What is with the fortress-like homes here? (Dallas, Plano: HOA, how much)

[linetwo]

I spent the week-end looking at homes in Frisco and Allen and was so surprised at all the alley-entry homes with giant fences. How do people meet their neighbors if everyone is surrounded by giant fences so large that doorways need to be cut into them? I would be terrified to have my kids ride their bikes out of the alley for fear of being hit by a car. I didn't see any kids playing outside at all in these communities - I really think this has something to do with it. Where I live now and have before (Seattle and Chicago), the gargages are in the front and side, and the kids have access to their bikes and toys, and play out front with chalk and can interact with each other. People can see each other as they go in and out of their homes and get to know each other. I feel if I moved to one of these houses, we would be so isolated.

Is there any other areas I can look that don't have these alley homes? My husband will be working near SMU. Thanks for any help/advice you can give me.

[Macbeth2003]

Originally Posted by linetwo

I spent the week-end looking at homes in Frisco and Allen and was so surprised at all the alley-entry homes with giant fences. How do people meet their neighbors if everyone is surrounded by giant fences so large that doorways need to be cut into them? I would be terrified to have my kids ride their bikes out of the alley for fear of being hit by a car. I didn't see any kids playing outside at all in these communities - I really think this has something to do with it. Where I live now and have before (Seattle and Chicago), the gargages are in the front and side, and the kids have access to their bikes and toys, and play out front with chalk and can interact with each other. People can see each other as they go in and out of their homes and get to know each other. I feel if I moved to one of these houses, we would be so isolated.

Is there any other areas I can look that don't have these alley homes? My husband will be working near SMU. Thanks for any help/advice you can give me.

Look within Dallas and you can avoid that type of homes. If set on the suburbs try older ones like Richardson. In Dallas try the East Dallas area. Lakewood, Munger Place, Junius Heights, The M Streets. Good schools and older non fortress homes. Lots of parks scattered within the neighborhoods so kids can play. We knew our neighbors in days down here.

[FalconheadWest]

There are MANY communities with front entry garage, but most people don't like them. The concept of the front entry is that there are no alleys for theives to hide in and people can see their neighbors coming and going.

The problem is the streets get cluttered with cars, many times they're junky cars, because many people don't actually park in their garages. They like to store things. So to keep a clean street, driveways go in the back so people can park on their driveway and the street look clean. Also, the trash has to be picked up in the front and that looks trashy.

Also, when you have a front entry garage, you typically have a much larger backyard because you don't take half of it for the driveway, however, your yard backs up to your neighbors' yard, and that's the biggest complaint people have. People have 8 foot fences for a reason. They want privacy. Also, when fences are shared like that, it makes it harder to get whatever kind of dog you want, if you want a dog. With the alleys, you only have to worry about one neighor. With front entry, you have to worry about all the neighbors on all sides of you as you're all sharing the same fences. My last house shared fences with 4 other houses... NOT a good situation for me... but everyone's different.

[tycobb2522]

I've lived in houses with front and rear, and very much prefer the rear entry garage with an alley. As described above front entry garages tend to make the neighborhood (and the house) look very junky. Furthermore, many of the houses in Dallas proper have detached garages in the rear yard, so it's not much different.

People have fences in the rear because they want privacy in their back yards, pure and simple. The front yards don't have fences, and regardless of your experiences, believe it or not, neighbors actually do get together, drink beer, barbeque, swap wives, etc.

And no, Dallas doesn't look like Seattle or Chicago, because it's not Seattle or Chicago.

[getmeoutofhere]

Personally, I enjoy a fortress. It discourages annoying kids from ringing my doorbell trying to sell me useless junk, and from irritating neighbors dropping by "just to chat" 2 minutes after I sit down to eat or watch the new "House".

As soon as my request is HOA-approved, I am installing a moat and a boiling-oil device at my property.

[getmeoutofhere]

Originally Posted by tycobb2522

I've lived in houses with front and rear, and very much prefer the rear entry garage with an alley. As described above front entry garages tend to make the neighborhood (and the house) look very junky. Furthermore, many of the houses in Dallas proper have detached garages in the rear yard, so it's not much different.

Front-entry garages are awesome, but only if the neighborhood keeps the cars out of the street. Where I live, the HOA is rabid about that.

[linetwo]

Wow, everyone sounds so friendly - can't wait to move down there.

[getmeoutofhere]

Originally Posted by linetwo

Wow, everyone sounds so friendly - can't wait to move down there.

I'm just kidding. Kind of.

Working near SMU, I would look at the M Streets in Dallas, and University Park, and also Lakewood. Those can be pretty pricey in that area, but they are great neighborhoods.

How much are you wanting to spend on a house?

[tycobb2522]

You mean friendly as in your third post ever on this forum was criticizing the area you are inquiring about, or another kind of friendly?

[Macbeth2003]

Originally Posted by linetwo

Wow, everyone sounds so friendly - can't wait to move down there.

Really we are. This forum has a lot of us that post all the time, and we sometimes sound more extreme for effect.

I have nothing against the big fences and alley entrances, but they aren't for me. I repeat my suggestions for areas you look at. Look at Richardson between Campbell on the North, Beltline on the south, 75 on the east and Coit on the West. Nice homes, most with chain link fences, and they have front entry garages, but narrow alleys for trash pickup.
Also look in older parts of Dallas. Much of Lakewood, and Munger Place, Junius Heights, and the M-Streets are friendly neighborhoods, with front entry garages, some have the privacy fences, but many do not. Look at zip codes 75080, 75081, 75214, 75206 for a start.

It's just two different style of living. Nothing wrong with either, but when looking in Dallas it is easy to see only one or the other, as they are split pretty geographically. Newer homes with rear entry garages and big fences tend to be in Far Northe Dallas, Plano, Frisco, etc. Front entry garages ar in Richardson and older parts of Dallas.

You really will be able to find exactly what you want.