If money were no object and you were just looking to raise your kids in a nice community...... (Dallas: fit in, neighborhood)

[hsw]

Would choose whichever suburb seems to have highest-achieving, well-educated parents who focus on their kids' education in their free time...and whose kids seem to often gain entry to top 5 colleges after all that alleged focus

Would argue HP and Preston Hollow have much of this crowd

HP's strengths are it's an independent, more protected suburb as it is its own town and not City of Dallas; downsides: HP High seems rather lackluster in academic achievement (low % Natl Merit Finalists, low % of kids attending top 5 colleges), so may need to pay for private schools; dislike the puny ~0.5 acre lots and McMansion feel of HP (massive houses on silly little lots)

Preston Hollow has more elegant, private setting b/c of many 2+ acre lots but has issues (crime, city services, etc) of being part of City of Dallas; need to spend $30K/yr/kid to send kids to whatever is best private school in area (in HP can avoid this cost until HS)

[FarNorthDallas]

If my money grew on trees, I would live in a big gated home on a large lot in Preston Hollow or Bluffview and do private schools because that's what the vast majority of the super weathly do, although area of town may vary. We would have a lot of things and stuff, have daily household help, attend school functions with our driver/bodyguard/nanny for younger kids and we would travel a lot and miss a lot of school due to our trips because, really, kids learn more from traveling than sitting in a classroom. Our peers would be living the same life, so I wouldn't get a lot of grief from the middle class who will be accusing me of indulging my kids. The private school is used to the travel demands of the super wealthy, so the absences are not a big deal. The public schools would not be as forgiving.

[sparkman75229]

If money really is no object, i would look at Rockbrook, Meadowbrook, Sunnybrook, Deloache, Park Lane, or Hollow Way (all streets in Preston Hollow). There are others, but these are my favorites. Bluffview is also very nice, you could look on Shadywood, Seneca or Briarwood. I would send the kids to ESD (Episcopal School of Dallas), second choices would be Hockaday, St. Marks, or Cistercian. Greenhill is also good, but it is north of 635.

If money was mostly no object, I would look in the Devonshire or Russwood areas and still send the kids to private school.

If you were looking to stay suburban, I think Westlake, Colleyville and Southlake are great choices.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by sparkman75229

If money really is no object, i would look at Rockbrook, Meadowbrook, Sunnybrook, Deloache, Park Lane, or Hollow Way (all streets in Preston Hollow). There are others, but these are my favorites. Bluffview is also very nice, you could look on Shadywood, Seneca or Briarwood. I would send the kids to ESD (Episcopal School of Dallas), second choices would be Hockaday, St. Marks, or Cistercian. Greenhill is also good, but it is north of 635.

If money was mostly no object, I would look in the Devonshire or Russwood areas and still send the kids to private school.

If you were looking to stay suburban, I think Westlake, Colleyville and Southlake are great choices.

I think I pretty much agree with you, but again, would throw areas like Double Oak and parts of that entire area into the pot. Yes, I would certainly look at private schools if my kids were in any of the Dallas school district, of course ST Martks, Episcopal Shool of Dallas and Hockaday have to be at the very top. Now, remember we are all multi millionaires with our opinions and suggetions.

Nita

[sparkman75229]

Nita, this might sound awful, but i don't know anything about Double Oak. Is that right around Lantana? I had some friends who lived in Lantana but have since moved into the city.

[FarNorthDallas]

My private school choice would depend on what kind of kids I had:

academic overachieving children - St. Marks, Cistercian, Hockaday
academic above average kids - Episcopal School of Dallas
academic above average hippie kids - Greenhill
Learning disabled and/or ADHD, underacheiving - Shelton
ADD, plus creative/independent thinker types - Winston
Bi-polar - Oak Hill
Catholic - St. Rita and then Ursuline/Jesuit

[lh_newbie]

If money were no object? I'd live on West Lawther in Lakewood, on White Rock Lake.

[TXNGL]

If money really is no object, i would look at Rockbrook, Meadowbrook, Sunnybrook, Deloache, Park Lane, or Hollow Way (all streets in Preston Hollow). >>

Me too! But, even with all that money, I wouldn't want a gigantic house, I'd be more focused on the grounds. I need at least a couple of acres. Pool, tennis court, small cabana would be nice. A meandering creek. Trees, gardens, lots of room to play. Ahh to dream!

[BigDGeek]

If money was no object, Lakewood. I do not have children so the schools are not an issue.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by sparkman75229

Nita, this might sound awful, but i don't know anything about Double Oak. Is that right around Lantana? I had some friends who lived in Lantana but have since moved into the city.

of course it doesn't sould awful: it is east of Flower Mound, a combination of typical newer burb homes is the middle to higher price range but not like Highland Park or University area, there are some homes that have 1/2 to 1 acre and more lots, these are not the newer ones. It is what I think of as the best in rural and urban living, all in one, very upper middle class, but not the "Old Money" crowd. I think the schools are Flower Mound/Lewisville, which puts them up toward the better schools in the metro area. I guess you might say, Double Oak is similar to Southlake with more trees.

Nita