North Oak Cliff good for early 30s Professional? (Dallas, Spring: for sale, townhomes)

[reginasmu]

Thanks everyone, you have been very helpful. TC, that's a great point about the home prices. I think I am going to drive the area and check it out. What can you tell me about the proximity to good grocery stores, cleaner, gas stations, etc...would I be close to all of those types of businesses?

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by reginasmu

Thanks everyone, you have been very helpful. TC, that's a great point about the home prices. I think I am going to drive the area and check it out. What can you tell me about the proximity to good grocery stores, cleaner, gas stations, etc...would I be close to all of those types of businesses?

There are definitely fewer amenities to choose from in North Oak Cliff than you'd see in North Dallas or Collin Co, but they are there or close by.

There is a Tom Thumb at Hampton & 12th Street (just south of Davis) where most people get their basics. A lot of people work in downtown/uptown and will grocery shop after work in those areas. Since you have to take the tollroad everyday, it's easy to hop off at Mockingbird and stop at the Whole Foods on Lemmon & Tollroad for your meat, cheese, produce and then use the neighborhood Tom Thumb for basics like cereal, soda, etc. On the weekends you're just a 5-7 minute drive from the downtown Farmer's Market if you want to shop there.

There is a big Walgreens at Beckley & Zang on the east side of the neighborhood and a
CVS at Davis & Hampton on the west side.

Off the top of my head, there is a nice fairly new gas station at Sylvan & I-30 (north side of 30), close to the Belmont. I'm sure there are others but that's the one I see as I take Wycliffe to Sylvan a lot to avoid the highways.

I don't live in the area so can't speak to dry cleaners. I'd ask neighbors or real estate agents if you go to some open houses. Or you can always use one close to work and drop off/pick up during lunch or on your way to/from work.

Everything you need is in the neighborhood, but you won't have 25 choices of gas stations/dry cleaners/grocery stirs to choose from like you may be used to if you live in North Dallas/Colin County now. Overall, it's a less affluent/more mixed economically area and the one area that still shows is in commercial development....but the trade-off is that you can afford a beautiful home in a beautiful neighborhood for a price that wouldn't buy you a shoebox in North Dallas.

[Lakewooder]

I think there will probably be a large grocery store going in on Fort Worth Avenue (focus of redevelopment efforts) at some point if not at another location nearby.

[Edward_from_Dallas]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

I think there will probably be a large grocery store going in on Fort Worth Avenue (focus of redevelopment efforts) at some point if not at another location nearby.

Grocery store? Yes. Large? No. The word is that the space set aside for the organic grocery store is only 8000 sq ft. Pretty small for a grocery store but we'll be happy to get it!

[TrueDat]

There's also a Walgreen's at Fort Worth and Bahama. And Aldi's, not far from the Walgreens on Fort Worth Avenue, will be opening shortly. Then you have your choice of big box stores -- Wal Mart, Best Buy -- just down the road at I-30 and Cockrell Hill.

[dallas90210]

Kessler Park is a great area! The schools are not so great, but the houses are awesome and tend to appreciate well. If you can get a foreclosure or fixer upper over there, you might be onto something.

[reginasmu]

Thanks for all of the feedback. Sounds like this area is one of the "jewels" of the city. Why don't more people talk about this area?

So the neighborhoods recommended in that area are:
Winnetka Heights
Stevens Park Village
Kessler Park

Any other areas? I'm planning to take a drive around there sometime next week while I'm off work.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by reginasmu

Thanks for all of the feedback. Sounds like this area is one of the "jewels" of the city. Why don't more people talk about this area?

So the neighborhoods recommended in that area are:
Winnetka Heights
Stevens Park Village
Kessler Park

Any other areas? I'm planning to take a drive around there sometime next week while I'm off work.

People on City-Data don't talk about it because most are relocating and want suburbs or are ignorant DFW residents who think the city is "bad".

But if you read the Dallas area media covering the cool, hip places to eat, shop, and live, North Oak Cliff is covered far more often than all the suburbs put together. Start reading D Magazine, Paper City, Modern Luxury Dallas, The Observer, heck even the Dallas Morning News covers the area. Leslie Brenner, DMN food critic, covered her "best dining experiences of 2010" in the weekend paper and several North Oak Cliff spots were mentioned. If you read the local, in-the-loop real estate experts, they always mention North Oak Cliff as an area where biz is doing well and will continue to do so.

I'm delighted you've discovered it, but it's certainly not a hidden secret! Be sure to drive down Davis through the Bishop Arts District and see how busy all the restaurants are- even on a weeknight!

[reginasmu]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

People on City-Data don't talk about it because most are relocating and want suburbs or are ignorant DFW residents who think the city is "bad".

But if you read the Dallas area media covering the cool, hip places to eat, shop, and live, North Oak Cliff is covered far more often than all the suburbs put together. Start reading D Magazine, Paper City, Modern Luxury Dallas, The Observer, heck even the Dallas Morning News covers the area. Leslie Brenner, DMN food critic, covered her "best dining experiences of 2010" in the weekend paper and several North Oak Cliff spots were mentioned. If you read the local, in-the-loop real estate experts, they always mention North Oak Cliff as an area where biz is doing well and will continue to do so.

I'm delighted you've discovered it, but it's certainly not a hidden secret! Be sure to drive down Davis through the Bishop Arts District and see how busy all the restaurants are- even on a weeknight!

I am familiar with Bishop Arts District, I've actually eaten down at Hattie's a couple of times. Nice are. I just didn't realize the residential neighborhoods that were over there. I will definitely explore that whole area.

As far as homes in those neighborhoods that have been "gutted out" and remodeled, is there a particular website that lists those types of homes, or will I just have to go house by house and check them out individually?

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by reginasmu

I am familiar with Bishop Arts District, I've actually eaten down at Hattie's a couple of times. Nice are. I just didn't realize the residential neighborhoods that were over there. I will definitely explore that whole area.

As far as homes in those neighborhoods that have been "gutted out" and remodeled, is there a particular website that lists those types of homes, or will I just have to go house by house and check them out individually?

I sent you a DM with a realtor rec & also a website rec to search the MLS.