MalibuRenter's summer in Dallas

Have you been out to the new indoor bark park? I heard a story about it on NPR last month and thought what a fun day that must be for the dogs.</blockquote>


Yes, I went to Unleashed this weekend. Nice place. About 30 dogs at a time playing. They have a good set of agility props too.
 
[quote author="MalibuRenter" date=1242896492]I'm not sure exactly how to describe it, but the freeway entrances and exits are designed in a vastly superior way here. There is also a different way of doing U turns. Perhaps I should take a camera with me and post photos.</blockquote>


Yep - they have "access roads" that run parallel to the freeway, with U-turns at the end of an exit ramp that allow you to go back the other direction without having to go through a traffic signal. It took us a bit to get used to it, but, IMO, it's a very good design.
 
I went to Dallas once on a business trip. I thought it was a great city, great shopping, great food, friendly but extremely proud people. plenty to see and do, art, culture, and history all wrapped up into one. But... it was in the beginning of September. It was 100 degrees and 99.9% humidity from sun up to sun down. I can't remember the hotel I stayed in, but it was very nice. Five or six stories atrium design (why, gawd... why would you design that in Dallas?), but I had to run the AC at full blast and I still sweated despite being only on the fourth floor. We had a late night out on the town (the strip clubs are another topic that is NSFW), and returning at 3am when it is still 100 degrees and 99.9% humidity sucks, you exit the cab and in seconds you are drenched in sweat. The concierge was drenched in sweat, and over half his uniform looked soaked.



You haven't seen nothing yet when it comes to weather. It's still early. Maybe being from the south yourself you can handle it, but being a OC native, it was a shock to my system that I do not wish to repeat. Hell, I love NYC, but I was there during a heat wave in July, and I will do whatever it takes to avoid that in the future. Heat + humidity = FTL!
 
[quote author="Adam Ginsberg" date=1242905072][quote author="MalibuRenter" date=1242896492]I'm not sure exactly how to describe it, but the freeway entrances and exits are designed in a vastly superior way here. There is also a different way of doing U turns. Perhaps I should take a camera with me and post photos.</blockquote>


Yep - they have "access roads" that run parallel to the freeway, with U-turns at the end of an exit ramp that allow you to go back the other direction without having to go through a traffic signal. It took us a bit to get used to it, but, IMO, it's a very good design.</blockquote>


The Texas design standard may be more safe and efficient for drivers, but it takes up a lot of real estate. Not a big deal if you are building in an area with, as they say, "wide open spaces" but not feasible as afterthoughts in congested areas. Once a design standard is established for a state, new roads are build to match, rather than whatever is the best idea at the time of construction. You wouldn't want to have a mix of different types of access/exit ramps that would confuse our already dazed and confused drivers.
 
I was checking out the floorplans for The Woodlands and there is one with a five car garage for under $700,000! Can you say Man Cave?
 
[quote author="awgee" date=1242961163]I was checking out the floorplans for The Woodlands and there is one with a five car garage for under $700,000! Can you say Man Cave?</blockquote>


Garages are cheap to build. Buy a house with a big enough lot anywhere and build one as big as you want.



(Of course, saying "big enough lot" pretty much rules out Irvine.)
 
Funny that this discussion is going on. I have been having a discussion via Facebook with a former co-worker and friend of mine who relocated to Dallas five years ago. He settled in Flower Mound (small world). He is a native OC boy who attended CSUF, and stayed local until his mid-30's and after being married w/kids. Below is text of a message I got from him yesterday in response to "how do you like Dallas" --- he makes it sound pretty darn appealing to us family dudes:



"<em><strong>Interesting you had the opportunity to relocate to Dallas. I'm not sure how much of the neighborhoods and stuff you've seen here - but, it's pretty darn fantastic. Think South County - but newer and with a whole lot more space.



As far as moving...it's a big deal when you have kids. We left both of our extended families in SoCal - but, we (both of us) still feel like we did the right thing.



Mostly, we feel that way because of the kids. It's MUCH easier to raise them here and I don't have that crushing "how are they going to make it" feeling when I think about them choosing a career and trying to buy a house.



When it got down to it, I projected what it would be like when they (hopefully) graduated college. They most likely wouldn't earn enough to buy in SoCAL so...they'd probably chase an opportunity elsewhere. I *hoped* through this move we could establish a new "homebase" where even if they choose to be librarians....they can afford to own a home in a good area.



I'll tell you - some days, it still isn't easy. But, at least our state isn't in a financial quagmire."</strong></em>



This is a really great guy who's opinion I would trust just about as much as anyone I know. Makes one think of Texas in a different way....but gawd, that heat!
 
[quote author="CK" date=1242969947]Funny that this discussion is going on. I have been having a discussion via Facebook with a former co-worker and friend of mine who relocated to Dallas five years ago. He settled in Flower Mound (small world). He is a native OC boy who attended CSUF, and stayed local until his mid-30's and after being married w/kids. Below is text of a message I got from him yesterday in response to "how do you like Dallas" --- he makes it sound pretty darn appealing to us family dudes:



"<em><strong>Interesting you had the opportunity to relocate to Dallas. I'm not sure how much of the neighborhoods and stuff you've seen here - but, it's pretty darn fantastic. Think South County - but newer and with a whole lot more space.



As far as moving...it's a big deal when you have kids. We left both of our extended families in SoCal - but, we (both of us) still feel like we did the right thing.



Mostly, we feel that way because of the kids. It's MUCH easier to raise them here and I don't have that crushing "how are they going to make it" feeling when I think about them choosing a career and trying to buy a house.



When it got down to it, I projected what it would be like when they (hopefully) graduated college. They most likely wouldn't earn enough to buy in SoCAL so...they'd probably chase an opportunity elsewhere. I *hoped* through this move we could establish a new "homebase" where even if they choose to be librarians....they can afford to own a home in a good area.



I'll tell you - some days, it still isn't easy. But, at least our state isn't in a financial quagmire."</strong></em>



This is a really great guy who's opinion I would trust just about as much as anyone I know. Makes one think of Texas in a different way....but gawd, that heat!</blockquote>
The heat is just a mental thing....block it out my man. I sucked it up for 2 years in Vegas so it can be done.
 
Just about two years ago I went to Dallas on business. I spent a couple of days at a conference dowtown and then out to see some of my customers, one of which is an area called Highland Park. I couldn't believe how charming this area was. It had a small little downtown with little shops and neat restaurants, including a Spanish eatery with a wine bar. I got to my appointment early and drove around the neighborhood. The houses were gorgeous. RE was not cheap there though. <a href="http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/3505-Drexel-Drive_Highland-Park_TX_75205_1108920899">highland park home</a>
 
[quote author="CK" date=1242969947]Funny that this discussion is going on. I have been having a discussion via Facebook with a former co-worker and friend of mine who relocated to Dallas five years ago. He settled in Flower Mound (small world). He is a native OC boy who attended CSUF, and stayed local until his mid-30's and after being married w/kids. Below is text of a message I got from him yesterday in response to "how do you like Dallas" --- he makes it sound pretty darn appealing to us family dudes:



"<em><strong>Interesting you had the opportunity to relocate to Dallas. I'm not sure how much of the neighborhoods and stuff you've seen here - but, it's pretty darn fantastic. Think South County - but newer and with a whole lot more space.



As far as moving...it's a big deal when you have kids. We left both of our extended families in SoCal - but, we (both of us) still feel like we did the right thing.



Mostly, we feel that way because of the kids. It's MUCH easier to raise them here and I don't have that crushing "how are they going to make it" feeling when I think about them choosing a career and trying to buy a house.



When it got down to it, I projected what it would be like when they (hopefully) graduated college. They most likely wouldn't earn enough to buy in SoCAL so...they'd probably chase an opportunity elsewhere. I *hoped* through this move we could establish a new "homebase" where even if they choose to be librarians....they can afford to own a home in a good area.



I'll tell you - some days, it still isn't easy. But, at least our state isn't in a financial quagmire."</strong></em>



This is a really great guy who's opinion I would trust just about as much as anyone I know. Makes one think of Texas in a different way....but gawd, that heat!</blockquote>


Having a $100k a year job here is enough to raise a family in a decent neighborhood. There are a ton of two income families who are only a few years out of college that have an easy time affording a good house. I can dig out the calculation, but there is an academic paper which calculated how many more years someone buying a median price home in LA had to work vs Dallas in order to afford the house price difference.



I also did an interesting calculation, "How many children does the house cost?" The concept is simple. Compare the cost of raising a child to buying a home. If you can have a similar job in a city where homes are less expensive, it's easier to afford 2 kids instead of 1, etc. I calculated that I was able to afford two more children just by not purchasing in California near the peak.
 
[quote author="MalibuRenter" date=1242896492][quote author="IrvineRenter" date=1242818772]It is good to see you are settling in.



I hope you enjoy the nice weather while it lasts. I lived in College Station, Texas for 3 summers, and I can tell you that Texas gets very hot and very humid. In fact, East Texas feels hotter and more humid than Florida. Dallas is probably similar to College Station in that occasionally the Gulf moisture is pushed to the east and it isn't unbearably humid. Houston is always too humid.



How do you like the neon building art? Some people think it is really cool, and others think it is really tacky.



I always remember driving the freeways through Dallas, and you are at treetop level. I don't know what that does for air and noise pollution, but it is a non-earthquake zone solution to traffic problems. San Antonio has many elevated freeways too.



Have you had any encounters with the local bugs? They have fire ants in Texas, and other creepy crawlies we don't have in California.</blockquote>


I haven't noticed much neon yet. I will look for it though. I've only seen neon signs on churches.



Our dog found a cockroach yesterday. Don't they know this a good neighborhood?



I'm not sure exactly how to describe it, but the freeway entrances and exits are designed in a vastly superior way here. There is also a different way of doing U turns. Perhaps I should take a camera with me and post photos.</blockquote>


They like their neon in Texas...



Dallas Skyline at night:



<img src="http://sydor25.com/Pictures/Dallas_Skyline_0540.jpg" alt="" />



Austin Skyline at night:



<img src="http://www.russellandmichelle.net/wedding_site/austin_images/austin_skyline2.jpg" alt="" />
 
[quote author="usctrojanman29" date=1242970825]The heat is just a mental thing....block it out my man. I sucked it up for 2 years in Vegas so it can be done.</blockquote>Sorry bro, I gotta disagree on that one. The humidity just makes life miserable. I was in AZ this past weekend, hiking around the grand canyon in 99 degree weather, and it wasn't too bad. Vegas was 103 degrees while I was there and that wasn't bad either. I've been in Florida in July and August and I lived in the midwest for a couple years, and there's just no comparison. If it wasn't for the humidity I would probably still be living in Hawaii and mooching off my parents.
 
[quote author="MalibuRenter" date=1242982742]Having a $100k a year job here is enough to raise a family in a decent neighborhood. There are a ton of two income families who are only a few years out of college that have an easy time affording a good house. I can dig out the calculation, but there is an academic paper which calculated how many more years someone buying a median price home in LA had to work vs Dallas in order to afford the house price difference.</blockquote>


You are spot on. When we bought our second home in TX (sold house #1, rolled equity into house #2), our 2 little ones were still very young - 3 and 6 (the oldest was 15 or so). Within a year, we paid off some additional debt, and my wife quit her well paying job to be a stay at home mom (not an easy job.....I've done it myself). We couldn't do the types of things we did with a dual income, but the time spent with our kids simply cannot be understated.



Given the cost of living in CA at the time we were a single income family in TX (~1996-2002), we would not have been able to do it.



<blockquote>I also did an interesting calculation, "How many children does the house cost?" The concept is simple. Compare the cost of raising a child to buying a home. If you can have a similar job in a city where homes are less expensive, it's easier to afford 2 kids instead of 1, etc. I calculated that I was able to afford two more children just by not purchasing in California near the peak.</blockquote>


That's a very unique perspective. Not one we ever thought of when deciding to have children. I will say that if we'd stayed in CA during the crash of the early 90's, we likely would not have had our 3rd.



Trust me.....it's never easy to afford kids. And, no matter how old they get, you never stop paying for 'em. ;)
 
[quote author="Adam Ginsberg" date=1243047819][quote author="MalibuRenter" date=1242982742]Having a $100k a year job here is enough to raise a family in a decent neighborhood. There are a ton of two income families who are only a few years out of college that have an easy time affording a good house. I can dig out the calculation, but there is an academic paper which calculated how many more years someone buying a median price home in LA had to work vs Dallas in order to afford the house price difference.</blockquote>


You are spot on. When we bought our second home in TX (sold house #1, rolled equity into house #2), our 2 little ones were still very young - 3 and 6 (the oldest was 15 or so). Within a year, we paid off some additional debt, and my wife quit her well paying job to be a stay at home mom (not an easy job.....I've done it myself). We couldn't do the types of things we did with a dual income, but the time spent with our kids simply cannot be understated.



Given the cost of living in CA at the time we were a single income family in TX (~1996-2002), we would not have been able to do it.



<blockquote>I also did an interesting calculation, "How many children does the house cost?" The concept is simple. Compare the cost of raising a child to buying a home. If you can have a similar job in a city where homes are less expensive, it's easier to afford 2 kids instead of 1, etc. I calculated that I was able to afford two more children just by not purchasing in California near the peak.</blockquote>


That's a very unique perspective. Not one we ever thought of when deciding to have children. I will say that if we'd stayed in CA during the crash of the early 90's, we likely would not have had our 3rd.



Trust me.....it's never easy to afford kids. And, no matter how old they get, you never stop paying for 'em. ;)</blockquote>


I look at being able to afford kids as both involving money and time/attention. Places like Los Angeles tend to leave you with less time and less disposable income. In the early 1990's, home prices went down and traffic got lighter. The quality of life improved for those who weren't already homeowners, and who still had decent jobs. I went from straight out of school at a sucky job in 1989 to 2.5x the pay in 1993, as home prices were dropping.
 
Dallas is petfriendly in a different way. Cats and small dogs probably live longer. I haven't seen any coyotes here. In LA, I frequently saw them in Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills, and Malibu.



A Malibu saying: "There are two kinds of cats here. Indoor cats and 'Have you seen Fluffy?' posters"
 
While shopping at a few hardware stores over the past couple of weeks, I have noticed there are no day laborers hanging out in Dallas. They seem ubiquitous in Los Angeles.
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1243213841]MR - How long have you guys been there now?</blockquote>


Came for interviews and started looking for a place a month ago. Moved in two weeks ago. Seems like we have been here a long time.
 
[quote author="MalibuRenter" date=1243218203][quote author="SoCal78" date=1243213841]MR - How long have you guys been there now?</blockquote>


Came for interviews and started looking for a place a month ago. Moved in two weeks ago. Seems like we have been here a long time.</blockquote>
How is the job market out in the Dallas area?
 
[quote author="MalibuRenter" date=1243218203][quote author="SoCal78" date=1243213841]MR - How long have you guys been there now?</blockquote>


Came for interviews and started lookinghttp://www.irvinehousingblog.com/forumsfora place a month ago. Moved in two weeks ago. Seems like we have been here a long time.</blockquote>
How is the job market out in the Dallas area?
 
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