Hubby & I can't agree on where to live. HELP! (Dallas: new home, neighborhoods)

[sarahbeck]

We will be moving to Dallas in the next couple months and are having trouble figuring out where to live. We will be visiting soon, so we would love some recommendations on specific areas and neighborhoods to check out.

My husband will be working near Forest and 75. Many of his coworkers are recommending the Allen area (specifically Twin Creeks) but everything I am reading says that the commute will be awful. He can possibly leave home at 6:30 and leave work at 4, but some days he will be working the traditional 8-5.

Things that are super important: We have a 1 and 2 year old and would love an active neighborhood filled with young families with kids. Good schools are also important. A short commute would be awesome since family time is important to us. I've mentioned the Lakewood area and my husband just keeps saying that no one at his job lives there. They all seem to live in Frisco and Allen.

Any help you could give me would be great! Thank you.

[mami2emily]

Richardson would be a great commute. It's a great town filled with young families and a good school system. Frisco would be too far, and Allen, although off of I-75, is also a bit far from Forest. You definitely want to live close to where you work here in Dallas, otherwise you would spend a significant portion of your day commuting.

We don't live in Richardson, but know a lot of people who do and absolutely love it.

There are also portions of Lake Highlands that feed into Richardson schools. A few coworkers live in Lake Highlands and love it. Lake Highlands would be inside 635, whereas Richardson is just outside 635.

[JTC Mom]

Richardson is a great choice. If your budget allows, park cities would be another.

[Adamson865]

Stop arguing! If you haven't been here yet it's all academic. Visit some areas first - THEN start arguing!

Anyhow, here's another vote for Richardson,. When I moved to Dallas I settled near Walnut Hill and 75 and it was a disaster. In two months I'm moving up to Richardson.

If you're new to the area, you don't want to spend all your free time commuting from far away - you want to have some free time to go explore! Richardson's a very good bet.

[TurtleCreek80]

Is your husband not planning to make any friends outside of work? Most people don't hang out with their coworkers 24/7 so it really doesn't matter where everyone lives! Also, there are a lot of people in the Dallas suburbs who think the city is a big, bad, scary place (110% FALSE!!) so don't let their closemindedness / naïveté influence you.

You didn't mention a budget, but Richardson (feeding to Pearce HS), Lake Highlands (feeding to Lake Highlands Jr High, not Forest Meadow), or Lakewood / M Streets (feeding to Stonewall Jackson and Lakewood Elementaries) are ALL fantastic choices that would keep your hubby's commute in the 10-20 minute range. They are all safe and family friendly areas with great public schools (may have to move or go private for 6-12 in Lakewood, but that's 10 years away and a lot can change!).

You won't get a brand new, 5000sf house (unless you have a $1M+ budget) and you won't live in a master-planned community with trails, golf, community pools like hubby's coworkers will all live in for the same price as a 2,200sf 1950's remodeled ranch style home in the in-town neighborhoods, but you'll be buying into neighborhoods with rich history and traditions. For friends, you'll likely make them when your new neighbors come over to welcome you to the block, through the "early childhood" PTA's that link the neighborhood kids age 0-5 with the local elementary school so you can start making friends and getting involved, at church, etc. You'll also live in neifhborboods where home values are rock solid and where your home won't ever compete with new construction that is "just another 10 minutes out" like in Allen and Frisco. It can be rough to sell a "used" home up there since so many buyers refuse to look at anything "old" (you know, 2005 or earlier!!) The homes in-town are older (1920-1960's) but most have been completely taken to the studs and remodeled with modern kitchens, master suites with larger bathrooms and closets, etc. Many are as nice as new but with 50+ year old trees and no wasted rooms.

[FalconheadWest]

It will depend on if you like newer or older homes. Newer homes are in Frisco and Allen, so that's probably why the co-workers live there. Older homes are in Lakewood and Lake Highlands. Open floorplans vs compartmentalized floorplans, for the most part.

I grew up in Richardson, and you can get older or newer depending on where in the city. The newer homes are mostly in Collin County Richardson and will be lower taxes because you won't have the Dallas County hospital tax, and feeds to Plano ISD.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by FalconheadWest

It will depend on if you like newer or older homes. Newer homes are in Frisco and Allen, so that's probably why the co-workers live there. Older homes are in Lakewood and Lake Highlands. Open floorplans vs compartmentalized floorplans, for the most part.

I grew up in Richardson, and you can get older or newer depending on where in the city. The newer homes are mostly in Collin County Richardson and will be lower taxes because you won't have the Dallas County hospital tax, and feeds to Plano ISD.

Old vs new is definitely a legit factor (unless OP has $750k + budget which is about where custom new construction starts in-town), but it's not hard at all to find a remodeled home that is consistent with today's new home trends: open floor plan, no formal dining, outdoor living rooms, etc. I would guess about 1/3-1/2 of remodeled homes in Lakewood/ East Dallas, North Dallas, etc have knocked out most of the interior walls that used to separate formals / family room/ kitchen. Now, you have the expansive multi-functional living/dining room that is open to a huge kitchen with island.

[BeenThereDunThat]

I'd recommend you consider neighborhoods within a reasonable commute first. Sure there are some nice places the further north you go but the commutes can be brutal and spirit-zapping. Richardson, some parts of Garland closer to Firewheel area, Plano...would be places I'd start. Get on Zillow.com and use the filter-features to give you some research tools to help ease the confusion.

And if you've never been here before or don't really know the area....then I'd suggest taking a due-diligence trip and use your mapped out research to check areas. It will be money well-invested in a trip say.... a long weekend... for 4 days (Thur-Sun) or Fri-Mon).... there is no substitute for getting in-town and checking things out. If Southwest Airlines serves your area ...they may offer a decent airfare to help with this.

What people say here on this website as far as "best places" is concerned will have to be taken in context. Some people slam anything east of 75 but there are some truly nice areas in Richardson & Garland...they're just not the "hot communities" right now. Allen, Prosper, Murphy... yeah those are great but if you're working off 75 & Forest... the commute could be a bear for the 8-5 worker.

Schools are important as are family-friendly neighborhoods... since I'm not a parent, I can't really help with ideas...but every area has good and bad points from what I've read. But aside from that... a long-weekend due-diligence would be a great way to put some real conclusions together. I know too many people who've done it and area glad they did and a number who didn't and wish they had.

Good luck!

[SilverGold]

Richardson's area feeding to PISD is what would suit both of you. Their zip code is 75082.

[BigDGeek]

Another vote for Richardson.