Anyone live in Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington??

kara_leigh

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
2,325
Purraise
4
Location
Bradleyville, MO
We are thinking of moving down there, particularly to Arlington around the 76010 zip code where one of hubby's best friends lives. My husband started a machining company a year ago starting out making parts (mostly wheels at first) for radio controlled rock crawlers. He keeps trying to get things to do that doesn't deal with radio controlled vehicles, but he just can't find anything here. We think he will do better down there where he can hopefully get a contract or two, hopefully more, to just make parts for certain companies.

If anyone lives down there what is it like? I've visited his friend with him once, and have been to San Antonio twice since I was 18, but otherwise have no experience living anywhere else but here. I've been here my whole life and so has my husband. We know the cost of housing is much less expensive down there, and we really aren't that expensive. His friend says the cost of living is lower also. His friend grew up here, btw, and has known my hubby since 1st grade I think.

Mainly I'm interested in what the quality of schools is like. Right now we have our son in an AWESOME school district, the best in our city and one of the top 100 in the country for public schools. My husband's friend says the schools aren't pretty good, you'll occasionally find a nice one, but for the most part they are just doing their best to get the kids to graduate. We have no problem driving a bit in order to take him to a good school, since we do that now, I just need to know what's out there. Even if we have to get a smaller house and put him in private school I'd be willing to do that.

Also, if anyone knows, what is the healthcare workplace like down there? Are there very many hospitals? Are there any dedicated children's hospitals? Up here a CNA gets on average about $10 per hour starting out. Does anyone know approximately the starting average in comparison to here??

Is there anything else I need to know? We are just starting this search/journey, so we're still getting basic information trying to decide if it would be worth it to move everything down there. We haven't even broached the subject with our families yet, which will be a challenge in and of itself. *sigh*

Thanks!!
 

laureen227

Darksome Duo!
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 3, 2003
Messages
19,260
Purraise
387
Location
Denton TX
i'm north of the metroplex area. i've lived here forever - i think my family [parents] moved to this area when i was around 3-4 years old.
schools vary widely - ours [small district] i would consider quite good, especially our special ed department [i'm in special ed]. i can't really say for anything higher than elementary, tho, since that's my area. i think the elementary teachers who have kids in the high school are pretty satisfied, tho.
cost of living is relatively good - my little house [927 square feet, 2 bedroom/1bath/1 car garage] would probably cost around $80K-$110K [really not sure
]. it cost me around $60K 10 years ago.
in Arlington, for example [using this locator & the zip you gave] 3bdr/2bath/2car garage houses around 1000 sq.ft.- 2500 sq.ft. are currently listed for $50K-$170K. don't know how that compares to where you are, or how large/nice a place you'd be looking for.
weather is nice, altho we are in 'tornado alley'. having said that - again, lived here for 45 years, never seen a tornado, & only heard the sirens twice.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

kara_leigh

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
2,325
Purraise
4
Location
Bradleyville, MO
We currently live in a house that is about 1900 sq ft, and it is worth about $125, probably less with the terrible market right now. We are most likely going to have to downsize, at least for the first few years.

We're used to tornado weather being in Nebraska. No problem there, at least you don't have feet of snow every year!
We hear the sirens about twice per month about 3/4 of the year here. lol

If you don't mind me asking, what school district do you work in? I'm really worried about this, b/c my son has some special issues, non major but enough to warrant at least a decent school district. He is hearing impaired, has add (though not terrible), and has dyslexia. He has an IEP, and his school district does a good job with it and I want him to be in a district that will do a good job with him and not let him fall through the cracks. It would be easy to do with him if we weren't so pushy about it. He wants to be a Zoologist when he grows up (pretty hefty aspiration for a 9 year old) and I want him to be able to achieve it.
 

laureen227

Darksome Duo!
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 3, 2003
Messages
19,260
Purraise
387
Location
Denton TX
i work in Krum - you can visit my webpage [it's the one i have linked here]. it's quite a bit north of where you are looking, tho - about an hour's drive [more if there's bad traffic, altho the traffic north of Arlington is usually not too bad].
 

mrblanche

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
12,578
Purraise
119
Location
Texas
I used to live in Arlington. It's really a bedroom community, but a very large one! The school district there used to be pretty good, but I don't know how they are now. If you get on US 287 and go south just a little bit, you'll find the town of Mansfield, and then Midlothian. Those two towns are fairly rural and might interest you.

Real estate prices have come down some, but nowhere at all like most of the country.

And in that area, you have to hide under a rock if you don't want to get a job for any of the companies involved the natural gas drilling in the area.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

kara_leigh

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
2,325
Purraise
4
Location
Bradleyville, MO
Thanks! His friend actually suggested we look at Mansfield so we were scouring the web last night for house listings to see what is available. My husband wants to be find a house with a detached garage so he can set up his shop in there and work from home. It is proving somewhat difficult to find something like that there. Another option would be a 3 car garage, but I have yet to find one in our budget of $130k or under.
I'll have to check out Midlothian. Thanks!!


His friend told us to stay west of 360 but south of 20 or north of 183. We are just looking for a nice house, doesn't have to be brand new but not run down, in a nice part of town, where we can get a decent sized house with at least 3 bedrooms for $130k and under, preferably closer to $110-120, or if it doesn't have a detached garage but a large back yard a lower price than that and we'll build a shop in back.

We don't necessarily need "rural". We live in the suburbs right now, and I've never lived in rural before. I grew up in the outskirts of the super urban part of town.
 

carolpetunia

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 25, 2005
Messages
9,669
Purraise
17
Location
Plano, Texas
Just be prepared for the godawful heat. I would never have come to this area if I'd had the whole country to choose from! Before you decide, try to visit in July or August and see if you can stand it.

Having said that, it does seem that the Arlington area's job market is stronger and more stable than most... and depending on how long it takes the new administration to dig us out of this economic abyss, that may be a very critical issue.

At least if you do move here, you'll have ready-made friends!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

kara_leigh

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
2,325
Purraise
4
Location
Bradleyville, MO
Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

Just be prepared for the godawful heat. I would never have come to this area if I'd had the whole country to choose from! Before you decide, try to visit in July or August and see if you can stand it.

Having said that, it does seem that the Arlington area's job market is stronger and more stable than most... and depending on how long it takes the new administration to dig us out of this economic abyss, that may be a very critical issue.

At least if you do move here, you'll have ready-made friends!
Here in Omaha in the summer it gets to 100+ with terrible humidity. The heat doesn't bother me, so long as I have ac in my home and car. lol It's the snow that bugs me the most, and I've always said I was born in the wrong part of the country. We have always said if we were to move it would be to Dallas, Tampa, or South Carolina.
 

carolina

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
Hey Kara -

I am here in Dallas too... For now at least; going back to LA pretty soon.
The weather is not as dramatic as the Omaha weather - you guys get it pretty rough out there! It is definitely hotter in here - we have over 3-4 months of 100F+ weather around summer... The humidity is a factor, but it doesn't really bother me too much.
I see snow a couple of days a year, and although we do get cold weather, NOTHING compared to Omaha!!
I am spoiled, as I live in a very good area here, called Highland Park, close to downtown; so If I had a kid that's would be a place to be (I think I am the only poor person in here though
)
I do have a friend who lives in Arlington - I like the area, however: Make sure to check the crime rate per zipcode before you move in. The area is somewhat pretty, but some neighborhoods have really gone downhill in the last 10 years or so. There are a few people I know who are leaving the area because of safety related issues.... So just be aware of that.
Besides that... Traffic is not that bad; although worst than Omaha, and the city is very plane and spread out.
Quite frankly I could never stand live in your weather my brasilian butt flash-freezes every time I go overthere!

Good Luck, and let me know if you need something -
 

mrblanche

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
12,578
Purraise
119
Location
Texas
Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

Just be prepared for the godawful heat. I would never have come to this area if I'd had the whole country to choose from! Before you decide, try to visit in July or August and see if you can stand it.
Well, the right time to move down here is October. Then, along about March 1, you'll realize winter is over and you never even knew it was here.

General Sherman (yes, that General Sherman) said, "If I owned Hell and all of Texas, I would live in Hell and rent out Texas." But that was before air conditioning.

Arlington is likely to be pretty fussy about operating a home business. Mansfield and Midlothian, much less so.

By the way, tell your husband that Kennedale, which is right next to Arlington and Mansfield, has two good dirt oval race tracks and a drag strip.
 

mrblanche

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
12,578
Purraise
119
Location
Texas
Originally Posted by kara_leigh

Here in Omaha in the summer it gets to 100+ with terrible humidity. The heat doesn't bother me, so long as I have ac in my home and car. lol It's the snow that bugs me the most, and I've always said I was born in the wrong part of the country. We have always said if we were to move it would be to Dallas, Tampa, or South Carolina.
Omaha is in the part of the country where, as one wag put it, "The weather tries to kill you twice every year, six months apart."

We used to work for Werner, so we know Omaha very well!

Depending on what you want, you might want to check out the Austin area, too. But house prices are higher down there.
 

carolpetunia

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 25, 2005
Messages
9,669
Purraise
17
Location
Plano, Texas
Originally Posted by mrblanche

...General Sherman (yes, that General Sherman) said, "If I owned Hell and all of Texas, I would live in Hell and rent out Texas." But that was before air conditioning...
Mike, everything I can find says it was actually General Phillip Sheridan who said that -- around 1866, near as I can tell.

Whoever it was, I agree with him!
 

layitdown

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Nov 28, 2008
Messages
234
Purraise
1
Location
Texas
I live north of dallas, about an hrs drive. As they've said, be prepared for the heat. I just moved here from San Antonio,almost 2 yrs ago, not nearly as humid as SA but still hot. I love Texas. Miss San Antonio so much and north Texas differs SO MUCH from South Texas.
 

mrblanche

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
12,578
Purraise
119
Location
Texas
Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

Mike, everything I can find says it was actually General Phillip Sheridan who said that -- around 1866, near as I can tell.

Whoever it was, I agree with him!
Hey, live by memory, die by memory...or something like that!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15

kara_leigh

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
2,325
Purraise
4
Location
Bradleyville, MO
Originally Posted by LayItDown

I live north of dallas, about an hrs drive. As they've said, be prepared for the heat. I just moved here from San Antonio,almost 2 yrs ago, not nearly as humid as SA but still hot. I love Texas. Miss San Antonio so much and north Texas differs SO MUCH from South Texas.
I absolutely LOVE San Antonio. I've visited there twice and would move there in a heartbeat.

I can handle heat without much humidity perfectly fine, it's the 100% humidity living pretty much on top of a river that kills me and most of the other people that live here. I'd also much rather live somewhere that was hot the majority of the year vs somewhere that is cold and dreary most of the year like here. I get Seasonal Affective Disorder really bad. I do much better when it is warmer, the sun is out more, and I can go outside.
 

layitdown

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Nov 28, 2008
Messages
234
Purraise
1
Location
Texas
I love San Antonio too. It is an amazing place to live. I take it you went to the riverwalk? Big tourist spot. I loved the riverwalk so much I worked there for a year and a half! I miss San Antonio terribly and plan on moving back south in about another yr and a half.

If you do better is warm weather, than Tx is the place for you! IMO! lol
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #17

kara_leigh

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
2,325
Purraise
4
Location
Bradleyville, MO
Originally Posted by LayItDown

I love San Antonio too. It is an amazing place to live. I take it you went to the riverwalk? Big tourist spot. I loved the riverwalk so much I worked there for a year and a half! I miss San Antonio terribly and plan on moving back south in about another yr and a half.

If you do better is warm weather, than Tx is the place for you! IMO! lol
Yep!
The last time was when the Huskers played Michigan at the Alamo Bowl in 05. I actually have the sweatshirt I bought there on right now.
We stayed at the Mansion de La Rio (sp?) both times which is right on the riverwalk.

I love warm weather. We've talked for years about moving to either Florida or Texas, and I love both.
 

layitdown

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Nov 28, 2008
Messages
234
Purraise
1
Location
Texas
Florida is beautiful too. If I wasn't a Texas Gal I'd thnk about moving to Florida.


The one thing I couldn't stand about San Antonio is I NEVER saw snow there, I lived there my whole life until I was 20 yrs old. No Snow. Not even close. I saw snow for the first time last winter here.
 

laureen227

Darksome Duo!
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 3, 2003
Messages
19,260
Purraise
387
Location
Denton TX
Originally Posted by LayItDown

Florida is beautiful too. If I wasn't a Texas Gal I'd thnk about moving to Florida.


The one thing I couldn't stand about San Antonio is I NEVER saw snow there, I lived there my whole life until I was 20 yrs old. No Snow. Not even close. I saw snow for the first time last winter here.
last winter? are you sure you don't mean last SPRING?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #20

kara_leigh

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
2,325
Purraise
4
Location
Bradleyville, MO
I could live the whole rest of my life without seeing another freaking snow flake. lol
 
Top