on August 19, 2026
But cheaper housing isn’t the entire reason people are making the move.
Corporate relocations, employment opportunities, newer master-planned communities and the amount of home buyers can get for their money have all helped make the North Dallas suburbs a major destination for relocation buyers.
Jake Inderman is a North Dallas Realtor who helps people relocating to North Texas compare cities, neighborhoods, new construction, commute times and the actual costs of living here.
If you’re researching a move from California, here’s what Jake believes you should understand before deciding whether Dallas—and particularly suburbs such as Frisco, Prosper, Celina, McKinney and Little Elm—is right for you.
**Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/od_6f9GUkYY
Housing affordability gets most of the attention, but Jake identifies three larger factors behind the move:
Those factors become especially important when you look specifically at the suburbs north of Dallas.
You’re not simply comparing California with Texas.
You’re deciding which part of North Texas actually fits the way you want to live.
One major reason people relocate is simple: their employer moved first.
Jake points to major employers that have relocated headquarters or expanded their North Texas presence, including Toyota, Charles Schwab and JPMorgan Chase.
When a large employer moves or expands, the impact goes beyond the company’s own employees.
Thousands of additional workers create demand for:
That helps explain why the North Dallas suburbs have experienced so much development.
Many major employment centers are concentrated in or around places such as Plano, Frisco and the broader North Dallas corridor.
That makes the suburbs north of Dallas particularly attractive to employees who want suburban living without being completely disconnected from major job centers.
For a relocation buyer, though, there’s an important distinction:
Living in North Dallas doesn’t necessarily mean having a short commute.
Frisco, Prosper, Celina, McKinney and Little Elm can produce dramatically different drive times depending on where you work.
We’ll come back to that later.
This is probably the most obvious reason Californians initially consider Texas.
Jake regularly works with buyers coming from higher-cost markets where a seven-figure budget may purchase a relatively standard home.
In North Texas, that same budget can open up substantially different options.
Depending on the suburb, buyers can find everything from more attainable starter homes to large new-construction properties and luxury homes in master-planned communities.
That’s especially true as you move farther north.
Generally speaking, a buyer willing to move farther into Celina or other developing areas may find more new construction and potentially more house for the money than in established portions of Frisco or Plano.
But cheaper isn’t automatically better.
The farther north you move, the more carefully you need to evaluate commute times, current retail, infrastructure and future development.
This varies enormously by city.
Jake explains that some North Texas areas can offer starter homes from roughly the high $200Ks into the low $400Ks, while communities in Frisco, Prosper, Celina, McKinney and Plano provide everything from move-up properties to multimillion-dollar luxury homes.
That’s one of North Texas’s advantages for relocation buyers:
There isn’t one single housing market.
Your budget can produce completely different lifestyles depending on where you decide to live.
You could prioritize:
You probably won’t maximize all of them at once.
The goal is figuring out which ones matter most.
Another major difference for someone relocating from California is that Texas does not impose an individual state income tax.
For higher-income households relocating from California, that difference can be substantial.
But there’s an important warning:
Don’t assume no state income tax automatically means Texas will be cheaper for you.
Texas homeowners can face significant property taxes.
Depending on the community, buyers may also encounter special taxing districts such as:
Those can affect your total housing payment.
So when Jake helps relocation buyers compare communities, the focus isn’t simply on the home’s purchase price.
It’s on the total monthly cost.
This is one of the biggest surprises for California buyers.
You might sell a California property, move to Texas, purchase a much larger house for less money—and then be surprised by the annual property-tax bill.
Jake specifically warns relocation buyers about this tradeoff.
And even within North Texas, tax rates can vary substantially.
Two $700,000 homes located only a few miles apart could potentially have very different annual tax bills because they’re located in different cities, school districts or special taxing districts.
That’s why you should never compare two homes based solely on price.
Before deciding that one home is a better deal, compare:
Mortgage principal + interest + property taxes + homeowners insurance + HOA + special assessments
That’s your real housing expense.
A more expensive house with a lower tax burden may sometimes have a monthly cost surprisingly close to a less expensive home with substantially higher taxes.
Jake also points out that certain everyday expenses can be lower than what California relocation buyers are accustomed to.
During the video, for example, Jake compares North Texas gas prices with what he had recently seen while visiting California.
However, costs fluctuate.
Rather than assuming everything in Texas is cheap, build a realistic relocation budget around your actual lifestyle.
Consider:
Texas may give you more house for your money, but owning a bigger house also means more space to cool, furnish and maintain.
Financial considerations may get buyers interested in Texas.
Lifestyle is often what determines which North Dallas suburb they actually choose.
Jake describes communities throughout Frisco, Prosper, Celina and McKinney as having invested heavily in infrastructure, parks, schools and master-planned developments as the region has grown.
Many newer master-planned communities include amenities such as:
For someone relocating from a denser California market, the combination of newer housing and community amenities can feel dramatically different.
Another major difference is the amount of new construction.
Drive through northern Frisco, Prosper or Celina and you’ll see entire master-planned communities being developed.
That means relocation buyers often have access to:
Jake notes that many buyers coming from older housing markets particularly appreciate how new some North Texas communities feel.
But new construction has its own considerations.
Builder incentives, lot premiums, property taxes, upgrade costs and future construction can all affect whether you’re actually getting a good deal.
Schools are another major consideration for many relocation buyers.
North Texas contains numerous school districts that attract buyers researching areas such as Frisco, Prosper, Celina, McKinney and Plano.
But there’s something out-of-state buyers frequently misunderstand:
City boundaries and school-district boundaries don’t always match.
A Frisco address doesn’t automatically mean Frisco ISD.
A Celina address doesn’t automatically mean Celina ISD.
A home can have one city’s mailing address while being zoned to a neighboring school district.
If school zoning matters to your move, verify the exact property rather than assuming based on the city name.
Frisco tends to make sense for buyers who prioritize convenience.
It’s more established than communities farther north and provides extensive access to:
The tradeoff is price.
Your housing budget may not stretch as far in Frisco as it could farther north.
For many buyers, though, paying more for location is completely worthwhile.
Prosper can provide something of a middle ground between Frisco and Celina.
Buyers frequently consider Prosper for its newer homes, master-planned communities and access to the northern Dallas North Tollway corridor.
Depending on the neighborhood, buyers can find larger luxury homes and substantial new-construction options.
But Prosper generally commands premium pricing.
If maximizing square footage per dollar is your primary objective, you’ll probably want to compare Prosper against Celina.
Celina has become one of the biggest relocation destinations north of Dallas.
The primary appeal is growth and buying power.
Jake points out that Celina had a population of roughly 6,000 around 2010 and had grown dramatically by the time of his video. He also discusses expectations for continued population growth.
Large developments such as Legacy Hills are helping drive that expansion.
The advantage?
More new construction and, depending on the neighborhood, potentially more house for your budget.
The disadvantage?
You’re farther north.
Commutes and current infrastructure become much more important.
McKinney gives buyers another balance between established areas and newer growth.
Depending on where you live within the city, you can find everything from mature neighborhoods to brand-new master-planned developments.
McKinney is geographically large, though.
Two McKinney homes can provide completely different lifestyles and commute patterns.
Again, don’t choose based solely on the city name.
This may be one of the most important sections of this entire guide.
Jake points out that two homes only minutes apart can create very different commute experiences.
That’s because your access to major roads matters.
In North Texas, you’ll frequently hear about roads such as:
Being close to the right road for your specific job location can matter more than being five miles closer geographically.
If possible, drive from the house you’re considering to your workplace during the time you’d actually commute.
Don’t rely exclusively on a Sunday afternoon estimate.
A drive that looks easy at 2 p.m. can feel completely different during weekday traffic.
If you’re moving from California and can’t visit multiple times, Jake can help you understand how different communities connect to major employment areas before you narrow down your home search.
Another mistake relocation buyers make is assuming all northern Dallas suburbs are interchangeable.
They’re not.
Jake explains that each city has its own character and lifestyle.
Some areas feel:
More established
Others feel:
Brand new and rapidly developing
Some provide:
More density and convenience
Others provide:
More space and a slower suburban feel
That’s why the “best Dallas suburb” isn’t universal.
The best suburb is the one that fits your priorities.
Growth is both one of North Texas’s biggest advantages and one of its biggest frustrations.
Large developments continue transforming areas throughout the northern suburbs.
Jake references major projects such as the approximately 2,500-acre Fields development in Frisco and approximately 3,200-acre Legacy Hills development in Celina.
That growth can bring:
But it also brings:
You need to be comfortable living through some of that growth if you’re buying in one of the fastest-developing areas.
There’s no getting around it:
North Texas summers are hot.
Jake specifically calls out summer heat as something California buyers need to understand before relocating.
That heat can affect your home search more than you might initially expect.
For example, consider:
A west-facing backyard that receives direct afternoon sunlight can feel dramatically different in July than it did when you toured it during February.
Moving from California to Texas shouldn’t be treated like swapping a “bad” state for a “good” one.
You’re trading one set of advantages and disadvantages for another.
North Texas offers tremendous opportunities, but buyers should be prepared for:
Jake specifically emphasizes rapid development and commute differences as things relocation buyers need to understand.
The goal isn’t to convince yourself Texas is perfect.
It’s determining whether the tradeoffs fit your priorities better.
Here’s a simple way to think about these three major relocation destinations.
Frisco: More established, more immediate shopping and dining, closer to many employment centers, generally higher housing costs.
Prosper: Newer, more upscale, substantial master-planned development, farther north but still relatively convenient.
Celina: Rapidly growing, extensive new construction, potentially more buying power, but farther from established employment and commercial areas.
That’s simplified, of course.
The exact community you choose matters just as much as the city.
Before looking at homes, Jake recommends getting clear on your priorities.
Think about:
Answer those questions first.
Then choose the city.
Then choose the community.
Then choose the house.
Doing it in the opposite order is how buyers fall in love with a beautiful home and later realize they hate the location.
One of the biggest mistakes is focusing exclusively on how much more house you can buy.
A 4,000-square-foot new construction home in Celina may look unbelievable compared with what the same money purchases in California.
But if your job requires a commute that makes you miserable five days per week, the additional square footage won’t necessarily improve your life.
Another mistake is ignoring property taxes.
And another is choosing a neighborhood based on future development that hasn’t happened yet.
Evaluate the entire lifestyle—not just the listing.
Jake identifies employment opportunities, financial differences and the North Dallas suburban lifestyle as three major factors driving relocation interest.
For many California buyers, North Texas can provide substantially more home for the same budget. The exact difference depends heavily on the California market you’re leaving and the North Texas suburb you’re considering.
Texas does not impose an individual state income tax. Buyers should also account for Texas property taxes and other housing expenses when comparing total costs.
Jake frequently discusses Frisco, Prosper, Celina, McKinney and Little Elm as communities people consider when moving to North Texas.
Neither is universally better. Frisco generally provides greater proximity to established employment, shopping and dining, while Celina can potentially provide more new-construction buying power farther north.
For many remote workers, moving farther north can be especially attractive because commute time becomes less important. That can allow buyers to prioritize home size, lot size, amenities and price.
Property taxes can be considerably different from what buyers experienced in California. Rates also vary between North Texas communities, particularly when special taxing districts are involved.
North Texas experiences very hot summers, and Jake specifically identifies summer heat as something relocation buyers should prepare for.
New construction can be a great fit, but buyers should compare builder incentives, tax rates, lot premiums, upgrades, future development and resale inventory rather than focusing only on the advertised base price.
For the right person, absolutely.
But the answer depends on why you’re moving.
If you’re looking for more housing options, newer communities, employment opportunities and the North Dallas suburban lifestyle, the move can make a lot of sense.
But don’t make the decision based exclusively on the fact that a Texas home looks cheap compared with California.
Understand the property taxes.
Understand your commute.
Understand the weather.
Understand how quickly the area is developing.
And most importantly, understand the differences between Frisco, Prosper, Celina, McKinney and the other North Dallas suburbs before choosing where to buy.
That’s where relocation buyers can make a very expensive mistake—or a great long-term decision.
Jake Inderman is a North Dallas Realtor helping families relocate from California and other states to communities throughout Frisco, Prosper, Celina and the surrounding North Texas suburbs.
Whether you’re moving in 9 days or 9 months, Jake can help you compare:
Instead of trying to pick a city from hundreds of miles away, Jake can help shorten the learning curve and narrow North Texas down to the communities that actually fit your budget, commute and lifestyle.
Jake Inderman | North Dallas Realtor
Call/Text: 469-343-2008
Email: jake.inderman@gmail.com