Colleyville? Aledo? (Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth: apartments, foreclosures, renting)

[5stones]

OK I know alot of pros for Colleyville..great schools, low crime, convient to airport etc...

What are the negatives?

It seems very well situated for us if hubby gets the job in FT Worth. (dallas one fell through) His office wouold be located South Downtown Ft worth off of I35 and 820 near Rosemont Park. He would still need to go into Dallas (HQ) probably once a month though.

What would his commute time be? (reg hours in the office by 8am)

NOW...for Aledo??

I really liked this area...
houses on .5- 1 acre or more etc... seems pretty with a bluff etc.

But schools??? how are the schools out there. Some neighborhoods go to Weatherford schools?

Price for us isn't really much of a consideration...comming from NoVA everything seems so very afforable. (I know high property taxes...)but you don't pay state income so it's a wash. we pay both here...$6000 in property tax on our current home.
we want to stay under 400k and so far that seems very doable in DFW area.

thanks.

[loves2read]

my husband goes into downtown FTW from Bedford on 121/183--takes about 25-30 min in moring--if you were coming down Hwy 26 in Colleyville into NE Mall and catching freeway you could figure on little longer...just because that is more stop-go/lights instead of getting on freeway quickly...
Colleyville is more difficult to do under 400 thou--will have to jump on house you like ASAP because the good ones go quickly...
some people think it is snobby area--but know people who live there and some are nice and some are not--having kids in schools gives you good way to make friends--plenty of churches in area if that is something you do--

You might consider parts of Hurst that have Grapevine/Colleyville schools--Hurst has cheaper taxes than Colleyville city tax--Grapevine is also less expensive house wise...
Think Northwest ISD is coming on strong--Trophy Club/Haslet would be that address-- homes fairly reasonable--you husband would not have very easy commute from there though...

Aledo schools did pretty well at TAKS time--mixed group--know couple of people who live there and have kids in schools--one family has real problem senior--been on drugs for couple of years--don't see how he could graduate just from time he missed out of school...but he did...
think Aledo has as many problems with things like that as any burb school district...Weatherford itself is very close to some subdivisions in Aledo--just a street way--so you need to check the physical location--not just school district---drive time into downtown fTW is about 30 min maybe longer going home...his drive would be easier since he would come in on I20/30 and then take the 820 S loop...prblem is that Aledo area does not have shopping/restaurant/hospital infrastructure like Colleyville does---which is one reason we have not moved there in quest for home w/larger lot....
You might look at Benbrook area--Aledo schools in some of that area s of 20 Benbrook ISD or Burleson ISD-new construction and some several years old...go to Burleson and come up from the south on I-35

You might even consider FTW itself--check out school TAKS scores--some elementary and jr highs are very good--can always apply for transfer to Paschal which has excellent rep and stll produces lots of junior nat'l merit scholars...some parts of FTW are very similar to where you are moving from--

[5stones]

I've heard great things about Paschel HS. But since we a comming from HIGH density housing it would be nice to have some space! I Really don't want anything like where we are now...traffic and houses sitting on top of one antoher...but I do love my historic old downtown (Leesburg VA) Living here was a Have to move...we get to choose where we put in for this move. (TX and CO taking top honors)

That's why Aledo sounded great. But I am leary of the schools...haven't heard much talk about them. Our schools here are excellent as well as the enviornment. Honor roll is a big deal and it's "cool" to get straight A's etc... The Deans and the councelors are very hands on and the principal knows most kids by first name! (lives in the neighborhood as well as many teachers)

Colleyville is the safty net... know it has good schools etc.... (houses are on OK sized lots 1/4 acre up) more expensive and houses are older (so we'll need to redo paint amd kitchen etc...) But it is a "known quantity " for us. It's more high density than we would like...but wayyyy better than here.

My problem is I lived in Houston and know that area and my sis lives near Dallas so i know alot about that area...but Ft Worth was always offthe radar. Until now! (hubby would be happy on 10acres... but I need good schools and we don't want the 60-90min commute he now has)

My sis recommened Arglye but I think that is way to far to commute.

Any suggestions welcome! (problem is...I'll find the perfect place then someone else will get the job!!)

thanks again for all the help...

[loves2read]

Colleyville is a good "safety net" as you say--most homes sell well there no matter what subdivison or builder (tract vs custom) because of desireability of schools--Southlake/Carroll ISD is same deal--and there are some houses there in your ballpark, just not very many and they go fast--

In Colleyville one of the nicer/better priced neighborhoods under 400 is Bridlewood which is off Hwy 26 and Cheek Sparger--lots are about .25, houses are about 8 yrs old now, has a nice little community park and has no through streets....Ross Downs is another neighborhood with homes under 400--some homes in there had bad builder--you can email me--don't want to give name here...
Colleyville and Southlake keep property values high because there are no apartments ...Grapevine has some apartments --some are nice and some are not...Grapevine has fairly small lots and almost no 3 car garages if that is important feature to you...

Aledo from what I can tell is still more sports than academic oriented---but that does not mean children can't get good education there...
there are drugs/alcohol/big parties/sex available at all schools in metroplex area no matter how small the district, whether it is in country or not--whether it is "church" school or not---it is just the way of the world--

if your children are small, you have more control over their friends and actions which parents of middle and high school students often don't...

my local edition of paper does Northeast info w/local schools--not the west side of FTW where there would be more info on Aledo/Azle/Weatherford schools...so I don't see all articles about schools that might be printed in different editions...

Mansfield was area I might have recommended a month or so ago--but article in FTW paper yesterday said that the number of foreclosures have jumped in a year almost 200%--don't think it would be safe to buy home there if you anticipated moving in 5 years or so--there is great comercial/retail growth and housing starts--but lots of foreclosures mean something is not good...will affect market for couple of years...

There are areas in FTW with larger lots and the town's pace is really fairly low even for a big town---much quieter than Dallas or Plano/Frisco--of course if you want a large lot, then Azle/Aledo area has those--

you might check out the TEA Region XI web site--there are links there to all local school districts and the TAKS (our state standardized tests) scores for districts and schools are posted...TAKS is not the only indication of what makes a good school because sometimes just 2-3 kids scores can tip a whole schools from recognized to acceptable...but that is what many people use as screening device...

[5stones]

Thanks so much for the info!

there are drugs/alcohol/big parties/sex available at all schools in metroplex area no matter how small the district, whether it is in country or not--whether it is "church" school or not---it is just the way of the world--

if your children are small, you have more control over their friends and actions which parents of middle and high school students often don't...

You are right it's EVERYWHERE... and having a good group of "core" friends is essential as is hands on parenting! My girls are 13,10,7...so I am concerned mostly with HS (my belief is that if you have a good HS chances are pretty high that your feeder schools are good as well. But...you can have an excellent elem school but the HS may not be so good.)

standardized tests are a tool...but I hate to use them as the only go to! Here our middle school is sooo skewed because of ESL students etc... But over 65% of the school is on A/B honor roll, +20% of kids score 100% on the tests. anyway I digress.

I guess I am looking for a HS with a good moral ground, kids who think for themselves and parents that are active in thier kids lives etc... where the goal isn't to have the "OC lifestyle" or think they need a sweet 16 b-day bash etc... GROUNDED kids not all caught up in hte materialisticness that seems to have swept over this nation.

I am going to keep up researching....I really like Aledo. (but think we may end up in Colleyville) Grapevine is another consideration, but everyone says it's soooo congested etc...

[letenn]

We just moved to Aledo. We really like it. I work on the west side of Fort Worth so that was a big decision for us. My kids actually told me they like their schools here better than Arizona. The schools are close. In fact they are within walking distance, but they still take the bus. It's a tough decision as I'm sure Colleyville is nice too.

[jehnifer]

Hi !

I love Colleyville. We moved here 12 years ago when our kids were preschool and kindergarten age...BECAUSE of the top notch school system. And I do not regret that at all. This is a great town for schools and home values and general quality of life!

I do want to tell you that because the kids are from higher than average income families there is a general sense of "priveleged" mentality. Many many kids get new cars when they turn 16. They travel, get "stuff" and seem to have it made! I live here and I would not trade it for the world, but my two kids now teenagers are living are pretty good life, and have not had to suffer much that would humble them. Dont know if I make sense here, but when I was a kid we just didnt have the luxuries that kids do today. Of course I could have or maybe should have held back, but didnt want to because I wanted my kids to feel like they were keeping up with their freinds, so to speak.

[loves2read]

I understand what you mean--you are right that kids today have sense of priviledge (even when sometimes there is not really the money to sustain it)...it is very pervasive ...parents just have to say no---
my daughter was distraught all through high school because she never got to wear shorts to school when weather was warm--I refused to buy or let her buy/wear shorts to school that were too short (and she is tall girl w/long legs)...and they felt we were too protective of them most of the time...but they still went to parties and probably both smoked some mj and had alcohol from time to time...
the only way to make sure your kids grow up to be nice people is to make them WANT to be nice people--that means being a "nice" person yourself--not lieing/cheating/drinking/stealing/speeding/being responsible/having a social conscience/having sense of perspective...

[5stones]

it's exactly the "keeping up with the jones'" mentality I hate. I makes me so angry that my daughter wants to wear all Ambercrombie clothes because it's cool. Thinks she needs a cell phone because everyone else has one. yes, I enjoy "nice" things etc... but the materialisticness of society drives me crazy!!

We live on a very tight budget... we don't go to the mall "shopping" every week. At christmas we decided a few years ago (as a family) that we would rather go on a great trip than have a bunch presents that get tossed to the goodwill in 6-12mo.

But alas...I have discoved in my 3 past moves that the excellent schools are usually in the more affluent areas and lots people in those areas just want to keep up with the Jones' even if hte Jones' life is a house of cards built on debt! lol

my job is to be home when my kids get home...that way I know who they are hanging out with! have the slumber parties here...get to know all the kids they hang out with. volunteer at school. find a good church with an active youth group and keep them invloved with sports. And pray like hell they make the right decisons!

[Grammy Linna]

Check out Trophy Club. It is close to everything and still has the small town feel.