Minnesota Family moving to Dallas area...Help! (Plano, Carrollton: renting, houses)

[minnesota charlie]

Hi everybody, what would you estimate for commute time from Coppell to downtown Dallas? I think we are finding (from viewing some listings) that the Coppell and Richardson areas are indeed nice--but we're looking at slightly older homes/styles in our price range.

we've found a couple pockets in plano and richardson that seem to have close parks, nice layout, but we'll have to see firsthand to really gauge our interest. we are steering away from the mckinney/frisco areas due to a potentially insane commute. I am also concerned that those outlying areas (with much land to be developed) may have a hard time with price stability with so much land (value of investment is questionable).

we are excited for our trip...and excited to figure out the relo package on my end--timing is uncertain, but looks like school starts in late august, so I'm hopeful we can turn up the heat.

we definitely want a yard with no pool---fenced. we hope for a park/community pool nearby for the kiddos.

any comments on commute from coppell is appreciated. Yes, we're looking in the lakewood/M streets area as well---I am not sure if i can afford it! this also brings my current house in minnesota into question--meaning how much will i get for it???

best to all---I'm plussing all your status' for the valuable feedback!

[minnesota charlie]

Quick update: I am now more confident I can locate in the Plano office. I also need to be relatively close to the airport (probably 20% travel). I think I'm looking at Coppell, Carrollton?, Plano, and maybe Frisco? I have not heard any comments on Lewisville--but wonder if that is too far out there. We're down there this Sunday to Tuesday---hope the weather holds up!!

[needsomeinfo]

If you are going to be out of the plano office, I'd live in plano. it's easier to commute to the airport 20% of the time than to plano 80% of the time. you could zip over on 190 to the airport fairly fast (assuming you do not go at rush hour). coppell is a great area, but then you are commuting to plano most of the time. it's not a horrible commute, just why bother unless you really want to live in coppell? (not to knock coppell- it is a great city, really good schools, centrally located. I don't know anyone who lives there that does not like it).

some areas of carrollton are fine as well (the northern area). the schools are not well-regarded as plano and if you decide to go the carrollton route, I'd try to get into lewisville isd (hebron high area). however, given the choice, I think your property values will hold up/increase better in plano/plano isd.

lewisville proper (the city) would mean you have to commute to both the airport and plano. I would personally pick to be closer to one or the other. but homes are more affordable there and lot sizes are larger, the schools are ok, and you are right by the most popular (and busiest) lake in the northern burbs . but the commute alone would knock it off my list.

driving from frisco is doable to plano, obviously longer to the airport. frisco would be a good choice if you want a new home, a young community, or it fits better into your budget. however, lot sizes there are generally very small and they have years of infrastrucure and facilities/schools to build. if you do not like traffic (or tollways), I would look elsewhere (not just for your commute, but just running around in general).

I am not familiar with the parks in coppell, but for your research, here are a few park links to check out in plano...

Arbor Hills Nature Preserve* (http://www.plano.gov/DEPARTMENTS/PARKSANDRECREATION/PARKS/Pages/arbor_hills.aspx - broken link)

tom muehlenbeck rec center (brand new and awesome)

Tom Muehlenbeck Center*

good luck and I hope you enjoy your visit.

[theloneranger]

Why does everyone still call PGBT 190? Is the Bush 41 hatred that bad?

I'd never really heard of 190 being a common route until they built George Bush anyways.

[Big G]

The George Bush will get you from Plano to DFW airport in a reasonable time. I rarely see that jammed up. Even in rush hour it's a lot better than the alternate routes.

In Plano, about half the HOAs have community pools. Beyond that, the City of Plano has 3-4 really nice, extensive pools as part of their rec centers, available at a very reasonable cost (I think $3/head, or yearly memberships that work out to about $10/month).

The two really nice nature areas in Plano are Arbor Hills on the far west side (a lot like the nature area up in Maple Grove, but about 1/2 the size) and Bob Woodruff on the east side. A distant third is part of Russell Creek on the north edge of town. The other parks are all pretty much bake 'n' broil playgrounds and sports fields adjacent to elementary schools.

In that price range, and looking for a community pool, you should consider Stonewood Glen at Coit/Parker in Plano.

[needsomeinfo]

Originally Posted by theloneranger

Why does everyone still call PGBT 190? Is the Bush 41 hatred that bad?

I'd never really heard of 190 being a common route until they built George Bush anyways.

no, I just use numbers instead of names. 190, 635, 75, 35, 121, 183, 20, 30, etc. it's just less of a mouthful. the only real exceptions I have are the tollway and woodall rogers. no slight is intended.

[catluvr]

Actually Coppell is not far from Plano...about 35 minutes if you take Hebron PKWY to Plano and about 20 min on a good day to Plano from Coppell.

There are plenty houses in Coppell in starting at 120000 (though I wouldn't recommend that one)...but you can find a 3bdr 2 br 2ga about 18 or 1900 sq ft for 185K and up. They also have million dollar homes which everyone in these forums are talking about.

Lewisville is not bad at all and not far from Plano. Like any city, Lewisville has great parts and not so great parts. Cheaper to live than Coppell, but ISD not as good...still OK. definately if you look at houses do not necessarily go by the school district, but by the schools in your area instead There are great schools in Lewisville and some not so great. Greatschools.net can help you a bit.

I would not rule out Lewisville if I were you, however, it is not even close to anything in MN...except right by Lewisville Lake (awesome) Lewisville is also close to The Colony which is not a bad airport drive and not a bad Plano drive either. Lewisville is a serious retail/shopping and restaraunt area. There is a lot to do (remember that in Dallas basically you eat and shop)!

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by theloneranger

Why does everyone still call PGBT 190? Is the Bush 41 hatred that bad?

I'd never really heard of 190 being a common route until they built George Bush anyways.

It was known as Hwy 190 from the inception of the idea way back in the 1960's. When it was proposed and signs put out along the route way back then it had signs of "Future Hwy 190" in a few areas. Even a few years ago the signs in newly developed areas that were going to be near 190 had these very signs stating, "Future Hwy 190". It isn't a hatred for anyone, just that it was ALWAYS known as "190" from the very beginning. Even when the first parts of it were built over in the Garland/Richardson area it was called "190" and not "renamed" until a few years later which really was not that long ago to be honest. Just recently they replaced a lot of the signs taking down the ones that only said "190" and put up signs saying PGBT.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by minnesota charlie

Quick update: I am now more confident I can locate in the Plano office. I also need to be relatively close to the airport (probably 20% travel). I think I'm looking at Coppell, Carrollton?, Plano, and maybe Frisco? I have not heard any comments on Lewisville--but wonder if that is too far out there. We're down there this Sunday to Tuesday---hope the weather holds up!!

Forget Carrollton. If you are going to be looking at Plano, consider Richardson too. I am biased as I am closing on a house in Richardson tomorrow, but it is a lovely older inner-ring suburb whose hip factor is actually on the rise with people in my age range (30+). Yes, I did use "Richardson" and "hip" in the same sentence! Plus a commute to downtown Dallas would be pretty easy from most parts of Richardson.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by 5stones

Do as others have said here and DO NOT even LOOK at houses in the north suburbs if you are going to be working downtown. (you will be swayed...so will your wife by big beautiful homes etc...) THE COMMUTE would be HORRIBLE.

Coppell is great, great schools nice little suburban town with amenties etc... I don't know how the commute to Downtown would be on a daily basis. If that's where you really like then I suggest...driving the commute your self during rush hour.
We did this in the DC area and really it changed where we were looking...gas prices, wear and tear on the car, time with kids etc...
REally depends on where your office is as well.
(my hubby's "DALLAS OFFICE" is actually in Irving so Coppell would have been perfect)


YOu will really like the Lakewood/Mstreets/white rock lake area... But you may have to up your budget a bit.
Richardson might just be the best as far as commute bidget school choice goes.

OH and remember when looking at housing prices...the RE taxes here avg about 2.5% (we just figured 3% when looking so we wouldn't get shocked!)
But no State income tax so it's pretty much a wash...

GOOD luck!

I agree, Richardson might be the "sweet spot."

The first time I saw Heights Park in Richardson, I was sold. I said to myself "I MUST live here." The neighborhood is gorgeous, mature trees, well-maintained homes, each house looks different, beautiful park nearby, and it is close to all the Indian and Chinese shops in Richardson so it is definitely not a lily-white area. In fact I think the closest church to my house is a Taiwanese church. Richardson is still about 70-75% white but it definitely has some attractive growing diversity. My local elementary school is rated exemplary, not that that means anything in reality but it's good for property values. Heights Park properties have shot up in value even over the last few months. A house 2 doors down from my house sold for $138 a square foot, houses are averaging about $119-$120 a square foot, I got mine for $109 a square foot. So I feel pretty good about that!

I like how as the city is becoming more attractive to buyers it is actually preserving some of its 1950s charm instead of tearing everything down like they do in Dallas. A lot of people who grew up in the city have returned there to buy homes and raise their families; a lot of the people I know who live in Richardson are actually from there originally. That speaks highly of it I think.