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I like Cotswold a lot and have recommended it to folks on this site before. However, if you're really concerned about schools, you might want to look elsewhere.
Update:
We visited for 4 days over the last week, spent 2 days with a realtor.
Love Dilworth and Meyers Park but even if we went up to 600K we would probably end up on .15 acres 2000 square feet in massive need of redo. Which pretty much describes the last 2 houses we have bought and not sure if we are up to doing it again.
Somehow we missed Elizabeth. And we didn't see any houses in Southpark either, not sure why.
We did ask for only the best of the best elementaries and middles. Looked at quite a few neighborhoods that go to Providence Springs and Elizabeth Lane. Looked at Hawk Ridge and Elon schools but I can't imagine that whole area isn't going to be continuously rezoned as it grows. The schools will likely still all be outstanding, but that area is getting a bit far out for us.
Even made it to Fort Mill, Baxter is adorable, but probably not a good fit for us.
I'm guessing I am asking, any input into why we wouldn't see Southpark or Elizabeth, and favorite neighborhoods that go into Elizabeth Lane, and what is that area called? Is it the Arboretuem? Is Southpark closer to "uptown"?
Loved our realtor and will definitely use her, but would like other opinions on these areas.
Southpark is an area, but not really a neighborhood as far as real estate listings would go. Just generally describes the area close to Southpark Mall, which is essentially at the corner or Fairview and Sharon. Some neighborhoods (by no means a complete list) around there would include Barclay Downs, Mountainbrook and Foxcroft. Would say that Southpark is at the outer edge of the 'inner suburbs' - with inner being defined as being inside Rt 4 (Fairview/Scaleybark/Runnymeade, etc) and is about 15 min from uptown.
No idea about neighborhoods feeding Elizabeth Lane, though the former principal there is now at Dilworth Elementary. The Elizabeth neighborhood itself feeds Eastover Elementary, which is a great school. Elizabeth is pretty small, and doesn't have a lot currently on the market.
Update:
We visited for 4 days over the last week, spent 2 days with a realtor.
Love Dilworth and Meyers Park but even if we went up to 600K we would probably end up on .15 acres 2000 square feet in massive need of redo. Which pretty much describes the last 2 houses we have bought and not sure if we are up to doing it again.
Somehow we missed Elizabeth. And we didn't see any houses in Southpark either, not sure why.
We did ask for only the best of the best elementaries and middles. Looked at quite a few neighborhoods that go to Providence Springs and Elizabeth Lane. Looked at Hawk Ridge and Elon schools but I can't imagine that whole area isn't going to be continuously rezoned as it grows. The schools will likely still all be outstanding, but that area is getting a bit far out for us.
Even made it to Fort Mill, Baxter is adorable, but probably not a good fit for us.
I'm guessing I am asking, any input into why we wouldn't see Southpark or Elizabeth, and favorite neighborhoods that go into Elizabeth Lane, and what is that area called? Is it the Arboretuem? Is Southpark closer to "uptown"?
Loved our realtor and will definitely use her, but would like other opinions on these areas.
I am frankly perplexed as to why your realtor would waste your very limited time taking you to Myers Park? Dilworth maybe, but still kind of out of your price range in many cases too.
The Elizabeth, Cotswold and Southpark areas are clearly where she should have spent your time once you determined the areas feeding into Providence Spring Elementary were too far out for your tastes.
Yes, Southpark is much closer to uptown than the areas around the Arboretum that serve Elizabeth Lane Elementary.
I was confused too, but I did say that we wanted only the top schools for elementary and middle. And that doesn't include the South Park schools. It really surprises me that there aren't Honors Schools of Excellence in South Prk (or even the next ranking, they don't show up until Distinction) or "10"s on the Great Schools rankings. I am guessing that is why we didn't see those areas. Not that the rankings are everything, but when you don't know a lot of people in the area, it is about all we have to go on.
The houses we looked at in Dilworth mostly go to Dilworth Elem and Eastover - which don't have as high test scores, well I guess Dilworth is too new, but people we talked to in those neighborhoods loved the schools, and especially Dilworth since it got Eliz. Lane's principal. We didn't meet anyone that goes to Bev Woods, but people seem pretty happy with Sharon as well.
There do seem to be quite a number of great elem schools, but then not quite as many stellar middle schools, so that is probably where our focus should be.
I was confused too, but I did say that we wanted only the top schools for elementary and middle. And that doesn't include the South Park schools. It really surprises me that there aren't Honors Schools of Excellence in South Prk (or even the next ranking, they don't show up until Distinction) or "10"s on the Great Schools rankings. I am guessing that is why we didn't see those areas. Not that the rankings are everything, but when you don't know a lot of people in the area, it is about all we have to go on.
The houses we looked at in Dilworth mostly go to Dilworth Elem and Eastover - which don't have as high test scores, well I guess Dilworth is too new, but people we talked to in those neighborhoods loved the schools, and especially Dilworth since it got Eliz. Lane's principal. We didn't meet anyone that goes to Bev Woods, but people seem pretty happy with Sharon as well.
There do seem to be quite a number of great elem schools, but then not quite as many stellar middle schools, so that is probably where our focus should be.
While I can understand the importance of looking for the very best schools for your kids, it is worth remembering there is so much more to a school than its academic ranking. I would personally have no problem with my child attending Eastover, Sharon or Beverly Woods. And while I have said often that the middle schools are the "weak link" in the CMS system, I would also have no problem sending a child to Alexander Graham Middle (which much of Southpark attends).
However, if that ranking is your measuring stick, go for it!
Just know you will find yourself living further out and in areas not as walkable as you said you wanted.
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