Keller (Fort Worth, Willis, Bear Creek: houses, job, high schools)

[mudbelly]

Grapevine's all right - if you like houses with dated floorplans. It's not cheap in the good feeder schools either. Its like Keller, but 15 years older. Downtown Grapevine is cool for the festivals (Grapefest, Main Street Days), but the houses close to there are not what I would call child-friendly. You can drive there quickly from anywhere in NE Tarrant.

I moved from Colleyville to Keller this past year because I got a nice big new ENERGY STAR house for at least hundred grand less than it would have cost me in Colleyville. Now my electric bills are half what the were in my old 1993 house, and I have 1200 more sqare feet with gigantic soaring ceilings to boot. I don't know why people complain about McMansions - who doesn't love tons of closet space AND cheap bills? The best ranked high schools in the area by TEA (if you trust them) are 1. Carroll 2. Colleyville 3.(although really really close to 2) Grapevine 4. Keller. That also happens to be the rankings of the football teams, and incidently, the parental "snob" factor as well...

I find Keller to be like a human baby puppy mill (but not in a bad way). Almost everyone on my street has numerous young children (the post 9-11 baby boom that will save social security), and they all are pretty cool. Colleyville seemed to have less homes with children, and those with kids were the more affluent, don't-have-to-work-stay-at-home-second-wife types. They mostly kept to themselves, and were really over-protective of their brood while their old husbands scurried along trying to keep up...

All in all I love NE Tarrant county. Much better than that Plano/Allen/Frisco/Mckinney traffic hellhole. There are quite a bit more trees in area, and several scenic parks with playgrounds, bike paths, and fishin' holes for the kids. The topography is rolling hills, not flat - Houston is flat. I love not having to pay tolls. I also really like my area for commuting (South Keller/North Richland Hills area) as my spouse works in Fort Worth (25 min.), while I work in Dallas (35min). If you can hit Davis Blvd. South out of Keller before 6am, it dumps you right in to the fast lane of 183/121 going either direction for a fast commute. 183 used to be much worse before everyone started moving North - now it's decent...

Best deals to be found may actually be in Hurst with GCISD, although BISD is good. That may be the place to "downsize." Colleyville and Grapevine have the best property tax rates, while Southlake is by far the highest...

[Texasturkey]

Originally Posted by artcgal

Park Glen is a VERY nice area of Fort Worth...close to lots of shoppping, good schools (Keller ISD), and other "amenities" such as plenty of restaurants, nail salons (several on every corner...lol), and dry cleaners. Okay...that is a joke with me and my husband. They no longer are building shopping centers...rather lifestyle centers...and, these lifestyle centers usually involve a new nail salon, donut shop and/or dry cleaner!

Okay...seriously...the homes in Park Glen were built by various builders. I would do a Google search for consumer complaints. We did this when we were deciding on a builder for our new home that is currently in the works.

As far as the dirt in Park Glen? It is a safe area...clean area....people take pride in their homes...again, pretty good school district...lots of families...again, good shopping...close to a lot of churches...also, kind of close to the railroad tracks...you have a YMCA in the neighborhood...Walmart and and a Walmart Neighborhood Market...close to HWY 377 (Denton Highway) with lots of traffic and shopping (Target, Linens and Things, Home Depot, Michaels, restaurants galore, etc).

Are there a lot of single people in Keller?

[loves2read]

from what I have seen I think most people there are couples or families with kids--there are few new apartments in Keller that would be what you might call "singles" apartments and there are almost no clubs or types of places that singles would gather at (but I am not a single nor young--so my info is scued by what I know)
most of the restaurants there are fast food type places from what I have seen
Mezza Luna was the only restaurant that had tablecloths for a long time---

Keller is close to other mid-cities though and not that far from Sundance Sq in FTW

[829]

i have lived in keller for a little over two months now and am happy with it... i was just wondering... if i were to put money down on a house (i'm leasing now) are there really strict regulations on fixing up a home (that is, adding additional space?)

is it all dependent on the subdivision? there are a lot of 3-2-2 homes but would love to add another br...

[loves2read]

depends on if the house is in city or unincorporated Tarrant co
depends on if it has an HOA with covenants about adding on/exterior look, etc...

probably better off buying a larger house to start with--adding something like that on your own is pretty much receipe for mistakes...

[5stones]

City of Keller : Search
for keller building codes etc...

I am sure with any exterior change you must obtain bld permits etc... AND if your neighborhood has an HOA then you have to have the plans approved by them.

If you are doing simple changes in the interor ie..upgrading kitchen /bath etc...then I think you are fine. AS long as no major construction is taking place... tearing down walls etc...

[829]

Originally Posted by 5stones

City of Keller : Search
for keller building codes etc...

I am sure with any exterior change you must obtain bld permits etc... AND if your neighborhood has an HOA then you have to have the plans approved by them.

If you are doing simple changes in the interor ie..upgrading kitchen /bath etc...then I think you are fine. AS long as no major construction is taking place... tearing down walls etc...

Thanks. That site is very helpful. We are looking to purchase a smaller home and fix it up... (possibly add a bedroom) it's on a bigger plot of land and the area is a lot closer to me for work... just trying to gather ideas now but good to start early...

[5stones]

it also might be cheaper to add the space (another bedrrom etc...) in the attic space.
We have a walk in attic and with minimal exterior work (add a dormer and some roof work etc..)we can add a another room and bath since it back up to a current bath.

or convert the the garage space and build on another garage.

Anyway just something to think about!

There is a house on Rufe snow that sits on about 2 acres that is having probelms selling....I think it's perfect for a fixer upper and remodel....

Good luck!

[829]

Originally Posted by 5stones

it also might be cheaper to add the space (another bedrrom etc...) in the attic space.
We have a walk in attic and with minimal exterior work (add a dormer and some roof work etc..)we can add a another room and bath since it back up to a current bath.

or convert the the garage space and build on another garage.

Anyway just something to think about!

There is a house on Rufe snow that sits on about 2 acres that is having probelms selling....I think it's perfect for a fixer upper and remodel....

Good luck!

great ideas... thank you! where in rufe snow? we are looking east of 377... getting across those train tracks to get to work during school has just been a pain in my rear!

[5stones]

where in rufe snow?

Just south of 1709.

There is also one North of 1709 on Rufe snow(directly across from the HS though) that has about 5 acres (I think) you can't see the house from the road though.

here's one in Roanoak...Keller schools Ebby Halliday REALTORS | 1221 Melissa Dr | Dallas Real Estate | DFW Homes | Fort Worth Real Estate

This also might be in the area that had flooding last year...
But I have no idea what your price is etc...
But know we would have loved to have some land!

getting across those train tracks to get to work during school has just been a pain in my rear!

yes it can be! my daughter's MS (Indian Springs) Tennis team played alot of matches at Central, and I was amazed at how many times around 5pm I got caught by the train, it would take about 20minutes sometimes just to cross 377 and back for fast food!