans love that oriental food!. Anyways, good luck in your new home down in the C.S.A.!

[D-Towner]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Hey there's a new place with firepits ala Lee Harvey's on Fort Worth Avenue just below the Belmont. I am dying to try it out.

Also see info on St. Paddy's Parade on Greenville Avenue -- does Austin have anything like that?

Austin is subordinate to Dallas and Dallas is subordinate to the Great Almighty Fort Worth.

[SloRoller]

Originally Posted by D-Towner

WTF dude? I'm guessing that if you live in a conservative neighborhood, then those people are interested in fighting the civil war? please don't come to my state if that is going to be your smug attitude.

Thanks, D-Towner. I didn't know that not wanting to be around close-minded people was the same as having a smug attitude. My point is simply that I am not interested in other people's drama spilling into my space because they can't deal with people who are different from themselves. It's really that simple. If that is having a smug attitude, then so be it. I'm a live and let live kind of a person, and I don't want to be bothered with people who have a hangup about black people moving into their neighborhoods. I keep my yard and house up, pay my bills and taxes, and am basically a friendly people person. I don't bother people and I don't want people hassling me, particularly simply because I don't look like them.

Otherwise, I'm looking forward to a good experience. By the way, I've been to Dallas several times. On a number of occassions, while minding my own business, I have run into people who are still fighting the Civil War. My statement is based on first-hand experience, not some pre-conceived idea of what it's like to be in Texas. And for the most part, the vast majority of people I have encountered there have been friendly and helpful. It only takes a few bad apples to screw up the barrel.