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Relocating to Dallas as soon as I can sell my house here in NJ.
What kind of communities are Grand Praire, Mansfield and Garland?
I've looked in Frisco, Plano, Allen and Keller - areas that I like but want to make sure I'm getting the most for my money.
Looking for safe communities with excellent school systems. Nice people and newer homes. Easy access to the airport
Thanks
Hi prettyinnj07,
So that the posters on this forum can assist you better, it would be very helpful to us if you could answer a few of the following questions.
You expressed an interest in a newer home, but in what price range?
What grade(s) are your child(ren) in? Are there any unique school programs, such as gifted/talented, special education, AP, IB, etc. that you would like a school to offer?
Besides good schools, what other amenities are you looking for in a city or particular neighborhood?
Approximately how long would you like your commute to and from work to be? Is a shorter one of major importance to you?
You expressed an interest in a newer home, but in what price range? 350- 400K; 3500+ sq ft; pool or community with a pool
What grade(s) are your child(ren) in? Are there any unique school programs, such as gifted/talented, special education, AP, IB, etc. that you would like a school to offer? My child will be starting Kindergarten next year. She is currently enrolled in a fairly serious dance and acting school, she also enjoys gymnastics and attends Kumon. Having these activities near-by is important. However, I don't mind driving up to 20-30 minutes if we're in the right community/house.
Besides good schools, what other amenities are you looking for in a city or particular neighborhood?
Easy access to shopping and resturants. Near good medical and a hospital.
I'd like a neighborhood with a sense of community. Friendly, out-going people. I'd like both my daughter and I to be able to make new friends.
Approximately how long would you like your commute to and from work to be? Is a shorter one of major importance to you?
I work for home but travel so I would like to be within 30-40 minutes to DFW
I'm in Garland. It is on the other side of the metroplex from Grand Prarie and Mansfield.
In your price range I'd go w/ Garland. Look in the Firewheel area for the newer homes in your price range. Specifically the 75044 zip code. Most of the communities in the Firewheel area have a community pool w/ the HOA. However, some do not. Provence at Firewheel does not but it is a very nice brand new community in your price range. Though, your daughter will probably make enough friends at school and other activities that live in the area that do have access to a community HOA pool it won't matter. There are public pools nearby in the city as well as LifeTime Fitness having a very nice pool area and Hawaiian Falls Waterpark being right here.
The community is very open, outgoing and has a great "hometown" spirit and draw to it. It is super easy to get involved and to feel like you have been here all your life. I'm one that did NOT grow up in this city but always get asked which GISD school I went to. Everyone is super friendly for the most part. If your involved and your daughter active you will meet plenty of friends.
The schools are very good and many great programs are offered in the district. If your daughter is interested in dance & gymnastics then you need to check out The Classical Center at Vial. It is an elementary school in the Garland ISD that offers the fine arts programs. They have dance, gymnastics, orchestra, choir, etc. For middle school from here you would be inline for Brandenburg. Garland HS has the Fine Arts magnet program and it is very good. You don't have to do the magnets for the programs but they are great in that your childs interest can be stimulated IN school and during school hours as well. The GISD magnet programs are very good. My oldest has been in the G&T magnets since kinder and we LOVE IT!!! She is at Garland HS this year and is loving it as are we. The "magnet" part of Vial does not really start till 2nd grade but you can still get her in for kindergarten if she qualifies. If she does then bus transportation IS provided.
If your interested in her pursuing a private school that focuses on her outside interests then check out Spring Valley Academy. It is a private school closeby that offers the fine arts. The kids do their academics the first few hours of the day then their area of interest the rest of the day.
As for nearby out of school options there are MANY. Calico Kids is one area dance school. We did Rowlett Dance Academy for many years and both of my girls enjoyed it. They put on a yearly Christmas program that is usually The Nutcracker, VERY GOOD! ASI Gymanstics has a location in Garland in the Firewheel area. If she wants to do more of the cheer then Cheer Athletics in Garland is one of the top places in the metroplex. There are also several theatre groups in the Garland area for her to get involved in. We have the Garland Performing Arts Center at the Patty Granville Center. I know of several kids that have been active in the performing arts as well as adults that participate. If you want some specific names I can get them for you. Our local State Rep's wife is very involved in the local theatre.
Several sites around the area for Kumon as I see the signs everywhere.
You really should not have a problem finding places for her w/in a 5-10 minute drive from home in this area.
Medical and Hospital:
We have Baylor Garland and the new Richardson Regional Medical facility that just opened up right up the street about 5 minutes away on 190.
My daughters asthma specialist is at Medical City Dallas on Forest Ln off of 75 and it takes us about 15-20 minutes to get there depending on traffic. They have a GREAT childrens hospital.
Presby Dallas is on up a bit from Medical City on Walnut Hill off of 75 and is another very good area hospital.
We can be at Baylor Dallas (known as "Big" Baylor) in about 30 minutes.
Grand Prairie schools aren't so hot. Mansfield is in the southern sector where there are fewer hospitals, retail, commerical stuff. Garland is a hike to DFW.
You are going to get most for your money in Grand Prairie & Mansfield. You can get a 4,000+ SF home for under $400K. Most newer communities will have a community pool. Mansfield ISD is a really good school districts w/ "Exemplary" and " "Recoginized" elementary & middle schools. Living in either of these cities will be a 30 mins or less communte to DFW Airport.
There is an available inventory home that is 5 bdrms-4 bths w/ 4,500 SF for under $350K.
The places you listed are pretty far apart from each other. None of them is what I would call close to the airport. Grand Prairie is going to be more of a blue collar town while Garland has low, middle and upper middle class neighborhoods. They pretty much have the same thing a large city would have. I really don't know much about Mansfield so I can't comment on it. Knowing your housing budget was greatly help in narrowing down some area's you should look at.
Relocating to Dallas as soon as I can sell my house here in NJ.
What kind of communities are Grand Praire, Mansfield and Garland?
I've looked in Frisco, Plano, Allen and Keller - areas that I like but want to make sure I'm getting the most for my money.
Looking for safe communities with excellent school systems. Nice people and newer homes. Easy access to the airport
Thanks
While GP would be closest to the airport, I believe there is more sense of community (at least IMO) in Garland, specifically 75044. One neighborhood that comes to mind is Spring Park, which I believe is zoned to exemplary (highest rating) elementary and middle schools. Provence at Firewheel is a new development under construction. It's also zoned to good E&M schools and though it does not have a community pool, its proxmity to the George Bush Tollway (190) is excellent for getting to the airport. Don't know too much about Mansfield.
I have been here for 2 1/2 years. Have not heard much good about Grand Prairie. Mansfield is nice and safer according to internet searches I did for crime rates before moving here. Keller and Mansfield came out on top. I am in Ft Worth on the Keller border. Nice area, little crime, lots of new home developments and excellent schools here. Wide range of home prices. The airport is about 25 minutes away, but it's a straight easy drive down the 114 or straight thru Southlake on Southlake Blvd. My sister is a flight attendant and lives in this same area. She goes to the airport once a week and it never takes more than 25 mins going thru Southlake. could take a few minutes more on the 114 during rush hours.
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