Thinking of moving to Collin County..... (Houston, Dallas: sales, crime, custom home)

[theloneranger]

Originally Posted by txgolfer130

--
--You're simply missing the point all together. The OP is wanting to WORK & LIVE in McKinney. They are meeting all of your criteria. They are wanting to work and live and shop and be close to their kids in a city that has continually been rated one of the top areas to live and raise your kids in. So, pointing that out, I guess you're endorsing it then? Being green and all?

No, the OP is THINKING about moving to Collin. They are considering McKinney but aren't already wanting to work and live there.

The people here are simply stating that most of Dallas County is better located than most of Collin, so if you're considering the Metroplex as a whole you don't have to limit yourself to Collin.

Where did they say that they want to work in McKinney, anyways?

[redman421]

Like everything in livfe it is all relative...It takes me 50 mins to get to my office in Rock Center in NYC from Hoboken NJ and I can literally see the GE building from the window of my condo...it is about 3 miles away...on a bad day it can take you one hour to cross the GW bridge...not the whole trip...just an hour to cross the span...a normal rush hour will take you 35 minute just to get through the Lincoln tunnel...if you are coming from LA, Boston or NY a 45 min commute in Dallas (in your own car) is paradise.

[txgolfer130]

Originally Posted by theloneranger

No, the OP is THINKING about moving to Collin. They are considering McKinney but aren't already wanting to work and live there.

The people here are simply stating that most of Dallas County is better located than most of Collin, so if you're considering the Metroplex as a whole you don't have to limit yourself to Collin.

Where did they say that they want to work in McKinney, anyways?

Here is where they said it...
"Hi I was wondering if anyone can give me info on Collin County, McKinney area..."

in their opening post.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by CravenClan

Hi I was wondering if anyone can give me info on Collin County, McKinney area, am considering a visit there in the next month

We visited Austin about 2 years ago, i just was not ready to get out of here then....

They are THINKING about McKinney as an option.


Hate to say this but the OP probably missed the boat on moving by about 2 years.

Originally Posted by CravenClan

I think i picked McKinney because Collin County came up on best places to RAISE A FAMILY list.

If anyone has another suggestion of cities within Collin County, PLEASE tell me.....

Not stuck on McKinney but looking at Collin County.

Originally Posted by CravenClan

I thank you all for th egreat posts, and am taking it all in. My husband drives FAR to work, anyone who knows the 91 freeway in CA, knows what hell it is. This is not by choice, our field of work dropped to nothing in the city we live, we live in Southwest Riverside county, and it is HORRENDOUS to say the least, we bought an existing established business, in LA, Palos Verdes,

So we are looking for a BETTER quality of life, obviously he will still have to work, especially in this economy, so we are looking into a business, already establiched in his field, OUT of CA.

What kind of business and have you already had your eye on one? Would it be a business that would survive in a suburb that is mostly bedroom and retail?

From what I'm gathering they don't have a job, business or location. They just picked McKinney out of the air based on a few articles.

Originally Posted by theloneranger

No, the OP is THINKING about moving to Collin. They are considering McKinney but aren't already wanting to work and live there.

Where did they say that they want to work in McKinney, anyways?

Correct. They have not said their job is or would be IN McKinney or anywhere else.

If I were looking to buy a business now the last place I'd put one or buy one is out in a burb that is nothing but bedroom and retail in high rent areas since they are all new developments. Many new developments are seeing an increase in vacancy rates. A couple of good friends are in commercial/retail real estate and they are seeing some TOUGH times.

[$DFW8$]

Ok, I have kept my mouth shut for too long on this thread. I just cannot sit here and watch people bash the North Dallas suburbs any longer.

Commute from McKinney- Okay this part is really wearing me out! I am not real sure where the OP will be working, but people are making it seem like McKinney is out in the desert or something. I am just going to use a commute to downtown as an example. That commute would take about 45 minutes on average. EVERYDAY before I leave for work at about 7:30am, I check the traffic cameras and Traffic Reports | Traffic Alerts | Road Conditions | Traffic News & Delays | Traffic.com for drive times and jam factors. I also check it when I get to work at about 8am. Today at 7:25 am, it was taking 37 minutes to get from 75 & 380 to downtown Dallas via 75. Today at 8:00am, it was taking exactly 40 minutes. That is not a bad commute at all for someone who is use to commuting in LA. Yes, I am very familiar with the 91 and it is extremely clogged during rush hour and even during the day! I have lived in NYC and LA, which are among the top cities for worst traffic, and Dallas traffic is not that bad compared to NYC and LA.

Quality of Life- I cannot believe that someone would actually say that the quality of life in the North Dallas Suburbs is not good. Many of these suburbs have been recognized as some of the best places to live in the country. These areas are also far more family0oriented then some of the closer in cities. McKinney, Allen, Frisco, and Plano are all Kid Central There is kids of all ages everywhere. In practically every neighborhood, you will see kids playing outside and in the neighborhood swimming pools. At Stonebriar Mall, you see a ton of kids walking around with their parents that are also pushing baby strollers. There is very little crime in these areas as well.

Schools- I KNOW the Superintendent of McKinney ISD and most of the principals at the schools, and I have NEVER heard of any drastic problems AT ALL. Of course every school is going to have some problems. Just because someone doesn't agree with McKinney's school system doesn't mean is is bad. That is just their opinion. Take it for what it is worth. I promise that if you went and visited any of the schools in McKinney, you wouldn't be disappointed.

Housing- McKinney has some of the best housing developments in DFW. You will find that most of them are new or fairly new and very affordable. Yes, there are homes on the market in McKinney, but then again, find me any city where there isn't houses on the market. I KNOW many realtors in this area, and they have never said anything about this traend of people moving to McKinney, and then selling their homes and moving to other areas in Dallas. Most of the houses are on the market because people can either no longer afford the house or they are being transferred for job purposes. Yes, I called one of the best realtors in McKinney and asked what are the main reasons for houses being put on the market in McKinney and that is what they said.

Retail/Commercial- I know the mayor and the Economic Development team for McKinney, and they have said that all of the stores and restauarnats are doing very well. Why do you think more pop up all the time?!

Residents in the North Dallas Suburbs- In theses areas, you are going to find people from all over the world who have moved here. I guarantee that you would find MANY people from LA. We have a few just on our street in Frisco.

I am just so sick of all these Dallasites getting on here and bashing the suburbs. One minute they will say there is nothing wrong with these areas, and then the next they are on a soapbox basing them. It drives me CRAZY!!!(lol!) And I have yet to figure out why....I use to think that it was because they saw these areas when they were A LOT different than they are now. Now I don't know what to think. To them, if you're not inside LBJ, then you're in the boonies or something, which is FAR from the truth.

Now, I am sure that I will get some bad reactions from the posters who I basically replied to in my post. They will reply with inaccurate information and bash some more, but I have learned to just take it for what it is worth!

[FarNorthDallas]

Originally Posted by $DFW8$

Schools- I KNOW the Superintendent of McKinney ISD and most of the principals at the schools, and I have NEVER heard of any drastic problems AT ALL.

Well, there was this little McKinney ISD problem that resulted in a Lifetime Movie:

Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal Photo Gallery | myLifetime.com

Scandal: Cheerleaders Run Amok in Texas | Newsweek Newsweek Culture | Newsweek.com

[momof2dfw]

^^^ FYI, I live in a suburb NORTH of LBJ.

Also, if anyone is getting to downtown Dallas via 75 from 380 in 40 minutes they are SPEEDING! 37 minutes is a flat out bogus report. It is flat out not possible PERIOD! I don't care what traffic cameras or drive times say. From firsthand personal experience it takes LONGER than that. Funy how another poster in McKinney even said it takes them 50 minutes to get from McKinney to just the High Five on average. I'm also a good bit closer to downtown Dallas than McKinney and if I can't get to downtown in 30-40 minutes in RUSH HOUR and I do drive a bit over the speed limit..... there is no way absolutely that no one else can either unless they have wings or a helicopter. Again, I don't care what some traffic report is saying or anything as it is flat out not possible to do in that amount of time.

Good, you know the super of MISD.......... can you pass on a few of the misgivings that are allowed to go on in their schools. I'm pretty sure they are aware of them but don't bother to do anything about them . Including the teachers that are "friends" with their students on sites like myspace. Or better yet....... oh, never mind. Yes, all schools and school districts have problems and that DOES include the MISD. BTW, if you don't work for the MISD how do you know most all of the principals? Come on, stop pulling legs. Even teachers IN the district don't come close to knowing all of the principals.

Quality of Life: We are talking from the standpoint if the OP were to live in McKinney or anywhere else in the ENTIRE metroplex and they worked an hour or more away even in NON rush hour traffic. That DOES infringe upon family time and most peoples definition of "quality of life". If someone lived IN Dallas "inside the loop" (which btw, we don't use that term much here) and worked in Denton, McKinney or points just as far in any direction it would still do the same thing and bring down their quality of life by keeping them away from their family due to the long commute. Does THAT make sense? Right now the OP does not have a job or job location. To focus only on a suburb that is out of the way for a good bit of the metroplex would be insane.

Retail? Really? I sell to a good number of them and guess what? Some of them are NOT doing well (I actually get to know how well they pay their vendors which is something the city will not know). Some have closed up (Ruby Tuesday for one). Which Ruby Tuesday's owner turned it into a Twin Peaks. McKinney is being hit just as hard as other areas around in this time right now. They are NOT immune to it at all. Of course the people at the city are going to talk up their city to make it look like it is booming. Oh, and some of the long time places on the square are closing up too.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

Well, there was this little McKinney ISD problem that resulted in a Lifetime Movie:

Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal Photo Gallery | myLifetime.com

Scandal: Cheerleaders Run Amok in Texas | Newsweek Newsweek Culture | Newsweek.com

Shhh, that didn't really happen.
You should hear the stories my sis and her fellow teachers tell. OHMYGOSH!!!! And this is elementary age and the parents CONDONE the stuff and even get mad at the school for "infringing" upon their kids when the school wants to discipline them. But hey, if the "leaders" are allowing their own kids to get away with stuff then how can you expect others to as well.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by txgolfer130

-- That is exactly what I'm talking about. If it's more than out of their sub-division, it's too far to go

I'm actually the type that does not mind going all over the entire area be it for shopping, eating, recreation, customers or whatever. There are people and plenty of them in the suburbs that if it is not right in their little bubble they won't go. NOT ME! There is way too much out there and I go after it. It is just the commute/distance to work that I'm referring to. My husbands office is only 7 miles from the house. If I need him to get one of the kids from school for some odd reason even if it is last minute, he can. If he wants to go eat lunch with one of the kids at school, he can. We can and often do meet for lunch. If I need to run something up to the office it isn't out of my way as I can do it while out running other errands or going by customers or whatever needs be.

The part about the working spouse being able to be close to home for their spouse and kids is more of what I'm referring to as well. Why work so far from home and your kids schools? If they are doing a special program at school during the day and your an hour or more away your not going to be able to run out and see them like you could if your much closer. If one kid gets sick and needs to be picked up from school and mom (or whichever parent stays home) is busy w/ the other one then it isn't that hard to run out and get them or the other one. Does that make sense to anyone else?????

[momof2dfw]

Well, I'm off. Gotta run from my little bubble to Richardson then Plano and then WEST Plano...... the horrors. At least I don't have to go up to McKinney this afternoon (got out of that one w/ my sis).