Neighborhoods like Park Cities, but cheaper?

[hsw]

Doubt money and/or education necessarily proves one is either smart or a decent person

In my expce, some of worst personalities are found amongst the aspirational affluent of upper middle class/yuppie areas or pseudo-intellectuals of wannabe college towns or commie zones of towns that aspire to be Berkeley or SF-like

And some of lowest-key, most intellectually interesting guys are the many clever entrepreneurs and financiers who tend to populate capitalist areas like HP or PrestonHollow...everyone who matters in their competitive industries knows they have money and has a sense of their relative IQ (and integrity) by industry reputation or direct knowledge

[PlanoGirl]

Originally Posted by stargazer

In Mckinney, off of El Dorado and Country Club, there is a beautiful area with many large trees and a lake to walk around. It is a smaller area compared to Park Cities but it is very lovely.
The neighborhoods there are Hidden Forest, Village Creek, Kensington Estates, Provine and El Dorado. On the south side of El Dorado off of Country Club, there is a country club and several huge older customs on 1/2 to 1 acres that sit off the golf course. The more deeper you go down that way, you will find some really wonderful homes as well.
The homes you can find in Mckinney in this area will have the charm that you are desiring that you see in the Park Cities, they though are going to be on the newer side. My home was built in 96 and it was built in the trees. I have cedar elms that are 80 years old on my lot along with some soap berries and lots of greenery. I love trees and homes with old world charm, so I understand where you are coming from. That is why we bought over here, we too could not afford Highland Park Prices.

Agree with everything stargazer said. We just moved to Mckinney and was just commenting to a friend that this part of Mckinney looks a lot like Lake Highlands/ Lakewood(which are "cheaper" then Park Cities)...houses with a bit of character (though newer...they were designed with more diversity in styles than typical newer subdivisions), larger lots amidst loads of old trees, and hilly, curvy streets. It is beautiful.
We had always planned to move to Lake Highlands...because i just love the "feel" there, but for various reasons (mostly financial, but also to be closer to family/ friends) we decided to stay in the north burbs...however, I find the "look" of that part of Mckinney to be spot-on. Now, that being said, there are lots of other things, besides the look of the neighborhoods, that contribute to the overall feel of an area....(such as, walkability to stores/ restaurants, mom and pop shops, ethnicity/religious diversity, etc, etc) and those things are notably sup-par in the burbs compared to Dallas proper... it is out here, you just have to look a little harder for it.
If we could afford it, we would live in Lakewood first (I would by far choose that over Highland Park/ University Park), second Lake Highlands...but as far as the burbs go, I am VERY happy with Mckinney.
Anyway, just food for thought

(hehe...probably should change my screen name now...

[PlanoGirl]

Oh, also to add...you could get a GREAT house for that price range up here.

[momof2dfw]

FYI: In case some of you did not notice but this thread is THREE YEARS OLD! I'm sure the OP has moved on by now. Our friend "cksqualls" was going around the other day I guess bored and digging up very old threads.

[PlanoGirl]

opppsss! thanks mom...totally spaced and didn't even notice that!