Searching for a nice "smaller" community North of Dallas / Fort Worth Area... (Grand Prairie: lease, house)

[Steve3]

Hello Everyone. I stumbled across this web site and have found a wealth of information already regarding various cities across the country. Now it appears I am going to need to actually post a request for help. I am currently located in Michigan and looking at a job transfer that would take me and my family to the Dallas area. I work in Sales, so I will be spending a lot of time in the car visiting key accounts throughout the Dallas / Fort Worth area (so a specific location isn't required). I live now in a small town in W. Michigan, with a 1/2 acre lot in a very nice neighborhood "in the country". Our pace of life is slow (West Michigan compared to East Michigan..i.e. Detroit area) and I am hopeful that this is something I can keep in Texas. I am seeking a good community with excellent schools, nice neighborhoods with mature trees, and easy acess to shopping/restaurants/major highway. Any insight/tips you can provide is greatly appreciated.

[texahoan]

My wife and I just leased a place out in Rockwall. It's a really nice, upscale and up and coming community. However, it's 22 miles from Downtown Dallas and about an hour from Fort Worth. We went there because my job will be in Mesquite and we didn't want to live there.

[bookworm2768]

Originally Posted by Steve3

Hello Everyone. I stumbled across this web site and have found a wealth of information already regarding various cities across the country. Now it appears I am going to need to actually post a request for help. I am currently located in Michigan and looking at a job transfer that would take me and my family to the Dallas area. I work in Sales, so I will be spending a lot of time in the car visiting key accounts throughout the Dallas / Fort Worth area (so a specific location isn't required). I live now in a small town in W. Michigan, with a 1/2 acre lot in a very nice neighborhood "in the country". Our pace of life is slow (West Michigan compared to East Michigan..i.e. Detroit area) and I am hopeful that this is something I can keep in Texas. I am seeking a good community with excellent schools, nice neighborhoods with mature trees, and easy acess to shopping/restaurants/major highway. Any insight/tips you can provide is greatly appreciated.

What kind of price range would you be looking at? You can find pretty much anything if you can pay for it

[Steve3]

Thanks for the feedback, I will take a look at Rockwall. Our price range is up to $350,000.

[nsumner]

I vote for Rockwall too... although I am partial because I live around here and we love it. You can get a lot for 350K too.

There are other options to if Rockwall is too far east, Grand Prairie, Mansfield.

[stargazer]

My husband just took a job where he is traveling quite a bit around DFW. He was telling me with all the traveling he is doing and knowing his next assignment with his company could be somewhere different, he wishes we lived more central.. which I agree with.

Rockwall is beautiful but it is my opinion it is too far east if your job leads you to traveling to Ft. Worth on a regular basis.

I would try Colleyville, Lewisville, Grapevine, Flowermound.. for more country feel, Argyle. The northwestern suburbs seem to me what your are desiring.
Best wishes

[Steve3]

Thanks everyone for your feedback, it is very much appreciated. I think Rockwall is nice, but appears to be a little too East for me. I will be traveling to both Dallas and Fort Worth, so I would like to find something a bit North of Dallas / Fort Worth that is somewhat centrally located. I am interested in the Northern Suburbs, just need to find one that has more of a country feel and slower pace. I will take a look at Argyle. If anyone has other suggestions, please let me know. Thanks!

[nsumner]

Originally Posted by Steve3

Thanks everyone for your feedback, it is very much appreciated. I think Rockwall is nice, but appears to be a little too East for me. I will be traveling to both Dallas and Fort Worth, so I would like to find something a bit North of Dallas / Fort Worth that is somewhat centrally located. I am interested in the Northern Suburbs, just need to find one that has more of a country feel and slower pace. I will take a look at Argyle. If anyone has other suggestions, please let me know. Thanks!

Check the following cities up north: Bartonville, Double Oak, Flower Mound, Grapevine, (Colleyville/Southlake would be a bad fixer upper in the 350K). It would depend on what you consider a country town too, Carrollton is centrally located and can be a good medium, I'd suggest checking it out.

Naima

[sonshinelife]

Double Oak is really nice (from what I've seen) and I hear the schools are decent. Not sure what district it is related to...it may be it's own district. I use to work with someone that now teaches for a school in Double Oak. She loves it...however, she says they are a little behind in times on some things. She loves living there and has for a long time. She is concerned though that it is changing daily and becoming more populated.

[Steve3]

I appreciate the feedback. I will be checking out the areas suggested.

I also really like the locations for both Grapevine and Carrollton (closer to DFW airport), but I'm guessing the opportunites to find 1/2 acre lots (or larger) are pretty much non-existent. Looking to find a nice house with a larger lot and a little bit of space. If anyone has ideas if this is achievable in these areas please advise.