Dallas or DC (area)?
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Anonymous
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I’m a DC native - haven't lived in DC for over ten years - and understand I wouldn’t be able to afford the places I’d really want to go. Would probably end up in Rockville/Frederick/Columbia.
Real estate seems a lot better priced in Dallas but I worry about the politics and the water supply. Any recommendations on neighborhoods with good schools? Budget of around $500k for a house. Which would you pick? |
Anonymous
| Why Dallas though? Your concerns aside. Do you have a job there? |
Anonymous
| You can't live anywhere decent in the DC area for $500k. |
Anonymous
| Dallas real estate is always going to be cheaper. But then you live in Dallas. |
Anonymous
| How's the food in Dallas? |
Anonymous
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Do you mean Dallas city limits or Dallas suburbs? Because the “nice” parts of Dallas proper have become very expensive and might not give you the savings you’re expecting. Same for the suburbs. $500k is going to put you in a bad neighborhood or a really mediocre suburb.
I’ve lived all over and there are a ton of things to dislike about Texas, but the food in Dallas beats anywhere else save for LA, NYC, and a few international cities. It’s a city that eats out and I love the energy of the food scene there. |
Anonymous
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I am unwilling to live anywhere in Texas for the reasons you mentioned: politics and water supply. Also the power grid.
Dallas has a nice aquarium, that's the most I can say for it. |
Anonymous
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My friend has a gorgeous house in a good school neighborhood in Dallas near SMU. Forgot what it’s called— Highland Park? Gorgeous homes, but pricey.
Do you have kids or single/married? I’d consider renting or buying a small in DC if you want a more lively scene. Some may be discounted due to crime surge. Check near Union market/noma. |
Anonymous
This. My cousin, who lived in Dallas, would refer to it as the 'armpit of Texas'. It's apt. |
Anonymous
| Look in Richardson/Richardson ISD - that's a good school district and there are homes ready to be snapped up for under $500k. They are old 3br/2ba ranches that haven't been updated since the '70's or '80s, but that's probably as close in with decent schools that you will get for $500k. |
Anonymous
| Dallas RE is up significantly. You would probably get into a Condo or Townhouse for 500K. You’d need to be at 650 to get into a SFH in Dallas and Surrounding suburbs. |
Anonymous
| Frisco is a booming, upper middle class area with excellent public schools. |
Anonymous
Amazing. Seriously. |
Anonymous
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You're not going to find a good house for that price for $500k in Dallas. 3 years ago before Covid and everyone moving to Texas? Sure, probably could have found something decent. Now? No way.
You could look out in the other suburbs. One thing to know about Dallas is there's very little nature (or nature you'd want to spend any time in) and that goes double for out in the exurbs. They dont have many parks or walking trails and when they do it's usually flat, treeless terrain that in the summer is basically unusable because of the strength of the sun and temperatures around 100 every day. The summer heat can be unbearable. However, it's quite nice and temperate throughout autumn, winter, and usually spring as well. Texas is not a horrible fit for a DC native compared to the rest of the south- people have that blunt, east coast way of talking that other southerners do not. The schools are generally not great and when you get into the exurbs you're going to have a significantly higher latino population, which might be a consideration if you're from another ethnic group and dont want your kid to be the only one at school who doesnt speak fluent spanish. Personally if it was me I'd probably move out to West Virginia or rural virginia (dont think rural Maryland's prices would go down low enough to get you a good investment for $500k) instead of moving all the way down to Dallas, if nature is important to you. |
Anonymous
Better than DC. |