Compared to Atlanta traffic is very good. I think 2 hours is a little over estimation but it all depends on what time your travelling. I lived in Addision which is pretty close to Plano and it never took long. That said, I would serious not recommend Plano for anyone who doesn't like Starbucks, doest drive an SUV and doesnt want to date a desperate housewife (no offense to anyone living in Plano). It's just too residential.

The Dallas / Ft Worth metroplex is huge. People say that they live in Dallas when they live in Allen which is really far. I still think Las Colinas is a good compromise but in all honesty, there are a bunch of factors that he should consider:

1. You can get a 6 month lease at most apartments
2. All the advice that we give is good to a point and he will decide when he gets there, so let him rent a spot for 6 month and figure it out for himself.
3. What's the deal with moving? He can't have accumulated that much stuff already to make it a pain in the butt

.

If not Las Colinas, then I would lean towards where I lived in Addison, it has a young crowd, an excellent local pub called the Flying Saucer and easy access to the Tollway (downtown) and 635 (airport). I can get down to the level of detail where I would be able to tell him which apartment to move into if he chooses Addison.

All the best.

__________________
With best regards

Al

Downtowns are 30 miles apart. Irving sucks. Grand Prairie is okay, same for Arlington. If he ends up in Ft Worth I would find a good place over there and thats not going to be the east side. So the idea of living in Dallas and then moving again is probably the best way to have the best living conditions without huge commutes.

The key is to ALWAYS live close to a major highway (5 minutes) so you can get somewhere. Fighting city streets is worse than the highway system.

__________________
MB-less

I have been here for nearly 10 years. A few things I have learned.

The cities north of Ft. Worth / Dallas tend to cost more then the cities South. I live in Grand Prairie on the Tarrant County side. The area I live in is quite nice and the same house would be about $20-30k more in Irving/Flower Mound/ …etc (all north).

Tarrant County is cheaper than Dallas county. Tax is less and insurance for car and home is less.

Arlington is quite nice. UTA is in Arlington so there are quite a few people his own age. Accommodations run from the really expensive (for TX) to the very reasonable. It is located between Dallas and Ft. Worth as is Grand Prairie. I can get to either quite easily.

HEB (Hurst/Bedford/Euless) are also nice places to live where you will get more bang for your buck.

I also have a good MB mechanic as well as a great body shop if he ever needs it.

__________________
Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

Good point about insurance. Dallas and Harris counties are the 2 highest rates in the state. SO living in Tarrant would help in that regard. Arlington, Hurst/Euless/Bedford are all Tarrant. I believe Grand Prairie is Dallas.

If he works in downtown Dallas he can catch the train from Ft. Worth to commute.

__________________
MB-less

Grand Prairie is actually split. My part is in Tarrant but ost is in Dallas. I pay tax to both since I get services from both. At least that is what I was told.

__________________
Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

Finally, I got mmore details...He will end up working in the North Richland Hills area.
Any more specific recommendations...?

Thanks in advance!

__________________
J.H.
'86 300E