gave the Park Cities the old college try, but . . . (Dallas: fit in, homes)
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I am very happy in West Plano. Schools are good, homes are different in the area I live, yard is plenty big for us. Small dogs, no kids but my wife loves landscaping and has the yard looking great.. ...we pay to have it mowed and bushes trimmed but she spends a lot of time working on beds and so forth in spring and fall. I find the things I want near by and like the area. Neighbors are great, lots of variety. We lived in N. NJ back east and liked it but couldnt go back there after living in Dallas or Houston. We grew up in Oklahoma but got to Texas as soon as we could.
Good luck and dont buy the sterotypes some might try to sell you about Plano. Its right for us but not for everyone.
. . . this is not where we want to raise our family. We've been here for almost three years, so we gave it a good go. The schools are good, it is very safe, excellent services, etc... but we have too much of the northwest in us. So, we are at a point where we would like to research other areas. My husband can move his office anywhere, really. Commute won't be an issue, thankfully. We were looking in the 1 mil. range for houses here in HP/UP, but will most likely stick to a lower budget to buy elsewhere. It would be nice to find a house for 500K or 600K +. We are not looking for a huge place, just big enough for our family of 6. Would love to have recommendations of places where the people are friendly, educated, not pretentious, not trying to keep up with the Jones', maybe even actually work in their own yard (!) Good schools, safe, etc... Reading back over my list sounds like I'm looking for perfection, and I know that is unreasonable. I've lived long enough to know the perfect place doesn't exist and to a certain degree you have to decide to be happy where you are, or at least content. I've been drawn to the Lakewood area for some time. I realize the IB program is there. I'm pretty sure that would not be something my ADD child could handle. So I worry about them getting a good education in the "regular" classes in middle school and high school. However, although education is important, it is not the end all for us, hence our decision to leave HPISD. What other areas should we be looking at? Even Ft. Worth is an option. (from what I know of Dallas and Ft. Worth, we are probably more Ft. Worth type people, but maybe I'm wrong). We aren't big into suburbia where all the houses look the same. But, again, not all the boxes have to be checked. Would love to be able to replicate the cool neighborhood we had in Seattle, though. Would love to have some creeks/lakes nearby. Something pretty to look at. Maybe even a bigger lot? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Take this in the positive manner it is intended.
I'm the furthest person from an HP/UP shill you will find on CDD. That said you are leaving a great school district, as in one of the best in The USA err he world, in search of lesser districts (excepting the top cadre at Plano West which is like a district within a district as it were - etc). I don't get that logic. The Park Cities' social pressure is real and often negative the academic excellence and pressure to do well is not.
Secondly, maybe it's simply a function of posting on the internet, but you are speaking in slogans and canards. I used to live in West Plano up there not one homeowner in 30 mowed his/her own yard.
IMO there is a fine line between pride of ownership and good care and pretense.
I'm the furthest person from an HP/UP shill you will find on CDD. That said you are leaving a great school district, as in one of the best in The USA err he world, in search of lesser districts (excepting the top cadre at Plano West which is like a district within a district as it were - etc). I don't get that logic.
Thanks, EDS, for your reply. I realize it may seem odd to leave such a good school district, arguably one of the best in Texas. However, I don't really look at it as leaving a great school district in search of a lesser school district. We are leaving one way of life in search of another way of life. There are other things that are important to us besides living in the best school district possible.
Again, the mowing your own yard thing was kind of a joke. (I guess a bad one.) Our son actually mows our yard. I'm not against having someone else come and mow our yard. But, our son does a fine job. Plus, it teaches him the value of hard work!
I bet Lakewood would be ideal for you.
The Allen sub division is Montgomery Farm. montgomeryfarm.com - home It still feels very suburbs to me -so if you want more interesting, older urban then it may not be for you -but check it out.
We are in the same place. We have given Southlake and Flower Mound both a try over the past three years and we are headed back to New England. We are sooo unhappy here. I had to laugh at the "people work in their own yards" comment. I feel the same way. We have found it extremely difficult to make close relationships here and all three of my children have found it very difficult to build friendships. I guess we are just not cut out as Texans.
Well this interesting...I am from (and currently living) in New England and love both of those towns and have family living and happy there. But I haven't lived there..Would love to hear some of your experiences in FloMo. Thats a town we really like alot. Is it just the reloville mentality that has you down? Shoot me a DM!
Lakewood "proper" neighborhood has a lot of "new money" and all that comes with it- yardmen, 5 series, LV bags, and a lot of families who are only there because they are priced out of HPISD. The women who run the Lakewood Elementary fundraisers are really no different than the women who run the HPISD ones.
The two big differences in Lakewood are the diversity that you will come across in the Lakewood/ Long / Woodrow school feeder pattern and the fact that Democrats are the majority. If that is enough to tide you over, have at it!!
I think you may also like Richardson- focus on JJ Pearce and Richardson HS's. There is a lot of diversity of all kinds and a more laid-back vibe. Great city services (parks, trails, libraries, etc) and safe, while not being too far out/ suburban.
. . . this is not where we want to raise our family. We've been here for almost three years, so we gave it a good go. The schools are good, it is very safe, excellent services, etc... but we have too much of the northwest in us. So, we are at a point where we would like to research other areas. My husband can move his office anywhere, really. Commute won't be an issue, thankfully. We were looking in the 1 mil. range for houses here in HP/UP, but will most likely stick to a lower budget to buy elsewhere. It would be nice to find a house for 500K or 600K +. We are not looking for a huge place, just big enough for our family of 6. Would love to have recommendations of places where the people are friendly, educated, not pretentious, not trying to keep up with the Jones', maybe even actually work in their own yard (!) Good schools, safe, etc... Reading back over my list sounds like I'm looking for perfection, and I know that is unreasonable. I've lived long enough to know the perfect place doesn't exist and to a certain degree you have to decide to be happy where you are, or at least content. I've been drawn to the Lakewood area for some time. I realize the IB program is there. I'm pretty sure that would not be something my ADD child could handle. So I worry about them getting a good education in the "regular" classes in middle school and high school. However, although education is important, it is not the end all for us, hence our decision to leave HPISD. What other areas should we be looking at? Even Ft. Worth is an option. (from what I know of Dallas and Ft. Worth, we are probably more Ft. Worth type people, but maybe I'm wrong). We aren't big into suburbia where all the houses look the same. But, again, not all the boxes have to be checked. Would love to be able to replicate the cool neighborhood we had in Seattle, though. Would love to have some creeks/lakes nearby. Something pretty to look at. Maybe even a bigger lot? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I have heard about all the reasons those areas can hard to assimilate, in that respect I understand. It's "old Dallas" down there according to some. But..I am not sure I get the disrupt your kids schooling because you're not happy. Maybe I am off-base, not sure how your kiddies are, or if maybe they are equally unhappy, but this is something to consider. Where you are now is only temporary and it's about them before you. Again, I say that with all due respect, and I am sure you have considered this and can only take so much.
I hate where I live, Town mostly, but my kids are in excellent schools (private) and that makes me happy. I continually try to find inner peace with the fact I hate the town, people, neighbors-with great supporting reasons. It gets easier, for us most of that noise is just fading into the background now as my kids develop well.
We are in the same place. We have given Southlake and Flower Mound both a try over the past three years and we are headed back to New England. We are sooo unhappy here. I had to laugh at the "people work in their own yards" comment. I feel the same way. We have found it extremely difficult to make close relationships here and all three of my children have found it very difficult to build friendships. I guess we are just not cut out as Texans.
It's not just you. I'm a Texan, a real-live Dallasite from birth, and I have the same problem because my network fell apart when I left the area. Basically if you're not in a clique here, forget it.
Right now I'm on the bubble as to whether I'm going to stay in the area. Right now I'm leaning towards no, though honestly I've already started making a timeline...think about 5 years down the road.
I have heard about all the reasons those areas can hard to assimilate, in that respect I understand. It's "old Dallas" down there according to some. But..I am not sure I get the disrupt your kids schooling because you're not happy. Maybe I am off-base, not sure how your kiddies are, or if maybe they are equally unhappy, but this is something to consider. Where you are now is only temporary and it's about them before you. Again, I say that with all due respect, and I am sure you have considered this and can only take so much.
I hate where I live, Town mostly, but my kids are in excellent schools (private) and that makes me happy. I continually try to find inner peace with the fact I hate the town, people, neighbors-with great supporting reasons. It gets easier, for us most of that noise is just fading into the background now as my kids develop well.
I normally stay out of the "my school is better than your school" discussions on this forum because, honestly, I don't buy into the mentality that the only way your child can avoid a lifetime of middle class mediocrity is to go to one of the handful of schools that churn out 25 or more National Merit Semi Finalists each year. With that being said...
Why on earth would you choose to live somewhere you hate just so your child can go to what you consider to be an excellent private school?
Excellent schools are everywhere. Excellent students are everywhere -- and many of them are NOT in the most excellent schools. And guess what...they still grow into successful members of society. Despite the fact that their high school isn't on the Newsweek top schools list, most of them have actually learned that sometimes life doesn't hand you optimal conditions and, instead, you have to fight your way to the top with hard work and common sense. I learned this my freshman year of college after graduating 9th in my class from a high school that will never be on a top-anything list. And yes, I actually did get into good school (Vanderbilt), on scholarship, and I graduated with honors.
Don't let anyone sway you into thinking that moving your kids out of the best school district will doom them to a life of failure. It simply isn't true. What would mess them up a lot worse is seeing their parents being miserable or trying to shape themselves into a mold that goes against the values you've tried to instill in them.
OP, I applaud you for realizing that your happiness and their happiness do not have to be mutually exclusive.
Last edited by robmab; 08-07-2012 at 03:15 PM..
Reason: fixed typo
Lakewood "proper" neighborhood has a lot of "new money" and all that comes with it- yardmen, 5 series, LV bags, and a lot of families who are only there because they are priced out of HPISD. The women who run the Lakewood Elementary fundraisers are really no different than the women who run the HPISD ones.
Too true, too true. I've heard more than one person who has lived in East Dallas for years mourn this. I remember one summing it up as, "Lakewood used to be where you lived if you wanted something the opposite of Highland Park. Now it's where you live if you want Highland Park, but can't afford it."
By no means is this universally true, but just in the time I've lived in Junius Heights you have been able to watch Lakewood Proper change. If you want something a little different, with a great Community feel, around 500-750,000 near more diversity, but with good schools, perhaps you should take a look at some of the more upmarket homes in Munger Place. 5100 Junius St. for example seems to be on the market, and might fit your needs.
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Good schools, safe, etc... Reading back over my list sounds like I'm looking for perfection, and I know that is unreasonable. I've lived long enough to know the perfect place doesn't exist and to a certain degree you have to decide to be happy where you are, or at least content. I've been drawn to the Lakewood area for some time. I realize the IB program is there. I'm pretty sure that would not be something my ADD child could handle. So I worry about them getting a good education in the "regular" classes in middle school and high school. However, although education is important, it is not the end all for us, hence our decision to leave HPISD. What other areas should we be looking at? Even Ft. Worth is an option. (from what I know of Dallas and Ft. Worth, we are probably more Ft. Worth type people, but maybe I'm wrong). We aren't big into suburbia where all the houses look the same. But, again, not all the boxes have to be checked. Would love to be able to replicate the cool neighborhood we had in Seattle, though. Would love to have some creeks/lakes nearby. Something pretty to look at. Maybe even a bigger lot? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 
