Compared to California, inexpensive housing and abundant employment (Dallas, Garland: foreclosures, buying a house)

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

I have been reading up on areas that seem to have plenty of housing that is on the average affordable along with employment opportunities in the area. Dallas seems to fit the bill.

I have seen new homes that are available in the $100,000 to $150,000 range. Maybe not the biggest home in the city, but something that would fit the needs of my family. Are the areas that have homes in that range places that you would move to?

As far as employment, I see a wide range of opportunities within my field. Comparing the Los Angeles metro and Dallas Metro, listing on Careerbuilder had over 600 advertised positions in the Dallas area and compared to 200 or so positions in the Los Angeles area. Are their affordable homes within the $150,000 range that are close to employment opportunities?

I am aware that many variables are left out, as I can't tell you I will be working at company XY or Z and want to commute from point A to point B.

[Dallas native]

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

I have seen new homes that are available in the $100,000 to $150,000 range. Maybe not the biggest home in the city, but something that would fit the needs of my family. Are the areas that have homes in that range places that you would move to?

Sounds like you'll need to be out in the suburbs. I'm assuming that you will need good public schools. You're not likely to find those in any Dallas 'hoods where you could buy a nice family-sized home for less than $150k. At least none that I can think of. Anybody else?

There are scores of suburbs in the DFW area, some of which will have good public schools and housing in your price range. Perhaps Richardson? That is an older, inner-ring suburb with lots of employment nearby and easy access into the city. I'll defer to others on this forum who will know more about the various suburbs.

[FarNorthDallas]

There are a lot of places you can find a home for $150,000 - but they are in every direction. Nail down the job first and then pick the house.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by Dallas native

Sounds like you'll need to be out in the suburbs. I'm assuming that you will need good public schools. You're not likely to find those in any Dallas 'hoods where you could buy a nice family-sized home for less than $150k. At least none that I can think of. Anybody else?

There are scores of suburbs in the DFW area, some of which will have good public schools and housing in your price range. Perhaps Richardson? That is an older, inner-ring suburb with lots of employment nearby and easy access into the city. I'll defer to others on this forum who will know more about the various suburbs.

If they want to be closer in to Dallas then Richardson and Garland would be a good start. Great family areas and nice homes in their price range.

[MaryS80]

Are you looking for a new or newish home, or something in an older established neighborhood? Do you like compact urban areas with everything close by? Or maybe something in the 'burbs or some wide open space?

[portorro]

Try Midway Hollow in Dallas. (NWHighway, Midway, Marsh and Walnut hill) The area between all these streets still has some nicely priced homes. Not new but very centric and nice neighborhood.

[Acntx]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

There are a lot of places you can find a home for $150,000 - but they are in every direction. Nail down the job first and then pick the house.

I agree.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

Thanks for all of your help. My dads family is from Dallas. We visited every now and then. Would like to visit and get the feel for the area. As far as type of home, I want a home with 4 beds and 2 or 3 baths, 1,800 to 2,500 square feet range with a 2 car garage on a lot that is at least 6,500 square feet or larger. Larger lots are preferable to smaller lots. I am a Southern California guy and commuteing although not prefered is something I can live with. Prefer a new or nearly new neighborhood.

Another question would be if it is better to be in the area or do employers hire from outside the area?

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

Thanks for all of your help. My dads family is from Dallas. We visited every now and then. Would like to visit and get the feel for the area. As far as type of home, I want a home with 4 beds and 2 or 3 baths, 1,800 to 2,500 square feet range with a 2 car garage on a lot that is at least 6,500 square feet or larger. Larger lots are preferable to smaller lots. I am a Southern California guy and commuteing although not prefered is something I can live with. Prefer a new or nearly new neighborhood.

Another question would be if it is better to be in the area or do employers hire from outside the area?

First off, get rid of the "must be new house" syndrome. There are GREAT houses that are better built in your price range that are not new. Sure you can go far out into the praries way far off from Dallas and find that brand new big box house w/ umpteen rooms for a small amount of change but there are some major and I mean MAJOR drawbacks.

First being you are going to be commuting a long ways for any job and if you don't have a job nailed down when you buy or you get here and that job lets you go....... your stuck way out there. I know PLENTY of people in this boat. All now regreting doing that. Not really regreting moving here but for buying a house so far out.

Second, they don't hold their value and actually go DOWN in value. The further out you are the least likely you are to see any gain in appreciation. We DO have houses appreciating here but they are all IN Dallas or closer in burbs (Richardson, Garland, etc). People are getting tired of driving so far for their jobs and being so far from their families. All of those houses built out on the praries are thrown up so fast to accomodate all of those moving here w/ that "must have new house" syndrome that they are in a constant turnover and the ones following them are also suffering from the same syndrome and the fairly new houses are sitting empty, getting foreclosed on while the buyers go further and further out for that BRAND NEW house. If you stand the chance of needing to sell anytime in the next 10 years (yes, 10 years) and don't want to lose money on your house then stay closer in and find an older house that fits your families needs.

Third, the houses that are going to fit what your wanting are NOT going to be the ones that will appreciate in value. You stand the chance of losing your shirt whenever you need to sell and being in a neighborhood half finished (builders have stopped building and especially these that are so far out there some have gone under). Or being surrounded by empty houses and some foreclosed on. The market here has seen foreclosures but they are all in these far out places in the exact price point and demographics your looking at. Sure you might be able to pick one of those up but do you really want to?


You can come a LOT closer in and get an older house in your price range and all that is probably better built and a LOT closer to more jobs. There are a lot of people that have moved here and done the "must have new home" syndrome thing and are stuck way out there and the only job they might get offered after losing the one they came here for is on the complete other side of Dallas.

As for the job............ there are a lot of people here that are looking as well. I know several that have been out of a job for 6 months and still looking. They are marketable and all but things have slowed down. Just depends on what your field is as there are some industries that have picked up or stayed steady. They are just watching their spending and that means not hiring when they don't have to.

I'd find the job first THEN concentrate on where to live. And yes, it is going to be hard to find a job from out of state but I would not move here without one.

[John Shaft]

I wouldn't buy ANYTHING built in the last five years, as the house buying mania meant that builders could just throw any junk together and still sell it. Just MHO.