Apartment Hunting Visit Was a Success!!! (Houston, Dallas: home, to buy, movies)

[twiggers]

Thanks everyone for your help! We're relocating from Miami to Ft. Worth for a job at TCU. We are in Ft. Worth this weekend and found an apartment!!!!

We looked near TCU and over in the Hulen/Bryant Irvin area. We decided that we like the Bryant Irvin area more because it's near everything. Being in Miami we are so sick and tired of having to spend an hour in traffic just to get somewhere (i.e., grocery shopping, mall, movies, etc.). So we want to be located near it all. We don't have kids, so the area won't bother us at all.

We ended up at Avery Pointe. They had the floor plan that worked for us, and they could also guarantee us a specific apartment for a 7/15 move-in.

I was in Ft. Worth in November for my job interview, and in those 2 days spent most of my time on campus and didn't get to really drive around.

Now that we've been here another 2 days, I must say that I am impressed. Everyone we have encountered has been so pleasant. In addition, the lack of traffic is just amazing! I actually drove 6 miles to TCU in only 10 minutes (same drive took me approx. 30 minutes in Miami).

People are also great drivers down here. Wow. When I put my blinker on they don't speed up and block me or give me the finger. When the light turns red, people actually stop (in Miami approx. 6-8 cars will run the red light....no joke). When you want to get in to another lane at the last minute, people let you in. I am astounded!

We've driven around from 8 AM - 9 PM and have not encountered any traffic. I am amazed. Maybe we're not on the right highways, but we're in the areas we'll be living, working, and playing.

I know things always seem rosy when you first move somewhere....but I am optimistic that this impression is valid. Maybe my disgust with Miami is coloring things.

Nonetheless, we've lived in Canada, California, Indiana, and Florida....and Ft. Worth/Texas really reminds me of the midwest in terms of the people and the space.

[Squirl]

There's a festival in FTW this weekend; maybe you'll have a chance to go. Glad you found a place! Welcome y'all

[loves2read]

Arts Festival in downtown--parking/traffic is all messed up--took my husband 15min longer to get out of Sundance area today coming home from work
if the wind slows down weather should be great
you have to buy tix to purchase food/drink so locate a ticket booth right away--
they won't take cash even for 1$
my son has friend who probably has his glass blowing stand up
MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (http://www.mainstreetartsfest.org/festival-info.aspx - broken link)
twitter feeds
MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (http://www.mainstreetartsfest.org/Home.aspx - broken link)

if you like baseball check out TCU's exceptional team and FTW's local baseball--the Cats--playing north of town-

buy a copy of Texas Monthly, Dallas D Magazine and the FTW magazine to get some local color going

[twiggers]

Thanks all! We may head down there today since we don't have anything else to do.

[txtoal]

Originally Posted by twiggers

Thanks everyone for your help! We're relocating from Miami to Ft. Worth for a job at TCU. We are in Ft. Worth this weekend and found an apartment!!!!

We looked near TCU and over in the Hulen/Bryant Irvin area. We decided that we like the Bryant Irvin area more because it's near everything. Being in Miami we are so sick and tired of having to spend an hour in traffic just to get somewhere (i.e., grocery shopping, mall, movies, etc.). So we want to be located near it all. We don't have kids, so the area won't bother us at all.

We ended up at Avery Pointe. They had the floor plan that worked for us, and they could also guarantee us a specific apartment for a 7/15 move-in.

I was in Ft. Worth in November for my job interview, and in those 2 days spent most of my time on campus and didn't get to really drive around.

Now that we've been here another 2 days, I must say that I am impressed. Everyone we have encountered has been so pleasant. In addition, the lack of traffic is just amazing! I actually drove 6 miles to TCU in only 10 minutes (same drive took me approx. 30 minutes in Miami).

People are also great drivers down here. Wow. When I put my blinker on they don't speed up and block me or give me the finger. When the light turns red, people actually stop (in Miami approx. 6-8 cars will run the red light....no joke). When you want to get in to another lane at the last minute, people let you in. I am astounded!

We've driven around from 8 AM - 9 PM and have not encountered any traffic. I am amazed. Maybe we're not on the right highways, but we're in the areas we'll be living, working, and playing.

I know things always seem rosy when you first move somewhere....but I am optimistic that this impression is valid. Maybe my disgust with Miami is coloring things.

Nonetheless, we've lived in Canada, California, Indiana, and Florida....and Ft. Worth/Texas really reminds me of the midwest in terms of the people and the space.

Lol, I am not laughing at you I promise, it is funny because there are so many threads about how bad TX drivers are. It is all relative. My husband went nuts at first when he moved to TX, he thought the drivers were terrible but we were living in Dallas at the time. The Bryant Irvin area is not bad and you are correct, it has everything a person could need. Plus, you are working at TCU, my alma mater. I loved it as a student and I would like to think you will enjoy it. Congrats and good luck!

[loves2read]

the intersection/light crossing over the freeway at Bryant Irwin is the pits--at least I have not been through there when there was not a long line waiting to cross
the city has horribly timed lights

think the drivers here are better than San Antonio--which I think has the worst--then Houston--

[twiggers]

Yes, I agree. Everything is relative.

When we moved to Miami we thought traffic was easy as pie because we used to commute 2+ hours to work in California. Texas looks even better :-)

Getting on and off the freeway at Bryant Irvin does look to be a bit of a pain....but after my awful commute in Miami, I can handle it.

But then you get used to where you live and things start turning sour LOL

[loves2read]

depending on how you travel--you might actually consider getting one exit past or before Bryant Irwin and coming to your apt the "back way"--meaning another surface route not involving that intersection

[twiggers]

Good point! This past weekend we just relied on our GPS. I will definitely be trying out different routes to try and get a handle on the traffic patterns getting to and from work (TCU).

[loves2read]

I HATE to sit in traffic for something like that--will usually take another route even if it is longer just to save my temper
You will get the hang of it around FTW easily--MOST of the streets actually are laid out fairly reasonably--unlike downtown San Antonio which was said to be designed by a drunken Indian