Mckinney square/Frisco Square/Plano downtown living? (Dallas, Austin: apartment complex, renting)

[Aceraceae]

There are many commute nazis around here, but FWIW yesterday I was in Southwest Arlington in the morning then had some things to take care of in the Lovers ln and 75 area. I do things like that very regularly and don't have a problem with it. I do have a company vehicle and gas card though.

It's all about personal preferences. Don't let someone frighten you from McKinney because of reactionary statement like*BUT WHAT OF THE COMMUTE!!!*

[Sazd]

That's definitely a good point MurphyPl1. Thank you. I understand living in Mckinney will add a little bit of a drive. However, his job requires him to go all over the Dallas area but also to other parts of Texas such as Houston and Austin. He is just required to live in the Dallas area. He also has the flexibility to be able to travel when he wishes so he has the ability to avoid those rush hour times. We will definitely consider those points though.

I had also said thank you for the Chapel Hill suggestion but not sure where my comment went. I will look into that area!

[Sazd]

Originally Posted by Aceraceae

There are many commute nazis around here, but FWIW yesterday I was in Southwest Arlington in the morning then had some things to take care of in the Lovers ln and 75 area. I do things like that very regularly and don't have a problem with it. I do have a company vehicle and gas card though.

It's all about personal preferences. Don't let someone frighten you from McKinney because of reactionary statement like*BUT WHAT OF THE COMMUTE!!!*

Thank you for that! My husband will also have a company vehicle and gas card so that will help too

[CMC_TX]

Originally Posted by Aceraceae

There are many commute nazis around here, but FWIW yesterday I was in Southwest Arlington in the morning then had some things to take care of in the Lovers ln and 75 area. I do things like that very regularly and don't have a problem with it. I do have a company vehicle and gas card though.

It's all about personal preferences. Don't let someone frighten you from McKinney because of reactionary statement like*BUT WHAT OF THE COMMUTE!!!*

I agree! Everyone has different priorities, and as long as you understand the reality of the commute, maybe that's a sacrifice you're willing to make to live in the area that best suits your needs.

People drive from McKinney, Melissa, etc all over Dallas for a variety of reasons daily. That's just life & they are all adults able to make their own decisions about commute time.

Good luck in your search!

[Sazd]

Originally Posted by CMC_TX

I agree! Everyone has different priorities, and as long as you understand the reality of the commute, maybe that's a sacrifice you're willing to make to live in the area that best suits your needs. !

Well said! Now it's just finding that place!

[HockeyDadof2]

I don't think there are an townhomes currently being built in The Shops at Legacy (I could easily be wrong on that) but currently there are 5 pending pre-owned sales of townhomes and one active listing. Offers come in pretty quickly on them, with the exception of the one active listing which has been on the market for 2 months.

[Spree]

>> A townhome would be great, or even a condo. We are looking to buy. Oh, Price range would probably be helpful! Less than $300,000 would be ideal. <<

These are really cute, brand new tudors very close to McKinney square, the library and they are on Tennessee street! (just a little above your 300,000 limit tho)

508 N Tennessee St # A, Mckinney, TX 75069 - New Home for Sale - realtor.com®

508 N Tennessee St # B, Mckinney, TX 75069 - New Home for Sale - realtor.com®

BTW, the map is not right for the location on realtor.com above, plug the address into google maps for a more accurate location.

[PlanoGirl]

Mckinney Square, Frisco Square, Shops at Legacy, Downtown Plano...they all have a pretty different vibe.

Shops at Legacy and Frisco Square are somewhat similar, both with that new urbanism take that has become so popular in the last 15 or so years. Shops at Legacy has the most cosmopolitan feel of the two, and has done a better job retaining shops, restaurants, and residents. It also has more of a nightlife, which caters to the above 30's kid-less crowd and singles that tend to be divorcees/ cougars. Frisco Square has some of that, but it's clientele is more family-oriented, and often has more of a parents-on-date-night kind of feel....though it does depend on the place/night/etc. Frisco Square has also struggled to retain its tenants (both commercial and residential) and it shows. It definitely doesn't have the vibrancy of Shops at Legacy....at least not yet. Maybe in 10 years, but it's got a long way to go. Both have condos or apartments on-site, and maybe even townhomes. Neither has a grocery store within walking distance that I know of, but major groceries are only a few minutes drive away. Frisco Square also hosts a weekly Farmer's Market May through October. I am not sure if Shops at Legacy have something similar, but with the number of stores there, I would expect them to at least have a pharmacy/convenience store for some staples (milk, cereal, etc).

Mckinney Square and Downtown Plano also have some similarities to each other, though both are QUITE different from the two above, as they both have historic structures that house much of their retail and restaurants (a main "street" in Plano's case, and a full "square" and peripheral streets in Mckinney's case) and set a different tone for the area. But there are also some basic ways the two are different. To start with, Plano has a good amount of new urbanism elements mixed in, with relatively recent additions of new condos/apartment/lofts, etc, which is where the majority of its resident population lives. Mckinney, on the other hand, has very few such townhomes/condos in it's downtown area (additional plans are in the works in a couple of undeveloped parcels just off the Square, but it will be at least a couple years before they are ready to inhabit). So Mckinney's downtown residential population comes from the single family historic homes that surround the Square. Plano also has some historic homes, though they are only a handful compared to the hundreds in Mckinney. Plano's downtown also has direct access to the DART rail system. Mckinney has no rail access (Plano's Parker Road station in the closest). So this combination of housing type and DART tends to attract more of a younger crowd/singles/DINKs to Plano's downtown, where they will happily live for a few years before life circumstances may require that they move on to a more typical suburban home. This tends to make downtown Plano's vibe a little more "hip and current" but also a little more transient.
On the flip side, Mckinney's downtown tends to attract a pretty broad mix of young families, established families, empty nesters, and retirees (and maybe some of the younger kid-less couples searching for something a bit different) looking to find an interesting place to settle and call home for a long stretch. This type of housing, combined with the neighborhood spirit it promotes, gives these residents the feeling of a long term community to settle in, while still providing the walkability and downtown appeal of the other three places.

So (to elaborate on Mckinney for a minute...since it's my town and I can share the most insight here), this makes Mckinney's historic district pretty unique for a DFW suburb. The community that lives there is a very tight-knit mix of people from all walks of life, but the one thing they all have in common is their great love of their neighborhood and of the downtown Square. There is a big focus on buying local, supporting the downtown shops and events, and having pride in their unique community. Residents typically know the shop and restaurant owners by first name, as they are often friends, neighbors, or at least a regular part of their daily routine. Live in the Historic District definitely has a time-gone-by feel and that appeals to many, who then move there for that specific reason and hence continue the cycle forward.

Back to a few other comparisons and things you asked about. Neither Plano nor Mckinney's downtown have a immediate grocery, though both host a weekly Farmer's Markets throughout the year. For groceries, Mckinney's also has Hamm's (a typical butchers) and Local Yocal (a grass-fed, pasture-raised butchers that also carries local seasonal produce, in addition to eggs, cheese, milk, fresh bread, etc). Downtown Mckinney's Patina Green is another store with an amazing lunch counter that also carries seasonal produce, though it varies dramatically depending what is fresh and locally available. I know both Mckinney and Plano have a strong cultural presence in their downtown area, with art studios, music venues, and performances venues. I am not as familiar with Plano's downtown offerings in this area, but the historic courthouse in the center of Mckinney's Square is now home to the Mckinney Performing Arts Center, which offers performances in theatre, music, comedy, etc throughout the year.

Back to housing, I have no idea about the prices in Plano's, but you can usually find a home in Mckinney's historic district for under 300K quite easily. It's not going to be one of the bigger fancier ones (those tend to start at 400+), but I've often seen smaller but updated homes perfect for a young family in the 250K range. That said, I had a quick look on realtor.com and I'll admit, it is SLIM pickings at the moment. Only one I see is this one:
412 S Benge St, Mckinney, TX 75069 - Home For Sale and Real Estate Listing - realtor.com®
But keep checking. Once spring hits there will be many more options. I like to search via the Map View on realtor.com so I can zoom in on the area I am really interested in. For reference, the majority of Mckinney's historic homes are bordered by the following streets, though these definitely aren't strict boundaries: Graves St (west), Willie St (south), MacDonald St (east), and Erwin Ave (north). There are also a few townhome-type developments that have sprung up recently, and some that are still being built, so you could always contact a Mckinney-specific realtor to get additional info on those, or even the Visitor's Bureau may know what's coming up in that area (see below for link).

Anyway, I probably could go on and on, but really the best thing is to come for a visit and see which type of lifestyle best suits you and yours. Each of those 4 areas have their pros and cons. I am partial to Mckinney's of course (as you can see by this post and my many other Mckinney-related posts) but I totally get that others may prefer another vibe. Best of luck to you in your hunt! And feel free to DM me if you have any other questions, particularly regarding Mckinney.

And on that note, I'll leave you with a few Mckinney-specific links you might like to check out if you end up going that direction...

Downtown Mckinney Shops, Restaurants, Entertainment:
McKinney, TX - Official Website - Explore Downtown

Mckinney Neighborhood Association website:
McKinney Historic Neighborhood Association

A local blog about living in historic Mckinney
On The Square | What's new in Downtown McKinney On and Around the Square

Mckinney Convention and Visitor's Bureau:
McKinney CVB, TX - Official Website

Mckinney Performing Arts Center:
McKinney, TX - Official Website - Performing Arts Center

Mckinney Farmers' Market:
Chestnut Square Farmer's Market

Local Yocal
Local Yocal

Mckinney News
TownSquareBuzz

[PlanoGirl]

Originally Posted by Spree

>> A townhome would be great, or even a condo. We are looking to buy. Oh, Price range would probably be helpful! Less than $300,000 would be ideal. <<

These are really cute, brand new tudors very close to McKinney square, the library and they are on Tennessee street! (just a little above your 300,000 limit tho)

508 N Tennessee St # A, Mckinney, TX 75069 - New Home for Sale - realtor.com®

508 N Tennessee St # B, Mckinney, TX 75069 - New Home for Sale - realtor.com®

BTW, the map is not right for the location on realtor.com above, plug the address into google maps for a more accurate location.

Excellent find, Spree!

[MckinneyOwnr]

Well. PlanoGirl (who should change her name to McKinneyGirl!) nailed it.

OP, I also live in McKinney, and can vouch for what she says. There are many single family homes in the streets surrounding the downtown area in McKinney, and I know you can find some within your budget without too much difficulty. In fact, I have a friend who is living over there now, her home was built in the 50's, 2bd/2ba that was well under your budget.

Definitely a different feel than you'll get in Plano or Frisco, it's a lot more of a laid back area, not as fast paced. There are several wineries in the area, and some very nice restaurants as well. My wife and I have had a lot of fun weekends there.

EDIT: Sorry PlanoGirl, can't give you any rep unless I spread it around some more