Thinking about moving to the Dallas Area..

[Kit Hannah]

Hey all,
I'm thinking about moving out of California in the next 6-9 months and the Dallas / Fort Worth Area keeps coming to mind. I have spent extensive time there as my Dad lived in Texas and I spent about 2 weeks there every summer for about 15 years. I like the area from what I know of it, and I was ready to move there about 4 years ago before I was begged to stay with raises all over the place for my jobs. So I did, but now I'm in a position where I would like to move and my girl is ready for a change too.

So if any of you live in the area, I wanted to hear your feedback of what you think. I'm really tired of the outrageous taxes and fees in California, from state tax to DMV to all of the dumb laws there are to the freakin constant budget struggle.

Obviously it's a broad topic and there is a lot of information that is needed to make a decision like this, but I'm just wondering how other people in general like living in the DFW area.

BTW, My girl and I will be going back to visit next month, so if anyone has any recommended areas to visit, as well as areas to stay away from, things to see, etc. That would be fantastic. Coming in for a long weekend in Mid-July.

When I was going to move last time, I really liked the idea of getting a loft. I had almost put a deposit down on a loft at "Southside on Lamar" lofts, which were incredibly cool. But I am open to other areas too, not just downtown Dallas. I just want it to be somewhere pretty nice, but not outrageously expensive.

Thanks in Advance.
Kit

[Charli]

Fort Worth is laid back. Arlington is in the middle which means you can see both Dallas downtown and Ft. Worth downtown. North Dallas is nicer place to live. Plano is ritzy. Irvine I believe is where studios are?

Be sure to eat at the "Black Eyed Pea" some nice home cooking.

[JasonFox]

Plano is ritzy? When were you last here, Charli? :)

I live in what's called Far North Dallas, which is as far north (duh) in the city proper you can go before hitting the sweetness that is Plano. We've lived here just over four years. It's flippin' hot. Stupid, stupid hot. And after having just spent a week in Oceanside, CA, I'd be tempted to tell you to put up with the taxes just for the weather alone. But if you do move here, you'll find life to be much cheaper than CA -- no state income tax, lower sales tax (but a higher-than-average property tax). The real estate is also comparatively cheap, even though our market didn't crash like it did nearly everywhere else. The people are quite nice. We like almost everything about the place except for the homogenous, strip-mall nature of it all, and the oppressive summers. Which start in April and end in October.

[Kit Hannah]

Thanks for the advice guys. I have been to the Black Eyed Pea many of times, but there are definitely some great restaurants there that they don't have here.


It's flippin' hot. Stupid, stupid hot. And after having just spent a week in Oceanside, CA, I'd be tempted to tell you to put up with the taxes just for the weather alone.

It's extremely hot here too. I'm in Fresno which is pretty much a desert - and its inland - not by the beach. Granted it's a dry heat, it still gets up between 100 and 115 degrees on any given summer day and the air quality here is terrible - among the worst in the world because we live in a bowl. I'm not very worried about the heat. I'm more worried about the quality of day to day life.

If anyone else has any experience living in the area, please let me know. I appreciate everyone's comments.

[Charli]

Jason - back in the late 80s early 90s, Plano had Willow Bend opening up with them multimillion dollar homes and the country club with the polo club. But that was before the highway extended all the way to frisco. I was living in the Stonebriar Estates up in Frisco, bunch of horse people on small acres of land - stink.

Took me 30 minutes to drive son to school because we lived in the backwoods. Plano was just growing then, and it was known as North Dallas, not far north Dallas at the time.

I lived on Campbell street there.

[JasonFox]

Well, all those fancy homes are still around -- I just don't get to see them because they're all in gated communities. Frisco has gone nuts -- Preston and 121 (which is now a full-fledged toll road) is the main hub with a huge mall on the NW corner. Our church is at Lebanon and Preston. We rarely make it farther south than the Galleria. Sad, really.

[msokalski]

As a person that grew up in Texas and now lives in Los Angeles I would say this:

If you have a desire to move to Texas, by far the best city is Austin. Not only is it geographically and socially more interesting then any of the other city's... but it has a big Indie Film and Music scene. I always say that there are two types of people... People that love Austin, and those who've never been.

but back on topic:

For film/video work, I would say Dallas might be second (or first, depending on your interests). Downtown dallas over the years has really bloomed with the new basketball arena and "Uptown". Google it and it's a place for the 22-40 year old crowd to grab anything from a beer at a pub to fine dining atrestaurants and wine bars.

I spent two months on a job in Dallas and really enjoyed it. My friend live there from college so I got a good sense of the city. Besides the Texas heat, It's not that bad. I wouldn't trade it for California personally but... I think if you're already thinking about it... you won't be disappointed.

My five cents. if you have any other questions, I'd be happy to give you my opinion.

[Kit Hannah]

Thanks Msokalski.

I understand where you're coming from. Austin IS a nice city (I have been), but I don't know if it's for me. Indie film, great, but I don't really do indie film.

I am developing some products that you will see shortly and wouldn't mind using Dallas as a base for all of that. It's centrally located and seems to have a great economy. I have spent a substantial amount of time there and been quite a few places.

And when I say Dallas, I mean the entire Metroplex, including Fort Worth, and all the cities in between. I don't have to be in Dallas per se, but the loft idea is very appealing to me.

And I have some very specific reasons for trading it for California. State income tax is one major reason. I think it's nice there and have quite a few friends in the area, which helps.