Keller (Dallas, San Antonio, Fort Worth: sales, foreclosures, HOA fees)

[padcrasher]

If I were you I would try North Euless in the Grapevine Colleyville ISD. (Colleyville Heritage Middle School and High School)You'd have a much closer commute and the schools are better than Frisco/Keller. Crime is rare. Plus you've got Weinberger's deli off Grapevine main st., which really becoming well known for their Chicago inspired menu. That drive would just kill you from Keller and Frisco is just too cookie cutter with those tract homes and box stores.

[829]

Originally Posted by padcrasher

If I were you I would try North Euless in the Grapevine Colleyville ISD. (Colleyville Heritage Middle School and High School)You'd have a much closer commute and the schools are better than Frisco/Keller. Crime is rare. Plus you've got Weinberger's deli off Grapevine main st., which really becoming well known for their Chicago inspired menu. That drive would just kill you from Keller and Frisco is just too cookie cutter with those tract homes and box stores.

Thanks for the input. I will get in touch with the realtor I'm working with and see if there's anything available around there. I will keep pushing my options out in Keller though.

I know the commute would be a pain but it would be for the greater good. I moved here without my family after the promotion and it's been almost a year... I would drive two hours in painstakingly bumper-to-bumper traffic just so I don't have to hold off another year without them.

[5stones]

Hurst/Bedford are also very nice and affordable. The school district is good.
(It's worth checking out) I think you could find a very nice house in a good neighborhood with solid schools for your kids here. And the commute won't make you miserable!

NRH hills (the west part) goes to Keller schools. But Birdville ISD is good as well. NRH is growing and it looks really nice the new shopping resturants etc... (over near the Husrt boarder where the Hurst sports complex is on Pricient line rd.

Keller has some options for your price near Watagua off of Bursey. Bursey ranch is a nice little subdivision.
If you stay east in Keller your commute to Irving won't be too bad. My husband goes over there (by the cowboys stadium) about 2x a month and from Ruffe Snow and 1709 it takes hime about 30-45 minutes (leaving around 7am) He gave himself an hour and was early.

However... the westren side has ALOT more affordable housing, but then you will increase your commute. if you cross 377, you will have the train to deal with. I get caught by it about every 3-4 times I go over. (usually when I am running late!) last time I got caught 20min. It's not EVERY time but it's something to consider.

[5stones]

oops forgot about the Grapevine suggestion.
S Grapevine/Colleyville would be a good place with very good schools. However it is more expensive, but 3 bedroom older houses are avail. So yes, keep that one one your radar as well. You might find a great "diamond in the rough" and have instant equity with a few fix ups and TLC.

[padcrasher]

Here's a little more of my 2 cents. I have multiple rental propeties in Euless, Grapevine, and Southlake and I've been doing it for years. I cannot stress enough about location. People get swayed by the square footage and the new homes and just do not realize these boxy tract home neighborhoods are on a 30 year downward spiral. Stay with small school districts. Stay with places that at least offer a little atmosphere nearby. Grapevine main st, lakes, a wine vineyard, parks with old growth trees, restaurants that are not franchised all over the place. Something!

[Guingirl]

My opinion is you just need to get out and look. Drive neighborhoods and find out what feels best for you. Keller to Irving could be a tough commute. Grapevine is a little more money than Keller. But I wouldn't necessarily just keep the look to Keller.

As Pad mentioned the other cities you should look into as well. There is a lot to offer on this side of town. Remember your realtor works for you, but you might due your own due dilligence in driving different areas, looking at schools, understanding commute schedules etc. For me, I really enjoy researching so I actually only needed my realtor to open houses for me to look at. I knew what everyone looked like before that from research on the web and I was very particular about what I wanted and didn't want.

When we did end up buying our home, we bought it quick and really only needed the realtor to fill out the paperwork.

[New2Keller]

I think you would be perfectly happy in Keller or even the surrounding communities "west of 377"

I can't think of many other places with the same combo of affordability, great schools, and family friendly ammenities

We are in Woodland Springs, which isn't very popular on these boards. Yes it has some down sides but we seriously feel very lucky to have found somewhere we could afford without sacrificing our safety or our children's educations. I agree with a previous poster, that Texans don't know how good they have it and we feel so blessed to have moved here and are able to now raise our children here. We are from CA where we were paying more for our tiny 900 sq foot condo in a mediocre area/school district, than we are now for a huge house with a very nice sized yard, in a great area, with great people and great schools. It's funny that so many people talk down on Keller because the more I drive around and get to know Tarrant County, the more I love Keller and am so happy we chose this area over a lot of other places.

Of course there are other very nice towns around here, but they are out of our reach money wise. We are a young family living on one income right now so VOWS is perfect for us. Maybe we will end up on "the other side of the tracks" in proper Keller eventually when we buy, but I'm not sure it's worth it. If someone wants to look down on us because we are spending 100k less to live west of 377, then so be it.

[5stones]

^ are absolutely correct. and yes, Texans ARE spoiled on the housing front.

There are 2 reasons I say no to "west of 377" and these are my own personal ones. As I have said beofore there is NOTHING wrong with that area, but one should aslo go in with open eyes.

#1 reason is commute time for anyone who has to go east of NRH for ex. it really adds up. That why Haslet etc (NWISD) are also not a good choice. for that commute.
And oposite of what otheres have said the train CAN impact you, if you have to cross it everyday for a commute.

#2 reason is being aware of the ammount of homes on the market there and the forclosuers. People need to be informed before making a decsion. We got burned hugely by the market in VA and it's no fun to buy in an area that bottoms out after you buy.

#3 FOR me PERSONALLY it was just not an area I cared for.
We are not buying our first house and our kids are getting older ms/hs. Yes I could have gotten a HUGE 4000+ sqft house in either VOWS or Hertiage for the same price I paid in Keller. BUT, I also didn't want to own one of the biggest most expensive houses in an area. The size was just not that important to me. I am picky...I did not want a front garage and we needed a 3 car garage...so that put a TON of houses off my list. It's personal taste.

NOW.... the pluses are that there are a ton of houses that are very affordable for young families or families tryiong to buy thier first house.
The schools are Good solid schools, even the worst school in hte district is ALOT better than ALOT of schools in other places in the country.
TONS of young kids everywhere, GREAT amienties...community pools etc...
And it's very safe.

Where else in the country can one get a 4 bedroom +2500 sqft house for under 200k in a safe area with good schools and great community amenities?

So yes, that area has alot to offer alot of people. But I believe in being honest so I'll give out the negatives as well as the positives.
AND trying to be helpful to what the poster who asking for help needs.

[Soccersupporter]

Originally Posted by 5stones

^ are absolutely correct. and yes, Texans ARE spoiled on the housing front.

There are 2 reasons I say no to "west of 377" and these are my own personal ones. As I have said beofore there is NOTHING wrong with that area, but one should aslo go in with open eyes.

#1 reason is commute time for anyone who has to go east of NRH for ex. it really adds up. That why Haslet etc (NWISD) are also not a good choice. for that commute.
And oposite of what otheres have said the train CAN impact you, if you have to cross it everyday for a commute.

#2 reason is being aware of the ammount of homes on the market there and the forclosuers. People need to be informed before making a decsion. We got burned hugely by the market in VA and it's no fun to buy in an area that bottoms out after you buy.

#3 FOR me PERSONALLY it was just not an area I cared for.
We are not buying our first house and our kids are getting older ms/hs. Yes I could have gotten a HUGE 4000+ sqft house in either VOWS or Hertiage for the same price I paid in Keller. BUT, I also didn't want to own one of the biggest most expensive houses in an area. The size was just not that important to me. I am picky...I did not want a front garage and we needed a 3 car garage...so that put a TON of houses off my list. It's personal taste.

NOW.... the pluses are that there are a ton of houses that are very affordable for young families or families tryiong to buy thier first house.
The schools are Good solid schools, even the worst school in hte district is ALOT better than ALOT of schools in other places in the country.
TONS of young kids everywhere, GREAT amienties...community pools etc...
And it's very safe.

Where else in the country can one get a 4 bedroom +2500 sqft house for under 200k in a safe area with good schools and great community amenities?

So yes, that area has alot to offer alot of people. But I believe in being honest so I'll give out the negatives as well as the positives.
AND trying to be helpful to what the poster who asking for help needs.

Very well put and balanced. We would have liked something in Keller proper but we really wanted to pay cash for our house and have money left over for investment. This made Crawford Farms and the availability of larger lots to pick from very attractive. We also wanted a brand new house and there is just not near as many choices available in Keller proper.

I have a strange question and have been unable to really get a satisfactory answer. Maybe you can enlighten me. How is it that Crawford Farms, the smallest development came to be? You have VOWS, gigantic and still growing, Heritage, big, smaller lots in general, nice amenities and then there is Crawford Farms.

Just curious.

[829]

guys,

thank you so much for your advice/suggestions

i did myself a favor and drove out to woodland springs yesterday and thought it was pretty nice... i drove through the saratoga subdivision to get there and thought it was great...

just to note - we are a pretty young family - my girlfriend is still in college and has three children that she is raising - i love the kids dearly and treat them as they are my own so driving through VOWS (or at least i think it's VOWS, unless it's completely different) it was nice to see parents walking their dog while their little one is in their power wheels or three kids tossing a football around... that's what makes me happy to see ... that the neighborhood is safe enough for anything like that...

i don't see that too much in irving - i live in las colinas but it is an arm and a leg to live out there - and i'm in a 1bed 1bath apt right now and pay a ridiculous 1,100/mo!

anyway, keep the insight coming - i do appreciate it all!