Apartments/Houses near SMU. HELP! (Dallas, McKinney: hardwood floors, for sale, real estate)

[barbara_abad]

Dear All,

I've just accepted a job at SMU and will be moving from NY. I'd like to live near campus. Where should I look? Does anyone have any leads? Thanks so much. I'm unsure where to start. Thanks!

[Spree]

Congrats! The area around SMU is called the Park Cities. It has some of the more expensive real estate. There are apartments, condo's and duplex's in the area as well as houses. I'm not sure what the area is called on the east side of 75 but that would be an area to look at as well. Hopefully some locals can chime in and give you more specific info.

[momof2dfw]

Are you wanting to buy a house or looking to rent an apartment/condo/loft for awhile? If you want to buy and depending on your price range the Park Cities are very nice (Highland Park and University Park - each their own incorporated city w/ a shared school district that is not part of the Dallas ISD). There is also Preston Hollow w/ very nice large lots/estates, this is Dallas city limits and Dallas ISD schools but w/ very good schools serving that area. If those are out of your budget ($500K will only get you a small duplex) but still wanting to buy look in Lake Highlands, M Streets, Glenridge Estates, Lakewood and even around Midway/Royal & Midway/Forest & Walnut Hill (an older area of ranch homes on large treed lots that is really starting to pick up in interest to families, never really went down though, many great private schools in this area). These are all in the inner loop inside of 635-LBJ and still convienent to get to SMU and around Dallas.

If your looking to rent an apartment/condo/loft then look around the area just east of 75-Central around Mockingbird at Mockingbird Station. On the west of 75-Central try looking around Knox-Henderson/McKinney Ave as there are several townhomes in that area as well. The old hotel that was at the corner of 75-Central and Mockingbird has been totally redone and is glorious and they have built a new building next to it called the Palmar that has units for rent and I believe for sale also, just opened in the last few months.

Good luck and welcome to the Big D

[dfwcre8tive]

The Village apartment community is pretty close, too. Lots of students and young people live there.

http://www.thevillageapts.com

[Lakewooder]

See my post on "Renting in Dallas". I am a graduate of SMU, and a lot of people live in the condos and apartments just east of Greenville Avenue off University. Most of the complexes are from the early to mid 1960s but have been well-maintained. Some have been completely redone and some are scheduled to be redeveloped. The foodie palace Central Market is a short walk. And you are close to all the interesting shops and restaurants of Lower Greenville.

You can be at SMU and parked in 5 minutes or you can walk, ride a bike or take the free Mustang Bus Shuttle.

[hamiltonpl]

I agree with Lakewooder. Those are some really well kept apartments. I'd consider living there if I went to SMU. Also, the Village is a great apartment area (it's comprised of many different complexes with a "Country Club" in the middle of it).

[Lakewooder]

Those complexes have apartments which are pretty large, and nearly all have real fireplaces (not the standard cheapies they put in new homes) and hardwood floors in the dens.

[marchrtin16]

Lakewooder has some some pretty good suggestions. I would also suggest looking into a brand-new building going up right on SMU Blvd. Check out SHELBY - Exclusive Apartment Living It will be aready for August 2009 move-ins so may be perfect timing for you.