Commute to Richardson TX from the Fort Worth "area" doable? (Dallas: condos)

[bmw1111]

We hear good things about living in/near Fort Worth vs Dallas. My job HQ is located in Richardson TX but I work remote now from my home in NH. We're looking to move to TX sometime in the next year but haven't decided on an area yet.

I'll be in Dallas next week for the job but won't have time to look around considering how large Dallas is and the fact I'll only be there two nights.

I would likely only commute from our new home wherever that may be to Richardson once every week or two. So, the "commute" in the title above is really not accurate.

For some background, we're a family of six (me, spouse, three kids [14, 12, 10], and MIL ). My wife and I will both be working, but she would need to find a job in the area (judicial background). Need a good school, and house maybe in the $500-600K range. We don't really need a thriving social scene -- you should see where we live in NH now. However, we would like to have a diverse selection of amenities such as markets and restaurants within reasonable driving range. Also, being within an hour or so of a major airport would be helpful since I will be traveling every now and then for my job.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[tcualum]

Not at all. I grew up in Richardson and now live in Fort Worth. The traffic is absolutely horrible even if there aren't any wrecks. The Metroplex is around the size of Connecticut and DFW airport is bigger than Central Park. We moved to Fort Worth from Arlington (3rd biggest city that's right in between Dallas and Fort Worth) because the commute from Fort Worth to Arlington was so awful. We love living here but we don't send our kids to Fort Worth ISD schools. You can't afford to buy a home in Fort Worth where the good public schools are. There are lots of great suburban school districts with less expansive homes that are in between Fort Worth and Richardson. I don't know enough about the home prices in those areas but I'm sure some other members will. Richardson ISD is a fabulous district. I would check home prices in that district.

FYI, the school district lines do not match the city or county lines in any way.

[ChristieP]

Remember that the DFW metroplex is larger than the state of Connecticut, and there are over 7 million people living here. Needless to say, our traffic is very heavy, and it can be horrible if there is bad weather, or a major accident that shuts down a freeway. That being said, no, it is absolutely not possible to commute to Richardson from Fort Worth. Even just 1-2 days a week, you would be spending well over an hour each way in your car.

When I lived in Grapevine, I had to commute to Richardson for 2 weeks for job training. The commute took me around 45 minutes and it cost me $4 each way in tolls. Had I taken the non-toll roads, the time would have been significantly longer.

Why are you even considering Fort Worth? Richardson, Collin County and northern Dallas County suburbs all have what you are looking for in a house, and plenty to choose from in your price range. There is no reason at all for you to look in Tarrant County.

[bmw1111]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Even just 1-2 days a week, you would be spending well over an hour each way in your car.

When I lived in Grapevine, I had to commute to Richardson for 2 weeks for job training. The commute took me around 45 minutes and it cost me $4 each way in tolls. Had I taken the non-toll roads, the time would have been significantly longer.

Why are you even considering Fort Worth? Richardson, Collin County and northern Dallas County suburbs all have what you are looking for in a house, and plenty to choose from in your price range. There is no reason at all for you to look in Tarrant County.

Honestly, we're open to anywhere that isn't crime ridden or run down, has good schools (doesn't have to be prep/private school level), and is within "reasonable" commuting distance. For what it's worth, when I say "reasonable" keep in mind I grew up in Los Angeles and have lived and commuted in the Boston area (different, but just as frustrating as L.A.) for the last 16 years. My wife's job is located in downtown Boston but she is also mainly remote. She drives into Boston from our place near Lake Winnipesaukee and it takes her anywhere from an hour and forty five minutes to two and a half hours each way (!) depending on the time of day she needs to be there. She only has to do this once every few weeks or so, so she just deals with it but of course even that sucks.

So, to be honest, a one hour each way commute "every now and then" (not daily) would be acceptable to us. When we both worked every day in Concord, NH, our drive was 40 minutes each way -- admittedly, with no traffic through beautiful country.

In any case, it sounds like you're recommending North Dallas. Thanks, and I'll start familiarizing myself with that area. Is there a boundary map you can link? I see there is a "Far North" Dallas area, as well.

I'm starting to see just how big the area is now.

[jbb303]

Of course the commute is doable. You just have to govern the expectations. You will spend a ton of time in your car both directions. An 8 hour work day is going to easily going to turn into a minimum of 11 hours out of the house. You know your own preferences and, if you're okay with that time away from home, sure, the commute is doable. As both of the above replies above indicate, it is totally unnecessary. You can check off all of your requirements closer to Richardson and likely save yourself money and a whole lot of time.

[ChristieP]

Commuting in DFW is anything but a peaceful drive in the countryside. It is almost totally driving in a 6-lane concrete highway, surrounded by large trucks and other cars. When there is rain, everything slows to a crawl, and if there is an accident, the freeway can be shut down and you’re stuck just sitting and waiting. Sure, you can listen to the radio and podcasts, but since it is not necessary for you, there's no reason to do it!

I wouldn’t recommend anything in Dallas city limits to you. Most of the good areas in “Far North Dallas” will be far above your price range unless you’d want to look at condos or townhomes. Dallas ISD schools are also not great for the most part.

Honestly, look in Richardson itself, and also in Plano. Both of those cities have everything you’re looking for in a community, and plenty of houses in your price range. Both Richardson and Plano ISDs are among the best in the DFW area. You’d be able to keep your commute short, and spend more time at home with your family. As a bonus, Richardson and Plano are very diverse communities with a lot of different ethnicities. You’ll be able to enjoy restaurants serving food from all over the world, and your kids will get to experience the different cultures in school.

[bmw1111]

This is just the kind of information I was hoping to get. Thanks everyone for your input and giving me a few great places to narrow my search. Moving to somewhere so massive after being in *very* small towns for so long can be a bit intimidating but it's good to know I can always come here and receive great advice.

[tcualum]

ChristieP is exactly right.

[Threestep2]

Make time when you will be in DFW next week. Drive during your expected commute time.