DON’T Move to Dallas Texas | WATCH FIRST BEFORE MOVING to Dallas Texas
So you’re thinking about moving to Dallas, Texas? Well, hold your horses! It’s not all unicorns and leprechauns in the great state of Texas – there are some negatives. If you’re coming from California, New York, Illinois, and Washington State, this is where the majority of the people we’re working with right now are coming from, there is a little bit of a culture shock. And we do want you to know of some of the negatives ahead of time, that way you can be well prepared!
Let’s talk about a few of the downsides of living in Dallas today. There are a TON of pros – don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t live here if the pros didn’t outweigh the cons – but it’s worth noting that there are a few things that people don’t like about living here.
WEATHER
In Texas, when it’s cold, it’s cold, and when it’s hot, it’s REALLY hot. We get a little bit of humidity during the wintertime here, and so although the temperature might look decent, during the winter, we’re pulling out coats when it gets below 70. Likewise, when the summer hits, it can get REALLY hot, so we spend a good portion of our time in the water during the summer, and you’ll want to do the same. That being said, the hottest and coldest months of the year are a lot fewer than the fair and super nice months here, so although those less-than-perfect months exist, you’re going to find mostly really nice weather in Dallas.
BUGS
The bugs here can be a problem, especially when you’re coming from areas like California where the bugs just aren’t an issue. June bugs are super annoying (but totally harmless) beetles that hit – like they say in the name – in June, and they seem to come in swarms and fly aimlessly, hitting everything in their path. That happens about once a year here in June, and they are EVERYWHERE. The other bug we deal with a lot is the mosquitoes, which can get really bad. But the solution that most Texans go to to deal with that is yard spraying, and that takes care of most of the issue. Just don’t allow standing water in your yard, and you should be good.
PROPERTY TAXES
We do have pretty high property taxes here to make up for no income tax, so that’s definitely something that catches some people off guard when they move here. However, there is a company that I’ve personally used to help me reduce my property taxes called Texas Tax Protest, and I’d recommend looking into them to make sure you’re only paying what you have to pay. They’ll help them get locked in at a good rate for about 3 years, which will save you a ton of money. Another thing to note is that, although our property taxes are a bit higher here, depending on where you’re coming from, they actually might be less than where you’re moving from still, so it may not be as big of an issue for you.
ALLERGIES
This is one that you really have to keep in mind, especially if you’re coming from somewhere with less foliage in general. The pollen here during the Spring especially is NUTS. It’s like a dusty, yellow powder than gets on everything, and a lot of people have really bad seasonal allergies because of it. If you have allergies and you’re thinking of moving here, just make sure you get some good allergy meds, or you can invest in some awesome Texas honey. That stuff is a cure-all in my opinion!
DEREGULATED UTILITIES
This isn’t necessarily a con, but it can make it a bit confusing when you’re setting up your utilities after moving here, because there are TONS of companies that offer water, electric, gas, and trash services here since we are deregulated. They all have different rates as well, so you’ll want to do some research and find which one is being offered at the best rate. They’re pretty much all the same – there’s not a ton of difference between the services! We actually have a service for our clients where they can get all of their utilities set up in one place, so if you’re interested in that, here’s that link!
DALLAS IS BIG
Dallas isn’t restricted by anything, so it just keeps expanding, making it a HUGE city. It does take some time to get places, so you’ll need to plan to get around. Just because two spots are inside of Dallas doesn’t mean they’re close to each other!
TRAFFIC
And, of course, because Dallas is so large, it does come with some traffic issues, so be prepared for that. I will say, however, that traffic is not NEARLY as bad as in Los Angeles or New York. I would say that it’s pretty moderate in comparison to some of those other big cities out there, especially since COVID hit. That’s reduced the traffic a lot. But still, just be sure to plan accordingly if you have to go into the city – it’s worst when you’re right outside of the Downtown area.
TORNADOES
This is a question we get a lot, but yes – we do have the occasional tornado warning. That being said, it’s been a LONG time since we’ve actually had a bad tornado here – most of the time it’s just a warning or an alert that one could happen. That could be said of a lot of the surrounding states, so we’re really not what you would consider “tornado alley” at all. However, it’s always good to be prepared, as they have happened before in our history, so just make sure that the home you choose has a good spot in the middle of the house or a solid bathroom where you could wait a tornado out. We don’t have basements here, so having a good tub or a good inner-room area will be the best spot in case a tornado ever does hit (which, again, we’re not worried about). I will say this – I wouldn’t live here if tornadoes were a major issue, so I think this is one you can probably feel good about.
HAIL
We do get hailstorms here, so be prepared for those. It’s good to have a garage, and then of course, have good insurance on your home. As long as you have good ways to protect your property, hail shouldn’t be too much of an issue for you.
FRIENDLINESS
This could be both a pro and a con, depending on where you’re coming from or what your personality type is. Texans are VERY friendly, so getting stopped to chat at the grocery store or getting held up in line somewhere because people are chatting is a common occurrence. If you aren’t super friendly… you’re not going to like Texas, and especially Dallas. HA!
FLAT
Last, of all, Dallas is a bit flat, which is my biggest complaint about Dallas. We have lakes, but we don’t have a whole lot of mountain areas or ocean views, so it’s not as interesting to drive around on in my opinion. If you’re looking for that variety in landscape, you’ll probably have to travel to see it once you move to Dallas. That being said, we do have INCREDIBLE sunsets here because you have such a good view of the skyline, so that’s something to keep in mind.
So overall, the cons really aren’t that bad, but you should keep them in mind when you’re moving here. I’m here to help you find the best spot for you, because Dallas has SO many surrounding towns and suburbs that fit almost any lifestyle. So get in contact with me through text, phone, email, or a Zoom call, and we’ll help you start that process.
Until next time, we hope to see you around town!
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