I have recently moved into an Urban lifestyle community and am sitting in my amenities rich, convenience loaded unit in wonderment of why I never did this years earlier. The fact is I lived 30 miles away from my job for over a year now. This commute would take 1.5 hours to 2 hours one way EVERY day. The interstate chosen was consistently riddled with huge accidents and back ups for miles. Dallas has the most highways in the United States and this means that on your busiest and oldest you will find you in traffic on the regular.

There are many rationales of why I made this choice to live way the hell out in suburbia, but after what I discovered none of them valid. I had a lot of blocks up about urban living. I have a kid and had thought that living urban meant you had to afford private school for your kid as well as about $500 more rent. I don’t know about private schooling where you live but here in Dallas, the good private schools could cost as much as state colleges and mama don’t have that kind of money. What I discovered was that the school my daughter would be attending is in Time Magazines top 100 public schools in the United States and that the rent is EXACTLY the same as I was paying. WOW! For the same amount of rent I am afforded an enormous amount of living delight than I ever imagined. I thought living urban meant you had to be exposed to too much shenanigans and mayhem than I would want my teen exposed. Some of the urban communities are set up for exactly that and market specifically to that audience. There are urban communities that also market to professionals with little time with a wide variety of interests. BAM! That is me.

Here are some of the highlights of what I get now that I live in this Urban utopia:

• Exemplary service from my apartment management team, example they have 48 hours to fulfill a service request or moneys are deducted from my rent.
• My electricity is handled by my apartment management team and is billed monthly on their site.
• They are set up for internet communicating and ALL your contracts, requests, and community information is held conveniently for you to refer back to online.
• I have over 50 restaurants close by to choose from EVERYDAY
• I can walk outside and get a spa treatment, grab a martini, socialize with hipsters, buy wrapping paper, send a FedEx, pet a sweet doggie, get a slice a pizza, or sit near a foundation surrounded by trees and clear my mind.
• It takes me exactly 8 minutes to get from my apartment to my desk at my office, if I drive and 20 minutes if I walk.

If you are a single parent or out there living in apartments in inconvenient suburbs thinking that urban living cost too much and has a bunch freaks or snobs, take another look. Most large cities now have several developments that are pegged urban communities. Here is a great article about urban communities, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Neighborhood. My first search for a place to live was $500 more than I was paying and boasted all kinds of amenities. The next search found a slightly older community (built 1998), but with the same amount of awesomeness that I was looking for in moving. In addition, the older community could offer more discounts and options as it was the largest in the area and owns almost all the real estate in the community. SCORE!

I live in an urban community where my needs are fostered and my lifestyle is supported. All of this, at your fingertips if only you take a chance and have no fear.