Suburban Vs Urban Living – Missing Downtown Dallas

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Our friends think we are crazy.  Our family thinks we’re insane.  More is always better, right?  And everything is bigger in TX!  But we just can’t help it… my husband and I miss our 1,200 square foot loft in downtown Dallas. 

We traded that 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1,200 sq feet for 2,900 sq ft, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and 3 living rooms!  We have the yard and the good schools to call our own.  But something about that urban life is just calling our name.

suburban vs urban living
Which one would you choose?

We thought we needed all this space for our growing family – 2 stepkids, 1 toddler, 1 baby on the way and a crazy dog who thinks he’s still a puppy.  We were busting at the seems with that 1 bedroom 1 bathroom loft.  

Now that were in this house it just feels too big.  My babies still sleep with us (refer to how crazy we are above) and now my stepkids are teenagers who don’t come over quite as often.  We just don’t need all the space we have.  But it’s more than that — we miss downtown Dallas. 

I miss having the Perot Museum, Klyde Warren, and Fair Park practically out my back door.  I miss walking with the kids and seeing something new and different every single day.  I miss watching the parades from our windows and watching city life surprise us at every corner!  Walking because it’s easier then driving.  Riding the DART just for fun!  And I miss the diversity of the people living there – from what they choose to wear to lifestyle choices to where they are from – there is a wealth of knowledge in that diversity that I want to teach to my children.  

Not everything about downtown was great though- and I try to remember that.  Parking was a nightmare, for us and for friends.  Our car was towed more than once and friends got a few parking tickets.  Taking the dog down the elevator and out to pee with a toddler every single day was no fun at all.  The schools there are not the best, but we plan to homeschool – so that doesn’t concern me too much. 

Despite all the negatives, we’ve been looking at properties down there more and more lately.  We even put an offer on a foreclosure in Turtle Creek that was too good to pass up, but we got out bid. 

I don’t know if we’ll find the right space for us in downtown, or if some other neighborhood will tempt us enough, but for now we really like the idea that less is more and that downtown Dallas might be our real home. 

Would you ever consider living in downtown Dallas?  What do you love about your neighborhood in the DFW area?  Maybe we should move there! 

5 COMMENTS

  1. I know what you mean! We chose the in between. We live in a 1600 sq ft town home in Richardson. The size is just right, no elevator for the dogs. It doesn’t take long for us to get to Klyde Warren Park and we can walk to the dark. Maybe there is a middle ground for you guys?

  2. I do love Richardson neighborhoods. Do you feel like its walkable? I want to be able to walk around with the kids and get to stores and stuff to do. If that makes sense.

  3. We moved to Dallas about a year ago from Rockwall for everything Dallas has to offer. The best advice we received when looking was to spend time in different areas because they each have their own personality – SO true! We chose Lakewood because of it’s close proximity to downtown, easy access to DART (Mockingbird Station), walkability to restaurants & library (Lakewood & Lower Greenville) and walkability to White Rock Lake. We love having trees, a small yard and a community that prides itself in friendliness. Although it was our youngest son’s last year of homeschooling, I wouldn’t have hesitated at all if we used public school. Woodrow is a top notch high school.

  4. you should absolutely love where you live wherever that may be! We chose south carrollton as the in between Dallas and far north and we love our neighborhood – we can’t walk to “urban life” but we can walk to 2 parks, elementary school, community pool as well as several other amenities while still jumping on the Tollway to get to Dallas quickly.
    Have you seen those “faux urban” communities in various suburbs? Communities with the walkability – a few restaurants, parks, other businesses among townhomes or single family homes. Addison Circle is the one I know best (probably because it’s right by me – there are both apartment rentals and town homes for purchase) and I just went to the Coppell Farmers Market (amazing btw – splash area and playground next to the covered pavilion) where they are building something similar. Im sure there are others but those are the 2 I thought of and may be worth checking out. good luck!

    • All great suggestions. We actually looked at some lofts in Addison. It doesn’t seem super family friendly there though. But I will check out Coppell Farmers Market! Thanks!!

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