South of Dallas? (Mesquite, Rowlett, DeSoto: apartment, condo, buying a house) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

bigDBrad · 07-23-2007, 03:45 PM

Hi all I have watched the forums for about a week and done some searching but I can't seem to find much info so here goes.

Right now I live in the village off of Greenville, I really like the area most of the time but it seems to be taking a bit of a slide. Also being newly married my new wife and I are looking to buy a home and with our modest salaries staying inside 635 somewhere safe just isn't going to happen. So we have doe a little looking to the east around Rowlett and Rockwall. I have also looked toward the Firewheel area but need a bit more research there.
While those places aren't bad for the money I was wondering what is south of dallas. Now I know inside 20 south of dallas is scary because my wife works at the VA and I have been down there, even ridden the dart down there and quite frankly I wouldn't feel safe without an armed escort. So obviously I don't want to live there but while she works at the VA I work just north of downtown off haskell. Our current location works well for our morning drive to work and I was thinking that the ride/drive from the rowlett/rockwall/firewheel area could get on my nerves and the thought of spending 2-2 1/2 hours a day just commuting is not appealing.
I was thinking however that south of I-20 doesn't seem to be very developed, specifically around 175 and 20.
I don't think the drive would be that bad but what is down that way? Any decent neighborhoods? How are schools? Presumably we'd be buying a house to stay in and raise a few children.

There are a number of places I could well afford in that northeast corner of DFW but I'm thinking the commute from south would be much easier to handle and if the area is decent and hasn't really grown then perhaps I could get a nice value in home and land for my money.

Any thoughts?

Lakewooder · 07-23-2007, 04:39 PM

Very few here are going to steer you south. I'm wondering why you think The Village area is on a slide - there are projects of almost $1 billion being spent in redevelopment in the immediate vicinity (and 1/4 of "The Village" is now being rebuilt) - and you are right next to the Park Cities and the expanded North Park. Also several of the nicely-maintained apartment and condo complexes just south of there are slated to be torn down and redeveloped. And you are within steps of Central Market and DART-- do you know how many people would love that?

But I digress, what is your price range and must you have something 'brand new'?

ChristieP · 07-23-2007, 04:58 PM

175 and I-20 is the Seagoville/Rylie area. It's been developed for years! Schools are not good; DISD took over Seagoville back in the late 70's like it recently did with Wilmer-Hutchins. Mostly low-income and older or mobile homes, but there are a few new homes. About the only industry down there is the federal prison and junkyards...

FarNorthDallas · 07-23-2007, 05:10 PM

You might check Ennis. I have worked with people from Ennis who commute into Dallas and they like the town. It's more country rural rather than suburban. I've also worked with people who live in Kaufman, Kemp, Gun Barrell City, Red Oak and Waxahachie and on Cedar Creek Lake. They all really like where they live and just deal with having to commute into Dallas.

Lakewooder · 07-23-2007, 05:50 PM

There seems to be a big Gun Barrell City / Dallas connection!

lh_newbie · 07-23-2007, 08:08 PM

Where do you/wife work? What is your housing budget? Maybe there are pockets close to work that are nice that are indeed affordable...

GoPadge · 07-24-2007, 02:22 PM

Waxahachie, Ennis or Red Oak are all possibilities. You would want to take into account the possible side effects from the cement plants in Midlothian, but that far away should be safe. Traffic up I-35E moves fairly well into downtown as long as there isn't an accident. The slow down headed north starts around Loop 12, but I was able to average about 35 - 45 most morning into the 35/30 split.

carlinagirlntx · 08-06-2007, 01:13 PM

There are new housing developments in the south mesquite area. I know one is named Falcons Lair. This is off I-20 area. I saw some of the houses going for 200k and up which is out my price range but i was impressed.

case44 · 08-07-2007, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlinagirlntx

There are new housing developments in the south mesquite area. I know one is named Falcons Lair. This is off I-20 area. I saw some of the houses going for 200k and up which is out my price range but i was impressed.

The I-20 corridor is just the beginning, you guys. Falcon's Lair won't be all that's new. Go towards Terrell and you'll see at least two more developments. And if you really want to look on U.S. 175, go further out from Seagoville. Like, perhaps Crandall. Now, don't laugh -- all the new opportunities afforded in the new Heartland development will also spill over into Crandall, and Crandall still has a pretty good school district. The Hillwood Group is said to have purchased an additional 2,000 acres for new development on top of what they're already doing in Heartland. I also hope Seagoville CAN be revitalized.

case44 · 08-07-2007, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigDBrad

Hi all I have watched the forums for about a week and done some searching but I can't seem to find much info so here goes.

Right now I live in the village off of Greenville, I really like the area most of the time but it seems to be taking a bit of a slide. Also being newly married my new wife and I are looking to buy a home and with our modest salaries staying inside 635 somewhere safe just isn't going to happen. So we have doe a little looking to the east around Rowlett and Rockwall. I have also looked toward the Firewheel area but need a bit more research there.
While those places aren't bad for the money I was wondering what is south of dallas. Now I know inside 20 south of dallas is scary because my wife works at the VA and I have been down there, even ridden the dart down there and quite frankly I wouldn't feel safe without an armed escort. So obviously I don't want to live there but while she works at the VA I work just north of downtown off haskell. Our current location works well for our morning drive to work and I was thinking that the ride/drive from the rowlett/rockwall/firewheel area could get on my nerves and the thought of spending 2-2 1/2 hours a day just commuting is not appealing.
I was thinking however that south of I-20 doesn't seem to be very developed, specifically around 175 and 20.
I don't think the drive would be that bad but what is down that way? Any decent neighborhoods? How are schools? Presumably we'd be buying a house to stay in and raise a few children.

There are a number of places I could well afford in that northeast corner of DFW but I'm thinking the commute from south would be much easier to handle and if the area is decent and hasn't really grown then perhaps I could get a nice value in home and land for my money.

Any thoughts?

Hey, bigDBrad,

Personally, I wouldn't MIND living in Rockwall, especially right next to The Harbor.

But if you really want to look at the southern sector, or maybe some points a little east, you may want to consider Mesquite east of 635. There is also Heartland, which is about eight miles to the east on I-20. It's a fledgling new development there by the folks at Hillwood and it looks very peaceful. The retail is not quite there yet, but it's expected to come real soon. You'll have a much easier time with traffic on I-20 than you would on I-30, and your trip to the VA will be a lot quicker that way. Until the Trinity River corridor gets fully developed, I would not recommend living inside the 635/20 loop south of downtown. You can also look at DeSoto, Red Oak or Ovilla (further south on I-35E). And I-45 is out of the question entirely until a hotshot developer can put a decent suburb east of Wilmer and Hutchins. So, for right now, I hope that this will help you. I wish you the best.