Mesquite, Rowlett area for family from midwest? (Dallas, Plano: section 8, sales)

[ETex2]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Definitely cross Mesquite off your list. It's way under your budget.

$500-700k will get you a 3500 sq ft house on 1/2 acre of land in most areas of DFW (except Highland Park).

There are hospitals all over DFW. Rockwall has Lakepointe Medical Center in Rowlett, which is just across the lake. Mesquite only has one hospital in the SE part of town, and Sunnyvale has a new hospital on the western edge of town where it borders Mesquite.

You forgot to mention the new Rockwall Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital.

Considering the budget of $500-$700K, I'd recommend Sunnyvale or Heath, which are both close to hospitals. Heath is in the Rockwall ISD and has it's own high school. Many big beautiful homes on or near the lake in that price range.

[Grace316]

I sure appreciate your information. I'll give my husband the green light to get more info. I'm the filter on the communities before he calls the employer directly. I've been reading these threads for about a month. We don't have to move. This is a situation of my husband seeing what is coming and wanting to make a change. Given the ages of our kids, if we don't do it before next year it could be more difficult for them.
I'll spend some time looking into Rockwall and Sunnyvale. Most of my time heretofore as I mentioned kept taking me to the NW suburbs. There could be a job there but it isn't obvious at this time.
Is there a significant difference between NW and SE burbs? Should we be more aggressive about looking elsewhere in the area? Our priorities are schools and no significant commute. I'd love to know my neighbors but have no desire to get on a treadmill of expectations of appearances.

We truly are scoping out a variety of areas and right now I'm really honing in on DFW trying to learn. I have read some threads in detail. Yesterday I learned a lot about the park cities. Very good information.

[Grace316]

Turtle I'm following the other thread started today about schools. Very very important to us. Our kids are bright students who will be participating in debate and fine arts. One of my kids is always in a production of some kind here. We will be looking for theatre opportunities.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by Grace316

Is there a significant difference between NW and SE burbs? Should we be more aggressive about looking elsewhere in the area? Our priorities are schools and no significant commute. I'd love to know my neighbors but have no desire to get on a treadmill of expectations of appearances.

In general, the northern burbs are more white and more affluent than the southern burbs. However, Sunnyvale is an absolute gem of a place to raise a family - and a much easier commute into downtown Dallas (I know, not your issue) vs commuting in from McKinney/ALlen/Frisco. We have good friends who live there and are out there almost once a month. Rockwall is one of my favorite DFW suburbs because it's on Lake Ray Hubbard. What that town has done to develop the waterfront over the past decade is amazing. It's a fun place to go and even has a restaurant Dallasites are flocking to Rockwall to try: Restaurant Ava | Rockwall, TX | Restaurants | D Magazine
The Best New Restaurants in Dallas 2009

You absolutely don't need to move to the northern burbs or focus on them to find good schools and great quality of life for your family. I find Sunnyvale and Rockwall to be more laid back and less "showy" than the northern burbs in Collin County.

Originally Posted by Grace316

We truly are scoping out a variety of areas and right now I'm really honing in on DFW trying to learn. I have read some threads in detail. Yesterday I learned a lot about the park cities. Very good information.

The Park Cities are fabulous and absolutely the best public schools, hands down, in North Texas (and a top 30 US high school, too!). The only "minor" problem is that it takes about $900k-$1M before you start seeing updated, family sized (2500sf & up) houses there. $800k is median price but that's because there are a lot of half-duplexes (called "single family attached" houses) selling in the $500-700k range. The real median housing price for a single family home is low $1M range. If you can afford it, I would encourage you to check it out! It is about a 30 minute drive to Rockwall though, FYI.

[nsumner]

Originally Posted by ETex2

You forgot to mention the new Rockwall Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital.

Considering the budget of $500-$700K, I'd recommend Sunnyvale or Heath, which are both close to hospitals. Heath is in the Rockwall ISD and has it's own high school. Many big beautiful homes on or near the lake in that price range.

I agree with your suggestion. Presby hospital is huge and there is a very large array of clinics and doctors offices all over Rockwall.

Sunnyvale in this price range would be for people looking for an older home with some acreage and this price range is very scarce, it's more between 350K-450K. Sunnyvale is a bedroom community and very tiny. The high school opened 2 years ago and it is rated exemplary but they have very few students, I think the entire district has less than 1000 students.

Rockwal and Heath are beautiful areas. Very self sustained. Come on for a trip and explore the area. I'm sure you'd love the Rockwall area.

Naima

[Grace316]

I found a comprehensive demographic study on school districts showing change in enrollment and associated factors. I see that Rockwall is a community that has really grown over the past 20 years. Is it continuing to grow or is it reaching a point of being saturated land wise?

Thanks for the info Naima...we are just at the beginning of the process trying to understand the areas to see what would be the best fit for us.

[ETex2]

Originally Posted by Grace316

I found a comprehensive demographic study on school districts showing change in enrollment and associated factors. I see that Rockwall is a community that has really grown over the past 20 years. Is it continuing to grow or is it reaching a point of being saturated land wise?

Thanks for the info Naima...we are just at the beginning of the process trying to understand the areas to see what would be the best fit for us.

Rockwall is nowhere near being saturated, as there many outlying areas prime for development to the north, east and south. Heath (to the south) is in reality more of a suburb of Rockwall than Dallas, with a number of upscale subdivisions that have sprung up in the last ten years. The county is the smallest in Texas. Do a search of the Rockwall/Heath markets in either Zillow or Realtor.com and I think you find a very good choice of homes for sale in your price range.

[ChristieP]

Don't use Zillow for Texas. Since Texas is a non-disclosure state, the data there is horribly inaccurate.

But yes, ETex2 is correct that Rockwall and the surrounding areas will continue to grow. Heath is actually located to the east (not south) of Rockwall. It's between Rockwall and Royse City.

[LQQKOUT]

Rockwall and Heath are great area's a bear to get to having to cross over the lake on HWY 30. Rowlett, Sachse and Wylie as well as North Garland (Firewheel area) have a lot to offer. I suggest you visit Garland ISD website and look at the schools they offer. I love Rockwall and what is has to offer- however I am completely happy with Rowlett. Every community has it's growing pains right now Rowlett is experiencing heavy road contructions however that should lesson once PGBT opens in December.

If you have any questions about Rowlett you can PM me.

[ETex2]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Don't use Zillow for Texas. Since Texas is a non-disclosure state, the data there is horribly inaccurate.

But yes, ETex2 is correct that Rockwall and the surrounding areas will continue to grow. Heath is actually located to the east (not south) of Rockwall. It's between Rockwall and Royse City.

Look at your map again. Heath is due south of Rockwall.

Both Zillow and Realtor.com get their information from MLS, not just public records. I've found that they are pretty comparable with respect to listings. Non-disclosure in Texas is related to closing information and sales prices. MLS has the sold price information for the homes listed through the MLS, but no one should rely on Realtor or Zillow for that information since it's a little sketchy. Only an MLS subscriber will be able to get reliable sales price information. And true, not all sales go through MLS. This is especially troublesome when it comes to commercial real estate since sales price data is extremely hard to come by.