Neighborhoods in Dallas - Best Fit (Richardson, Canyon: homes, magnet school, clubhouse)

[entrepreneursf]

Hello all,



I grew up in Richardson and currently in Boston w/family of 5 and we're thinking of moving back to Dallas to be closer to family.



We're looking for a neighborhood that has a community feel, kids can run around/ride bikes outside, close to green space and close to or relatively close to the top private schools in Dallas.



We're moderates and would like to stay away from neighborhood of extremes (super conservative/super liberal).



Our budget is up to $7MM but would just as happy finding the right neighborhood and the home being $500k.



Neighborhoods we're considering:


1. Lakewood
2. Disney Streets
3. Hockaday

4. Greenway Parks

5. Bluffview

6. Northern part of Preston Hollow between Royal/Forest & Preston/Hillcrest

7. Canyon Creek
8. Area by Park Hill Jr High



Open to other areas as well but not too far north as I will be officing in Uptown.



Thank you all for your thoughts in advance!

[Grlmomdallas]

I would focus on the Park Cities in case your kids don’t get into the top privates.

[FarNorDFW]

+1 to the above. Competition for the top privates has become intense with the growth DFW has experienced over the last decade.

For the kids playing outside unsupervised, I’d target Canyon Creek, Prestonwood (what you call Park Hill) and I’d add the neighborhood surrounding St. Rita/Jesuit with an emphasis on getting close to St. Rita. The last one is actually the best for that from my perspective (reminds me of growing up in the late 80s/early 90s), but most of those kids go St. Rita and on to Jesuit/Ursuline so they might be out for you.

But with your budget, I’d go Park Cities and still try to go private. You’ll get a great neighborhood, kids playing outside, great commute, great public school back up and still a good spot to target private schools.

[NTXPerson]

I agree with the areas mentioned above. I grew up with friends who lived in the Disney Streets neighborhood. It is definitely a neighborhood where you will experience a community feel. I will throw in another recommendation - Sparkman neighborhood. It’s definitely on the $500k end. However, this neighborhood, in my experience, had the most quintessential friendly neighborhood I have experienced. I grew up with friends who lived there as well. Several friends have even moved back to this neighborhood now that they’re married and starting to have kids. There are a lot of kids in the neighborhood. You will see kids running around to each others homes, riding bikes, and playing in the neighborhood park. There is a neighborhood pool and clubhouse which is packed with families from the neighborhood in the summer. There is also an annual July 4th parade where streets will compete against each other for who has the best float. It’s an incredible community. I would totally live there if and when we look to move again. There is a website, google “Sparkman Club neighborhood.”

Sparkman is also in NW Dallas very close to the private schools.

[entrepreneursf]

Thanks for the insights, hadn’t heard of St Rita and Sparkman neighborhoods will put on list to check out. Why not Lakewood area?

[Grlmomdallas]

Originally Posted by entrepreneursf

Thanks for the insights, hadn’t heard of St Rita and Sparkman neighborhoods will put on list to check out. Why not Lakewood area?

So far from the private schools and it’s in DISD. Probably 30 minutes from st marks on a regular day

[NP78]

Originally Posted by entrepreneursf

Thanks for the insights, hadn’t heard of St Rita and Sparkman neighborhoods will put on list to check out. Why not Lakewood area?

Lakewood is a great neighborhood (I am biased), but it is a little far from a lot of the private schools.

Still, lots of private school families in the neighborhood attending either the East Dallas privates like St. John’s, St. Thomas, Lakehill, BL as well as the North Dallas private schools.

[urbancuriosity]

Your budget is $7MM but you'd prefer $500K? I understand...but that's quite a range.

[TurtleCreek80]

Park Cities is the only option where you have neighborhood schools anywhere near the same caliber as elite privates without having to navigate DISD’s magnet school admissions / lotteries. You can check out Richardson (schools are also excellent) but IMO not worth doubling your commute time to Uptown when you have a HPISD sized budget.

Be aware for private schools, it will be quite difficult to get 3 kids into an elite private in one go unless they magically happen to be spaced apart so that they are all in expansion years (typically PK4, Kinder, 5th & 9th / and 1st for boys applying to St Marks). Aside from that it’s attrition only unless 1) you’re Catholic applying to Catholic schools where my sense is they would be more accommodating or 2) you’re a new very high profile CEO or other public figure.

[numbersguy100]

In your spot, I would target the area between Preston and Hillcrest from Royal to Forest. Honestly, I'd be willing to take the gamble that you get your kids into at least one good Dallas private school.