where is the best place for a single 23 year old man to live in dallas or the close surrounding area?

Question

I just graduated and will be leaving North Carolina to work in the downtown Dallas area. I have never been there so I wanted to know where's the ideal place for a young man (23) to live. I will be alone and only have $45,000 a year to work with and I don't know how far that goes in Dallas as opposed to here in North Carolina. I want to be somewhat close to downtown to avoid long trips to work but a reasonable commute is ok. Also, I don't want to live where there's too much crime. It doesn't have to be the greatest place because It's not like I'm raising kids or anything....I just want a safe and affordable environment for myself. It can be an apartment, a condo or a town-home. Doesn't matter to me. Any suggestions??? And please be specific because I have no knowledge of Dallas or the surrounding area just yet. Thanks

Answer 1

I would search for the term "Dallas Apartment Locators" in a search engine. There are people who specialize in finding apartments for you to live in- and they really do help. You just tell them how much of a commute you are looking for, number of bedrooms/bathrooms, type of social life, amenities (swimming pool, club house, etc.) and they will drive you around and show you these once you decide which ones you want to see. I am pretty sure they don't charge you- they get a commission paid from the apartment complex. Just double check with whomever you ask.

As far as neighborhoods, I would suggest you stay away from Addison (as suggested above) due to a big commute to downtown and stay away from anything outside of LBJ freeway (aka 635). In fact, I would suggest staying inside of Northwest Highway (esp. if you work in downtown proper).

When you work downtown, you will have to find a parking garage and more than likely it will be a 10-minute walk to your office (unless you have a sweet deal and your company pays for your parking in a garage under you building). So even if the commute says it takes 20 minutes to downtown, if you park downtown then you will get to your office in 30 minutes, etc. Parking ranges from $50 a month to $150 month.

Tons of people move to an area called The Village when they first move here. It is young and has tons of activities in the whole area. Just to the East and North the neighborhood changes and gets quite a bit less safe. They are managed by Lincoln properties. If you wind up moving here, move to a complex with a security gate around it!
http://www.thevillageapts.com/index_flash.shtml

The area called Uptown is worth checking out. It has gone through revitalization in the last 6 years or so and seems pretty happening for a younger crowd with a bit of disposable income. It is on the northern edge of downtown. Post Apartment Homes is the property manager for most of the area. http://www.uptowndallas.net/index2.htm

Here is a link to look at, but it is geared more to non-apartment areas. http://dallasneighborhoodguide.com/

You indicated you will work downtown, you should check out Dallas' rapid transit system. I would suggest not riding the bus, but tons of people who work downtown ride the light rail to downtown. You will probably have to pay for parking and the light rail train is a great alternative and saves $$ in the long run. Check out
http://www.dart.org

Since you a young male and based on your Dallas income, I would suggest your rent stay under $1,000. But, aim for $700 to $900 and if you want to save or have more disposable income then pay even less. Just a warning, don't rent anything under $550 (more than likely it's a bad area and unsafe).

Good luck and enjoy!

Answer 2

Here's the deal. I moved here from Chicago and lived in so many places but had trouble meeting people. Let's face it...most young single guys aren't at the bars to meet other guy friends, right?

The place that finally changed my experience in Dallas was Post Addison Circle. It's an urban style community in the middle of the North Dallas suburbs. They have lots of events for the residents to do and people are always hanging out at the bars/restaurants that the apartments are built over. If you're a single guy, Addison is a great place to be with lots of single and gorgeous women. Addison Circle has 1300+ apartments with all different layouts. Each of the 10 buildings that they own have secured access gates that require a remote access key click that goes on your keychain so saftey isn't an issue. There's 4 pools so during the summer months the place is hopping. It's right off of the Dallas Tollway which is about a 15-20 minute drive straight into downtown. It's also right next door to the DART bus station that takes people downtown. I saw in another one of your posts that the girl said there wasn't any public transportation from Addison and that's simply not true. It's one of the few places that there are regular buses that pass by if that's your thing.

You're doing yourself a disservice if you don't check it out. I've included the link below.

Others may tell you to check out some of the trendier areas closer to downtown like Uptown and Lower Greenville, however, if you're new to the area, Addison Circle is the way to go.

Answer 3

I just moved to Dallas my self at the beginning of the year. I checked out LOTS of places all over town. The most important thing you need to consider is where you will be working and what you hours will be because traffic can suck here. There are essentially on 3 real freeways around the city of Dallas and they all get innundated during rush hour.

I really don't know anything about downtown living. The happening places are Uptown, Deep Ellum, and Greenville. Addisson/North Dallas is also pretty cool and that is where a lot of corporate offices are at. Rent is pretty cheap in Addisson/North Dallas too because there are TONS of apartments. Pickup an Apartment guide. The thing is like a miniture phone book it is so thick! It also will tell you about all sorts of move-in specials that places are offering.

I moved to the Village which is a huge complex made up of smaller complexes. It is safe, near the 75, has lots to do and is mostly young singles (read: hot women).

Also look at Apartmentratings.com It will give you a good feel for the areas you end up looking in. There is lots more to say, but it really breaks down to be a matter of personal preference. Good luck.

Answer 4

YMCA!! It's fun to stay at the, Y M C A !!!

Answer 5

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