Bostonians moving to Dallas/FW area - school help, please. (Fort Worth: real estate, neighborhoods)

[123MA]

Hello,
I have been reading the Dallas and Fort Worth Forum for a few weeks trying to get some understanding of the area. Here is the situation - my husband's work is asking us to consider relocating to the Texas area (job either in Irving or Westlake, not sure yet). We have four children ranging in age from ten years to eight months. I have lived in a suburb of Boston my entire life. We did contemplate a move to Connecticut last year, but ended up not going due to career opportunity. Could someone please tell me the best way to research the schools in Texas, specifically? I understand looking at the exemplary status is not a true measure. I understand that in your area, there are ISDs and that schools are not determined by town necessarily. Education is KEY for us - we want to send all of our children to public schools and very good public schools. However, we also want our children to be challenged but not overly stressed. I understand the Highland Park schools are excellent but I think that may be too much for us (both in terms of cost of housing and competitiveness). Where is the best source of information on the school districts all the way from elementary to high school? We need to consider the entire picture as our children are spread out in age.

Our price range will be 500 to 700K. Minimum of 4 bedrooms. Would love a downtown area with shops, parks, etc. A short commute for my husband will also be a consideration. I believe they are flying us both down there within a month or so to look at some areas, so I would like to do my homework before we go for our visit. Any guidance or help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

[Squirl]

there are soooooooo many threads about schools in the DFW area; you need to read some of the past threads....

[mami2emily]

Hello! You will get a lot of feedback on this board. Our family is moving to Dallas on 5/27! While others chime in on this thread I thought I would give you some information based on what I have learned.

I believe Coppell ISD and Carroll ISD would be fairly good commutes to both Irving or Westlake. They both have excellent schools. These schools can be in the towns of Coppell, Grapevine, Southlake, so it is important to search by the particular school district you want and not the town. They are more suburban so you will not find a downtown area with shops, but rather, many strip malls. Southlake does have a Town Center built to resemble a downtown, it is a very large outdoor mall with shops, restaurants, town services, etc. In these areas you should be able to find a lot in your price range.

For more of a city feel and excellent schools you should look into Highland Park ISD. This is where we decided to be...my husband will be working in Irving. Here you will be sacrificing size of house/lot for excellent schools, city services, and location. The top end of your budget would be a starting point for a family-sized house.

Best of luck on your search. We lived in Massachusetts for 11 years (Waltham, Maynard, West Concord) and have been in Georgia the past 14 years.

[Lakewooder]

Lakewood is a less expensive alternative to HP, much more ecelectic and diverse and you can be competitive or not...however, it's a little farther from your husband's job (it's directly east of HP) - Irving might work but Westlake is going to be quite a drive...depending on where in Irving the job is located DART rail might work...there is a station at Baylor Hospital and another at Mockingbird "Station".

Anyhow Lakewood it has its own 'downtown', shops, parks, country club, lake and it's close to Downtown Dallas - it's leafy and seasoned not new and 'planned'. The M Streets are part of the area (slightly closer) and also has excellent schools but less of the community feeling that you might want..

Search 75214 75206 75223

[skids929]

Originally Posted by 123MA

Hello,
I have been reading the Dallas and Fort Worth Forum for a few weeks trying to get some understanding of the area. Here is the situation - my husband's work is asking us to consider relocating to the Texas area (job either in Irving or Westlake, not sure yet). We have four children ranging in age from ten years to eight months. I have lived in a suburb of Boston my entire life. We did contemplate a move to Connecticut last year, but ended up not going due to career opportunity. Could someone please tell me the best way to research the schools in Texas, specifically? I understand looking at the exemplary status is not a true measure. I understand that in your area, there are ISDs and that schools are not determined by town necessarily. Education is KEY for us - we want to send all of our children to public schools and very good public schools. However, we also want our children to be challenged but not overly stressed. I understand the Highland Park schools are excellent but I think that may be too much for us (both in terms of cost of housing and competitiveness). Where is the best source of information on the school districts all the way from elementary to high school? We need to consider the entire picture as our children are spread out in age.

Our price range will be 500 to 700K. Minimum of 4 bedrooms. Would love a downtown area with shops, parks, etc. A short commute for my husband will also be a consideration. I believe they are flying us both down there within a month or so to look at some areas, so I would like to do my homework before we go for our visit. Any guidance or help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Fellow Boston local here...Go! Don't think twice about it. Do your research of course but GO! DFW is fantastic, we live in a burb of Boston as well, have my whole life. If I had a relo opportunity I would be gone tomorrow.

Does your hubby work for Fidelity? I am working on opportunities there with a close friend who works in the Smithfield office.

I wish you all the best in your decision making process. But take it from someone from your current area, who travels to DFW often (be there in May actually) it's a wonderful place to raise a family, and your budget will have you living very nicely with choice of schools and desirable locations.

My first suggestion too you is start with Southlake. Great location to Westlake and Irving and the airport. And more seriously, when it comes to Suburbs, Texas does it very well. New England has absolutely NOTHING on what you will see down there when it comes to family friendly, pristine neighborhoods to live in.

PS- you might find most of the top ranked public schools in Texas put a big emphasis on athletics (namely football) moreso than up here-just look at the football stadiums, they're unfreakin-real. Southlake's is like BC's stadium, so that is telling.. Sometimes this comes with a different kind of social pressure than a New England family would probably be familiar with. One of the reasons we are looking to buy less real estate and would most likely put our kids in Catholic school down there. Even though the althletics are weak, the values and education is more in line with what we want for our kids.

[stan4]

Originally Posted by 123MA

Our price range will be 500 to 700K. Minimum of 4 bedrooms. Would love a downtown area with shops, parks, etc. A short commute for my husband will also be a consideration. I believe they are flying us both down there within a month or so to look at some areas, so I would like to do my homework before we go for our visit. Any guidance or help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

You're looking for a downtown area, but neither of those places (Irving or Westlake) is downtown.

You mean to do a reverse commute?

[nsumner]

I would suggest Southlake for a few reasons. The schools are superior, the commute to your husband would be minimal, a great and vibrant townsquare as Mami2emily has explained. You would also get a lot more for your money than HP.

I may pick your brains later about Boston. My daughter is going to college there this year .

Naima

[skids929]

Originally Posted by nsumner

I would suggest Southlake for a few reasons. The schools are superior, the commute to your husband would be minimal, a great and vibrant townsquare as Mami2emily has explained. You would also get a lot more for your money than HP.

I may pick your brains later about Boston. My daughter is going to college there this year .

Naima

Naima, feel free to tap me on this..We spoke yesterday over the phone..Happy to help your daughter transition any way we can.

Let me know where she is going.

[Squirl]

Originally Posted by nsumner

I would suggest Southlake for a few reasons. The schools are superior, the commute to your husband would be minimal, a great and vibrant townsquare as Mami2emily has explained. You would also get a lot more for your money than HP.

I may pick your brains later about Boston. My daughter is going to college there this year .

Naima

Agree. It would be lunacy to live in Lakewood with so many good choices closer to the job. Especially since our traffic is beyond awful and one of the OP's top criteria was good commute for her DH.

[Lakewooder]

That's OK we like lunatics. Besides, if Park Cities is being considered, the drive from Lakewood is only a few minutes more..
Having been to Boston many times, I think Lakewood and Park Cities are going to be more their cup of tea...