This may be useful to you

[Escoguy]

This may be useful to you when planning where to buy in Dallas:

http://www.dallascad.org/TaxRateCalculator.aspx

A typical $300,000 home in Dallas in a good school district can have $9-$13K/year in property taxes.

Keep in mind also that your utility costs are generally higher as $400/month is not unusual in Texas due to the heat. (Lived there myself). Solar isn’t as viable as the utility rates are lower but the amount of power consumed is higher.

http://www.trulia.com/voices/Home_Buying/Electricity_amp_Gas_charge_for_a_sq_ft_home_-482839

Overall Dallas isn’t bad but do be ready that much of what is saved in housing ends up going to transportation.

http://www.reconnectingamerica.org/assets/Uploads/pubheavyload1006.pdf

There is also a very pervasive culture of eating out a lot.

http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/2015/09/dallas-fort-worth-spends-more-on-eating-out-and-booze-than-anywhere-in-us.html/

Current prices are overvalued by some measures:
http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/2015/05/texas-dallas-fort-worth-home-prices-are-significantly-overvalued-analyst-warns.html/

Keep in mind, there is A LOT of undeveloped open space in Texas with almost no restrictions on development. One of the reasons for booms/busts like in the 1980s.

There is still some uncertainty about the full impact of oil prices on broader income:

How Oil’s Price Collapse Will Affect Dallas

Just know these things going in, as it may not be the easiest place to save money given the social dynamics/costs/property taxes/utilities.

But good luck, there are wonderful people in Texas!