phoenix vs dallas help?

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by arsenjan

Can any one help me with name of some of the cities in Dallas Fort Worth that are considered the slums/ghettos? I'm looking at some homes and apartments to rent and I want narrow my search by staying away from those plases

Thanks Guys

Yes, the worst parts of Dallas city are generally located in these areas:
-Southeast Dallas, the section South of I-30 and east of I-35. Mostly single family homes, but avoid.
-West Dallas- the area immediately west of downtown tucked between I-35 and I-30. Mostly single family homes, but avoid.
-"Five Points" neighborhood which is about 8 miles north of downtown and bordered by Northwest Hwy (Loop 12), Abrams Road, Walnut Hill, and US75/Central Expressway. Tons of cheap bad apartments in this area to avoid.
-Parts of East Dallas are sketchy. If you follow I-30 east from downtown, stay northwest of Columbia Ave. There are a lot of cheap apartments there, too.
-The area north of Love Field airport by Bachman Lake is full of seedy, run down apartments. Northwest Highway in that area is lined with strip clubs & seedy bars. This is west of Marsh, north of Love Field, east of 35 and south of Walnut Hill Lane.


I did find some homes in the $100k range that are in good safe neighborhoods with pretty good (not the best, but far from the worst) public schools. Most homes are in suburbs 30-90++ minutes away from Dallas. Many of them are also in areas where new homes are still being built which may mean your business could do ok there. We can't post links, but if you google these addresses, you can look at the homes:
915 Alpine Street, Forney TX (far east suburb of Dallas) - 3/2 home with 1400sf built in 1999. offered for $100k
2106 Helmoken Falls Drive, Anna TX (far north ex-burb of Dallas, about 40 miles north of downtown...90 minute drive in rush hour traffic). 4/2 home with 3000sf built in 2005, offered for $100k. Beware the monthly expense to heat/cool a really big house- could be $500/mo in the summer.
6220 Locust Street, Rowlett TX (northeastern suburb of Dallas, actually uses Garland ISD schools which are good) 3/2 1200sf home built 1972. $99.9k
410 Stanton Drive, Garland TX (northeastern suburb of Dallas, closest listing to downtown Dallas- about 20 minutes non-rush hour, good schools). 3/2 1300sf built 1958. $99.9

It can be done!

[HOAPRESIDENT]

TurtleCreek, you are a saint(ess).

[DaveG99]

Originally Posted by Sandstorm214

That's funny because the forecast high in Dallas for today is 15 degrees warmer than Phoenix.

I said last week. Phoenix was 98 Dallas was 72

Today your correct but its cloudy over there and about to rain which is rare for phoenix.

[Squirl]

I noticed a couple of single family houses that look fine in Irving zip code 75061 under 100K and both are served by recognized schools K-12th grade. I own a rental house in the same area being leased by a Parkland resident doctor and his family. It can be done.

[ETex2]

I'd stay in the eastern suburbs for something under $100K - probably Garland or Mesquite. Mid cities you might try Irving and Grand Prairie and parts of Arlington. You'll have to look hard, but decent homes in your price range exist, but they might be a bit smaller than you'd prefer. I can't think of any entire city that's a "ghetto", but most cities have undesirable parts and some have ghettos.

[momof2dfw]

There are homes in that price range in the Dallas area in good decent areas w/ good to very good schools. I'm familiar w/ the area of the one in Garland and Rowlett that TurtleCreek listed. I'd go w/ the one in Garland first and it is in an okay area of older modest homes. It is not "crime ridden" in that area so that is good. Close to two DART rail stations and the DART park & ride bus. Schools are actually very good contrary to some peoples opinions .

As for the business situation. We do own a business in the area. It depends on the actual business, how you operate and treat your customers and pay your vendors how successfull you will be. If you are very reliable, dependable, do the job your expected to do, fair on price (people will pay a bit more for quality and dependable), etc.... you won't have to advertise as much as you will get referrals. You will have to advertise though and keep advertising but not as much once you get established and a name for yourself.

As for your specific type of business....... I'm going to be honest and say it is probably not the best outlook. There is one granite/stone shop I pass every day when taking one kid to school and have for 6 years. They used to ALWAYS be busy. Guys there early in the morning cutting and loading up trucks to head out. All day long. When I go past there now, in the mornings I see ONE vehicle and ONE person. Their back gate where their overhead doors are open are CLOSED every single time I go by. In the afternoons....... they have already closed up for the day. For days in a row it looks as though nothing has moved. It used to be that there were at least a dozen guys in the mornings all out there cutting countertops every single day. Honestly, I've been tempted now to stop by and see how good of a deal I can get to get new bathroom countertops. I'm sure they even probably have some "scrap" slabs that are small enough for a few of my bathroom countertops. We sell to several construction companies and things have slowed down. A few of the really well known higher end guys that have a good name for themselves and their products are still doing pretty good. The small guys that are individuals that do odd jobs that are dependable and very VERY reasonable on prices are also doing pretty good. Everyone in the middle has kind of closed up or slowed so far down they have a skeleton crew.

[TrynaLearn]

Thanx a lot. I would like to know what about the range for just renting a apartment/home. my limit is 600/month. What areas in Dallas can I achieve this. I am from Harlem so I'm not concerned or worried if the area is ghetto and/or dangerous. Thank you and enjoy your day.

[Squirl]

You can probably find many apartments in your range. Look on Craigslist. You'll find apartments all over, so first find out where your job will be and then look in that area.