Another relocation question--areas around Alcon (Dallas, Burleson: sales, to rent, condos) - Fort Worth - Texas (TX) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

TeamLynn · 03-01-2019, 12:42 AM

I would look West.....Willow Park, Hudson Oaks, Aledo, maybe all the way to Weatherford.
Also down 377 maybe as far as North side of Granbury.

That does not make your commute nice, but will add to your joy of living once you get home.

Never thought about urban life in the city? T&P lofts might be a nice place for you for a change of scenery.
Big dog park right outside.

Sunduri · 03-01-2019, 06:12 AM

@TeamLynn: Thanks. I'll look into the areas you recommend. I really like having a single family home with a yard so a loft just wouldn't do right now. Maybe in a few years, closer to retirement...

@Threestep: I live in central NJ right outside of NY at the moment and was in Chicagoland before that, so DFW traffic probably won't seem all that bad in comparison. I've always been able to find a home within 5-10 miles from work because I despise sitting in the car too long. Herniated discs make it uncomfortable and it seems such a waste of time too.

Anyhow, from what I am seeing, it looks like Burleson will be first choice. Benbrook looks like it has some decent homes on line but I don't know which neighborhoods would be the nicest and most quiet. Seeing how it's near TCU, I'd want to avoid settling around noisy college dorms. If I do accept the job offer, they'll connect me with a realtor as part of the relocation but I was hoping to get a jump on ideas for particular areas to look at online until then.

jbb303 · 03-01-2019, 07:02 AM

Benbrook is several miles from TCU and across a freeway. There are few, if any, TCU students living there.

tcualum · 03-01-2019, 03:33 PM

While there are some TCU students living near campus, some of the most gorgeous and desireable Fort Worth neighborhoods are near TCU as well.

Sunduri · 03-01-2019, 05:08 PM

Thanks for clarifying about the area around TCU. I saw quite a few cute homes with nice mature landscaping located in that area while looking on line. Are there any specific neighborhoods that would stand out as more desirable than others that you can point out?

ChristieP · 03-02-2019, 12:33 PM

Anything that feeds into Tanglewood Elementary school will be in high demand for resale.

Campeador · 03-02-2019, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Anything that feeds into Tanglewood Elementary school will be in high demand for resale.

This includes parts of: Tanglewood, Westcliff, Colonial, University West and University Place. But 400K is a tight budget to find a home in these parts. There aren't many rental opportunities in these desirable neighborhoods, but they do exist and your budget for them is probably sufficient. When we first moved to town we rented a duplex on the outskirts of Tanglewood, but only discovered it through a real estate agent.

Sunduri · 03-03-2019, 11:59 AM

Thanks, Campeador. One thing that I am surprised about is the price of homes in the areas around Ft. Worth that appeal to me (at least when looking at them on Realtor.com). When I started the interview process for this job, I was told how much lower the cost of living is in TX compared to NJ, including the housing. However, the homes I like are priced about the same as what I paid here in Central NJ and the taxes are also similar. Other than the fact that TX doesn't levy a state tax on one's income, I'm not seeing that magical lower cost of living where my salary will go so much further. Oh well. At least there's no shoveling snow.....

tcualum · 03-03-2019, 02:06 PM

Perhaps there are plenty of cheaper homes that are perfectly good but don't appeal to you.

Campeador · 03-03-2019, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunduri

Thanks, Campeador. One thing that I am surprised about is the price of homes in the areas around Ft. Worth that appeal to me (at least when looking at them on Realtor.com). When I started the interview process for this job, I was told how much lower the cost of living is in TX compared to NJ, including the housing. However, the homes I like are priced about the same as what I paid here in Central NJ and the taxes are also similar. Other than the fact that TX doesn't levy a state tax on one's income, I'm not seeing that magical lower cost of living where my salary will go so much further. Oh well. At least there's no shoveling snow.....

My brother lives in Princeton, NJ, so I'm somewhat familiar with the comparative COL. TX's cities are a lot less affordable than they used to be, but for someone like you, without concern for school zones, I think there are still some reasonably priced areas with good bang for your buck.

Houses in desirable areas have seen huge increases in market value in the past 10 years. The downside of that is one's taxes get crazy high due to that, so some folks get pushed out of their neighborhoods.

I'd strongly recommend renting first. It can take a year or so to get a good lay of the land and figure out what fits best for you, personally. First hand experience is so important.