Thinking of moving to Collin County..... (Dallas, Frisco: house, commute, work)

[lh_newbie]

Originally Posted by CravenClan

Still i think $400k is alot, especially if the taxes are that high, so we would look to rent first. My only thing is i would want to rent BEFORE we buy in the same area, so we would not have to change schools for our little ones.

This is VERY smart. Renting will help you determine if you like the area, the area amenities, the commute to work, etc. The DFW area has so many subcultures that what you THINK you may like and what you find here may not totally match up - renting gives you that flexibility to move if you find that you like a different area better.

My suggestion after getting that first rental place... explore not only your local area, but other areas as well to get a bit of a feel for them as well to determine if you made the right choice.

Since you've mentioned a couple times the cost of property taxes - and it's great to see someone weighing all factors into their decision (folks from CA sometimes get more home than they need and then are surprised at the taxes), here's some additional information to factor in:

- $400K home should get you 3000-3500 sq ft of semi-custom home. Build quality will definitely be above normal.
- Property taxes will be about 2.3% of purchase price, or about $9200 per year.
- Great site to see tax appraisals in Collin Co: Welcome to the Collin Central Appraisal District
- Home insurance on a $400K home can range from $1600-2400/year
- Since you're a stay at home mom, your utility bills will be higher. Most subdivisions in McKinney - and most new areas North of Dallas - don't have mature shade trees, meaning they get baked in the sun so their utility bills will be relatively high. Expect a 3500 sq ft home to cost upwards of $500/month during June/July/August. If you decide to build, feel free to PM me for additional infomation to ensure your home is as energy efficient as possible, but here are a couple hints: Plant shade trees on the Southern and Western exposures (in that order of importance), orient your home so a bulk of your windows are North/South, pay the upgrade for radiant barrier on the roof decking, ensure it has continuous soffit venting and ridge venting, upgrade from the federal minimum of 13-SEER HVAC system to a 16-SEER or higher (preferably a variable speed unit) and make sure they don't skimp and put crappy windows in (PM me for specs, it's a little too detailed for a quick post).
- Texas has absolutely ZERO state income tax.
- Sales tax is 6.25% state, up to 2% city... and almost all cities max that out, so expect 8.25% sales tax

...and welcome to Texas!

[CravenClan]

Thanks for those inights!! My husband is a contractor, and here we have built 2 custom homes, so he is on top of all the energy efficient stuff, but thank you for pointing out those things.

I do worry that we will get somehwere and it will be like here, maybe a different part of Texas is better for us. We really did like Austin, but we also had never been anywhere else in Texas, so i thought i would check out the above mentioned areas, before zeroing in on one.

I want my kids to be settled, while we have not moved out of Temecula, we have built and sold those customs homes, along with one other home in the last 4 years, so we have moved a few times!! My son just went through 1st grade, so he is still really young, he is also my "creature of habit" like his mama, so i want to get this figured out before it is too late, and we are stuck here!!

We have definately thought of all those things, taxes and stuff, the homeowners insurance seems high!! WHat about car insurance? I had looked into Health Insurance, and it seems comparable to here...Utilities, seem so as well..We have 4100SQ FT and our Hot months the electricity bill is about $500-$600 with a pool. and like you said i stay home....I do not like an ice box house either about 75-78. I have heard the humidity is pretty bad, but i guess we will see when we head out there....I am not big on sweating, i guess i better get used to it huh!!

[$DFW8$]

Originally Posted by theloneranger

I think you're taking it a little bit too far. People aren't outright bashing the "North Dallas Suburbs," (I didn't know North Dallas had its own suburbs!) they're just pointing out a few alterntives and shortcomings.

Most Texans, thankfully, have never lived in LA and have no desire to do so, so the commute from McKinney to downtown is hellish. We don't feel any need to compare our city to NYC or LA because we aren't trying to be those cities, thank God. 45 min is a good traffic day if you're taking the Tollway from the Frisco area, and Central from McKinney isn't any better. For people who are from here, that commute is just crazy and not something most would want to undergo every day.

No one is saying the quality of life in the far north suburbs is anything but excellent BUT it's not the most diverse life. There are homes and swimming pools and retail businesses and fast food places and Stonebriar but there's not much special about the area. Life up there is nice and idyllic and peaceful, but it doesn't have everything you need in life (at least I hope it doesn't). The retail market is doing fine, but again, it's nothing to brag about.

I know momof2's comments are from one source, and I don't doubt they're accurate, but I don't think they're reflective on the entire MISD school system. You don't hear many bad things about McKinney ISD, but neither is it one of the better-regarded districts in the area. It's just average. It's still in the process of transitioning from little country 3A/4A McKinney High to a large suburban district with 5A schools, and that takes more than 5-10 years to do.

Housing isn't bad by any means in McKinney but sales of non-custom homes aren't easy up there because many people moving there want a custom home. That's why so many even newish homes are just sitting on the market, whereas homes in Dallas proper are going as soon as they're listed.

I think you have a few valid complaints, but you're overreacting quite a bit. There is nothing WRONG with living in the suburbs, but no suburb is perfect. Every suburb has shortcomings, and people have a right to know them when they ask questions. No one is saying McKinney isn't a nice place to live; on the contrary, most people have said it's a great place to live. However, that doesn't mean that people shouldn't know before they go and have other options to consider.

Just my two cents...

Ok, I was referring to the northern suburbs of Dallas. geez...you knew what I meant but were just trying to be rude. A lot of people call the tollway the North dallas Tollway, but it is really the Dallas North Tollway. I don't see you going after them about it!

Ok, who do you think you are that you can speak for all Texans!? This has to be a JOKE!You have no idea about other peoples viewpoint and desires.

Actually many people on here bashed McKinney. See here is the thing- I don't bash any part of DFW at all. I just give information and tell it like it is. I don't care if it is right smack in the middle of downtown or 30 miles away. Some people just feel the need to spread their own harsh opionions all over this forum.

45 minutes from Frisco to downtown Dallas during rush hour is a bad day. It takes me right at 35 minutes usually. And that is at about 7:20am.

Now, I am willing to say that yes, at about 8am, traffic on basically all the roads in DFW is bad. It very well could take a person 50 minutes to an hour(depending on if there is a wreck) who leaves McKinney at 8am and commutes to downtown Dallas. I know I posted that time back a couple weeks ago at 8am, but traffic might have been prettty good that day. I have found that on my commute via the DNT from Frisco, sometimes I can sail right through at a pretty good speed, and other times I come to a few slow downs, like at the Bush and 635.

[CravenClan]

I really do appreciate everyones input, even the traffic stuff, even though i have no idea where anyone is talking about!! lol!!!

I appreciate that you are informing me of how far away things are...It will depend on where the brunt of our work is. But we are coming out in a few weeks, to got hrough Austin again, and visit Dallas area. On the McKinney area, i like the Stronebrigge area (of what i have seen on line) so if it is not feesable for us to live there, are there other areas, anyone can think of in my price range with great schools, that they can mention? Please tell me the name of the city and/or the develpoment...so i can look it up.

Greatly appreaciated!!

[$DFW8$]

Originally Posted by CravenClan

I really do appreciate everyones input, even the traffic stuff, even though i have no idea where anyone is talking about!! lol!!!

I appreciate that you are informing me of how far away things are...It will depend on where the brunt of our work is. But we are coming out in a few weeks, to got hrough Austin again, and visit Dallas area. On the McKinney area, i like the Stronebrigge area (of what i have seen on line) so if it is not feesable for us to live there, are there other areas, anyone can think of in my price range with great schools, that they can mention? Please tell me the name of the city and/or the develpoment...so i can look it up.

Greatly appreaciated!!

It all just depends on where you will be working at and what time you will be commuting. I am not surprised that you like Stonebridge..it really is an awesome neighborhood! Twin Creeks in Allen(south of McKinney on 75) is alos a very nice neighborhood and along the lines of stonebridge if that is what you are wanting. Also in Frisco, there is the Trails of West Frisco, Panther Creek, Plantation, Grayhawk, Hunters Creek, and many more!

Here is a link to a list of some of the neighborhhood developments in Frisco:

Frisco Neighborhoods & Subdivisions | Dallas Suburbs

[MurphyPl1]

OMG!! Murphy has about 14,000 residents. It has been one of the fastest growing suburbs until the economy turned.

And I take huge offense to it being part of Plano. Murphy has a very unique presence. Sure we shop, eat, and play in Plano some, but Murphy has a lot to offer. Since it is so new in most of the city, there are mostly HOA neighborhoods -almost all which are active socially. Rolling Ridge (my neighborhood), the Aviary and Windy Hill Farms seem to have the best social network and a pretty good communication infrastructure which makes meeting neighbors and getting recommendations easy.

There are tons of business owners (both home office and commuters), and work at home folks. My DH has a construction business and his F250 diesel is not at all frowned upon by the neighbors and those times we've needed generators for bouncehouses and bands at block parties it hasn't been hard to round up a few from throughout the neighborhood.

Murphy has a full time fire department, police department, it's own 911 dispatch, parks/rec/trail system, superior water service - heck even a thriving recycling program that Waste Management is touting to other cities.

I invite you to check it out. Murphy, Texas

[theloneranger]

Originally Posted by MurphyPl1

OMG!! Murphy has about 14,000 residents. It has been one of the fastest growing suburbs until the economy turned.

And I take huge offense to it being part of Plano. Murphy has a very unique presence. Sure we shop, eat, and play in Plano some, but Murphy has a lot to offer. Since it is so new in most of the city, there are mostly HOA neighborhoods -almost all which are active socially. Rolling Ridge (my neighborhood), the Aviary and Windy Hill Farms seem to have the best social network and a pretty good communication infrastructure which makes meeting neighbors and getting recommendations easy.

There are tons of business owners (both home office and commuters), and work at home folks. My DH has a construction business and his F250 diesel is not at all frowned upon by the neighbors and those times we've needed generators for bouncehouses and bands at block parties it hasn't been hard to round up a few from throughout the neighborhood.

Murphy has a full time fire department, police department, it's own 911 dispatch, parks/rec/trail system, superior water service - heck even a thriving recycling program that Waste Management is touting to other cities.

I invite you to check it out. Murphy, Texas

Aren't they getting a 9-10 HS soon?

[MurphyPl1]

We are! Right up the street from me. McMillen HS. Opening 2011.

[gokctx]

Originally Posted by CravenClan

gokctx

I am in Temecula and have lived here 22 years, since i was 13. It is nothing like it used to be!! I get what you are saying, and we have talked long and hard for 4.5 years about LEAVING CA. We have been to AZ, Utah, Indiana, and Texas, and after all those we are now back researching TX. We are self employed, my husband is a landscape.concrete contractor, and we now own a maintenance business in Palos Verdes (LA) so the commute is horrible. I appreciate what you are saying, CA just worries me for many reasons, and with little kids, we really just want a better quality of life to raise our kids in, where ever that may be in TX. We love AZ, but that heat at 125 in the summer, has to be horrible, besides we can't sit at the lake all day everyday! haha..

Good luck with your search then. One other suggestion I might add is Kansas City. It is really a gem in the Midwest. You don't have near the traffic as Dallas and it is a lot more laid back. The heat in the summer is not near as bad as Dallas although they do get snow 2-4 times during the winter. Good luck whereever you end up.

[CravenClan]

i have looked a little in Overland Park Kansas....But thank you for the suggestion.... i will check it out.
Good Night