Provence at Firewheel (Austin, Garland, Taylor: sales, real estate, HOA) - Dallas - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

wordstringer · 10-03-2009, 06:36 PM

My husband and I are researching this neighborhood and we love the location (it's close to lots and most importantly to family and work)! We also looked at Paul Taylor just north of Provence and Grand's Enclave at Emerald Forest. Our only concern with Provence is the train that runs along 78. Does anyone live in the area and can speak to the frequency and/or noise level? Also, we were told that Drees is closing out and selling off lots to the other two builders, Highland and Newcastle. Does anyone know why?

MurphyPl1 · 10-04-2009, 12:46 PM

Momof2 can probably give you some incite about the noise in that area also. But I used to live on the other side of 190 near those same tracks. Wasn't too bad. Not a ton of trains and honestly you do get used to it. Plus IIRC you're a little buffered by the tree line along there.

That's a nice neighborhood, close to plenty of stuff and on the "right" side of 190 to get up and headed east quickly. We used to have to snake our way up and over. A trip to Naaman Forest to drop DD off was 7 minutes there, 3 minutes home. :-)

MurphyPl1 · 10-04-2009, 12:48 PM

Oh and FWIW there's a realtor that lives in that neighborhood whose family has been selling real estate in Garland forever. They are part of a VERY successful Ebby office and she knows all the areas of Garland. if she and her husband would build there, I would say that carries a lot of weight.

wordstringer · 10-04-2009, 12:58 PM

Great additional info. I asked a follow up question on my other post, but you'd already answered it here. Thanks so much for the insight. It does seem like an ideal area. Hubby concerned about resale value because of train, though not a dela breaker for us. And, the fact that a seasoned realtor chose to buy in the development carries a little weight, imo. We plan to visit the community some more and chat with more residents. Thanks again!

momof2dfw · 10-05-2009, 10:41 AM

The Provence has done VERY WELL!!!! The homes in there have sold really fast and I have some comps from that neighborhood and the prices are holding steady and even going up. As for the train. I'm just down the road and not much further from the tracks than some homes in The Provence. Here is what I've found. Inside you don't even hear it. Outside it is faint. Get a house that the front is towards the tracks and then in your backyard plant some trees and landscaping around the fence. When out in the backyard you can't hardly hear the train as the house is a buffer as are the plantings. This is how our house is and it is great. We were at a neighbors that their backyard faces the direction of the tracks and the train was much louder even though they are a street further away from it than we are. The neigbhordhood is great and some people have come in and done some bangup GREAT landscaping.

I think I know which family Murphy is refering to. If it is then one of my kids is good friends w/ one of their gk's. GREAT family. If you do this neighborhood and you don't do the magnet schools then pick Luna Elem for your school. GREAT school, strong academics and a good crew for leadership.

AVOID GRAND HOMES!!!!!! If Emerald Forest is the development right off of Hwy 66 and I think it is you want to avoid it even more. EEK!!! NO WAY!!! Take a drive down a bit to Centerville and go south on Centerville. Do this on a very humid morning and have the windows down. You will see REAL FAST why to avoid this general area. Just get the windows up FAST!

Taking that drive to get to Austin Academy, HBJ Stadium or to LBJ is one thing. Living right close to it is TOTALLY different.

MurphyPl1 · 10-05-2009, 02:40 PM

I think Emerald Forest might be that one in Sachse behind the Kroger. Location not bad, but Grand.

It cracks me up that the gal I referred to is living in a neighborhood where all the streets are named after her parents friends. :-)

wordstringer · 10-05-2009, 05:08 PM

Thanks momof2, I was thinking of a lot that backs to the creek, which is nearer the RR, but obviously lush. DH wants to be as far away as possible so he'd prefer inner lots, though the best ones seem to be on those streets Murphy mentions that are named after folks. Ugh. I do not like that, but hey if the house has what we want/need, what's in a name, right? Anyway, your direction/landscaping suggestion sounds like a good one. This is the first neighborhood we've seen that we both like and is in our budget, but the train gives us pause. We'll see. Even now, we live a mile (at least) or two from the nearest RR and last night I heard the horn and thought about Provence. LOL

wordstringer · 10-05-2009, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MurphyPl1

I think Emerald Forest might be that one in Sachse behind the Kroger. Location not bad, but Grand.

It cracks me up that the gal I referred to is living in a neighborhood where all the streets are named after her parents friends. :-)

Murphy, exactly. Emerald Forest is behing Kroger. I thought it funny that when I asked the salesperson about noise from the RR, she was like "What tracks?"

Guess she takes a diff route to work. I was so loving me some Grand until I read the reviews.

galore · 10-06-2009, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wordstringer

Thanks momof2, I was thinking of a lot that backs to the creek, which is nearer the RR, but obviously lush. DH wants to be as far away as possible so he'd prefer inner lots, though the best ones seem to be on those streets Murphy mentions that are named after folks. Ugh. I do not like that, but hey if the house has what we want/need, what's in a name, right? Anyway, your direction/landscaping suggestion sounds like a good one. This is the first neighborhood we've seen that we both like and is in our budget, but the train gives us pause. We'll see. Even now, we live a mile (at least) or two from the nearest RR and last night I heard the horn and thought about Provence. LOL

I'd get the lot with the creek.

This train isn't a regular commuter train that rushes by every 15 minutes but a freight train a few times a day that is slow (=low rumbling noise instead of loud swoosh) with the occasional whistle. The HOA should lobby the city to require automatic railroad crossing bars at all crossings so that the train doesn't have to use its horn.

I view the "noise" as a bonus - makes it more interesting.

nsumner · 10-06-2009, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wordstringer

My husband and I are researching this neighborhood and we love the location (it's close to lots and most importantly to family and work)! We also looked at Paul Taylor just north of Provence and Grand's Enclave at Emerald Forest. Our only concern with Provence is the train that runs along 78. Does anyone live in the area and can speak to the frequency and/or noise level? Also, we were told that Drees is closing out and selling off lots to the other two builders, Highland and Newcastle. Does anyone know why?

They only have a couple of spec homes that they are selling off, someone will get a very good deal. Although I really like Drees, they tend to price their homes very high and they always end up selling almost 100K below list to make you feel like you got a bargain. A practice that many builders follow but not with such a big margin. The result is they miss out on many potential buyers.

Sales have been slow in the area (way above average for Garland). I have 2 listings in there (1 on Billie Johnson & 1 on Kent Brown) although about 1 month on the market only, yet I see some previous sales that have lingered 1 year plus...

Firewheel

Above is the link for the local HOA. Not much happening yet but a good time to get onboard if you are going to live there. A very quaint neighborhood.

Naima