Dallas/Fort Worth, TX or Charlotte, NC.... Where would you move??

[Laurie3]

Hi everyone!! This is only my second post but I come on this board a couple times a day to check on things and everyone is so helpful so I just had to ask this question:

In 2008 my family has the choice to move to Dallas, Texas area or Charlotte, NC area because of my dh's work. I am not familiar with either of these places. My brother lives in Austin and he absolutely loves it there. I have heard that North Carolina is beautiful. Both areas have housing that are cheaper than where we live now. Also much warmer

I have been doing some research online and I am hoping to fly out with my dh this summer to check out the areas but I was hoping someone who already lives in these areas can tell me which towns are affordable, good schools and low crime rates.

Thanks!!

 

[Rhia]

Hi there. we live in the border of WV/VA/MD. Next week we are flying to Dallas to look at some land. We also considered Charlotte but for some reason Dallas seems to be calling us. What kind of work does your dh do?

 

[PrincessTiff]

Hi, hope I can help! Some of the better areas around D/FW are Kellercool1: ), Southlake, Plano, Frisco and Flower Mound. It depends what kind of housing you're looking at really.

I found a couple of sites that might help:

http://www.rmdfw.com/
http://www.welcometodallas.com/

 

[Dagny]

Of course I am also partial to DFW I think that you will find the cost of living very reasonable for a large metropolitian area.

 

[Rhia]

Have you ever heard of Wills Point? There is a community building up out there with acreage. That's the first place we are going to look.

 

[pbharris4]

We've thought about Dallas area and Raleigh, NC area, but not in the immediate future. NC seems to have abooming real estate market right now. Alot of northerns are moving down there. Alot of Virginias are moving to NC and Dallas area because they are cashing out on all that equity they made in the last few years and buying homes outright in those areas.

I think you may gain more equity faster on your home if you bought in NC because of the market there. I think (someone correct me if I am wrong) NC has year round schools. And it's not as hot as Texas. It's also closer to Disney. May be closer to your family in Illinois.

Texas seems to have alot to offer as well. I'd worry about tornadoes. I don't know much about Dallas to make an opinion, but the houses (compared to here) are much, much cheaper (new ones). We are one of those who considered buying a house outright in those two places, but love our area so much. DH, of course has been a Dallas Cowboy fan since he took his first breath..so he'd pick Dallas. I'd like to see what others say too. In case we change our minds. Wherever you go, I hope you enjoy it!

 

[Laurie3]

Hi there. we live in the border of WV/VA/MD. Next week we are flying to Dallas to look at some land. We also considered Charlotte but for some reason Dallas seems to be calling us. What kind of work does your dh do?

My dh is a national account manager. Dallas also seems to be calling me too but I want to check them both out before making the BIG decision. Have fun checking out land next week. I can't wait to get out there and check things out.

 

[Laurie3]

Have you ever heard of Wills Point? There is a community building up out there with acreage. That's the first place we are going to look.

No I have never heard of Wills Point. I will have to add it to my list of places to check out.

 

[gris gris]

We're partial to Charlotte just because we vacation there at race time. I think it's incredibly easy to get around, it's a nice city, lots of traffic though. It also seems to be getting pretty popular! I was in Dallas only once in my life and we ate at some steak house at the Stock Yards. Now..I don't eat red meat, and the table we sat at was directly in front of this HUGE cooler/meat display and behind it the guy was cooking meat in a brick oven type of thing. Lots of steak houses in Dallas!

 

[Rhia]

Have you ever been to Dallas? I went once when I did mary kay and went to the convention. I will let you know what I think when we get back if you want. I can't wait to move. If he found a job right now, we are ready to pack up and go!! Good luck to you!

 

[Laurie3]

PrincessTiff~ Thanks for the links. I will probably be on there for hours looking at houses.

We are looking for a four bedroom home and with a large enough yard for three girls and 2 dogs to play.

 

[dturner]

I'm a displaced New Yorker living just north of Dallas and I hate TEXAS!!

I hate the heat, it's awful. Be prepared for LARGE electric bills in the summer. Most years we have two seasons - HOT and COLD unless you live in East Texas then they have big trees out there that change color.

I wouldn't move here unless I had no other choice.

I'm a big NASCAR fan so Charlotte would be HEAVEN to me.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

 

[Laurie3]

Have you ever been to Dallas? I went once when I did mary kay and went to the convention. I will let you know what I think when we get back if you want. I can't wait to move. If he found a job right now, we are ready to pack up and go!! Good luck to you!

Nope never been to Dallas but I have been to Austin to visit my brother. I am hoping to go with my dh on business trips to both Dallas and North Carolina. So while he is in meetings I can check things out.

I can't wait to move too. Late Spring of 2008 sounds so far away to me even though it will be here before we know it. Let me know how the trip goes. Have fun!

 

[dturner]

Nope never been to Dallas but I have been to Austin to visit my brother. I am hoping to go with my dh on business trips to both Dallas and North Carolina. So while he is in meetings I can check things out.

I can't wait to move too. Late Spring of 2008 sounds so far away to me even though it will be here before we know it. Let me know how the trip goes. Have fun!

Even though I said I hate Texas - I like the Austin area of Texas - they have hills down there and it's much prettier - it's flat in Dallas.

Oh, I didn't even mention the traffic around Dallas - it's bad!

 

[jillyjoey]

My sister lives in Dallas (Highland Village). They absolutely love it. Cost of living is reasonable also.

RE: TORNADOES. My sis & her hubby have lived in Dallas since 1990. They have never had any damage and have never had a tornado come near their neighborhood (of course, I'm not implying that it would never happen). We, on the other hand, have had damage 2x within 6 months from tornadoes here in Tennessee. I wouldn't let the risk of tornadoes deter you from Texas.

The only thing I didn't like about the Dallas area when I visited was that it was very flat and no trees (or at least what I was used to).

 

[m&m's mom]

No I have never heard of Wills Point. I will have to add it to my list of places to check out.

OK, not to rain on anyone's parade but let me provide specifics on Wills Point.
My DH's family is from there and MiL still lives there. It is a prefectly nice place but light years away from D/FW image.
WP is a very small town w/ very little (almost none) shopping, restaurants etc. It is very rural. It is a good hour away from Dallas. Dallas is pretty cosmopolitan and WP is country. You might want that atmosphere.

 

[kellia]

I don't know about NC, but I lived in Texas a few years as a kid and it is HOT and HUMID and they have BIG BUGS and CRITTERS!! We moved there from Michigan and almost melted.

(No offense to anyone who lives there, but not for me! I still have nightmares about the chameleons you'd find in the house!)

 

[idreamdisney]

Hi....I'm originally from Texas and have lived in the DFW area. (I'm in Houston now). I've never been to Charlotte, but Dallas is not my favorite place. Austin is fabulous, but there are few similarities between the 2 cities. Frankly, I would not live in TX now if the cost of living weren't so low. NC is a much more scenic, beautiful place, so if you're into outdoor stuff--I'd go there in a heartbeat. Dallas gets very, very hot and humid and they do at times get tornadoes and hail--but not the super tornadoes like in OK. If you're interested in a large metropolitan city (w/ all this offers) w/ a reasonable cost of living, go to DFW. If that's not your main goal, go to Charlotte. Hope that helps a little.

 

[Grand2me]

HUMID?! IN DALLAS??!! Y'all must be on crack(lol) because you have not lived HUMID until you have been to New Orleans in the summer. The problem is that the summer in Dallas is HOT...Extremely HOT but it's dry heat. If there is a North wind, it's not too bad. When it hits 100 and 102, you have to really think about where you want to go and if you REALLY need to be there(lol), if you know what I mean. Dallas is nice, BIG, really big(lol). Some places are very quiet. I like it. If my family was here, I would probably LOVE IT. Shopping abound, there is always something to do but dare I say it does lack culture. NC is beautiful minus the wasps and bees(lol). Great schools and colleges in both places, I would say the thing that Dallas has over NC is pro teams. I love Rangers games(even thought they suck) and when the Cowboys play the Saints, I am in heaven.

 

[DIS FANATIC]

I have live in NC my whole life. It is fabulous! I am about 2 hours away from Charlotte. It is a really great city. Lots of food, concerts, activities--great schools and colleges. There are a lot of smaller towns on the outer edges of the city if you are looking for a small town environment. Plenty of nice houses with great yards. North Carolina is great--from Charlotte you have access to the Mountains as well as the Beaches in a couple of hours drive. How many states can say that? It is a fabulous place to live!