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There is definitely a difference in these three areas.
As for schools, Melissa is a young district as it just added middle school and Sr. High schools within the last two years. There have been some pretty major drug busts involving teens in Van Alstyne within the last year and the same can also be said for Melissa . Anna has excellent new facilities but is not without its problems either. There has been considerable controversy over the administrations handling of personnel and student issues on several occasions recently.
Most people consider Van Alstyne very separate due to the fact it is farther North, is not in Collin County , and is not experiencing the residential growth of Anna and Melissa . There is good and bad everywhere. Some of Mellissa ’s s best new developments are within a mile of the Collin waste dump, the roads inadequate and it has a major reputation as a speed trap and a destination for beer purchases for everyone to the Northeast all the way to the Red River . Still Melissa is pushing forward with an impressive new Town center which will have a great deal of retail space and medical offices. It’s proximity to McKinney means more positive growth.
Anna just got a new grocery store and pharmacy giving it a major leg up on convenience but the roads are inadequate and the city government would rather fight than plan. It also has recently become the only place in Collin County to buy hard liquor and you have every one who desires to purchase it from McKinney , Plano , etc. to the South and anyone closer to Anna than Denison North coming to buy the hard stuff. No dive bars yet but as liquor by the drink is legal; you can bet they are coming. Anna also just approved “drive through” liquor stores. This all did wonders for property values! There are now four good size liquor stores and more on the way and this has become the identity of the town.
Anna has also been ravaged by foreclosures in the last year with the highest foreclosure rate in Collin County next to Aubrey . Almost one in five homes were in foreclosure about six months ago. That seems to be disappearing quickly however as things are stabilizing and builders have simply stopped building in Anna as people snatched up the foreclosures. Unfortunately, many of the homes were purchased by investors making them rental properties.
Ryland closed their models and is currently pulling out as have D. R. Horton, Gehan, Classic Century, Five Star Homes, Arcadia Homes Woodhaven and Lennar. Pioneer, Horizon and Weekly are all in one subdivision and are barely selling any homes. You can get a steal up there though!
Depending on where you work, I would likely bet on Van Alstyne or Melissa . Van Alstyne is still considered way out there but Melissa and Anna are considered more McKinney suburbs. Melissa is thinking forward and is doing much better planning and has good strong leadership. The same cannot be said for Anna.
Taxes are not different enough to make a real difference in where you choose to live.
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Van Alstyne or Melissa/Anna?
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