Possible job at JRB Fort Worth - Where to live? (Houston: transplants, HOA)
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377 is the nominal boundary between FTW city limits and Keller city limits--but boundary can vary
In TX unlike some other states--school districts set their own boundaries (i.e. the term INDEPENDENT in their names)
they are not formed as one cohesive unit like the county school districts in FL and other states--
or cities
one district can flow into 2-3-4 towns and one town can have several ISDs within its boundaries--
and it did not help that when many of the neighborhoods in FTW city limits but Keller ISD were constructed--the FTW city council and the US Postal Service allowed them to use a Keller zip code/mailing address
some people thought they were actually buying a house IN Keller city limits with Keller government/police/services--vs FTW
now it supposedly has been revised 9 yrs later so that the zip and city show FTW
There are some neighborhoods w/neighborhood pools--your HOA dues are higher to support the insurance and costs to maintain them
Rancho Serena neighborhood in Keller proper is one that has community pool--and some homes have their own--it is gated neighborhood--pretty popular one
check the map at the bottom of either listing
you can search for homes in the area for sale--different neighborhoods/prices
that is nice area of Keller
Hidden Lakes which is more of a tract development has community pool, soccer fields--has areas with different prices/names
Idlewood Green is area in your price range
807 GlenDale is house for sale there but it also has private pool
Heritage or hidden lakes
that older post has some info about both Hidden Lakes and Heritage neighborhoods
and you can search this forum and get lots more
Last edited by loves2read; 05-07-2011 at 07:33 PM..
The main difference is the Taxes. Ft Worth city but Keller ISD will give you higher property taxes.
The roads are also kinda a mess out in some parts of NW FT Worth...getting East over the tracks for work can be a Pain! (I know 2 families that are moving from Woodland Springs becasue of this.)
The roads by Heritage are much better than north.
Schools were just re-aligned a bit... I would suggest you look at Marshall Ridge as well(they now attend KHS)and have an elementary right in the neighborhood, will open in the fall. It's simular to Heritage but in Keller so it has slightly lower taxes. But it will add about 15 minutes to the commute
We too moved from VA (NOVA area) to Keller. So know the house money issue! I suggest you look at houses around 300-325K. The property taxes here a pretty high, as well as utility rates, house insurance etc...
The houses are very tempting here...(like a kid set loose in a penny candy store with 20 bucks!!) It's hard when you come from an area where 400k is an older starter home)
Here are other neighborhoods I know in Keller with community pools...
Lakes of Highland Oaks
Chase Oaks (tons of kids, older now zoned for Central HS. probably get a very nice house for 260-300)
Forest Lakes (small community pool! but walking distance to Keller Pointe)
From where you job is at the base and what You want (all but the 1/2 acre to acre) I would seriously look at Heritage. Tons of young famuilies and great schools, plus ALL the neighborhood amenitirs for kids you would want. Close to lots of shopping (especially now the new cneter just opened off of 35!)
Has doctors, preschools, churches, rec facilites for sports etc... the new Ft worth Y is also very close
Let me know if you have any other questions...
Good Luck
You just want to get as much info about past foreclosures and homes that are being leased in neighborhoods vs owner occupied
probably something you are aware of but many people in neighborhoods have dual incomes so people are gone during the day
it is also likely that you will drive through neighborhoods after school is over and see few kids in front yrds--so it is difficult to tell if there are children in homes at all
I would suggest that you drive through any neighborhoods you like at different times of the day--
sometimes after school is out--in the evenings--you see ton of cars parked on the streets from high school friends coming over and they can be there long time
also in the older neighborhodd ours borders there are people parking cars on street overnight--garages are full and they have teen drivers at home--
Personally I don't like that--my neighborhood has HOA rules preventing it--some neighborhoods don't
Just based on experience, where we live, we have a community HOA and there are a good portion of us are stay at home moms that have a activities/play groups.
There is a great group that I used to belong to in the Grapevine/Colleyville/Southlake and I didn't live in those cities, but they were very organized and a pleasure to be a part of so you can definitely find groups to do things with and it may not necessarily be in your neighborhood. You just have to put yourself out there. Generally, its easier when you have kids.
We don't have any substantial family here, so we really depend on our network group of friends. It has been a wonderful experience for us.
Agree that there are moms-networks out there for activities and play groups--
but you must admit Guingirl that many areas with children often have no clue that they can be found there--
and the lower priced the neighborhood, the less likely there are stay at home moms from my experience-
and also agree that many people have their friends/family network--not necessarily a neighbors network for friendship
Loves...I will take it with your opinion that you don't have small children and haven't moved here without family (being young) and actually having to put yourself out there to meet friends. If you don't want to be stuck in your home, you have to search and put yourself out there, or yes...you will have a miserable life.
I don't think income level has much to do with it, not with churches, the availability of parks and so many other free or low cost activities in the area. I just don't see it as a valid argument. If one expects people to come knocking on their door, well then, I guess they are out of luck.
There are alot of stay at home mom's here in Keller. As well as in Heritage, all the mom's I know in Heritage stay at home with the younger and/or preschool kids.
Esp. in the Elementary age kids, some do home based business etc... but judging on the ammount of volunteers at the school and at 3pm pick-up etc.. I just recently went back to work part time, my youngest is in 5th grade.
I have noticed that once kids reach full time school age alot will get part time jobs etc... esp jobs within the school (subs, lunch monitors, cafeteria, crossing guards, office aides etc...)
There are TON's of networking groups in this area for mom's of small kids... Keller pointe has programs, the Libraries, MOP's programs, mom's day out, the YMCA, the Natatorium run baby and me swim classes etc....
This is just my expirence from living in the area.
Again, thanks for all the great info. I think we'll definitely be focusing our search on Keller. I think Colleyville, Grapevine, etc., are just too far away and frankly, I don't think I want to be so far out that I have to drive 20 miles to go to a grocery store.
I currently work but if this job transfer comes through, I'll likely opt to stay home with the kids (8 and 2), at least for a while. I'll definitely be checking out moms groups, the Y, etc. I'm also looking forward to having the opportunity to volunteer at school, etc. things I just can't do now because I'm working full time.
A neighborhood with lots of kids is very important to us. While we live in the city, our neighborhood is like a mini-Mayberry. All the kids are outside playing all the time with all the moms and dads hanging out together watching them. We also currently live in a socially active neighborhood with frequent gatherings (happy hour, bunco, etc) and we are hoping to replicate that when we move.
5stones: Do you live in Heritage? How much are the HOA fees?
We did not make some things clear--
there is no issue being out in the country and away from amenities in cities like Colleyville or Grapevine--they are suburbs with plenty of access to shopping/entertainment/good schools
it would be the areas WEST of FTW--like Aledo/Willow Park areas that have more isolated neighborhoods from things like grocery stores or other shopping
Depending on where you pick in Keller I think you could be as far as you might be from Grapevine or Colleyville--but your choice
our weather makes it not that common for kids to be doing stuff outside once it starts to heat up
it can be 90 degrees by 9 am in the summer--that is hot--and it stays that way even after dark--so kids spend lots of time in their pools or inside or doing stuff like VBS
but this weekend the kids on my street with some friends in the neighborhood were in yard for the house across the culdesac from mine----playing in the sprinkers--and the boy next door had friends shooting baskets in his driveway
today--nothing--they are all inside
so it just depends on when you drive through as to what you would see
@Guingirl--
I am over 60 == lived in the area for 25 plus years--but not in Keller developments like Heritage--large developments like that don't appeal to me--
I was a stay a home mom for several years when we moved here then when my husband was laid off in the 80s and could not get job with good ins (we had son who had cancer as child) I went back to work--first for the state and then as teacher which was my original career--did that until about 6 yrs ago when I retired--
I know younger moms (daughters of friends and people I worked with) the ones living in homes under 300K work for the most part--the ones who stay home live in more expensive homes
most of them grew up in this area--are not move-ins--and they have variety of friends--some childhood friends, some from church/work, some from their neighborhood
so it just depends
I don't know why you seem to think that I have a miserable life--I actually have a very good life and don't feel that I am missing anything--except seeing my daughter more--but she lives in FL--and we see her about every 2 or 3 months usually when we fly out there since she teaches and is busy for most of the year.
Maybe because we are more liberal and less churchy than the people who live around us we have made friends with people other than our neighbors--
I don't think there is anything unusual in that--
you can be friendly with your neighbors and not be friends with them--
Last edited by loves2read; 05-09-2011 at 07:21 PM..
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