Moving from DC to Dallas/Ft.Worth
 

My fiance and I currently live in downtown Washington DC. We want to move to some place a lot more affordable in the next two years, and be closer to my family located in Waco, TX. We are looking for information on the Dallas/Ft. Worth Area. My fiance's company has offices in both cities, and we are really having a hard time deciding which option is better. We are looking for a SAFE location, good school systems, commute under 30 minutes, and the standard 4 bedroom house experience. Note my fiance does have flexibility with hours, so not sure how much that will help bad traffic if we lived outside of the city. We have considered moving into the heart of the city for a few years and then keeping that property as an investment property, as well. We really like the southern part of Grand Prairie next to Mansfield, but we are worried about the commute. Any advice on Dallas vs. Ft. Worth, Neighborhoods in the Suburbs (specifically on the south side if possible to avoid traffic on the way to Waco), and areas downtown for young people would be greatly appreciated!

I suggest you start by defining what "a lot more affordable" actually means and in terms of monetary values.

In the next two years? Why not in the next year?

Why are you having a "hard time deciding" between two different locations?

You've considered buying something "in the heart of the city" and in what price range?

Are the offices of your finance's employer located in downtown Fort Worth or Dallas? If so, like all major cities you can find housing that's within a 30 minute commute but the closer you live to "downtown" the more expensive the housing becomes. Whether or not you find "the standard 4 bedroom house experience" (whatever that means) affordable depends on your definition of "AFFORDABLE".

Now, in either city, if you live in a suburb, say on the west side of Dallas, and your finance's office is located on the east side of the city, his commute can be well over 30 minutes. Also, many of the more "affordable" bedroom communities are located daily far "out" from the city centers of both cities.

In general Fort Worth has a better school system than Dallas but many of the "bedroom communities" around Dallas have equal or better school systems than Fort Worth. This is something you have to thoroughly research "first hand" not by asking questions on a travel forum.

Traffic in Dallas is, in general, heavier than around Fort Worth. Traffic is heaviest in the "mid-cities" area (the corridor between Dallas and Fort Worth. Suffice to say, commuting from the suburbs into any city is always a bit of a drag no matter where that city is.

There are more residential condos in downtown Fort Worth than in Dallas where downtown is really a "business center".

Start your research by going to the following website - lots us useful "relocation information" on both cities can be there: http://www.city-data.com/forum/

Last hint: Since you you are not planning to relocate for 2 years and have family in Waco consider spending your next few vacations with your family using the time to personally explore the different communities in and around Fort Worth and Dallas.

<<In general Fort Worth has a better school system than Dallas but many of the "bedroom communities" around Dallas have equal or better school systems than Fort Worth.>>

That statement is misleading. Various Dallas neighborhoods are not part of the Dallas public school system - some are part of the Plano or Richardson systems. And there are two towns within the borders of the City of Dallas that are autonomous from the City and who each have their own school systems (Highland Park, University Park - the former is not "affordable" if your net worth is less than 8 figures, the latter could be depending upon what "affordable" actually means in $).

And traffic in Dallas is not necessarily heavier than in FW - the latter has large ongoing construction projects that will last until 2020 because its highway system needs upgrading to handle the population of today (> 800k), not the 200k resident cow-town "we're just aw-shucks folks" level from 30 years ago that too many Fort Worthers cling to. FW is the 16th largest city in the US and has DC's population beat by > 150k.

I wouldn't live in GP that far south - too far from either major city and a crap commute along I-35. Try West Plano near the Dallas border, Las Colinas or Grapevine/Southlake/Colleyville (those last three are as far as south GP but nice). Anything north of Beltline on US 75 will be more than 30 minutes and have crap traffic because 75 sucks.

Some perspective regarding FW area. I-35W from downtown FW north to the Alliance area (Keller, Haslet) will be under construction for many years to come. Traffic is horrendous even outside of rush hours. There are few alternate routes and those are traffic-logged as well.

From personal experience, the mid-cities area (Hurst, Euless, Bedford) are an easy commute into FW because most traffic is heading towards Dallas.

Irving (Las Colinas) is a great location for easy access to Dallas and FW, and it's close to DFW airport. However, the public schools aren't that great.

Mansfield/south Arlington is not an easy commute into FW and even worse into Dallas.

Good luck!

<<Irving (Las Colinas) is a great location for easy access to Dallas and FW, and it's close to DFW airport. However, the public schools aren't that great.>>

Yes and no. Some of Irving/Las Colinas is not in the Irving public school system - the far north side of town is in the Carrollton/Farmer's Branch district. And Irving has a bunch of charter schools that are good.

For the now departed OP, if she reverts, Las Colinas is part of Irving - a large residential-commercial planned community within the borders of the city of Irving.

Coppell (a suburb in northwestern Dallas County not far from DFW airport) is popular with families because of the excellent school system and upscale community facilities. It's not in the southern part of Dallas County, but it's pretty much a straight shot down 1-35 to downtown Dallas and on to Waco.

As others have said, road construction is ongoing and kind of a nightmare in the Dallas area, with some big projects underway. Not sure when all that will be finished.