Colleyville/Southlake vs. Plano (Dallas, Garland: HOA, houses, neighborhood)

[MJ1996]

Hello All,

Quick question, I am re-locating back to Texas in next month (lived in Panhandle previously) from S. Florida. Already have job and have been investigating places to live. Job is about 4 mi north of downtown Dalls in University Park. Obviously can't afford to live there. I have young kids and looking for the best public schools. Plano still gets high ratings but associates have said that Colleyville/Southlake is the best. Questions for the group:

1) Is commute from Colleyville/Southlake doable (are you against the grain so to speak on 635 or John Carpenter)? I am doing an hour to hour and a half each way now. I DO NOT want to do that again.
2) Assuming I can afford up to $300k is there a lot of nice homes in this range? Plano/N. Richardson appears to have a million homes available.

- I am leaning towards Plano with the understanding that yes it may not be quite as nice as Colleyville/Southlake because I will be able to be home sooner, and hopefully make up the quality difference in schools/area by being able to be there more and a greater influencer for my kids.
- Plus my sanity will be a bit better considering a half hour commute vs. over an hour.

Am I right in my thinking? Is there a big enough reason for me to suck it up and go to Southlake or Colleyville?

Thanks so much for the help!

"On the way to the Big D"
MJ1996

[momof2dfw]

Southlake/Colleyville schools are not that much better than any others. They may have more money but that does not make it a better school. They may also have less parental involvement. Plano or Richardson will be just fine and be a MUCH shorter commute. No, you would NOT be going against the grain w/ a commute from Southlake/Colleyville. Look to the far east side of Plano and Richardson too and you will find many nice areas w/ good schools and family oriented.

[MJ1996]

Thanks. So the commute from the west into downtown is congested as well? I was thinking of Coppell as well, but it seems isolated and from what I have read on here has a ton of "rules" much like a gated community (which I live in now and dislike). I am all for keeping my place up as nice as absolutely possible but if I want to put a small boat on a trailer on the side of my house or a basketball hoop up I would like that option. I lived in Coral Gables, FL when I first came to Florida and if you can believe it I had to sell my full size Chevy pickup (this was not a work truck but POV) or face a $250 a day ticket! And that was the law of the municipality!

[momof2dfw]

LOL!!!! Then stick to the far east side of even Plano and Richardson. Don't rule out the Firewheel area of Garland either. You will find professional people that are much more down to earth and most own a truck themselves. LOL!!!

Check w/ city codes about the boat issue though. Richardson just passed a new ordinance for having boats/trailers parked in front drives. Most homes are rear driveways though but some are not. I know one of our neighbors that has the front j-swing drive/garage had his boat parked in his drive and the HOA did not like it. We have a rear drive and keep our seadoo's there.

[FarNorthDallas]

Oh, that would not be a nice commute. Heavy traffic. If you get a chance do a test drive in traffic at rush hour and see for yourself.

You might check the Brentfield Elementary attendance zone area. Lots of Park Cities people moved there after they finally came to the realization they couldn't afford the neighborhood they grew up in, but they still wanted to attend and be close to the Park Cities' churches and see the grandparents. It's still Dallas, the school is exemplary, and the commute wouldn't be bad at all. You could even do it on surface roads going down Hillcrest or Preston. The area's boundaries are roughly Preston, Collin County line, Hillcrest, Arapaho. Roughly. Not exactly.

[triciaabr]

The Southlake Commute is pretty rough these days.

Richardson/Plano has some great homes for a great price out there.

They have several outstanding schools as well- Brentfield, Bowie, Mohawk, and Spring Creek (Richardson). Also, (Plano)Hedgecoxe, Aldridge, Skaggs, Haun and a whole lots more. These are all based on the Exemplary Status placed on them by TEA (Texas Education Agency). Hope this helps you.

[EdwinFa]

Plano is so much better
We lived in both places.
Plano won because:
1. Plano ISD is very good, i think better than southlake carroll because Plano ISD offers more AP classes and Honors classes than carroll isd.
2. Plano is close to so many great shopping places, stonebriar / willow bend / collin creek / allen outlet / northpark / gallria and so on
3. who said plano was old? yes it is old compare to southlake but if you are buying houses in west plano and north plano, it would be about the same age as southlake. altho east plano is not that great but weve been living in plano for 5 years now, we barely go to east side of the city.
4. compare to southlake with over 90% white population, plano is more multiculture, its good for children to learn about other areas in the world by having different types of friends.
5. people are nicer in plano, this is my personal view.
6. great recreation centers (rec) at a very cheap price for residents to use ($3)
7. PLANO IS JUST A LOT CLOSER TO EVERYTHING BUT THE AIRPORT.
you might think carroll high school is good, yes they do have a great football team
but they literly suck at academics and the rest of the sports
plano senior high school is basicly good at everything, my daughter is on volleyball this year and my son's team just got a state championship a few years ago. plano senior high school also has 7 state championship for football. same number as southlake carroll. oh yeah plano senior high school also has the best swimming team.
plano west is good at soccer , volleyball and tennies
i dont know much about plano east
hope this helps.
Plano is the nicest city ive lived so far.

[loves2read]

this original post was made in 2007---
couldn't you have found something newer to add your comments to

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by loves2read

this original post was made in 2007---
couldn't you have found something newer to add your comments to

He/she did. Same post in two or three different threads. Plano is the bestest!

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by loves2read

this original post was made in 2007---
couldn't you have found something newer to add your comments to

why do people love to dig these threads back up after years? Do you get the idea someone has an agenda to follow and needs to prove a point?

Nita