orange county california to Fort Worth (Grapevine, Keller: appointed, oceanfront, new home)

[trd1178]

Is there anyone how has made the move from Southern California to Fort Worth? How difficult was the transition for you? What area of Fort Worth have you found to be closest to OC? Do you regret making the switch ? What has been the most difficult thing to get used to?

Thanks

[Roma]

SC to FW.

It's been pretty difficult. The first year it was kinda fun because it was different but then we realized that we can't handle this ALL the time.

We have 5 acres on a lake and a huge home. So it was fun to decorate the home, play on the lake and have peace and quite for awhile. But we are done.

So we are going to move back when the timing is right. We are beach people. We used to live oceanfront, now we live lakefront. We prefer oceanfront.

So, really it just depends on what type of person you are. Some people like it and some don't. The ones that don't, move back. We have a neighbor from Colorado that lasted a little over a year here and decided to move back. So it's not just Californians. The weather difference is really what kills a lot of people.

Not everyplace is for everyone.

[ukaussi]

We live in probably THE BEST master planned community in OC, Ladera Ranch.

We have bought a home in the master planned community called "Heritage" and this appears to be the best they have to offer so far but is is still well behind OC master planned communities.

We have many relatives in the DFW area and yes it is VERY different.
The closest we have seen is downtown Southlake which is VERY close in appearance to your typical South OC shopping area in terms of places to eat and stores.

We aren't beach people really as we both grew up near the beach and have had our fill. We are just tired of the rat race and OC prices for everything, especially homes & gas.

[Guingirl]

My question to you would be why do you want to move out - what are you trying to accomplish? If you think that you can try to force something into it maybe being something similar, then you will probably be really disappointed and finding yourself with wanting to move back. You will see it in MANY threads here from people that have moved from all parts of CA and yes, there are commonalities and similarities to an extent but it isn't the same - if that makes sense.

There are things that I really really love about the Fort Worth area and then just a few things that I miss from CA. For me and my family, the positives of living here and our quality of life is sooo much better here in Fort Worth than it ever was in California. It will be nice to go back to CA and visit and go back to a few of the restaurants that I grew up with, little hole in the walls there.

Its good that you are doing research to really find out if you do want to make the move. I have seen and heard all to many people that move her from CA thinking that they can just have a great house and then realize that it is just so very different.

[Roma]

What area of Fort Worth have you found to be closest to OC?

I would have to say Southlake also like ukaussi.

[ukaussi]

Originally Posted by Guingirl

My question to you would be why do you want to move out - what are you trying to accomplish? If you think that you can try to force something into it maybe being something similar, then you will probably be really disappointed and finding yourself with wanting to move back. You will see it in MANY threads here from people that have moved from all parts of CA and yes, there are commonalities and similarities to an extent but it isn't the same - if that makes sense.

There are things that I really really love about the Fort Worth area and then just a few things that I miss from CA. For me and my family, the positives of living here and our quality of life is sooo much better here in Fort Worth than it ever was in California. It will be nice to go back to CA and visit and go back to a few of the restaurants that I grew up with, little hole in the walls there.

Its good that you are doing research to really find out if you do want to make the move. I have seen and heard all to many people that move her from CA thinking that they can just have a great house and then realize that it is just so very different.

I grew up in the UK and sunny Australia so have lived in many places.

We are not expecting or want it to be like OC, CA as we want to get away from that. What I am saying is that when we want a little taste of maybe what we might be missing, usually shops and fodd, then it seems Southlake will be where we go for dinner on occassion

[Guingirl]

Sorry my post was for the original poster and from what I read or my interpretation is that the poster wanted someplace that is like the OC. Coming from California, granted it is Northern California, Fort Worth and the area, while it has a lot of retail establishments, museums, industry which has similar characteristics, it isn't Orange County.

[jamgolf]

Originally Posted by ukaussi

We have bought a home in the master planned community called "Heritage" and this appears to be the best they have to offer so far but is is still well behind OC master planned communities.

In my view Heritage is hardly the best community here. Infact I think it is just another cookie cutter community - a part of mindless building going around Fort Worth or even DFW in general.

These communities have no character - big blobs of brick and mortar spread over miles and miles. Houses so cramped together that you can clearly see your neighbors in their homes. This in my view is just greedy builders squeezing as many homes on a track of land as they can and what surprizes me is that people keep buying these units.

There are many parts of Fort Worth, Keller, Southlake, Colleyville or Grapevine that have neighborhoods with large lots, mature trees. Those are areas that, I feel, truly represent living in Fort Worth / Tarrant County - not Heritage.

[ukaussi]

Originally Posted by jamgolf

In my view Heritage is hardly the best community here. Infact I think it is just another cookie cutter community - a part of mindless building going around Fort Worth or even DFW in general.

These communities have no character - big blobs of brick and mortar spread over miles and miles. Houses so cramped together that you can clearly see your neighbors in their homes. This in my view is just greedy builders squeezing as many homes on a track of land as they can and what surprizes me is that people keep buying these units.

There are many parts of Fort Worth, Keller, Southlake, Colleyville or Grapevine that have neighborhoods with large lots, mature trees. Those are areas that, I feel, truly represent living in Fort Worth / Tarrant County - not Heritage.

Please don't take this the wrong way but have you actually visited Heritage ?!

We have flown out 3 times to Heritage and bought a house that will be completed in Dec 07.
There is definitely a section of Heritage that has houses jammed together which are at the cheapest end of the price spectrum and are sold out. The only section left I believe is the NW section called "The Bluffs" as it is raised up slightly higher, although all of Heritage is on a slight slope south.

We currently have a 3100sqft home in OC on a 5000sqft lot, our new home in Heritage is 4000sqft on a 13,000sqft lot

I do agree though that any community like this is not the "true" Ft Worth based on the limited time we spent searching in Tarrant county. It all depends on what you are used too I guess.

[drjones96]

Completely agree with what jam is saying. I bought into the whole cookie cutter-tight packed-tiny lot neighborhood just like everyone else. Now I want out. I want at least an acre or 2.