WalletHub says Texas is one of the best places to raise a family, Texas A&M University opens a Dallas dental school, and designers reveal their favorite Ikea hacks, all in this week’s roundup of real estate news.

Texas Is One Of The Best Places To Raise A Family

Texans are known for being big and bold, and it comes as no surprise that a personal finance website deemed the Lone Star State one of the best locations to raise a family.

WalletHub studied all 50 states using key indicators of family friendliness. A recent report shows the data set ranged from median family salary to housing affordability to unemployment rate. Overall, Minnesota ranked as No. 1 state to raise a family.

The following data was culled for the state of Texas, with a score of 1 being best and 25 being average.

• 2^nd – Percentage of families with young kids
• 37^th – Childcare costs (adjusted for median family income)
• 24^th – Median family salary (adjusted for cost of living)
• 34^th – Violent crime rate
• 42^nd – Percentage of families in poverty
• 27^th – Housing affordability
• 26^th – Unemployment rate
• 25^th – Separation and divorce rate

Source: WalletHub

Texas A&M Opens Dallas Dental School

A 160,000-square-foot, nine-story Clinic and Education building is now open in Dallas, functioning as the first standalone facility constructed for Texas A&M University’s College of Dentistry since 1950.

The facility features nearly 300 dental-chair stations, specialized clinics, clinical support areas, classrooms, and study spaces.

The $127 million facility was paid for in part from bond funds that Texas A&M Health Science Center received from the Texas Legislature.

“Patients and students are at the heart of what we do,” said Dr. Lawrence E. Wolinsky, dean of the College of Dentistry. “The new clinical building is truly going to help the college meet the ever-expanding need for reputable patient-centered care in a compassionate environment. Our students will gain a unique learning experience that will benefit them throughout their professional careers.”

Source: Texas A&M Today

Seven Ikea Hacks Designers Swear By

Everyone enjoys a good bargain, but even high-end interior designers? Yep, them, too.

Realtor.com polled the experts to find their favorite inexpensive and stylish Ikea hacks. Here’s what they found out.

1. Built-in millwork. You can mount an Ikea storage unit or bookcase to the wall and apply crown molding purchased from a home improvement store for “a high-end look on a shoestring budget,” according to Eneia White, owner of Eneia White Interiors in New York City.
2. New knobs and pulls. Just check Pinterest and hop to it.
3. Unexpected paint or wallpaper. Another easy do-it-yourself option to make your older home feel new again.
4. Custom doors. This one may not be quite as inexpensive or quick to install as the others, but the payoff is big. “Right now my favorite Ikea hack is using the base cabinetry and sending the plans along to Semihandmade, a company that makes custom-looking cabinet doors that fit Ikea furniture,” said Raquel Garcia of Raquel Garcia Design in Connecticut.
5. Reupholstered seating. Give a cute footstool a vintage upgrade and the whole room just got cooler.
6. Minimal wall sconce. Another quick win and inexpensive purchase from Ikea.
7. Something for the kids. A customized “learning tower” can be crafted by attaching a three-sided frame to a Bekvam stool. Now kids can work alongside Mom and Dad at the kitchen counter, and the stool can be decorated with the toddler’s favorite things.

Source: Realtor.com