Moving from Ohio to Dallas HELP PLEASE!! (Houston, San Antonio: apartment, rent)

[Jpastor05]

My young family (wife and 2 kids) will be moving to the Dallas area and looking for a job as well. I recently graduated with a MBA (finance) and want to relocate to find better job opportunities. We were advised to stay away for South Dallas because it was crime infested. Moreover, we DO NOT want to stay in a bad school district and would like to find an apartment that is affordable and in a safe neighborhood. From reading threads so far it sounds as if North of Dallas, Richardson, Plano, Coppell are good places to start? Our budget is at a strict $600-$800.

Please help! We would like to move at the beginning of March and need to find a place quickly. Will visit the 2nd week of February.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by Jpastor05

My young family (wife and 2 kids) will be moving to the Dallas area and looking for a job as well. I recently graduated with a MBA (finance) and want to relocate to find better job opportunities. We were advised to stay away for South Dallas because it was crime infested. Moreover, we DO NOT want to stay in a bad school district and would like to find an apartment that is affordable and in a safe neighborhood. From reading threads so far it sounds as if North of Dallas, Richardson, Plano, Coppell are good places to start? Our budget is at a strict $600-$800.

Please help! We would like to move at the beginning of March and need to find a place quickly. Will visit the 2nd week of February.

$600-800 is a 1-bedroom apartment budget in most or the areas you mentioned. I am really not familiar with any parts of DFW where you would get 2 bedrooms in that range. I'm sure they exist somewhere, but I think you'll be hard-pressed to find one in a good school district. But maybe I'm wrong...anyone know if HEB has 2 br's in that range that are well-mantained and safe?

I take it neither of you has a job offer in Dallas yet? Commutes can be AWFUL here so maybe you can stay in an extended-stay or executive hotel while you job search and then you can make sure you're looking at areas that will be an easier commute and possibly bump your rent budget up if the job pays more than expected?

[BigDGeek]

Is it even legal in most cities for four people to live in a one-bedroom apartment?

[Jpastor05]

My wife can have her job transferred to the Dallas area. I am looking for a job with some possible leads. I was told to look into North Arlington, HEB, and Plano and other areas. That is a bit shocking to hear that 600-800 is cheap! That's a really nice apartment here in Ohio.

What are some other areas would you recommend? Do you know anything about the Houston, Austin areas?

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by Jpastor05

My wife can have her job transferred to the Dallas area. I am looking for a job with some possible leads. I was told to look into North Arlington, HEB, and Plano and other areas. That is a bit shocking to hear that 600-800 is cheap! That's a really nice apartment here in Ohio.

What are some other areas would you recommend? Do you know anything about the Houston, Austin areas?

Austin's cost of living is even higher than DFW's. The least expensive large city in Texas is San Antonio.

[PegE]

Dallas and the suburbs cover a lot of territory. Tell us what part of Dallas your wife would work in. That might help narrow it down.

[Jpastor05]

She would be working in the city (Big Brothers and Big Sisters). We do not mind the commute. Just would like to be safe in an area that is affordable.

[ChristieP]

Commutes get expensive. Many of our highways are toll roads, and there is also the additional gas, wear and tear on your car, etc. That's why we usually recommend living close to work...