East Dallas Relocation (Plano, Garland, Mesquite: for sale, real estate, mobile home)

[lone sailor]

Well the wife and I have both decided to move back to Dallas this summer. I am getting a transfer to the area with my current job, and my wife is doing the same with hers, so we are A-okay on employment. We're really looking hard and heavy up through the I30 corridor and surrounding areas. Not really looking for in town living, but would like to be close enough to make the commute to downtown Dallas within about 45 minutes. I'd like to hear some good/bad/indifferent on areas east and west from Rockwall to Caddo Mills, and north and south from Lavon to Quinaln, and anywhere in between. Also, if anyone knows any good real estate agents, please DM me with any contact info. Thanks all.

[momof2dfw]

What price range are you looking into? This will make a difference in what areas I'd say to look at. I have many friends in Rockwall, Royce City, Fate, Heath and know the area on up past Quinlan.

I wouldn't do anywhere past Royce City. The area from Royce City up to Quinlan is way too hodge-podge. Some people have built some LOVELY homes on huge parcels that are just dynamite. However, when it comes time to sell they are not going to come close to getting what they put into it from the sale. They also are going to have a harder time selling because of the location. I know that one of these huge houses on acreage is for sale on Hwy 276 and I personally wouldn't touch it. Love the outside of the house and the amount of land it sits on but not the area for THAT size of house and amenities.

Royce City is nice and everyone I know out there is very happy. They do have to drive into Rockwall for their major shopping as there is not a grocery store out there. I'd expect a Walmart to be eyeing it though. After all they did build one in Quinlan.

Fate is smaller and between Rockwall and Royce City.

I like Rockwall, Heath and McClendon-Chisholm better. Closer to all of your needs from the "big city", easier to get around to other areas of the metroplex, real estate values are more steady.

Lavon, eh. I'm right down the road from Lavon Lake and it feels like a million miles away when your up there even though it is only 15 minutes away. Still a hodge-podge of development. Same goes for Nevada.

The other option would be to look in Parker. Large lots that seem like your "out in the country" but close enough to everything you need and better real estate values that are holding tight.

[lone sailor]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

What price range are you looking into? This will make a difference in what areas I'd say to look at. I have many friends in Rockwall, Royce City, Fate, Heath and know the area on up past Quinlan.

I wouldn't do anywhere past Royce City. The area from Royce City up to Quinlan is way too hodge-podge. Some people have built some LOVELY homes on huge parcels that are just dynamite. However, when it comes time to sell they are not going to come close to getting what they put into it from the sale. They also are going to have a harder time selling because of the location. I know that one of these huge houses on acreage is for sale on Hwy 276 and I personally wouldn't touch it. Love the outside of the house and the amount of land it sits on but not the area for THAT size of house and amenities.

Royce City is nice and everyone I know out there is very happy. They do have to drive into Rockwall for their major shopping as there is not a grocery store out there. I'd expect a Walmart to be eyeing it though. After all they did build one in Quinlan.

Fate is smaller and between Rockwall and Royce City.

I like Rockwall, Heath and McClendon-Chisholm better. Closer to all of your needs from the "big city", easier to get around to other areas of the metroplex, real estate values are more steady.

Lavon, eh. I'm right down the road from Lavon Lake and it feels like a million miles away when your up there even though it is only 15 minutes away. Still a hodge-podge of development. Same goes for Nevada.

The other option would be to look in Parker. Large lots that seem like your "out in the country" but close enough to everything you need and better real estate values that are holding tight.

Thanks for the giving me some extra ideas to think about.

We are pretty laid back people and enjoy the simpler things in life. We're not much on needing a whole lot, and we do most of our shopping in bulk so we can make it a month or better without having to shop for anything except maybe a few perishables. We will need at least 2 acres though for the few head of cattle that I run, so that will make some difference on the location. I'd probably consider anything between 2-20 acres. As far as price range, probably $200k or less, and 2000 square foot house or less. We don't really need a huge house, just enough to get us by. We do have a couple of kids, but they aren't old enough to be in school yet, but we'll have to throw that in the mix here in the next 3-4 years.

By the way, you're spelling Royse City wrong.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by lone sailor

By the way, you're spelling Royse City wrong.

Blame my husband. He forced me to have that drink at lunch when I should have stuck to tea

[lone sailor]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

Blame my husband. He forced me to have that drink at lunch when i should have stuck to tea

lol

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by lone sailor

We will need at least 2 acres though for the few head of cattle that I run, so that will make some difference on the location. I'd probably consider anything between 2-20 acres. As far as price range, probably $200k or less, and 2000 square foot house or less. We don't really need a huge house, just enough to get us by. We do have a couple of kids, but they aren't old enough to be in school yet, but we'll have to throw that in the mix here in the next 3-4 years.

Gonna be hard but there are some out there. Even outside the city limits of Rockwall in the county people have bought up empty parcels and holding them till they can make HUGE BANK on them. It has utterly amazed me what some people expect to make on some of these properties even now.

I'd check ordinances for cattle though. Some areas might not allow it especially w/ anything less than 5 acres. While some areas will allow a horse w/ 2 acres they are going to be a little pickier when it comes to other livestock. There are some in RoySe City () that fit your needs but don't know about cattle.

[ChristieP]

You need one acre of land per large livestock animal (horse or cow) to keep them from churning the pasture into mud, so if you have "a few" cattle, don't get anything less than 5 acres. We are in a multiple-year drought, so you will likely need to look at hay storage space, too.

Nevada and Caddo Mills, IMHO, still have a lot of mobile homes...

My parents live in the Poetry area between Rockwall and Quinlan, and there are quite a few homes for sale in that area. It's off 276, south on 1565. The house across the street from them just sold for $185k. It had 8 acres, cross-fenced, with a run-in shed and a nice house. I'd also look in the Union Valley area, which is between 276 and I-30, along 1565. I can think of a couple of properties for sale there that would fit your budget.

FWIW, Quinlan schools are not so good. You might look at private schools if you decide on anything in Quinland ISD. Royse City ISD has a much better reputation. My sister's kids (13 and 8) go there.

[lone sailor]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

You need one acre of land per large livestock animal (horse or cow) to keep them from churning the pasture into mud, so if you have "a few" cattle, don't get anything less than 5 acres. We are in a multiple-year drought, so you will likely need to look at hay storage space, too.

Nevada and Caddo Mills, IMHO, still have a lot of mobile homes...

My parents live in the Poetry area between Rockwall and Quinlan, and there are quite a few homes for sale in that area. It's off 276, south on 1565. The house across the street from them just sold for $185k. It had 8 acres, cross-fenced, with a run-in shed and a nice house. I'd also look in the Union Valley area, which is between 276 and I-30, along 1565. I can think of a couple of properties for sale there that would fit your budget.

FWIW, Quinlan schools are not so good. You might look at private schools if you decide on anything in Quinland ISD. Royse City ISD has a much better reputation. My sister's kids (13 and 8) go there.

Excellent. Thanks for the insight.

[mhanigan]

Originally Posted by lone sailor

Well the wife and I have both decided to move back to Dallas this summer. I am getting a transfer to the area with my current job, and my wife is doing the same with hers, so we are A-okay on employment. We're really looking hard and heavy up through the I30 corridor and surrounding areas. Not really looking for in town living, but would like to be close enough to make the commute to downtown Dallas within about 45 minutes. I'd like to hear some good/bad/indifferent on areas east and west from Rockwall to Caddo Mills, and north and south from Lavon to Quinaln, and anywhere in between. Also, if anyone knows any good real estate agents, please DM me with any contact info. Thanks all.

Hello. Have you thought about the Plano area? That's roughly a 40-45 minute commute to downtown Dallas.....if you don't take the tollroad. If you take the toll, I've been known to shave off about 10 minutes off my drive that way.

[Blackspider]

East Dallas as in the eastern part of Dallas or east OF Dallas? Difference.

If you want cities east of Dallas, me and my family moved from Mesquite to Forney when I was younger. Both are east of Dallas. When we moved to Forney in 2000, there was nothing out there compared to what it is now. It is an up and coming city and pretty cheap to live there. It is about 30 minutes to downtown without traffic.

Rockwall is also a good city. Even the newer and nicer parts of Garland.