James W.

Used Ownwell for the first time this year because I didn't have time to do it myself. They got my appraisal reduced by $42K. I paid them $280. Easiest money I've ever saved.

Interesting perspective. I see it differently from the Fort Worth side.

Real talk right here. No sugarcoating.

as someone who transferred from an independent gym to Octagon — the business operations are so much better. online scheduling, clean facilities, professional front desk. the independent gym was run by a black belt who was a terrible business owner and it showed

as a TKD black belt who later switched to muay thai — the kicking flexibility from TKD is an asset but the hand skills were nonexistent. if youre going to do TKD, supplement with boxing or you will have zero punching ability

home watch party gang. 8 friends, everyone brings food, split the PPV. best way to watch. you can actually hear the commentary and pause to rewatch replays

this is the BJJ struggle. the sport is addictive and taking time off feels like you are falling behind. but training injured is how you turn minor injuries into chronic problems. take it from a 40 year old purple belt with a shoulder that clicks every time i raise my arm

ive been training 6 years and the hardest skill in jiu jitsu is not any submission — its knowing when to rest. i lost 4 months to a shoulder injury that would have been 3 weeks if i had just stopped when it first happened

the etiquette section is important. nothing worse than a visitor who comes in and tries to smash everyone to prove their gym is better. chill out, flow, learn, be cool

Lovato BJJ open mat is a pilgrimage every BJJ player in DFW should make at least once. rolling in the same room as Rafael Lovato Jr is surreal

the DFW scene is definitely nogi-heavy now. even Gracie Barra which is the most gi-traditional organization has added more nogi classes because students demanded it

the real answer is train whatever you enjoy more because youll actually show up. i know guys who quit because they were forced to train gi when they wanted nogi. just train

$355K median in Rowlett for what you get — larger lots, lake access, DART to downtown — is still a better deal than $450K+ for a smaller home in Plano or Frisco with no lake and worse commute.

The infill builders near downtown are 50/50. Our neighbors' new build is gorgeous and well-done. The one across the street already has foundation cracks after 18 months. Research the specific builder, not just the area.

Filing a property tax protest is the biggest money hack on this list. I've done it 4 years in a row and saved $4,500 total. Takes 30 minutes on the DCAD website and a 15-minute phone hearing. ALWAYS protest.

The splash pad is our daily destination June through August. Go early — by noon it's packed. We arrive at 10am, do splash pad until 11:30, eat lunch at the pavilion, and head home for naps. Perfect summer morning.

Pecan Grove early morning crew — you know who you are. Best part of my day is coffee and watching the dogs play by the creek at 6:30am.

What I love about this post is that it captures the FEEL of each era, not just the facts. 1996 was optimistic growth. 2006 was comfortable settling in. 2016 was raw resilience. 2026 is ambitious vision. Each era reflects the people who lived through it.

The insurance battles after the tornado were brutal. Some families waited 2+ years for claim resolution. If you own a home in Rowlett, review your homeowner's insurance annually. Make sure you have replacement cost coverage, not actual cash value. The difference matters.

I'm not going to sugarcoat it — some blocks look rough. But the renovation trend is real and the area is improving visibly year over year. Drive through and you'll see fresh siding and new roofs on every block.

We're in the RISD-zoned section of Bayside. That was the deciding factor for us. Amy Parks-Heath Elementary is outstanding. The combination of RISD schools and Sapphire Bay proximity was too good to pass up.

Parent of a Lakeview band kid here. I know this is a sports post but I just want to note that the Patriot Band outperformed both football teams at their respective competitions this year. State semifinalists. Just saying.

My son plays soccer at Rowlett HS. The boys soccer program is underrated because everyone talks about football. But coach Martinez has built something real. The team culture is excellent and the players actually enjoy being there.

Liberty Grove route parent here — confirming it's consistently the worst. Our elementary bus was more than 20 minutes late at least twice a week last semester. I started documenting and calling GISD Transportation. It improved slightly but not enough.

The bridge across the lake is genuinely beautiful, especially at sunset. Say what you want about NTTA but that's an impressive piece of infrastructure.

The DART station is so underutilized. I take the Blue Line to work downtown and there's maybe 30 cars in the parking lot most mornings. A walkable neighborhood around it would change that.