Lakeside Neighborhood Plano (Dallas, Frisco, Richwood: apartments, insurance, crime)

[biomedmark]

I need information about Lakeside area in Plano. We just landed here in DFW and our realtor showed us a home that we fell in love with. Please advise us about neghiborhood, safety, schools, amenities, shopping, dinning,churches and hospitals in this town. How long it takes to drive to UTD during rush hours? Is this a good area for buying a house? How long does it take to drive to good private schools?

[CMC_TX]

Originally Posted by biomedmark

I need information about Lakeside area in Plano. We just landed here in DFW and our realtor showed us a home that we fell in love with. Please advise us about neghiborhood, safety, schools, amenities, shopping, dinning,churches and hospitals in this town. How long it takes to drive to UTD during rush hours? Is this a good area for buying a house? How long does it take to drive to good private schools?

If you're talking about "Lakeside on Preston" this is in the most desirable area of Plano. Great location @ Parker & Preston with easy access to Dallas North Tollway.

This neighborhood has tennis courts, private park & security patrol/video surveillance. I don't know the exact crime stats, but I know it's safe.

As far as amenities like shopping, dining, etc, you can't find a much better location in Collin County. You're close to all the shopping at Park & Preston, Shops at Willow Bend Mall and countless restaurants. Shops at Legacy is nearby and also has secondary locations for a lot of the popular restaurants in Dallas proper.

Baylor & Presby hospitals are located nearby. Neighborhood is in the Plano West feeder pattern, so public schools are excellent. It's also easy to get to Trinity Christian Academy (right up the tollway) or Prestonwood Christian Academy. Dallas private schools are further, as they are South of 635, but being close to the tollway puts you closer to them than many other locations...

As far as UTD, I'd go East on Parker to Independence (turns into Waterview) and that'll put you at UTD in less than 15 min from Lakeside...

If you are looking in West Plano, I think it's a great option.

[biomedmark]

Thank you. How would you compare it to Avignon, Estates of West Park and Richwoods. We are going there on Friday.

[CMC_TX]

It depends on whether the most important factor is new construction or not. Richwoods would be further from any decent private school and also further from UTD than the other neighborhoods you're considering.

West Park & Avignon are also great locations. My concern with West Park would be buying at the highest end of the residential market in that zip code (75075), as this is an infill development. Some people might have a concern with future resale, given the other neighborhoods in the immediate area are older & at a lower price point. However, I think it'll still be fine due to a good central location and demand for newer homes in the area. WP is one of the few new home subdivisions in that area, so that'll be a selling point.

Some people don't like the water tower next to Avignon, but with new/newer construction in a prime location like that, there is going to be some give & take.

I would personally go with Lakeside if you are okay with the age of the home. I think the location is best out of the 4 you mentioned, and I'd pick Avignon as 2nd if you need something newer than what Lakeside offers. These neighborhoods are both in good locations for resale value & very convenient to Dallas Tollway, UTD & any shopping or restaurant you could want.

[esk1]

Originally Posted by CMC_TX

Some people don't like the water tower next to Avignon, but with new/newer construction in a prime location like that, there is going to be some give & take.

I would personally go with Lakeside if you are okay with the age of the home. I think the location is best out of the 4 you mentioned, and I'd pick Avignon as 2nd if you need something newer than what Lakeside offers. These neighborhoods are both in good locations for resale value & very convenient to Dallas Tollway, UTD & any shopping or restaurant you could want.

I live in castlemere on the south side of windhaven and love it, This is pretty solid advice. It is also worth noting that the land that is up for contention to be re-zoned is the land right around avignon so no one knows what exactly is going to be built there. The original request was to have apartments but has been sent back to the drawing board. That land around there will be developed soon and its probably mostly retail and mixed use but we aren't sure yet. If any of that concerns you can find out more here: Stop Haggard Farms West Rezoning - Home

Personally I'd rather have a slightly older home in an established neighborhood but everyone has their quirks.

[Big G]

Most people buy in Plano specifically for the public schools. If you're planning to go the private school route, Plano isn't particularly well-situated. Pretty much all the primo private schools are located in north Dallas.

IMO, you would be better served buying right by UTD, or even south of UTD, as you'd be closer to work AND closer to your kids' private school(s).

Of the neighborhoods listed, West Park is going to be easily the closest to UTD - the neighborhood is even zoned to the same senior high as many of the residences surrounding UTD. Probably a 10 minute drive, max. However, the previous poster's caveats on West Park are spot-on.

[TurtleCreek80]

Lakeside is my favorite Plano neighborhood! And I generally find Plano / Frisco to be pretty vanilla.

But I agree- you don't want to live any further north than Lakeaide if you're commuting to Dallas private schools daily. Depending on your budget, I'd first look in Preston Hollow/ North Dallas neighborhoods in 75225, 75220, 75230, 75229. These are all safe and pretty neighborhoods that meet your criteria: tons of shopping & dining nearby, tons of churches/ temples, and very close to both Medical City and Presbyterian hospitals in Dallas. Not a bad commute to the Dallas medical district or Plano's hospitals either! Public schools aren't great so you'd need to know you have admissions into privates before buying. Plano is better if you aren't sure if you'll be admitted or use privates. But all of the major private schoolls are in the Preston Hollow / North Dallas neighborhood - Hockaday, St Marks, ESD, Greenhill, Ursuline, Jesuit, etc.

[biomedmark]

This forum has been my life line since last week. We are leaning towards Lakeside as Frisco seems too far from UTD, Dallas, airports and private schools. Plano schools look academically oriented and we would like to keep kids there but private schools aren't that far so switching wouldn't mean moving house. Avignon doesn't have many homes left and Richwood is farther then our liking. I truly appreciate your input. DFW is treating us well. I love abundance of free parking.

[mandmmom82]

Plano is a good bet. It's in Collin County so your insurance rates will be lower. It is also consistently named as the safest city in the US. I find that city government is much more efficient than Dallas County. The school system is also consistently great as well.

Plano is great for shopping and family amenities (parks, biking trails, free events at churches and libraries, etc). On the top of my head, there's at least three hospitals convenient to the Lakeside area. It's convenient to the Tollway and the Turnpike, and the freeway 75 is about 15-20 minutes east. To commute to UTD, just drive east to Independence, which will take you directly to UTD, 10-15 minutes away. With Toyota moving to Plano, the economy will also improve, which is already pretty good to start with.

I personally like Plano because it is culturally and economically diverse. Kids aren't in an affluent bubble with no exposure to people from different cultures or economic backgrounds.