SperlingViews - Dallas, Texas

What has happend to the schools?[read more...]

Hi, I'm originally from the UK, and have lived around SF Bay Area for 6 years. I am looking to relocate to Dallas/Plano/Arlington/FW/Allen for a better quality of life and much lower cost of living, more space...things like that. I like the hot weather, so Texas seems like a good choice. I'm a single guy and would be moving alone. Although I want the big house and nice neighborhood, and have been looking at Plano, I'm not sure if I would fit in, since its mostly families. I'm not religious either, although I am fiscally conservative. Just not sure where I might fit in. I'm 30 years old and work in the software industry.[read more...]

Dallas is an extremely boring city. I've lived here for four years and I have been invited out to a church "once". The people here in Dallas are extremely pretentious. Everyone is trying to keep up with the Johnses. There is a lot of racism. I use to work in Retail and the white people would often reference "Fried Chicken" or "Gorillas" when referring to blacks. To be more specific I worked at Walmart briefly when I first came to Dallas. I would often get comments about "eating fried chicken" and I am black. Once an old man told me "you speak well to be a black".. Dallas is very segregated. I noticed this right off the bat when I moved to Dallas. 90% of the blacks live in South Dallas which is kind of the hood. You don't see many blacks out in other parts of Dallas unless they are highly educated and most are not even from Dallas. There are a lot of interracial relationships. Most of the black men in Dallas end up with white and nonblack women pretty much because these women are so "accessible" in Dallas. They will get with anyone who will take care of them. The companies don't pay well. I was shocked that Dallas paid so little.I got a job working as a contractor for AT&T providing Technical support and my 27 year old coworker who was from Dallas looked at me and said she had never made above $12 an hour and she was college educated. Sad to say I wasn't shocked. Most blacks in Dallas work for the city or county and those jobs have great benefits but they usually start off at around $12 dollars an hour. Due to the racism in Dallas a lot of blacks who use to work in private enterprise were frightened away from it. Dallas is full of redneck hicks. They are openly racist. Especially in corporate America. Just google lawsuits and discrimination in Dallas and you will find plenty of them. Most of the people in Dallas who are from Dallas are very settled. There is really no "night life". I have been out at 11 p.m. and past and have literally been the only car on the road in Dallas. Creepy. No other cars. People go in and shut their doors and that is it. I have not seen any black people hanging out or barbequing and the black community is very divided in Dallas. The community in Dallas is not together so if you are black you will pretty much be on your own. Their is very little culture in Dallas. Just a bunch of racist white folks adn black folks who wish they were white. Google the Article "D Magazine.. Blacks are Wary of Dallas" and it describes life in Dallas if you are black to a "T". No community support. Very boring. Very racially segregated. No racial pride here with the blacks. No nightlife. Lots of old people. Not many young people and those that are somewhat young are already married with a couple of kids and they are homebodies. I can't wait to leave. I learned an important lesson. Don't listen to people when they talk about "happening and up and coming" places. A city is a city. Big Places often have a lot less culture and quality of life than small places. I am moving to a smaller town. A place with much friendlier people and much more culture. Where the folks are actually alive and have a sense of community. [read more...]

In a state populated by stereotypical hicks (Texas has 17 registered firearms per every citizen including underage children), Dallas is the least dirtiest shirt in a laundry basket of dirty shirts. Only stark contrasts here, a resident is either highly enlightened and tightly snobbish because they spent their formative years out of state or they're astoundingly dumb as the stereotypical Texan. Dallas is a small cultural microcosm surrounded by a vast wasteland devoid of culture and commerce just like West Berlin before reintegration and similarly to the same deprived East Germans. The weather is always hot or hotter and HUUUmmmmiddd ! Only two kinds of drivers here, maniacally crazy and because they're fleeing from the other type of driver that is amazingly stupid and unbelievably slow.[read more...]

Far North Dallas is a nice "suburban" community that has tremendous yet stable home values. Locals and transplants blend in new or updated homes in the $80-120/sq ft range, which means good living space at a low cost, much lower than most of the other top-10 sized metro areas around the US, and pretty friendly neighborhoods. Why are there so many restaurants and why do people eat out so much? A big part of the reason is we don't have all our income tied up in our homes and taxes (no state income tax - WOO HOO!!), and we can afford to. [read more...]

far north dallas is nice...but dallas shuts down at 9pm...except for wal-mart and bars[read more...]

There have been many days this summer 2012 and last 2011 when Dallas is hotter than Midland/odessa and Houston. its a flat, hot plain and there are not many trees. Dallas is very public pool poor as well. [read more...]

I've been in DFW for 9yrs. Because of its great economy, low cost of living, and close to Mexico its over populated, too crime ridden, and much like LA, NY, Miami, and Chicago. Great place to live? Yes for the jobs, cost of living, and alot of housing for your income. However, its a huge place for transplants so one here is really from DFW. The crime it's terrible. (i live in the midicites) So, for the love of money sure its great, but beyond that this place isn't good for raising a family, or education.(unless private schooling) [read more...]

I have lived in the DFW Metroplex all of my life. I have been spoiled by the close access I have grown up with to anything one could ever want to do or see. ARTS, SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT, OUTDOORS, you name it, it is HERE. TEXAS is HUGE, and DALLAS is just right for me.[read more...]

We have an abundance of activities for children.[read more...]

Because of White Rock Lake, most East Dallas has cooler temperatures than other parts of the city. White Rock Lake is nestled in a gently rolling valley. The confluence of local creeks give the area ample water that allows for lush (by Texas standards) vegetation. The trees the valley and the lake all combine to create a microclimate that gives East Dallas a temperature difference, A few degrees cooler in the summer can make a big difference, especially during the record scorchers experienced in the past few years. The area around the lake is also a great place for outdoor activities. Cycling and jogging trails abound. Wildlife is rich. Many birds use the lake as a resting place during migrations. January to March, be amazed when large numbers of Pelicans visit. The area also boasts a colony of Monk Parakeets. Many more localized species abound in East Dallas too. It's also not surprising to see bobcats, raccoons or coyotes in the neighborhood. The rolling hills and trees make East Dallas neighborhoods wonderful places to live in and explore. The hills of East Dallas make it a great place to cross train for runners, triathale]etes or backpackers. White Rock Creek has recently become a haven for kayakers. East Dallas is a great place to live in if you are looking for an active lifestyle with a climate atypical of the rest of the city.[read more...]

For all the yahoos that had bad things to say about Dallas or Texas in general, just leave and good riddance. Dallas is a great place to live or to visit. People in Texas are generally nice and friendly and as for the post by george that talked about "people being gunned down in the street" is just absolutely ridiculous. There is crime just like any other city in the U.S. but happens in the places you do not want to frequent so there is no problem. If george was witnessing "people being gunned down in the streets" then he obviously went to the wrong bars and should try going to nice night clubs and meeting "the other kind of people" instead of hanging with his friends. Rather than bad-mouthing something you may not care for and making up lies to justify your rage, why don't you keep your mouth shut and let people decide for themselves. All people are different and you can dislike differences in people without saying nasty things to justify your own feelings. What you may not like in someone may be exactly why someone else may really like that person. It is all about chemistry. You could be one of those people that does not make friends easily but it doesn't make you a bad person. You could be a person that is picky enough about your friends to want them honest and sincere and not quick to judge which could be exactly like yourself. So quit judging everything and everyone lest ye be judged by the same measure.[read more...]

Pretty good place to live, except July and August[read more...]

Lived in Dallas 12 years and, overall, enjoyed it. Lots of entertainment options - cultural, artistic and sports - and loads of outstanding restaurants and shopping. Recent improvements in the Downtown and Uptown areas and the city's rail system have been a boon to the city. Lower on the recreation offerings than I wanted, but White Rock Lake is a treasure. Most Fortune 500 HQs of all US cities, a substantial airport that puts you on either coast in 2-3 hours, an easy place to do business and a healthy job climate. So, with steady income and low cost of living, one can make great strides in one's financial portfolio. On the downside, there is a certain "land lock" dread that stems from being 3+ hours away from other destinations - Austin, SE mountains of OK, Houston, etc. If you want to truly get away, a flight is needed. The people are superficial and rather culturally homogeneous, the city government fairly corrupt and the landscape uninspiring. [read more...]

We have just a few days a year that are really cold, but the heat starts in April and can continue to November. Because of the heat, it's too hot to spend a lot of time outdoors. No where to hike, and too hot for jogging and biking much of tghe time. Professional sports are in abundance: hockey, basketball, soccer, baseball, football. You name it, and we have it. Museums are okay, I think the ones in Fort Worth are better. We have a couple of good theaters and get decent plays and musicals. Local theater is very active.[read more...]

I hearing all the time and on the news that job marketing is down by 8% or more. It sound pretty scare to me because, people are losing theirs homes and they can't pay theirs bills. Just watch the news and you see what i means. This city where i live in Dallas, Texas don't seen to be in low economy because i see people finding jobs by dozens, and by facts this city is continuous to grow by leap and bounce with high volumes of traffic early in the morning trying to get to work. So, if want to get a job in a bad economy then you have to move to Dallas, tx. Let me give you one more big true fact, then i will close my review! I myself is working, and i has no problem in me finding a job in a bad economy while continuous running me a home-base business so that i can work my way out of a J.O.B. "Just Over Broke"! Thank God, I'm earning me a check![read more...]

Growing up in Iowa (I know, one of those dang Yankees), I never liked the cold or snow, in fact when I was 15 and went to FL in February and it was warm and sunny, I decided then and there I was moving to FL or TX when I grew up. Why Texas my family wondered, having never been there, it just sounded like a good place to go. Three days after my 21st birthday, I was there and although I miss my family sometimes, I told my mother that geographically I was born in the wrong place!! I love Texas, it is warm and inviting, you'll never meet better people - sure there are jerks everywhere - but in Texas, you'll meet fewer of them! We live in NM at the moment and are trying like the dickens to get back home! Once back, I will not move away again, ever!! I kind of know how Dorothy felt after she got out of Kansas, I just want to go home!! If you are thinking of moving to this great state, well, I just can't think of anything to discourage it! Once you're there, you'll understand - it's just home!![read more...]

I've lived here for 12 years and finally I have had enough. I'll start with the cons of living here first. There is absolutely nothing to do here but shop and eat. Downtown Dallas is basically a ghost town with nothing to attract locals or out of towners to venture in and spend money. The weather is awful with winters so off the charts, one cannot plan on what to wear because we go from 10 degrees one day to 80 degrees the next and summers are no better with temps in the high 90's to low 100's for 3 months straight. This is really the Beverly Hills of the south with flashy cars to who has the biggest pad. It's so lame. There are a lot of cowboys and rednecks here, not trying to offend anyone, but I'm just being honest. This is not an outdoor city and we are a good 5 hrs from a filthy dirty beach. The cost of utilities is unbelievable and car insurance will kick your ass!! There is concrete everywhere and there is no natural beauty, no mountains, just flat, dry, ugly land. As for public schools, those are bad too. There is just too much ignorance here! And the people are rude and too much racism. Most people here are shallow, friendly to your face and talk about you behind your back. Now the pros - You can get direct flights to just about anywhere in the world. Great pro baseball team. Close to Fort Worth and Austin, which are much better cities, with lot's to do. That about sums it up. [read more...]

The cost of living is exceptional. If you are seeking a place with a great cultural experience, Austin would have more venues. Housing prices are advantageous compared nationally. Although Dallas has a singles scene, I would not rate it as a better place to live for singles.[read more...]

I've lived in Dallas for over 30 years and am originally from the Midwest. I have loved living here and have seen many changes--most of them good, some of them not so good. The people here have been friendly to me and seem to be decent and caring on the most part. I think that some of the "very wealthy" areas of town can be cliquish--we call it "living in the bubble", but that is certainly not Dallas in general. Dallas is cosmopolitan and has some wonderful museums, parks, sports and concert venues and new symphony and opera halls. I'm never bored here--there is always something going on. Whiterock Lake is located in an area northeast of downtown, and has wonderful jogging and biking trails as well as a beautiful park and arboretum. There are lots of large trees and pretty vistas of downtown Dallas buildings at night. The Uptown area has the Katy Trail and many shops, restaurants and new condos and apartments. That area, too, has lots of trees as does the "M" streets area (a cute area with lots of 1920-30's cottage homes) and Greenville Avenue restaurants and shops. Lakewood is another area that has older homes with lots of charm. Lake Highlands north of Whiterock Lake is another older, pretty neighborhood with affordable housing. There are now condos near and in downtown Dallas, but the area is just getting under development slowly. Dallas downtown used to close up after 5:00, but there are more and more restaurants, clubs and housing being opened. North Oak Cliff across the Trinity River is also developing into a renovated neighborhood--especially near Kessler Park/Stevens Park. It is an easy commute to downtown, but the area still is still rough in some spots. There are many areas of Dallas that are changing--for the better. There is a lot of growth and development, and the shopping, medical care and colleges are great! Not so good is the traffic--although most of the highways and tollroads are upgraded, the commute is still a hassle. The economy has done much better than the rest of the country the past few years, and housing prices are affordable. I have children from ages 43 to 24, and they have all had no problem getting employment after graduating from college. (All 7 of them returned to Dallas and stayed). Like every city, there are some blighted areas with crime, but get a good Realtor, and they'll be able to steer you away from those. I have also lived in the suburbs of Addison, West Richardson, and Coppell, and have enjoyed those areas as well. Coppell, just west of Dallas near the DFW airport is a wonderful little city to raise a family, with hardly any crime and a city that is great about it's appearance with nicely landscaped streets and public areas and has many wonderful parks. The summers can be very hot, but the winters are usually mild. Dallas is a busy city, but overall is a great place to live. [read more...]