Looking to move to Dallas, need advice

[Papagolash]

OK so I've been talking about moving to the Dallas area for over a year and half now and I think it's really time that I do this move. I want to move there because I need a change in life and I want to be closer to severe weather, ie severe thunderstorms and hurricanes, yet still be in a city that's metropolitan like NYC. There's still hockey, baseball, football etc there. Plus I have some friends that live in the area so I'll know people, but anyway here's what's up.

I've only been to Dallas twice my life, I really don't know the suburbs at all. One of my friends lives in Plano and I know that's a nice neighborhood. I'm hoping to move by May. I don't know where exactly to look for places though, especially since I'm not there to check out places whenever I want. I'm probably going to have to make a list of places to go to and fly down there for a week or more and check them out. Anyone that's moved to some place they're not familiar with, how'd you do it? What tips do you have?

People told me not to move till I have $3000 in the bank, I'm over 5 right now. My monthly income after taxes ia $1,400 $1375 after minimum credit card monthly payments. I know, not much but I can live with it. What price range should I be looking for in places? I want to live on my own, in an apartment, was thinking 6 month lease to give me time to get on my feet. Someone told me I should be looking for a place that's around $350 a month, I was thinking more of $500?

The job I have now I'll be able to work while down there so I'll still have income. I don't have a car currently, so that's another factor into the situation, but I'll probably end up buying one, or doing some deal with my family, I'll at least have a way to bring my stuff down there.

So umm yea, train of thought not really solid with this post. Basically how does one prepare themselves to move to a place they're not familiar with at all, what price range should I be looking for in renting? What sites should I be looking at for apartments, how can I find out what neighborhoods are good, and what advice can you give?

[Glenn Dandy]

busting your balls for years... you are a cool dude. Do It!

PLUS YOU BROWN PEOPLE ALWAYS CAN FIND WORK AT HOME DEPOT..

Luv you my brother.

"Isn't it sad how some people's grip on their lives is so precarious that they'll embrace any preposterous delusion rather than face an occasional bleak truth?"

Wow,. college is worthless. Unless your friends with knee.

That makes no sense to anyone.

It's my drunken posts that cost a 20 year payback plan with bigger words than ******.

[Voss's Tumor]

I've lived here my whole life minus the Navy years dude, I currently live on the border of Plano and Richardson.

For the cash you're talking, you'll be in rough shape unless you look at a room-mate situation. Dallas, while being cheaper than most places to live, has a lot of hidden costs. First, it's damn near impossible to get by without a car here. They put in a sort of Subway system, but it's infancy at best. The property taxes cause rental rates to be slightly inflated, even though if you look online and the property values seem extremely low compared to the rest of the country, etc.

Lemme know what you wanna know bro, what you do for a living, etc. The job market sucks horribly here too, so keep that in mind, though if you have IT certs or a useful degree it's better than most places.

[Buds Spuckley]

Do it!

The best thing I ever did was move out of NYC, I moved to Charlotte and my expenses are half what they were in NYC.

My only advice is to visit during the day, see as many apartments as you can and look at what your commute would be. I visited here 5 times before I settled on an area that was safe and not too far of a commute.

Once you narrow it down, check the apts at night. Seriously do this, one of the apts I looked at was great during the day however once night fell it became a huge fiesta in the parking lot.

Good luck

[B54]

You need a car in Dallas unless you live in downtown, but that would be extremely expensive.

In an area outside downtown, except rent + utilities to be around 500-700$.

[Mobo]

You should consider Arlington. It's 10 minutes either way to Dallas or Ft. Worth, the work is pretty available, there are some nice neighborhoods, and it's the city with the new stadium, 6 flags, etc....it's like the Orlando of Texas (for what that's worth). I'm living in a nice rental home in a quiet, residential neighborhood and pay $899 a month. However, there are TONS of nice apts in the area that run anywhere from $600-$700, as well.

[Hudson]

Don't

[Sam_Adams]

Originally Posted by Hudson

Don't

Do.

Texas is cool. It's WAY cooler than NY

[Three Hole Puncher]

I looked at moving to Rockwall... about 40 mins east of Dallas, when I moved off Long Island three years ago. I didn't end up moving there, but I think I would've been perfectly happy there if I had.

Take it from somebody who did ten years on Long Island and escaped... do it... get the fuck out.

You'll be happily shocked and amazed at how easy and simple life can be outside of the grinding rat race that is the NY metro area.

[DonTheTrucker]

Have a job lined up first. Pay no more than 30% of your gross income on rent. Learn a little Spanish. Don't buy the car in New York.

Do all of those things and you'll be fine. Dallas-Ft. Worth is a big enough city to have everything you'll need, and is spread out enough that you'll have room to breathe. You'll like it.

[Three Hole Puncher]

The BEST thing a person who grew up on Long Island can do is to leave Long Island and live elsewhere for a few years. And I'm not talking about college either... college may be in a different place, but it's still not the real world... it's a controlled decompression chamber between High School/Hometown and the real world.

You have to live independently away from Long Island in order to shake the "NYC is the center of the universe, and all else a pit of filth and despair" attitude that ALL native Long Islanders have.

It's that attitude that keeps most Long Islanders rooted in place and trapped for their entire lives... convinced that they're rolling in clover while they're actually wallowing in shit.

Break free, my brother... break free.

[Boratfan]

I'd love to move to somewhere near Austin.. but I own a house here on Long Island and my wife thinks long island is the greatest place ever.. yuchhhh

[Sam_Adams]

Originally Posted by Boratfan

I'd love to move to somewhere near Austin.. but I own a house here on Long Island and my wife thinks long island is the greatest place ever.. yuchhhh

You should try this out and see how it work

"I'm the man, and you're the woman. We're moving to Texas and you just have to deal with it."

[Hudson]

Originally Posted by Sam_Adams

Do.

Texas is cool. It's WAY cooler than NY

I duuno, I was unimpressed with Dallas..didn't like the smell..of course the women are hotter just because of the accents.

[Begbie]

Originally Posted by Three Hole Puncher

Break free, my brother... break free.

X2

The best decision I've ever made was leaving Jersey. Just getting out of the grasp of the high cost of living, traffic, and the obnoxious fucks up there (no offense, fellas ).

I had actually looked into moving to Texas...around the area Galveston. And this was before that hurricane annihilated them. But there were so many reasons why I should make the move to Texas...but the wifey just couldn't commit to moving that far away from her family and even my family.

We're already plotting our next move, which probably won't happen for quite some time, but we want to move back to the water...Wilmington, Myrtle Beach, Charleston...something around there.

[Three Hole Puncher]

Originally Posted by Boratfan

I'd love to move to somewhere near Austin.. but I own a house here on Long Island and my wife thinks long island is the greatest place ever.. yuchhhh

I was in Setauket.

My wife grew up in Melville.

I had to wait ten years for the Island to kick my wife's ass to the point where she relented and agreed to leave.

That, "I'm the man, and you'll do as I say!" tactic doesn't work so well when your woman outearns you by about 10:1.

[Papagolash]

Whoa lots of posts since last night, time to answer some questions.

Voss's Tumor I have a BS in Meteorology, hoping to look for a job in the field when I move down there (and do some storm chasing up north when I can)

Don the job I have I'll be able to keep and work down there so I'll have steady income. I will be looking for a job though when I move. Bout time I try to put my degree to use.

Some good info on places to check out, thanks guys! Also what sites should I be using to search for apartments? I know there's craigslist, but what else would you recommend that are reliable?

[Buds Spuckley]

http://www.apartmentratings.com/

and

http://hotpads.com/

I used them both along with craigslist, I narrowed it down on hotpads, then checked apartment ratings and then checked craigslist for any deals they were having.

Also if you contact an apartment youre interested in and tell them youre trying to decide between them and another apartment they might knock your rent down a few bucks.

Also check out http://www.city-data.com/forum/ and ask people in the area what are some good apts, areas to avoid etc. It was a huge help.

[Sam_Adams]

Originally Posted by Papagolash

Whoa lots of posts since last night, time to answer some questions.

Voss's Tumor I have a BS in Meteorology, hoping to look for a job in the field when I move down there (and do some storm chasing up north when I can)

Don the job I have I'll be able to keep and work down there so I'll have steady income. I will be looking for a job though when I move. Bout time I try to put my degree to use.

Some good info on places to check out, thanks guys! Also what sites should I be using to search for apartments? I know there's craigslist, but what else would you recommend that are reliable?

I know that it's not exactly in your field but I was looking for government jobs down there in Dallas (for a friend having a tough time) and I saw a job posting there working for the FDA that requires a science degree background for like $60k a year.

www.USAjobs.gov

[Begbie]

Originally Posted by Buds Spuckley

Also check out http://www.city-data.com/forum/ and ask people in the area what are some good apts, areas to avoid etc. It was a huge help.

I second that! I got alot of useful info from the city data message boards. And I still do. Restaurants, where to go, where to avoid, all local chatter...

[Papagolash]

Last 2 posts, awesome, thanks!

[DonTheTrucker]

Originally Posted by Boratfan

I'd love to move to somewhere near Austin.. but I own a house here on Long Island and my wife thinks long island is the greatest place ever.. yuchhhh

Austin is like living in California. It's the only place in Texas I wouldn't want to live.

Originally Posted by Papagolash

Whoa lots of posts since last night, time to answer some questions.

Voss's Tumor I have a BS in Meteorology, hoping to look for a job in the field when I move down there (and do some storm chasing up north when I can)

Don the job I have I'll be able to keep and work down there so I'll have steady income. I will be looking for a job though when I move. Bout time I try to put my degree to use.

Some good info on places to check out, thanks guys! Also what sites should I be using to search for apartments? I know there's craigslist, but what else would you recommend that are reliable?

You'll love it there. Good luck, sir!

[Voss's Tumor]

List of places I'd look for an apartment/rent house:

Richardson
Plano
Allen
Carrolton
Farmer's Branch
Lewisville (Party town, lots of early 20s and Lake Lewisville partying)

In fact, fuck all that. Look up the Emery Bay Apartments in Lewisville. A girl I used to date lived there and she had a bad ass 1 bedroom on the water (Not lake Lewisville water, but ponds and stuff from LL. It was bad ass, whatever the case) all luxury shit, for like $550 a month. I know $550 is a little more than your range, but that was the nicest one in her little cluster of complexes. We had friends up the road who paid closer to $450/$500.

Lewisville is a weird little city, it's basically the half way point between Dallas and Denton (Where UNT is), so a lot of recent UNT grads end up living in Lewisville because they're stupid and they think it's Dallas proper, so the rent's cheap, the bar's have great specials, and the chicks are young, dumb, and hot as hell.

You're welcome.

[Papagolash]

Originally Posted by Voss's Tumor

List of places I'd look for an apartment/rent house:

Richardson
Plano
Allen
Carrolton
Farmer's Branch
Lewisville (Party town, lots of early 20s and Lake Lewisville partying)

In fact, fuck all that. Look up the Emery Bay Apartments in Lewisville. A girl I used to date lived there and she had a bad ass 1 bedroom on the water (Not lake Lewisville water, but ponds and stuff from LL. It was bad ass, whatever the case) all luxury shit, for like $550 a month. I know $550 is a little more than your range, but that was the nicest one in her little cluster of complexes. We had friends up the road who paid closer to $450/$500.

Lewisville is a weird little city, it's basically the half way point between Dallas and Denton (Where UNT is), so a lot of recent UNT grads end up living in Lewisville because they're stupid and they think it's Dallas proper, so the rent's cheap, the bar's have great specials, and the chicks are young, dumb, and hot as hell.

You're welcome.

Fucking tits man, thanks! I'll definitely check this out.