Three things I just don't understand about Texas real estate (Dallas: townhouses, landscaping)

[nsumner]

I can't live in a neighborhood that has front entry garage, makes the streets narrow, looks awful on garbage day when most homes have 2 or more garbage cans (we have 4 - hubby is into recycling big time). Many people don't even park in their garage and use it for storage and end up on the driveway or street.

We have a huge backyard, the pool is there and still plenty to build another house but yet, we don't use it. What would you do with it? play ball? isn't that what parks are for? we have lots of parks in the burbs. As long as there is enough room for a pool, patio area for company & bbq or outdoor kitchen.

The privacy thing doesn't bother me much. Get to know your neighbors.

Naima

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by nsumner

I can't live in a neighborhood that has front entry garage, makes the streets narrow, looks awful on garbage day when most homes have 2 or more garbage cans (we have 4 - hubby is into recycling big time). Many people don't even park in their garage and use it for storage and end up on the driveway or street.

We have a huge backyard, the pool is there and still plenty to build another house but yet, we don't use it. What would you do with it? play ball? isn't that what parks are for? we have lots of parks in the burbs. As long as there is enough room for a pool, patio area for company & bbq or outdoor kitchen.

The privacy thing doesn't bother me much. Get to know your neighbors.

Naima

I like chatting with my neighbors and getting to know them, but I also highly value my privacy. The saying is true...good fences make good neighbors.

[stan4]

Naw...you got pricey real estate (the ground is worth a bit) and people who want a lot of features to their house - so they have to cram everything in as much as they can.

But I agree...I wouldn't want to live like that. So I have half an acre in West Plano with a giant yard and pool, tons of landscaping, and a garage entry on the other side of the lot than the front, which also has a circular drive. I can't really see any of my neighbors because of landscaping and being the corner lot on a greenbelt.

It's how we prefer to live, but we also value the proximity to downtown, the airports, and major highways...so I can see how other people would give up a little breathing room for the amenities of town.

[PlanoGirl]

To the OP...I 've always thought it was strange here too...we had all this land, yet the trend (as compared to many other places in the country) is to cram as many people in a small area as possible. It's odd!

I've lived here my whole life (just about), and have always had a rear entry garage until our current home. I never saw a problem with it....but I didn't know any difference. Now we have a front-entry garage (our whole community is front-entry) and I just LOVE it. I love seeing my neighbors! It is amazing how much more you see/ interact with people when you have a front entry garage. Kids play out the front a lot more. Neighbors stop to chat as you're tinkering in your garage. And you typically have more backyard.
All this being said, I don't think I would like a completely front-entry neighborhood as much if we didn't have an HOA. I am not necessarily a big fan of HOAs (depends how they are run)...but in this case, I think the HOA can be helpful by requiring residents to keep the front of their house "neat" (for ex, garage cans must kept out of sight on non-trash days, etc). Front-entry homes can be less "pristine" than rear entry ones, but it can also more character and depth to the house (versus flat-front homes). If the neighborhood is well kept, then it can look lovely...if not, then it can look trashy if the neighbors don't care. That's when having an HOA (or just picking a neighborhood with pride) can help.

[pappy97]

So nobody has problems with those narrow "streets" that are used for entry and exit from rear entry garages? Those "streets" look so narrow and people here have large vehicles. Just about everyone on our side of our street has a large truck/SUV.

[stan4]

Originally Posted by PlanoGirl

All this being said, I don't think I would like a completely front-entry neighborhood as much if we didn't have an HOA. I am not necessarily a big fan of HOAs (depends how they are run)...but in this case, I think the HOA can be helpful by requiring residents to keep the front of their house "neat" (for ex, garage cans must kept out of sight on non-trash days, etc). Front-entry homes can be less "pristine" than rear entry ones, but it can also more character and depth to the house (versus flat-front homes). If the neighborhood is well kept, then it can look lovely...if not, then it can look trashy if the neighbors don't care. That's when having an HOA (or just picking a neighborhood with pride) can help.

Agreed. Most of the homes where I live are front entry garage and one of the HOA rules specify keeping your garbage cans out of sight. And everyone does. And everything looks nice.

[TT Dave]

Originally Posted by pappy97

So nobody has problems with those narrow "streets" that are used for entry and exit from rear entry garages? Those "streets" look so narrow and people here have large vehicles. Just about everyone on our side of our street has a large truck/SUV.

I've often wondered about that too. We have at least one subdivision here in Abilene that has rear entry garages and the alleys are very narrow as well. It looks like that could be a big problem if you get half way down the alley and another large vehicle is coming from the opposite direction. I suppose making them a "one-way" alley would elminate that problem.

[skids929]

Originally Posted by nsumner

I can't live in a neighborhood that has front entry garage, makes the streets narrow, looks awful on garbage day when most homes have 2 or more garbage cans (we have 4 - hubby is into recycling big time). Many people don't even park in their garage and use it for storage and end up on the driveway or street.

We have a huge backyard, the pool is there and still plenty to build another house but yet, we don't use it. What would you do with it? play ball? isn't that what parks are for? we have lots of parks in the burbs. As long as there is enough room for a pool, patio area for company & bbq or outdoor kitchen.

The privacy thing doesn't bother me much. Get to know your neighbors.

Naima

I agree with BigDGeek, fences do make excellent neighbors.

Naima, I don't know if you have children or pets, and yes parks are nice, but sometimes you just want to stroll into your backyard and play ball with your kid. Coming from where I live, thats what people tend to do. Not that I don't think it is great to have parks close by, I guess I just want both-in my price range. I also think, and this is just me personally, it looks silly when the majority of your backyard is a pool with little grass or room to run around. Part of feeling like you are in the burbs in my opinion is having trees overlook your home, and grass to play in. Otherwise Alleys, and concrete/gunite backyards just simply remind me of city living.

In looking at Flower Mound it seems to have the types of homes and lots we like. A little breathing room in back, lots of side entry garages, decent prices. I think where I get frustrated is that most of the North Dallas suburbs I look in my price range have the characteristics I don't like, and I want to be able to keep those as places to potentially land. Guess it will just take some more legwork.

Its good to get some validation from all of you on what I am seeing online, very helpful since I haven't visited yet. Will be in Southlake in mid August, so this should also answer alot of questions.

[VegasMan_72]

Originally Posted by TT Dave

I've often wondered about that too. We have at least one subdivision here in Abilene that has rear entry garages and the alleys are very narrow as well. It looks like that could be a big problem if you get half way down the alley and another large vehicle is coming from the opposite direction. I suppose making them a "one-way" alley would elminate that problem.

To me most of the residential streets in Dallas are very narrow. That was one of the first things I noticed when I was looking around for a house to rent. It didn't matter if it was a newer area like Frisco or an older more established area like Flowermound, streets are too narrow. Especially when you have vehicles parked on the streets there is no room for 2 cars travelling in the opposite direction. Or maybe its just me, back in Vegas residential streets are 2 lanes, 1 lane each direction plus shoulder.

[pappy97]

Originally Posted by TT Dave

I've often wondered about that too. We have at least one subdivision here in Abilene that has rear entry garages and the alleys are very narrow as well. It looks like that could be a big problem if you get half way down the alley and another large vehicle is coming from the opposite direction. I suppose making them a "one-way" alley would elminate that problem.

Can anyone here who have rear garage comment on this? Are there problems getting into and out of these alleys? They look so narrow I assume so, but I'd like to hear first hand. THanks.