katolb90

Got an opportunity to work in Dallas. I need to know:

I think I remember hearing Metro Dallas is pretty spread out. Is this true? I am not very fond of driving. Would like to be near convenient shopping. Like Walmart, Target, Meijer, Petsmart, HomeDepot, grocery shopping etc

Are there lots of trees. I had considered Colorado for the mountains, but I was disappointed in the number of trees. Is Dallas like that? How is the landscape?

I love the apartment complex I live in now. There is lots of land and the buildings are spread out. Does Metro Dallas have apartment complexes like that or is real estate packed closely together? Looking for diverse, more upscale neighborhood. Preferably with nice areas to walk/jog. Can you suggest any suburbs that would fit my needs?

indie

Since you don't like to drive it is more important to know where you will be working - is it downtown Dallas or North Dallas. Depending on that you may get better suggestions.

yk

Hi katolb90-

You didn't mention where you are living right now, so it's hard to give you a comparison.

I moved to Dallas from Philadelphia 8 months ago, so I can give you my 2 cents. Philadelphia is a walking city and I was used to walking to every place ane barely used my car. Here in Dallas, I cannot get anywhere without my car.

Yes, Dallas is very spread out and traffic is bad. Where you should live should be close to your workplace. In terms of shopping, your are in luck! Dallas boasts the highest # of shops-to-people ratio. It doesn't matter much where you live, there's always shops nearby (nearby meaning within close DRIVING distance).

Tree... It depends on which neighborhood. Where I live now is an older neighborhood, so yes, there are lots of trees here. But if you go to the newer developments, you'll find fewer trees. Dallas is generally flat - I won't even try to compare Dallas to Colorado!

If you are looking for upscale apt complexes with shops/restaurants within walking distance, then the UPTOWN area is for you. There are plenty of apts there and generally a yuppy area. There is an exercise trail called the Katy Trail near uptown area:
http://www.katytraildallas.org/home.htm

Another option would be to drive to White Rock Lake in East Dallas - there is a 10 mile loop around the lake. Lots of people jog/bike there.

It took me a while to get used to Dallas when I first moved here, but hey, it's not that bad! Everything is cheaper here compared to the NE (except sushi), and no state income tax. Dallas also has plenty of excellent restaurants and good-enough arts & culture events (if that's the sort of thing you like).

Hope this helps and let us know if you have more specific questions.

Curious

If you were disappointed in Colorado because of lack of trees, "you ain't seen nothin yet"!!

The only trees I have seen in Dallas appeared to have been planted by the local landscapers. It appears a visit from you is in order before you make anymore plans.

Curious

Sunnyboy

First you should know that Dallas is very spread out (it can take an hour to drive from east Dallas to west Dallas). Public transportation is not very good and EVERYONE drives EVERYWHERE. Dallasites and Texans are in love with their vehicles - SUV's and Pick-up Trucks abound - the bigger the better. There are plenty of shopping malls across the Metroplex with all of the stores on your list (with the possible exception of Meijer - I've never heard of that one) so there's bound to be a mall or two near where you chose to live.

Dallas is a city so there are not a lot of trees (live oaks, mostly). Dallas is relatively flat and was formerly prarrie land so there are not a lot of "beuatiful terrain" or natural woodlands. Most of the plantings you see are a result of landscaping projects rather than natural growth. This doen't mean there are no woodlands but rather it is not like you would find in the nrtheast or the Pacific Northwest.

Don't let the fact that Texas is a big state with lots of land fool you. Most of the apartment complexes and houses in and around Dallas are built on the smallest lots possible. Of course there are exceptions to every rule but by and large you'll find more buildings than land.

As a previous poster pointed out Dallas covers a huge area and there are many nice communities so without knowing where you will be working it is fruitless to make any specific recommendations on where you should live. Suffice to say you can find "upscale" almost anywhere.

xbt2316

Curious, I have a pleasant surprise for you. Here are some photos of the Cedar Hills area in Dallas,with plenty of hills and natural vegetation.

http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/showthread.php?t=3254

The local Dallas-Ft Worth area contains several different vegetation zones. The Cross Timbers strip is about 10 miles wise, 200 miles long, and generally bisects the Dallas Ft Worth area. Also, the countryside immediately north of the Dallas suburbs and east of Ray Roberts lake is lovely and very wooded, as are other biozones.

The I35 corridor in Texas, and most of its large cities, are located in a long, narrow strip of grassland that is heavily eroded by streams, creeks and rivers. The general environs of the watercourses will be heavily wooded, with grassland on the higher ridges. About 1/3 of this country will be forest, 2/3 grassland.

Katolb90, every metro area of any size in America is spread out. Generally, the newer, faster-growing and more desirable cities in America do not have the denser urban cores of a Boston or Philadelphia, but Dallas is developing a dense urban residential core very quickly... the Uptown area. It would be several square miles of high to mid rise apartment blocks, shops, cafes, and the other urban, rather than suburban, amenities.

The metro also has more spacious accommodation as well, and with a metro population approaching 6 million, it will almost certainly have whatever you want.

ChristieP

Yes, it will be important for you to live close to where you work. Find out where that will be, and start looking from there.

Also, get used to driving as the others have said. ;-) There is some wonderful shopping here, with lots of very unique shops. We have the standard stuff like you mentioned, too.

North Central Texas (AKA Dallas) doesn't have a lot of trees. You have to go about 2 hours southeast of Dallas to start seeing large trees. Curious is correct that most of the trees here have been planted. The older areas, such as East Dallas and the Park Cities, will have more large trees.

No, houses in the Dallas area aren't built on the smallest lots possible. I've seen houses in Pittsburgh, New Jersey and Chicago on a LOT smaller lots than the ones here in Dallas! I wouldn't say that the buildings here are packed together, especially when compared with the older cities I have seen in the Northeast.

mikemo

Lots of nonsense and some quality here.

I have lived in my house in Northwood Hills (about 1+ mi N of LBJ @ Spring Valley and Meandering Way) for nearly 25 years. I have about 2/3rd acre with 27 very mature Live Oaks, Red Oaks, Pecans, Magnolias, Cedar Oaks and a bunch of others including some spectacular Dwarf Japanese Red Maples.
My 40K gal pool and spa is always filled with leaves/debris.
Visit NW Hills and NW Hills Estates if you want lots of trees. My French Family desribes it as a forest.
The Park Cities are not far behind if $$ is no object and if you want trees also.
I can walk to the "newest" Albertson's and lots of great, inexpensive, byob restaurants.
Traffic @ rush hour is world class awful.
Despite no state income taxes, property taxes are very high - mine are 2.7% of appraised value this year ($8850.+/-) vs $136.65 in MX.
My house is closing on Monday and I'm heading to guess where.

M

katolb90

Thanks for all the info, keep it coming. I don't know the location in Dallas where I'd be working. I'll try to find that out by Monday. I have to make my decision by Tuesday morning. I would like an area with some land because I have two dogs and we like to go on walks. I currently live in Metro Detroit and commute about 35 to 40 minutes to my job.

mikemo

I had retired racing Greyhounds for many years and they were the most popular "folks" in the slightly hilly neighborhood during our walks for all those years.
M

Hazelmn

Texans value their space. That is good and bad. The good - everyone gets their little slice of green space. The bad - it makes for bad urban sprawl (among the most severe in the nation) and traffic. However, as people in Manhattan will tell you, can can't have it both ways. In return for some open space, you have sprawl.

My experience with Dallas is that it is a perfectly comfortable area. You will no doubt have easy access to a Walmart and a Home Depot. As for trees - it doesn't strike me as being particularly forested, like you would find in the pacific northwest or in the north and northeast. So if trees is a #1 priority, see it before committing.

Your winters would be shorter than where you live now, undoubtedly, so you would have more time to enjoy what trees there are.

yk

katolb90-

< I don't know the location in Dallas where I'd be working. I'll try to find that out by Monday. I have to make my decision by Tuesday morning. >

My understanding that you will have to decide whether you want to move to Dallas by Tuesday??? Have you even visited Dallas before? I would be hesitant to make such a big decision in such short notice if I were you.

Anyway, if you spend 35-40mins commuting in Detroit (is that one-way or both ways), it is probably comparable in Dallas. I live 10 miles from my job and spend about 25 mins driving each way.

Yes, I suppose property taxes are high here, but I am renting in Dallas. And it sounds like you will be renting too (at least in the beginning). I don't know how much rents run in Detroit, but the rent in the UPtown area of Dallas can run pretty high.

BeachBoi

katolb....My Travel Agent lives in Far North Carrollton,north of Dallas proper.He lives in a subdivision right across the street from Coyote Ridge Golf Course.Adjacent to the course are apartments, very upscale,more as townhouse appearing.Relatively new I think in the last couple of years.I have not visited the complex, although I maintain an interest in keeping a place for myself(I live in LA but spend a lot of time in Dallas).The area is 2 miles east of the Vista Ridge Mall area, complete with virtually every store/restaurant you can think of.Minutes from the grapevine Mills area and the malls in Frisco.Only 1.5 miles west of the apartments are 2 rather large, also new complexes.Both face their own "private" lakes with seemingly large roaming areas open park type areas.There is a new SuperTarget there within walking distance of either.I hope this helps and best of luck.I consider Dallas my home away from home.Yes there is traffic, but there is growth.Yes its a bit flat but I find the area very appealing.

mikemo

Trust us, you do not want a long commute in DFW.
When on call at night, I could often be in the hospital in less than 3 minutes if required. In later working years, I was about 6 miles on neighborhood streets away from the farthest office.
Any more than that would have been way unacceptable.
M

pepper131

kato-I knew you were from MI because of Meijers. I grew up in Midland. Now in Dallas for 9 yrs.

You might feel comfortable in my neighborhood (and surrounding areas). We're in Casa Linda, but there is also: Little Forest Hills, East Dallas (certain sections), Lakewood, M Streets, Vickery Place. Lots of trees and places to walk your dogs. Very diverse with all types living near each other.

Right off the top of my head, I can think of The Winstead by White Rock Lake - apts, maybe condos? There are always people jogging, walking, biking around the lake. You may want to rent a house since I've heard not many apts take big dogs (if they are big).

There are also many apts on Abbott right off of Knox St. It's in Highland Park - trees. Not really diverse-i.e.: Republican central.

The Uptown area has a lot of apts, but not much greenspace. Is diverse in a "what kind of shoes are you wearing" kind of way. Not too diverse. Walmart is building in the neighborhhood at Hall and 75.

mikemo-Happy to hear your house has sold and your off to SMdA.

katolb90

My situation is this. I am 42 going thru a serious mid-life crisis. I work for the feds and have been looking for jobs to transfer to for about 1.5 years. My first choice was Colorado, but have also looked in Arizona, Texas. In order to prepare to relocate, I sold my house and moved to a beautiful apartment complex in the suburbs. It has lots of trees, its quiet, my dogs love it. My apartment is nice and spacious. Of course now I get the job offer before I'm all unpacked. Previously I lived in Detroit which wasn't very nice at all. The bad thing about turning this job down is that it took me so long to get an offer from anywhere. My current job kinda sucks, but it's bearable. Just very unfulfilling. I'm leaning towards waiting for my first choice (colorado) or reevaluating where I truly want to live as opposed to jumping at the first offer. Now that I'm out of the city, my living environment has improved a great deal.

pepper131

kato-
What is it that you would like to avoid that made your living situation in Detroit miserable? Chances are, you'll want to avoid that here as well. Hopefully, we can steer you in the right direction.

Even though I live in the city of Dallas, it's much more of a neighborhood with tall trees. Some independent stores and restaurants as well as a few chains. All the stores you mention are nearby. Close to the lake which does have wooded areas to walk with your dogs, and even a dog park. It's located near major roads and highways that makes it easy to get around. My husband works in Plano (25 miles away); it takes about 30 minutes each way.

North Oak Cliff has some hilly wooded areas: Kessler Park and Stevens Park; which are very nice. It's south of downtown and has some disadvantages (not much shopping and near poor areas).

Sorry, I can't recommend the suburbs around here - lack of trees, terrible traffic and the people are usually very judgemental. (I'm sure someone will let me have it about that). East Dallas areas are very laid back.

I think you can research neighborhoods at digitalcity.com

xbt2316

Kato,

The area that pepper described , East Dallas, specifically Casa Linda, is nice, as are the Lakewood and Lake Highlands neighborhoods.

You can view some pictures of the lake and the immediate neighborhood at http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/showthread.php?t=3159

I like pepper's suggestion of the Winstead apartments... they are on the trail around White Rock Lake, and seem to have spacious grounds. They are very lovely in appearance.

yk

katolb90-

I live very close to the Winstead apts, and I did look at them when I moved down to Dallas. I like the Lakewood neighborhood, which is very quiet and residential and it is close to the lake.

However, I would not call the Lakewood neighborhood "diverse" or "upscale". And certainly there aren't any shops or restaurants one can walk to (unless you count 7-Eleven or Hasty liquor shop).

I still think the Uptown area suits you better - but you really need to come and check these areas out to decide for yourself. Of course, where your workplace is located will be a major deciding factor too.