What is Lewisville, TX like? (Dallas, Plano: condo, cheap home, neighborhood)

[SmartGXL]

Hey everyone - so I have found a home development that looks to be in my price range and that I like the floor plans etc, it is called Carrington and is in Lewisville TX. Can anyone tell me (good or bad) what they know about Lewisville? Is it nice, shiny and new like Frisco and Carrolton? Or, is it rather dumpy and old looking? Also, what is the commute like from Lewisville over to Richardson (My office would be at 75 and 635).

[ChristieP]

Lewisville to Richardson is only do-able by driving on the PGBT toll road, then down 75 which is VERY heavy traffic. It will take you about an hour each way. Lewisville is an older, more established community, and is nothing Frisco at all. It is more similar to the older parts of Carrollton, closer to downtown or along Josey.

What is your price range? Have you looked at communities on the east side of Richardson? North Garland has lots of new homes in many price ranges, and the drive will be MUCH shorter.

[Grainraiser]

Lewisville is a older burb so there are great and bad parts of town. It also has a lot in the middle. If I worked in Richardson, Lewisville would not be my first choice due to length of commute. I would estimate a 1hr commute during rush hour. There are some nice subdivision in Lewisville.

[SmartGXL]

My price range is up to $250k. I liked the Carrington development there in Lewisville because they are "patio homes" and are smaller and seem like they have a nice compact floor plan with nice features.

The alternative was to get a Drees home in Allen TX, up the 75 from Richardson. But that home, with the upgrades I want, is closer to $275k and so I would have to put down a bigger down payment.

[ChristieP]

I would highly recommend looking in the Firewheel area of North Garland. I'm sure there are other patio home developments besides the one in Lewisville.

[mSooner]

My price range is up to $250k. I liked the Carrington development there in Lewisville because they are "patio homes" and are smaller and seem like they have a nice compact floor plan with nice features.

Look elsewhere. Lewisville can be okay, but you are getting the worst schools of LISD, a not-so-hot commute, and as "maintenance-free" as patio homes might seem, I think that is a code word for "cheap homes on small lots." There is a large chance they are not going to increase in value or sell well.

I'd look closer to work if I were you.

[SmartGXL]

Ok thank you for the info.

I am not sure what to look for or where to live. I feel like I am outgrowing the whole Uptown scene, but I am 38 yrs old and will probably not ever have children, so I feel slightly out of place in the child-oriented housing developments that are out there. I like Plano and Frisco in general, but I dont feel like I need a giant, rambling, 5 bedroom mcmansion, and cant afford a $500,000 place if I am not going to use it, but I also dont want a townhome or condo (dont want to share walls or roof with anyone). That is what seems appealing to me about 'patio homes'. Any suggestions?

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by SmartGXL

Ok thank you for the info.

I am not sure what to look for or where to live. I feel like I am outgrowing the whole Uptown scene, but I am 38 yrs old and will probably not ever have children, so I feel slightly out of place in the child-oriented housing developments that are out there. I like Plano and Frisco in general, but I dont feel like I need a giant, rambling, 5 bedroom mcmansion, and cant afford a $500,000 place if I am not going to use it, but I also dont want a townhome or condo (dont want to share walls or roof with anyone). That is what seems appealing to me about 'patio homes'. Any suggestions?

I'm like you, a single woman who doesn't have kids (doesn't want them) and I live in Richardson itself. For your budget you can get a great house that isn't too big for you to keep up yourself and the lots here are about a quarter of an acre; for 30-40 bucks a week you can hire someone to cut the grass for you. Don't let other peoples' horror stories/uninformed opinions about older homes scare you off; I have had as much trouble with mine as friends with new builds have with theirs, i.e. the occasional thing breaks down, you get it fixed, you move on. My neighborhood is a nice mix of retirees, empty nesters, some singletons, and parents of children of all ages. The schools here are excellent which will help with resale, and it's a lot closer to Dallas itself which also will help your home keep its value.

[mSooner]

Well, if there are no kids involved, I wouldn't really worry about schools too much. I still don't think Lewisville is what you are looking for, though.

I'd think about an updated home in Richardson as well. Maybe something in Lake Highlands?

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by mSooner

Well, if there are no kids involved, I wouldn't really worry about schools too much. I still don't think Lewisville is what you are looking for, though.

I'd think about an updated home in Richardson as well. Maybe something in Lake Highlands?

Lake Highlands is great for your price range & is a good midway point between life downtown (in case you want to go out to a good dinner, see a musical or an indie film, or just hit up NorthPark for a shopping spree ) and your office. LH is a good mix of empty nesters, young professionals, singles, families, etc- it's not all one demographic or the other. If you love to bike, run, etc- living near White Rock Lake or the parks/trails in LH is a huge asset. $250k would get you a completely remodeled/updated 1950-1960's ranch home- about 1500-2000sf.

Centra Richardson (near where BigDGeek lives) is a good pick for all of the above reasons, too, just a bit further from downtown life than LH.

Schools are good to be aware of for resale value- the better the schools, the more potential buyers who could look at your home. Also, along the same lines, a 3/2 is always better than a 2/1 or 3/1. Families want that extra bedroom and don't want to share a bathroom with their kids.