Rowlett? (Dallas, Garland, Rockwall: appointed, sale, foreclosed)

[yahoo1]

Ok momo I get your point, but what I am trying to let others know here is that you are comparing apples to apples when saying the golf course community in Garland or Rockwall are better or those cities are so much better than Rowlett. From my perspective I thought they were pretty similar; BUT I will be honest and say I came here with the expectation that not many communities in Dallas would be nearly as nice or educated and wealthy as ones I am familiar with in suburbs of Boston, New York and Washington DC. But since you are so familiar with waterview im sure you know where I live; I will not give the exact address but waterview pky in the mid 10000's. This part of the community is prestine and I have a great view of the golf course and the lake in a very large house and all the houses are VERY well kept; also based on the other communities I looked at this section would definetly pass as 'upscale' for Dallas in general. I do know what you mean by some of the houses not being kept as they should in the general area of Rowlett...but again...take a drive around Dallas and Texas in general for that matter I seem to find this more common overall in this state.

[momof2dfw]

There is nothing similiar between Rowlett and Garland or Rowlett and Rockwall. They don't even compare. Yes, they all three have their bad areas but there are so many more nicer areas in the other two that can not even begin to compare to anything in Rowlett. If you came here as you said w/ a low expectation of the level of education of people in the Dallas area and the amount of wealth, you sold yourself WAY short. The Dallas area has many areas of wealth and upscale residential. Something that is sorely lacking in the community you did pick to live in and is not considered "upscale" by Dallas standards at all. If it is where you are most comfortable then that is all that matters. For the record I had no clue at all where in Waterview you lived. Yet it is still a stretch to call any part of Waterview pristine and well kept all the way around. If you ever find yourself wanting to get into a true "upscale" area in the Dallas metroplex we can help point you in the right direction.

[qqqqman62]

Wow! Thanks so much for the responses yahoo1 and momof2dfw. You are very nice for posting pictures for me. This will turn out helping me more than you would ever know! I am so glad I found this forum.

So Rockwall and Garland both have better schools? I know the Waterview community itself recieved fairly good ratings, if you were to directly compare the golf course and community amenities as well as the upkeep by members of the three communities for the hoa paid is waterview at the bottom?
Also I have not seen any of these communities in person but of the realtors I spoke with they tell me waterview is really nice even though and executive home with a course view or lake view is 400k there and 500 or 600 in Garland or Rockwall meaning they would make more by selling a house elsewhere. So they must like Rowlett/waterview to some extent, I think? So I am really being decieved that much by sifting through Mls listings? Momo could you take a look in the mls here (broken link) .... and tell me what I am missing? select the following fields on the drop down menus- rowlett, 300-425k, golf course lot or pool and over 3500 sq ft- these properties actually do look extremely good. yes/no? Did you live in waterview?
Is Forney any good?

yahoo1- what exactly have you encountered in that development that would annoy most sane people? Including what momo has listed?

Does anyone new have opinions on Rowlett? Including the people on this thread that chimed in but didnt give opinons?

[momof2dfw]

Sorry, I've been touch and go on here w/ all of the Christmas stuff going on.

No, I do not live in Waterview. I did live in Rowlett though and got out. At least while I still could since now with just about every road and intersection there shut down or under major construction it is a NIGHTMARE!!! To travel to or thru.

Schools: Rowlett does NOT have their own school district and this gets under some peoples skin there. The Dallas County side attends Garland schools and the Rockwall County side attends Rockwall school. Every now and then a group in Rowlett gets togehter complaining that they have kids from Garland coming to their schools and they want to have their own school district. This is so out of the question it's not even feasible in the least bit. Garland ISD has many elem schools, 2 middle schools and 1 high school in Rowlett. Rockwall ISD had one LARGE elem school in Rowlett. The rest have to cross the lake over into Rockwall for jr. high and high school.

If your spending over $300K, don't do it in Rowlett. The home I bought in 1997 for right at $200K is appraised for less than that now. I ended up dumping the house for $180 just to get it sold. That was over 2 years ago. It still has not gone up in value and it is a 3000 sq foot home w/ lots of custom upgrades in what should, SHOULD be a nice upper-middle neighborhood. It does not help when you have teenage runaways living at the community pools. Basically, Rowlett is a Walmart town. They have one but they act like it too. It is not an upscale area that I would sink $300-450K into. As I pointed out earlier, when it comes to Waterview, there are just WAY TOO many foreclosures in there and the homes are not selling nor holding any value. Look on the Dallas County Tax office website at the values on these homes (www.dallascad.org). Put in the street "Waterview" and then pull up some of the listings and see the 2006 value and what it has been in the past. For example here is one that in 2006 their value was $264,200. For 2002 and 2003 it was at $322,460. This is pretty much the same for all of them. As far as the 2006 value, none of them are over the low 300's. You should not pay much more than the tax appraised value on a home. 10% is the general rule of thumb for the difference that the tax value and the real market value should be. You can get a golf course house in Garland & Rockwall in a better area and one that has held its value and will increase for less than $500K. I know of several that are REALLY nice that are much better than those in Waterview in the mid 400's. While the realtor may make more money by what you see there could be incentives to them to sell the other houses that you won't know about.

[momof2dfw]

Here is a post I copied that was just put on a city forum in Rowlett from someone that lives there. Maybe this can also help shed some light on this craphole place for you.
----------------------------------------------------------
Rowlett Observations for a future mayor/council
« Thread started on: Dec 20th, 2006, 10:22pm »

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'd like to see Rowlett thrive and reach its full potential.

Maybe a future mayor and future city council could consider these points for today and moving forward (since we have these problems today)?

From my short tenure in Rowlett, these are the issues that I've noticed:


Roads Conditions

The main road conditions, alleys, and neighborhood roads are in bad shape in Rowlett.

It seems they city council and mayor waited to do many of road repairs at roughly the same time and now we will have a bit of a traffic problem that may last awhile.

Why haven't the roads been maintained? This is almost a basic necessity. Slapping a pile of asphalt and calling it good isn’t an ideal repair.

It feels like once the repair crews fix one side of the road, the other side of the road will be destroyed from the previously diverted traffic – a never ending cycle?

It feels like someone doesn't have their act together when it comes to keep road conditions up to speed in Rowlett.

I know it's being some addressed now -- but, it needs to happen in the alleys and neighborhoods as well... and continue everywhere through the city moving forward.



City planning

I keep hearing rumors of tattoo parlors, graveyards, crematoriums, biker shops, porn, etc. being considered near family establishments or being opened in a highly visible, prime spot on a major roadways or near a neighborhood. Also, I have this feeling that low-rent apartments or cheap, subsidized housing may spring up soon (thus bringing down the area). Quite frustrating to say the least.

I’d like to see Highway 66 be modeled after Plano's Preston Road. Take a drive during the day or night between Park and Preston and Spring Creek and Preston (along Preston Road). I believe it has a nice look -- and Highway 66 should be modeled after this look.

I'm crossing my fingers that Highway 66 doesn't end up poorly planned – crematoriums, graveyards, tattoo parlors, motorcycle bars, urban artwork, etc.... with little or no landscaping and poor lightning.

I believe that Highway 66 should contain family friendly shops, clean strip malls (have a clean/new look with consistency)... with plenty of well-done street lightning and nice landscaping everywhere.

Plano's Preston Road is a good example of the great lighting and landscaping.

I see that where George Bush Turnpike will be coming through that large Billboards are already being placed in empty fields… I hope that Rowlett city council will carefully plan what businesses go along George Bush Turnpike – and the landscaping/lighting will be done throughout the process... from the beginning.

The old Brookshire’s shopping mall area needs help badly.

Maybe the old Brookshire’s should be converted to a City building for some civil function or some other family-friendly business?

That corner shopping area (where the old Brookshire’s is located) needs be freshly painted (parking lot, buildings), it needs better lighting, newer looking/modern looking signs on the road as well as on the businesses (roughly same size signs), shrubs, etc. – that area should invite your business and it should be not dark, dirty, and run-down looking (as it is today).

That corner mall needs a modern and fresh/new look now -- not later. In my opinion, it's an eye sore we have to pass when we drive through the Rowlett Road and Highway 66 intersection.



City Ordinances

Many houses, yards, and fences are in bad shape.

I believe we may need tougher enforcements.

Many of the houses are not being painted, the wood is rotting, roofs are busted up, are some houses were last painted in strange colors, many of the house shrubs are often overgrown in front (up to the roof because they’ve not been cut in years), 1 foot tall grass is often present (someone has to phone it in to have it cut – poor enforcement – couldn’t fire/police/council make a note of these types of houses), and fences are often falling down.

Maybe it should be easy to report eye sores on the Rowlett website? Maybe tougher proactive enforcement is needed?

Please drive around and notice the houses with shrubs up to the roof (due to poor maintenance), tall grass (during the summer -- not cut for months), rotting wood (people not painting), busted roofs, etc... I believe we need tougher enforcement... throughout the entire city... I believe even the Main street area has homes with busted roofs, rotting wood, not painting for 10 years, etc... however, this problem is throughout the city.

[momof2dfw]

cont'd


Landscaping and Lighting.

I’m not talking the entire city; however, Rowlett Road, Highway 66, Dalrock Road, and Miller Road should be landscaped and the lighting should be excellent at night (bright along Highway 66 – not as bright for the other roads mentioned).

The trees along Miller Road were one of the big reasons I moved to Rowlett ( I know it sounds silly) – however, the road repairs are chopping down a lot the bushes and trees along Rowlett Road and Miller Road… I hope landscaping and lighting is done after these repairs have been performed.

As far as landscaping, I'd like to see Rowlett Road, Miller Road, Dalrock Road, and Highway 66 landscaped... nice shrubs, trees, bushes, grass areas, etc.

Rowlett Road by Chicken Express (that neighborhood area along Rowlett Road could easily support crape myrtles near those telephone terminals)... also, that area of run down fences along Rowlett Road should have something done as well -- either mask the ugly fences with a brick wall or maybe pass a city ordinance that fences must be the same height along a major roadway..?

I hope we don’t see any more huge metal greenhouses erected in the backyards of people along Rowlett road or any other major road in Rowlett… it’s an eye sore. And the large satellite dishes should not be allowed in Rowlett moving forward.

As a side note, neighborhood roads needs to be wide enough to support parking as well as safe driving -- if not, only one side of the road be allowed for parking (city ordinance?). Check out Locust Street neighborhood (off Rowlett Road) to see what I mean... entirely too narrow to easily support parking on both sides of the road as well as safe driving (and people park on both sides currently).

I suspect other neighborhoods have the same narrow-road-and-people-park-on-both-sides problem... can fire trucks make it safely and easily through these narrow streets (where people park on both sides) ?

Lastly, the Rowlett Road bridge over Ray Hubbard needs repair and landscaping too.



Rowlett’s water conversation plan is poorly conceived and implemented

Seems like the other cities aren’t doing their fair share; however, Rowlett citizens bear a large burden with high rates and a poorly conceived water conservation plan.

I believe our water rates and conservation plan should be along the lines of the rest of the area and our water bill should be easily read.

In my opinion, allow people to water on whatever day they choose… no more just 1 day a week.

Bill accordingly.

Stop selectively enforcing the 1 day a week water conservation plan.

However, don’t allow anyone to water between 9:00 a.m. and 6 p.m. moving forward. No reason to water between between 9:00 a.m. and 6 p.m. now or ever.



-----

I believe the above issues maybe greatly compounded when our population explodes due to our ideal location.

Due to our location, I think Rowlett has the potential for an explosion in growth and people (due to George Bush Turnpike opening soon, close location to downtown, close location to the lake, etc) ... carefully city governance/planning is paramount right now and for the very near future. No offense, but I don't want us to end-up like Garland.. I believe we need action on the above now as well as moving forward.

I thought I'd throw together this quick post together... not sure if anyone feels the same....


-------------------------------------

No thanks. I'll take Garland ANYDAY over Rowlett. One drive down Hwy 66 is enough to make one realize how bad the place really is. There are MUCH nicer areas in Garland and we do have the new mall and lots of other great stores and restaurants that Rowlett will never see come to their town.

[momof2dfw]

Now here is a response from someone w/in the city explaining why some of these things will never happen.

------------------------------------------------------------

I appreciate your taking an interest in your community. We need people in this city that are willing to constructively criticize the leadership.

Having said that, I think that you probably aren't aware of some things and possibly have also taken some things out of context.

Roads Conditions

This comes down to a lack of future planning by previous administrations in Rowlett. The previous Mayor and respective council were content to keep Rowlett in "the country" and completely ignored the eastward creep when the Richardson telecom corridor and the 190 were being developed. They did almost nothing to plan for the growth of this community and that includes planning for street repairs and improvements.

I am not saying that this administration hasn't made its share of mistakes, but they were working at a major disadvantage when they started and have been trying to play catch-up ever since.

Also, with virtually no commercial tax base in Rowlett, the burden for all these costs are put on the homeowners. The residents denied a bond measure this year that was slated to be used for many of these alley improvements among other things. ( I don't blame them. I understand that we are all tapped in terms of taxes.)

City planning

For what it's worth, I am the current Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission for Rowlett. You are correct when you say that their have been applications before us for crematoriums and tattoo parlors. If I can help it, we are not going allow any business in town that doesn't not enhance the lives our citizens. Your comment concerns me when you say that these types of businesses are "being considered". Keep in mind that anyone bring an application before P&Z. This is a large stretch from saying that we are actually considering approving them.

On the issue of the 190. I can assure you that thousands of man hours have been expended making sure that Rowlett receives the best possible plan from the NTTA as it relates to the 190. I believe that the 190 is the catalyst for the future of Rowlett and for one, I am extremely excited for the future.

Regarding the Brookshire's, We are all painfully aware what I eyesore this is in Rowlett. We have had many developers come to us with a plan to clean it up. Unfortunately, so far, no one has followed through with a plan that will bring that corner up to current standards. Everyone wants to do it on the cheap and it does not help us redevelop that corner. We will keep working.

City Ordinances

This is an interesting topic. In my experience, people love the idea of the local government enforcing standards. That is until it directly impacts them or their property. The same goes with homeowners associations. People love the idea of a body that is created to help keep up property values until they actually have to live by the rules of one. Then they feel that their rights are being infringed upon.

So, code enforcement is a balancing act. You don't want to impose it so strictly that people feel like they live in a Gestapo state, however we need to make sure that the biggest violators are dealt with accordingly.

Landscaping

Again, this goes back to a money issue. We allow would like to see nicely lit and nicely landscaped roadways. Do we want to fork over the money it terms of tax dollars to make it a reality? I am not sure that we do.

Again, I commend you for your interest in your city. I hope that I have been able clarify some things for you and others.

[Barnum]

Have lived in Rowlett now for 19 years. Used to be rural, friendly small town, easy access and inexpensive. Now it's nothing more than a suburb of Dallas. Ugly highways, businesses and the cost of services has gone up and up. If you like uninhabited strip malls come here.

Would suggest you consider Rockwall (just across the lake). Much more intent on keeping small town charm.

If I sound bitter, I am. This town has let my wife and I down big time. The city council's idea of a city is big box businesses, and the more the merrier. In the meantime our taxes have shot up through the roof.

We are sorry we moved here, and wish we could afford to go somewhere else....We can't!

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by Barnum

Have lived in Rowlett now for 19 years. Used to be rural, friendly small town, easy access and inexpensive. Now it's nothing more than a suburb of Dallas. Ugly highways, businesses and the cost of services has gone up and up. If you like uninhabited strip malls come here.

Would suggest you consider Rockwall (just across the lake). Much more intent on keeping small town charm.

If I sound bitter, I am. This town has let my wife and I down big time. The city council's idea of a city is big box businesses, and the more the merrier. In the meantime our taxes have shot up through the roof.

We are sorry we moved here, and wish we could afford to go somewhere else....We can't!

If you have lived there for 19 years then you have had ample opportunity to make a difference. Rowlett has ALWAYS been a part of the greater Dallas metroplex. I've been here for my entire life and have seen WAY MORE growth than you could ever dream of. Your negativity has probably not helped you in seeing the beauty of the area and to give back and make a difference. Let me guess, your one of the ones that has voted down every bond election that comes forth. If so then you have no one else to blame but yourself for the high taxes, high utility rates, horrible road conditions and the lack of businesses. Rowlett NEEDS the businesses to help take some of the tax burden OFF of the homeowners. That is how it works. Businesses pay MORE in taxes than homeowners. A bedroom community is typically ALWAYS going to have higher property taxes. Don't blame everything on just the current mayor. When you have a screwed up system and people fighting you every step against progress, this is what your stuck with. I don't think there is a sane enough person that is crazy enough to run for mayor there this next year. And put up w/ the crap spewed constantly from people like you that are never happy........... no thanks. I just hope that where ever it is you finally move to that you don't put it in such shape that you have the one your currently in. And I do hope you find happiness, this world is way too big and wonderful to live for so long in a place that makes one unhappy.

[eray]

MOMO
When it comes to Rowlett, you do not know what you are talking about. I am sure that some of what you are saying is probably true about resistance to change but it is probably true of many small communities that experience the burst of growth that Rowlett has exerienced. Just because you are aware of a few that are uninformed or "set in their ways" does not represent the mass majority of Rowlett. Rowlett is an oasis in the middle of the bigger city life of Dallas and Garland. I rarely would ever take the time to write anything like this, but what you said about Rowlett is stupid.
Rowlett is a great place to live and raise a family. The schools are great. There are many, many highly educated homeowners in Rowlett.
Respectfully your opinion is very uneducated in itself. And it is just "your" opinion.
This has been my opinion. ERAY