Does anyone here actually live in the Dallas/Arlington/Fort Worth area ?

Actually

Ive pondered that forever since im only 22 why not you know. My dad who im not very close to did just that. He lives an hour away from there. His passion for the Cowboys spread to me hence why someone in PA ,which is where i reside now , could be a Cowboys fan. He loves the weather, he loves the constant local cowboys coverage and shows, he loves every store that has cowboy stuff, theres only federal taxes down there no state or local, oh and hes in the construction business. Hes an estimator for roofs and with all the storms and stuff down there there is always work.

I am thinking about doing that very thing and moving down there. Gas prices are lower there too. I want to be within an hour of the stadium and area. I hear tyler, TX is a perfect place to go.

So you arent alone I too am that passionate about it too. So passionate ive talked my gf, a steeler fan, to do it under the right circumstances.haha

What the French?! Toast!

by thebigham on May 17, 2008 4:12 PM CDT 0 recs

My first exposure to the Cowboys was when I was 7...

I grew up on the Jersey Shore, and was, if anything, a Jets fan. I went to visit family friends south of Dallas at the age of 7, and got completely caught up in the euphoria that is being a Cowboys fan – all from only watching them on TV! That year the Cowboys went on to lose to the Colts in SB 5… the next year Staubach, Duane Thomas and company led the team to it’s first Superbowl.

I’ve been Cowboys fan since, watched them play in NYC many times, but never been to Texas Stadium. I might just have to make a trip out there this season!

BoyZr…. go for it. You only live once, the Cowboys are looking every bit the SB contender… and if you don’t do it, you’ll be cussing yourself every weekend!

Good luck

Tar Heels football will surprise this year

by DalaiLuke on May 17, 2008 4:42 PM CDT 0 recs

Arlington born and raised...

As for whether or not you should move here… Where do you live currently?

by N41D on May 17, 2008 5:31 PM CDT 0 recs

I am thinking of moving to Arlington...I currently live in Orlando Florida. N41D I need your input please...

I’ve actually spent most part of my day looking into Arlington real estate, as I’m not even worried about getting a job…......I’ve found a few houses for only $105,000 I liked that are within a few blocks west of, or less than a mile from the new stadium….go figure..I’d be able to walk to the games…..wooo hooo…If you know about those neighborhoods…fill me in…..

What I must know is how are those neighborhoods around the stadium location ??.. I’m not looking to moved to the Ghetto or Hood…if you know what I mean…...Keep in mind I’m a white guy, and not looking to be the only one on my street…...I don’t need to live exactly near the stadium, as I’m sure traffic would be utter hell come game day…....but anything close to or east of or west of or north of…. would be nice I do think I need to be close to Tom Landry Highway (RT 30) cuz my work would have me working throughout the greater Dallas/Fort Worth area…..I’m looking for a well manicured, upkept, low crime area between Fort Worth and Dallas with easy access to major highways…maybe some places near that large body of water to the west of downtown Arlington….Lake Arlington maybe? ...as i’d like to go boating and fishing… any info you can provide would be appreciated . E Mail me if you can….cuz i’m serious about this….construction is drying up in Florida, and i’ve been told there is much construction growth in the Dallas area, in fact it’s one of the top areas in the nation because thehousing market is still actually appreciating…......and it may be time for me to be closer to my life long passion of being in Dallas Cowboy territory.

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

"If you don’t take him off the field as a coach, he will just about die out there," Jerry Jones said. "That impacted my decision. It’s a Michael Irvin-type work ethic. That’s what we are talking about with Felix Jones."
- Owner/G.M of the Dallas Cowboys , Jerry Jones

by BoyzRback on May 17, 2008 6:39 PM CDT up 0 recs

I wouldn't move over in the stadium area...

Not unless you’re north of I-30, and it gets a bit pricey in that area… The area around the stadium isn’t the best place to live, unless you’re fond of crappy homes and old, run down shopping centers and such… The area around Jerry World just isn’t very nice right now, and the construction makes it that much worse…

The Lake Arlington area is nice. I actually work at Lake Arlington right now, so if you move to the area and want to go boating, stop by and I’ll set you up with the permits and everything… Really, anything in SW Arlington or Central Arlington in the Woodland West/Pantego area is going to be where I’d suggest. South of I-20 and east of Cooper is nice, too. Anything west of Cooper and South of I-20 is no good… North Arlington is nice, but it’s the more expensive part of town…

I wouldn’t mess with Dallas. Just doesn’t seem like they ever get ANYTHING done in terms of improving the city and developing the area. Parts of Fort Worth are real nice if you can find something in your price range… Not too far from the stadium, either.

If you find a few houses you’re interested in, feel free to e-mail me and I’ll fill you in on the area of town…

nowitness41dirk@yahoo.com

by N41D on May 18, 2008 6:49 PM CDT up 0 recs

Thanks for the input, and I'll sure get back to you...I'm leaning towards the SW Lake Arlington area so far...

Yeah…I’m not really looking in the Dallas/ north of it or east of the Dallas area. I’m looking to be closer to the Fort Worth area south of it or south east of it…....Do you know of the Lake Granbury area ???
.

If you can tell me more about Lake Arlingon itself would be great….how large is it? boat docks? boat ramps? marina’s ? motor boats? jet ski’s ? good fishing ? depth ? clearity ?...etc….Also …..property taxes are outrageous i’ve read ? home owners and auto insurance are out of control ? electricity extremely high as well ?. traffic is unbearable ?....summer steam bath weather ? (of which living in Fla..I can’t imagine it any worse than here)........those are the few complaints i’ve read about so far….enlighten me… give me the pro’s and con’s …....I don’t nessesarily need to purchase a home at first, as i’m sure i’d want to get a good feel of the area first….If you know nice condo/apartment rentals in a nice area….fill me in…

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

"If you don’t take him off the field as a coach, he will just about die out there," Jerry Jones said. "That impacted my decision. It’s a Michael Irvin-type work ethic. That’s what we are talking about with Felix Jones."
- Owner/G.M of the Dallas Cowboys , Jerry Jones

by BoyzRback on May 18, 2008 7:52 PM CDT up 0 recs

Everywhere

is Texas, property taxes are very high. Yet there are no income taxes.

""I want George W. Bush to say, "All things equal, I screwed up this country far worse than I did the Texas Rangers."" - Chris Ballard

by miles on May 18, 2008 8:30 PM CDT up 0 recs

General Info...

Lake Arlington isn’t very big, and there’s only two boat ramps on the lake, but the fishing is pretty good. The city has plans for improvements to the lake itself, and at the lake office we’re pushing hard to get the city to stock the lake with bass and catfish again, since they haven’t in something like 8 or 10 years… It’s probably not a lake you’ll want to spend a ton of time at, but it’s nice to get away for a few hours on the weekends and it’s rarely busy… Joe Pool Lake is just down the road, too, and if you’re lookin in SW Arlington, it’s only a 10 minute drive up I-20 to get there…

Property taxes are really high, but no state income tax… I’ve never thought the electricity costs were crazy, but I’ve never lived anywhere else either, so. Probably has more to do with just how damn hot it gets in the summer… I’d have to think the costs of living here will be significantly lower than in Florida, depending on where you live.

Traffic is really only unbearable in North Arlington, where they’re doing the construction and road work. Cooper Street sucks, but you can make your way around the city with minimal exposure to that train wreck without straying way off track…

Summer weather usually sucks. Hot and muggy. But you’re probably used to that, being from Florida…

Real Estate in the area is relatively inexpensive. I’m looking for a house myself right now in the Lake Arlington area, so I’ll keep this thread updated as I look more.

I really like the area. Arlington is right in the middle of the metroplex. Dallas and Fort Worth are short drives away, and the Downtown Fort Worth area is a lot of fun. Working for the city, I can assure you there are plenty of discussions and ideas being thrown around about improvements that can be made to the city, as far as improving night life, cleaning up some of the more run-down areas, improving the roads and highway access… The city is taking a ton of pride in having the stadium here, and seems genuinely committed to improving everything around it…

by N41D on May 19, 2008 10:11 AM CDT up 0 recs

You might check out the Mansfield area, too...

Just south of Arlington… Outside of most of the high traffic areas, but still close enough to all three major cities to keep travel back and forth reasonable…

by N41D on May 19, 2008 10:15 AM CDT up 0 recs

Born and raised 27 yrs in Arlington.

Don’t live by the stadium!!! Especially with all the stuff that Jerry has planned. Anything North of 30 or West of Cooper (maybe even Fielder) should be fine. There is a tiny part of west-central Arlington to stay away from, around the Mexican strip club. Around the stadium is worn down. There are some hold outs that are too old and stubborn to move out of their neighborhood. It seems like most of the others don’t care a whole lot about their properties, though there are some decent neighborhoods scattered around.

Weather isn’t bad, depending on what you like. It’ll get over 100, but it’s not really humid. Nowhere near what it’s like on the beach, but it ain’t dry like Arizona either. Last year I think we only had like 5 days over 100, but I can remember a few years back I think we had like 30-40. It was some crazy number.

In the winter it gets into the 20s occasionally, but it’s normally around 40. We’ll get snow once or twice, and a decent storm (see 1-2 inches that stick) every 3-5 years.

Traffic ain’t bad, for the most part. Stay off 360 North in the afternoon. It takes me 15 minutes to get to school at 5:00 during football season and 20-30minutes after basketball season in rush hour traffic, but that’s mostly because the lights change their timing. I get home during rush hour in 20-25 minutes. I’ve made it in 15 min a few times. All that is surface streets, though. Dallas has it pretty bad, and Ft Worth isn’t much of a picnic if you are on the wrong roads.

Lake Arlington is a recreational man-made lake. Fishing isn’t very good, and I wouldn’t eat anything you would catch out of there. I’ve seen a bunch of ski-doos and water skiers out there, but I don’t know how it is. Joe Pool lake isn’t far away, and I think it’s a little better for both those things. In fact, there are alot of lakes that are within 2 hrs. It’s suprisingly easy to get to alot of places from Arlington. Very centrally located.

by altercall on May 20, 2008 11:09 PM CDT up 0 recs

BTW

Intentionally didn’t read N41Ds post so you could get another unbiased opinion.

by altercall on May 20, 2008 11:12 PM CDT up 0 recs

thanks ...alot of help...well appreciated....

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

"If you don’t take him off the field as a coach, he will just about die out there," Jerry Jones said. "That impacted my decision. It’s a Michael Irvin-type work ethic. That’s what we are talking about with Felix Jones."
- Owner/G.M of the Dallas Cowboys , Jerry Jones

by BoyzRback on May 21, 2008 5:19 AM CDT up 0 recs

My Aunt lives in Arlington

and she likes it a lot (but she doesn’t give a rip about football).

by scottmaui on May 17, 2008 5:46 PM CDT 0 recs

I think you'd like Plano

It’s a really nice suburb of Dallas. I don’t know what the housing market is, but a friend of mine rented a very nice apartment when she first got down there.

You wouldn’t be in walking distance, but you wouldn’t have to deal with as much traffic from day to day.

T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003

by APerfectStar on May 17, 2008 6:52 PM CDT 0 recs

Fort Worth

I’ve lived in the Fort Worth area for the past 18 years and I don’t really want to move anywhere else. The economy is doing much better here then elsewhere in the country. Part of that is due to oil and gas drilling which helps “stimulate” things here. Gasoline is cheaper here then most (up to $3.75/gal now) and the cost of living is lower in general.

The thing about the construction industry in Texas is that it involves a lot of Hispanic workers some of who may or may not be here legally. That depresses the salary market for all construction workers. If you can speak Spanish, you’re more likely to be hired.

Having said that, there are a lot of construction jobs here. Theres many a new high rise going up in down town Fort Worth right now. The real estate crisis hasn’t affected things here too badly. In fact I just built a house to take advantage of the lowered interest rates and the increased limits for FHA loans. I’m not the only one either.

Things are pretty good here now. Although I’m not sure how much longer that will last. If things are looking bad where you’re at now, it might be worth looking into getting a job and moving here.

Derek

Signature! I don't need no stinking signature!!

by DerekSTheRed on May 17, 2008 7:31 PM CDT 0 recs

If You're Serious About It

An excellent resource is the Places Rated Almanac. Some people dislike it because they release rankings of the metro areas in the US, but you can ignore that if you like and go straight to the information of each city. They compile lots of great data about the availability of health care, education, transportation, culture and good jobs, as well as monthly weather information, housing, cost of living, you name it. I wore out my 1995 copy when decided to move from Texas to the East Coast.

DFW also has its own character (that personally I can take or leave), and if you’re not familiar with it, it would be a good idea to spend some time there to decide for yourself.

You may have already thought about this, but I tossing it out in case you didn’t.

by kindablue on May 17, 2008 8:03 PM CDT 0 recs

Places Rated Almanac ..hmmmm...Pittsburgh rated #1 ...Philly #5 ..I'm not liking these ratings at all...

I’m sure it would have lots of data that I may find useful, but I was just browsing a list of the top 10 most miserable places to live…and it had those two cities listed….what gives ?

I’ll contact the greater DFW chamber of congress, get me some info sent out…..

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

"If you don’t take him off the field as a coach, he will just about die out there," Jerry Jones said. "That impacted my decision. It’s a Michael Irvin-type work ethic. That’s what we are talking about with Felix Jones."
- Owner/G.M of the Dallas Cowboys , Jerry Jones

by BoyzRback on May 18, 2008 7:44 AM CDT up 0 recs

Agreed

I mentioned many people don’t like the rankings, but what makes the Almanac so valuable is all the compiled information of each city. To arrive at their rankings, they made default choices as to the value of each category. Obviously, those rankings are not universal, and each person needs to decide what they value most and use the information to build their own rankings. Which is what I did when I decided to leave the state of Texas over a decade ago.

Or, in your case, just check the information for the Metroplex and decide for yourself. Since you were considering making a major financial decision in moving, I was thinking it would be a small investment ($20 or whatever the book costs) to have at your fingertips all the factual information you might want to make the decision.

The Chamber will probably give you a one-sided picture of the city. For example, if you dislike third degree burns on your hands from touching your steering wheel when you first get in your car on a July afternoon, they’ll probably not draw that to your attention.

I’m just saying.

by kindablue on May 18, 2008 9:43 AM CDT up 0 recs

thanks for the input....I know all about "character and attitude" living in "super trendy chic" South Beach the past two years.

I can only assume that’s probably the same “character” in ultra trendy Dallas your refering to??? not sure…...

I really got nothing to lose by checkin’ it out…. maybe i’ll take a flight over there first…I just won’t know anyone there…so i’d like to know as much as i can…..

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

"If you don’t take him off the field as a coach, he will just about die out there," Jerry Jones said. "That impacted my decision. It’s a Michael Irvin-type work ethic. That’s what we are talking about with Felix Jones."
- Owner/G.M of the Dallas Cowboys , Jerry Jones

by BoyzRback on May 17, 2008 8:31 PM CDT 0 recs

I live

in Dallas…

Say your sorry to Ron Washington

by miles on May 17, 2008 9:09 PM CDT 0 recs

what's the 411 ?...place to be or what ??

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

"If you don’t take him off the field as a coach, he will just about die out there," Jerry Jones said. "That impacted my decision. It’s a Michael Irvin-type work ethic. That’s what we are talking about with Felix Jones."
- Owner/G.M of the Dallas Cowboys , Jerry Jones

by BoyzRback on May 17, 2008 9:27 PM CDT 0 recs

I am not from Dallas Area

But… If i had oppurtunity to move to Dallas and business was begining to slow in my current area, I would make the move..

"If y'all fresh to death, then I'm deceased."

by Wmillion on May 17, 2008 9:53 PM CDT up 0 recs

Lived in Dallas/Richardson/Plano for the past 10 years

And I’ve loved every second of it. I can’t profess to know much about the state of the construction industry, but I can say that It’s a delightful place to live. Obviously, as a Cowboys fan you’ll want to set up shop in Arlington (or maybe Denton if you really like the area) but personally, Frisco is my favorite suburb.

Hard Drive Manufacturer Hires Barkley

by BudLight on May 17, 2008 9:34 PM CDT 0 recs

For all those that want to move to Cowboy Land. . .

My aunt has been a realtor in the Dallas Metro-plex for several years and is one of the biggest in the region regarding property by value moving year over year. She’s constantly telling me how great a time it is to move to Dallas due to the growing housing market and the amount of industry in the area.

If anyone wants her contact info, let me know. Whether you are serious or not, I know she’d be open to answering any questions you have about the metro-ploex.

Bum's Boy Boyz

by JerrodWheeler on May 18, 2008 9:47 AM CDT 0 recs

Jerrod......send me contact info via email...at address listed in my bio..

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

"If you don’t take him off the field as a coach, he will just about die out there," Jerry Jones said. "That impacted my decision. It’s a Michael Irvin-type work ethic. That’s what we are talking about with Felix Jones."
- Owner/G.M of the Dallas Cowboys , Jerry Jones

by BoyzRback on May 18, 2008 2:11 PM CDT up 0 recs

I live in Plano

Dallas is a great city, especially if you loves sports.

Some other notable things about Dallas:
Afforable Housing – I have a 3500 sq ft home I purchased for about 185k 7 yrs ago in Plano. You can still find similar housing. If you prefer an apartment/condo, they are plentiful and the amenities are great. Some people relocate here and the equity from there previous homes allows them to pay cash for a nice home.

People’s opinion will vary on this, but Arlington is a great place to visit, but not necessarily live. All of the suburbs have good and bad areas and much is gonna depend on what you are looking for. If you are looking for single life..I would say get a apartment/condo Downtown or in the Addison area. If you have a family and good schools are important. consider Flower Mound, Coppell, Plano, Frisco, and McKinney.
You may want to find work before considering your permanent residence. Some place like McKinney involve a bit of a commute.

As for construction, work is plentful and depending on the type of construction projects and your involvement, you may need to learn Spanish.

If you decide to move here, you will become a P1 and listen to AM 1310..Dallas’ very own The Ticket….a sports radio show. To get a taste..you can listen over the internet during the weekdays for their various shows. They are greatness.

by tb0n3 on May 18, 2008 10:33 AM CDT 0 recs

I'm from the Dallas area as well

And it is a nice place to live. Within the metroplex you can find just about anything you could ever think of to do. I’m not from Arlington, but I do work in the area quite a bit and I don’t think that you would really want to live near the stadium. The neighborhood isn’t the nicest, though I wouldn’t call it a ghetto. If you wanted to live in Arlington, I would suggest the south or west side of Arlington. There is also tons of construction in the area, both residential and commercial, so good luck.

by DC_fan on May 18, 2008 11:33 AM CDT 0 recs

Live in Frisco

Think of Plano, only father north.

Nice area to live in but for a young person there isn’t much to do around here. It’s better suited for persons with families or young couples who want to have kids.

Arlington, youth-wise is a better fit.

by Taylor on May 18, 2008 1:21 PM CDT 0 recs

Fort Worth

is also a great place to live…

Arlington is a fun place to visit, but not to live…

Dallas is alright…

Best deals on homes are in Fort Worth, and there is alot to do.

""I want George W. Bush to say, "All things equal, I screwed up this country far worse than I did the Texas Rangers."" - Chris Ballard

by miles on May 18, 2008 3:57 PM CDT 0 recs

I haven't lived there for about 12 years

But D/FW is a decent place to live. If you can handle the heat of the summer and like to drive, it’s a very comfortable place to be. Large and luxurious housing is available on the cheap, there is amazing food (BBQ and Tex Mex are still the stuff of my dreams), and lots of entertainment (there are enormous cineplexes everywhere, lots of sports, lots of bars, etc). There is one pro or con that hangs over all others though: it’s Texas. Texas has a pretty unique vibe and culture, and it’s in-your-face. I love this aspect of it. Others can’t hate it. It’s not like most states that I have lived in – state pride is as important as American pride, and it’s more omnipresent. There are Texas-specific ads for products. There is a Texas icon on Bud Light cans there, even. There’s a reason: it’s a humongous state with an incredible history and a lot of people live their entire lives there. Texans are great people though. I am one, so I’m biased, but it beats Florida in my opinion.

If the business is good, check it out. Just see the “if you like to drive” part above. Hope your car/truck gets good mileage.

by grapejoos on May 18, 2008 5:30 PM CDT 0 recs

North Richland Hills

I would def look into my home city of North Richland Hills. Its got the major freeway 820 running right through it. you can find houses in all price ranges and its pretty low crime adn good neighborhoods. Its been rated in the top 100 places to live in America for 2 of the past 3 years and has easy access to all the major cities around it. (Ft Worth 15 min, Dallas 30 min, and Arlington 15 min) It really is a great place to live and I would never move unless forced.

by longhorn3621 on May 18, 2008 9:22 PM CDT 0 recs

Traffic

The biggest problem with the North Richland Hills/Keller/Fossil Ridge area is the traffic. That north part of loop 820 really slows down during peak times and even on the weekends.

Derek

Signature! I don't need no stinking signature!!

by DerekSTheRed on May 19, 2008 9:08 AM CDT up 0 recs

Grew up in Plano

and love the area. Work brought me down to Houston now but wouldn’t want to live anywhere other than Texas.

by bluewolf021 on May 19, 2008 12:40 PM CDT 0 recs

Grew up in Arlington

Now I live in Austin.

Just stay west of Cooper, north of 30, or south of (south) Green Oaks.

Anybody know if DART is going to serve the stadium? Seems like they would.

by gaz0425 on May 20, 2008 3:47 PM CDT 0 recs

I live over by UTA in Arlington and where I live in particular is a good area...

I live just south of the UTA baseball fields and I bought an older home that I am renovating and hoping to flip for a decent profit. It is very true that if you plan on living in Arlington that you have to pick your spots wisely. However, I live in an neighborhood about 5 minutes from the stadium and I feel very safe and all of my neighbors take good care of their homes. Actually, alot of young, professionals are starting to move in and renovating theair homes as well.

If you are looking to live by a lake andf be close to the new stadium I would reccomend Joe Pool lake in Grand Prairie. They have been a ton of new homes built in the last several years and I am sure alot of foreclosures due to the subprime loan fiasco. Plus, you are close to I -20 and right in between Dallas and Ft. Worth.

Anyway, just my two sense but I say come on down!

by WALKERMAN on May 20, 2008 6:44 PM CDT 0 recs

lol....thanks guy....I look forward to maybe meetin' up with a few of you native fella's....

If I do come on over to DFW…It will probably be sometime in October/November…...That’s when my current lease is up, and I can avoid the swealtering Texas heat for one summer at least…...we’ll see…I’m currently looking to obtain a Texas plumbing contractor’s license….lots of red tape, forms, info etc,,i need to get taken care of….....I’m probably going to take a flight over there in the next few months to take a look foirst hand on the areas i’ve been looking at…..but it’s all pointing to Arlington/Fort Worth area…

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

"If you don’t take him off the field as a coach, he will just about die out there," Jerry Jones said. "That impacted my decision. It’s a Michael Irvin-type work ethic. That’s what we are talking about with Felix Jones."
- Owner/G.M of the Dallas Cowboys , Jerry Jones

by BoyzRback on May 20, 2008 8:07 PM CDT 0 recs