If you were looking for a rental in Garland or Richardson where would you rent? (Dallas: rentals, houses)

[musicmom]

I heard that North Garland was a nice area??? and that Firewheel was a nice neighborhood, but I would be surprised if we could find a rental there.

1) Where would you recommend? Factors for us are low-crime/safe, family friendly, nice mix of cultures(as much as poss.),nice sense of community togetherness and not too far from decent shopping areas ( ie: malls) and parks. We homeschool, so schools are not an issue. I have received some answers before, and I am so thankful for those who have answered. The more input the better.


2)Which neighborhoods other than Spring Valley should we avoid?

3) Which mall/shopping areas should we avoid?

4) Parks to avoid?

5)Nice parks? (with walking/biking trails, nice playgrounds etc)?

6) Neighborhoods to definitely avoid ?

7) What is the weather like Nov.-March in these areas and Dallas in general?

Since we do not live in TX, thanks ahead of time for being our ears and eyes. We will be talking to a realtor eventually but it will have to be long-distance. I have no idea who to choose? If you can recommend a Realtor with whom you have had a good experience/knows these areas well /can help us with rentals please pm me their info. If we like that person alot, once we are ready to buy, we will continue to use his/her services and recommend others to him/her.

Thanks,

[nsumner]

There are about 14 single family homes for rent in the Firewheel area of Garland ranging from 1100 to 2200. You should have a few to choose from when the time comes.

Firewheel itself has an outdoor mall. Firewheel Town Center - Garland, TX 75040 | Simon Malls

Naima

Naima

[momof2dfw]

Hey, got your pm. Have not been on much. Just in flashes. I'll sit down later this afternoon and hopefully get a chance.




1) Where would you recommend? Factors for us are low-crime/safe, family friendly, nice mix of cultures(as much as poss.),nice sense of community togetherness and not too far from decent shopping areas ( ie: malls) and parks. We homeschool, so schools are not an issue. I have received some answers before, and I am so thankful for those who have answered. The more input the better.

There are not many areas of Richardson or Garland to avoid. Some areas that are not "THE" best are going to be small in size and older. The Firewheel area is pretty good and your right, not many rentals. Look in the 75044 and 75040 area codes to start with.


2)Which neighborhoods other than Spring Valley should we avoid?
Depends. Kind of hard to say to avoid an entire area as the other areas adjacant could be just fine.


3) Which mall/shopping areas should we avoid?
No malls to avoid. I don't care to head over to Town East in Mesquite as it is ALWAYS crowded. The new outdoor mall in Garland, Firewheel Town Center is very nice.

4) Parks to avoid?
I know of 2 in Rowlett I'd avoid unless I was in the market for some certain goods. Other than that there are not many parks to avoid. Breckinridge Park in Richardson right on the Garland border is very nice, large and popular.

5)Nice parks? (with walking/biking trails, nice playgrounds etc)?
Breckinridge is nice and big. There are a ton more around and just depends on what your looking for.

6) Neighborhoods to definitely avoid ?
Again, tough to say. In your price range though you should be fine.

7) What is the weather like Nov.-March in these areas and Dallas in general?
Flip a coin. Never pack your shorts and t-shirts away. Even in winter there are days when shorts and a sweatshirt will be just fine. Yesterday the high was around 72 but it was cloudy and a cool breeze. This time last week was drop dead BEAUTIFUL!!!! We can have a high in the 30's one day and the next it is close to 60. The 30 degree weather could be warm sunshine and the 60 degree weather could be cold rain. Our weather is kind of bipolar.

[MurphyPl1]

There's a neighborhood just south of Firewheel on the other side of 190. You'll be able to find rentals there and it's a reasonably nice neighborhood (not as nice as it should be). There's homeschoolers in the neighborhood and a nice neighborhood park with a good mix of open space, a pecan grove, picnic tables, a creek, bridge, trees and two play sets. Coomer Park. Actually the area is four different "subdivisions" but they've come together under the Coomer Creek neighborhood association (voluntary) and sort of branded the neighborhood that way, so you may find some reference to that.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by MurphyPl1

There's a neighborhood just south of Firewheel on the other side of 190. You'll be able to find rentals there and it's a reasonably nice neighborhood (not as nice as it should be). There's homeschoolers in the neighborhood and a nice neighborhood park with a good mix of open space, a pecan grove, picnic tables, a creek, bridge, trees and two play sets. Coomer Park. Actually the area is four different "subdivisions" but they've come together under the Coomer Creek neighborhood association (voluntary) and sort of branded the neighborhood that way, so you may find some reference to that.

Second this area. Coomer Park is nice. It is tucked back there and a lot of people don't know about it. We have had soccer practices there before.

You are correct, the neighborhood is not as nice as it should be. There are a few spotty houses that are the main culprits but otherwise it IS a nice neighborhood and everyone else keeps their house and yard up very well. Just those few here and there but those can be anywhere. Convienent as well.

[UTDGraduate]

Originally Posted by musicmom

I heard that North Garland was a nice area??? and that Firewheel was a nice neighborhood, but I would be surprised if we could find a rental there.

1) Where would you recommend? Factors for us are low-crime/safe, family friendly, nice mix of cultures(as much as poss.),nice sense of community togetherness and not too far from decent shopping areas ( ie: malls) and parks. We homeschool, so schools are not an issue. I have received some answers before, and I am so thankful for those who have answered. The more input the better.


2)Which neighborhoods other than Spring Valley should we avoid?

3) Which mall/shopping areas should we avoid?

4) Parks to avoid?

5)Nice parks? (with walking/biking trails, nice playgrounds etc)?

6) Neighborhoods to definitely avoid ?

7) What is the weather like Nov.-March in these areas and Dallas in general?

Since we do not live in TX, thanks ahead of time for being our ears and eyes. We will be talking to a realtor eventually but it will have to be long-distance. I have no idea who to choose? If you can recommend a Realtor with whom you have had a good experience/knows these areas well /can help us with rentals please pm me their info. If we like that person alot, once we are ready to buy, we will continue to use his/her services and recommend others to him/her.

Thanks,

For your criteria, I definitely recommend renting the home in these areas as follows:
Choice #1: somewhere between Renner Rd and Plano Rd.
Choice #2: somewhere between Apollo Rd and Plano Rd. There is a nice public park along a small creek is being reconstruction and upgrading now near the Post Office on Apollo & Plano Rd. Also close to the LA fitness on Beltline Rd

[kacvb1974]

Originally Posted by UTDGraduate

For your criteria, I definitely recommend renting the home in these areas as follows:
Choice #1: somewhere between Renner Rd and Plano Rd.
Choice #2: somewhere between Apollo Rd and Plano Rd. There is a nice public park along a small creek is being reconstruction and upgrading now near the Post Office on Apollo & Plano Rd. Also close to the LA fitness on Beltline Rd

Nothing wrong with these areas, but by only focusing on the east side of 75, you'd be ruling out fantastic 75080 neighborhoods like The Reservation, Richardson Heights and Canyon Creek!

[musicmom]

for the info.

What is that area like where the LA fitness is on Beltline? Nice?

Which subdivision would you say is the nicest of the main 3 mentioned: The Reservation, Richardson Heights and Canyon Creek? Any of them have their own community pool? I believe Richardson Heights does not, if I remember correctly.

Thanks so much for your help. I appreciate it!

musicmom

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by musicmom

for the info.

What is that area like where the LA fitness is on Beltline? Nice?

Which subdivision would you say is the nicest of the following 3: The Reservation, Richardson Heights and Canyon Creek? Any of them have their own pools? I believe Richardson Heights does not.

Thanks so much for your help. I appreciate it!

musicmom

All of these neighborhoods are older; Richardson Heights/Heights Park/Cottonwood Heights are the oldest of those, then The Reservation, then Canyon Creek.

Save for a few teardowns in Canyon Creek, the vast majority of these houses were built from the 1950s to the 1970s, before the gated community trend. Most are also on quarter acre or larger lots, which are large enough to have their own pools in the yards...and many do.

As a result they do not have their own private, neighborhood-only facilities like you would find in new subdivisions in the boonies. The pools in Richardson recreation centers are public. If you went to the one at Heights Park, I would bet good money that many of the people swimming there do not actually live in Heights Park.

None of the above neighborhoods have mandatory HOAs either, and I think none have restrictive covenants aside from the standard Richardson city codes. To put it bluntly, you may be sharing your neighborhood pools with people who have no "right" to be there (a lot of rec center users live in Dallas) and your neighbor can paint his house purple, though it is exceedingly unlikely that he will.

[MurphyPl1]

Personally I love the Canyon Creek neighborhood.