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I have a plethora of questions, please take your pick Responses to any are appreciated.
My husband and I are considering a move to DFW from Canada. Aside from the recommendations of the company my husband is being hired by, I would like to do some of my own independent research. I'll start with a bit of background
We will likely be downsizing (well, doesn't look like the house will be smaller, but the mortgage will be) to something in the $325K-$450K range. Our main reason for doing this is that I will be unable to work (due to visas) in the immediate short term. My husband will be working in Richardson, and we have 2 elementary school children. We don't mind the suburbs, but would still like to make sure to enjoy what Dallas has to offer -- since I imagine we won't be in the area forever, as we've needed to be pretty mobile throughout our careers.
And now the questions (I'll use headings so those who want to answer one or two can skip reading the novel I'm posting ):
Schools
- Can someone recommend a good website to learn about the education system in Texas, or the US generally? We are getting lots of feedback that we *must* consider private schools, but our kids attend great public schools in Canada, so I'm just not buying that private school is a *must* (or an expense I'd care to incur).
- Are ISD's and Public schools the same thing?
- Our daughter has been identified as gifted/talented. Is there a way for this to be addressed in the public school system?
- Is there a reliable website to look at best school districts?
Other Kids Stuff
- What are common childcare methods for before and afterschool childcare (if not the parents)? Any recommendations on where to research? Any cost information you can share?
- Good recommendations of how to find children's programming (sports, music lessons, language lessons)?
Real Estate
- Given my lead in description and what I've asked about my kids, and adding that we are a mid-30's, professional couple who will be looking to establish a new social circle of other professionals or families, are there neighbourhoods you'd recommend? I'd also like some room to grow (ideally without changing neighborhoods in a few years), as I assume once I am working again, we may be interested in investing in more house.
Financing
- Wondering if there are any Canadians or finance experts on here who can share what it is like to secure mortgage financing on first move to the US?
- What about the basics like US credit cards and bank accounts. Where do I start? Is there a good reference website out there?
MBA Programs
- I am taking a part-time MBA program in Canada and will be transferring to a school in DFW. I'll probably up the pace of studies too, so I can finish during that awkward period where I have no visa. Any recommendations of best schools? I'm considering UT - Dallas, but want to ensure I'm on the right track in terms of how the degree will be perceived in the job market.
My Return to Work/Spousal Visa
- I am a degree holding professional who currently holds an L1A with my current employer (sadly these are non-transferrable). I work in Human Resources/Recruitment/General Management. Do you think I have any options besides just accepting that I can't work for a period of potentially 3 years while waiting for PR? This will be a lot for me to give up, personally, so am trying to consider all angles. For example, is there a liklihood that I can get a local employer to sponsor H1B once I am there since a local address will confirm for them that I require only immigration support and not relocation as well?
- Am I wise to be expediting my MBA in terms of how it will further my employability? I'm asking this because if the answer to my above question is that I can likely get H1B sponsorship by just doing a smart job search, then maybe I should just continue MBA Part-time and start back to work sooner.
If you've made it through all of that, thanks for reading
I am also open to any other advice, resources, or guidance anyone is able to provide.
If your husband is working in Richardson, then you should consider living in Richardson as well. The school system is highly recommended, you're close to UT Dallas if you're going to go there, and you have access -- down Central Expressway or DART light rail -- to Dallas itself. Also, your close to the Dallas area's Asian communities so there are great restaurant choices nearby -- always a plus in my book!
I agree; it sounds like Richardson is a great match for you. I would urge you to look in the Canyon Creek neighborhood, zip code 75080, roughly bound by Renner to the north, Floyd to the west, Custer to the east, and Campbell to the south. The schools are outstanding and it's right next door to UTD.
Just a note...Canyon Creek in Dallas County is zoned to Richardson schools and CC in Collin County is zoned to Plano schools. Both are good, though I think the Richardson schools have the edge.
Sounds like Richardson is your best bet. Going to grad school with two young children is no picnic (had #2 while doing an MBA at Baylor) so if you can have everything in the same town that is a huge plus. Good luck!
It is highly unlikely that you will find a local employer who will sponsor an H1B for a Human Resources Manager. First, the labor certification will never be approved because there are too many US Citizen HR Managers out of work here in DFW. Second, the expense/time involved in obtaining the H1B is also cost-prohibitive and again, there are USC HRMs who could start work tomorrow. Third, you are unfamiliar with Texas employment laws, which makes you less qualified than the USC candidates. Your only possibility would be to find a Canadian company operating here in DFW who needs and HRM familiar with Canadian employment laws.
I would STRONGLY urge you to rent, not buy- at least for the first year. You are moving to a different country. What if you hate it? What if you hate the neighborhood you pick without adequate time to visit before buying? Renting allows you to "test the waters" without making a $350k mistake.
There are plenty of single family homes for rent in Dallas- renting does not mean you're limited to apartments or townhomes.
As for where to live, traffic can make your life miserable in Dallas, so pick a neighborhood in central Richardson (west of 75), the Lake Highlands area of northeast Dallas (southeast of intersection of 75 & 635), the southern central neighborhoods in Plano (south of say Park between Tollroad & 75), or north/ northwest Dallas (north of Royal Lane, between 75 & Marsh). All of these neighborhoods are safe, have many amenities (shopping, restaurants, etc) close by.
Richardson (including Lake Highlands part of Dallas in RISD) and Plano are the two strongest public school districts (ISD's) within easy commuting distance to Richardson. They are also two of the best districts in North Texas. There have been many posts on the forum about all of these school districts so you can research there. Great Schools is a fabulous website that combines school statistics (% of students who are economically disadvantaged, demographic breakdowns, test scores, etc) with comments from real parents, teachers, and the occasional former student. Every school is rated from 1-10, with 10 being the highest. The best way to learn about a school is to schedule a visit while you're in town. Look at some homes in different neighborhoods, then visit the corresponding elementary school (call in advance) and see for yourself. School districts do not follow city limits so always confirm the address on the ISD's website to make sure it's zoned to the school you think it is.
Private school is an option too. It is late for the 2011-2012 school year so you would need to call each school of interest and see if they will let your kids apply or if any openings have occured over the summer. Tons of great private schools are located in that north/northwest Dallas area I outlined above. That's a great area if you go the private school route. There are Catholic schools, independent schools, Montessori schools, Jewish schools, private schools for just boys and for just girls and co-ed ones, too.
Ditto the rent vs buy suggestion for the first 6mo to year
rent and mortgage amounts might be close to the same because rental homes are becoming more desireable with more people moving to Metroplex for work yet not familiar with surroundings or knowing how permanent the move will be
if you contemplate moving to larger home within 5 yrs (based on your increased salary/return to work) then definitely should not buy at this stage of the process
regarding education system
Tx has INDEPENDENT public school districts--meaning they are established/run by local districts and have irrregular boundaries--one city might have 2-3-4 ISDs within its boundaries and some ISDs might flow into 2-3-4 towns--
some states like FL here in US have county wide ISDs with all schools under the same school board/tax authority--but not here
So you should be sure to know what specific district controls the neighborhood you are interested in--
Most MLS sites will give the local schools
TX schools are rated/ranked by the Texas Education Agency based on TAKS testing (state wide tests for specific grade levels in specific curriculum areas) and other factors each year--
Exemplary/Recognized/Acceptable/Unacceptable are the rankings by school and district
schools/districts are also grouped into rankings by population size--with 5A schools/districts being the largests one--
5A high schools have populations of about 2K students--can include 9-12 or 10-12 grades
elementary schools are usually much smaller and because they are more closely tied to local areas are usually more heterogenous for student makeup--
it is easier (generally) for an elementary school to earn Exemplary rating vs a high school--and there are only 1 or 2 Exemplary rated HSs in the state
TAKs testing/TEA ratings are not the only way to judge the quality of a school however--because of the mix of student demographics it is possible for a school rated Acceptable to also have strong strand for AP/IB students or quality programs for art/music/science/math
So you can't just look at the obivious and most available info about schools/districts to make your judgements
One factor I find offering insight into quality of schools would be number of National Merit Scholars at a particular school/district--some of the more highly rated districts like Southlake Colleyville produce few NMS each year compared to public/private schools
ISDs are supported by state/local/federal money--a home buyer should always be aware of local ISD and try to buy in the best rated district s/he can afford for resale value if nothing else
The state will be reducing the contribution to each district for the coming biannual (2yr) budget--some districts are going to be hurt significantly and are considering laying off teachers, having teachers retire/resign and offering incentives to get them to do so--cutting other programs--raising class size numbers--varieous options
it is possible that the Federal money to districts may be increased to off-set the state's reduction--
that still has to be determined
So some districts that look great now make have problems next year providing the same level of education--
There have been numerous stories in the papers about this reduction--right now schools are waiting to hear what the Legislature will actually do--supposedly the budget has been agreeded upon but not voted through--so there is still "iffy" nature to funding
Welcome! Allen has a great school district called Lovejoy. One of the tops in the state. Allen is north of Plano on 75. As far as real estate, I've used Moderator cut: can only cite realtor.com for all of my moves and it's a great site (no, I don't work for her). You can narrow your search down by multiple factors.
I agree with the rent crowd. We sold our house last year in the lovejoy school district, in one day, 2 full price offers, then had to hurriedly move so we rented for a year, took the time to really find areas and houses we wanted. Two moves are a pain but if you know you're going to have to do it, you can keep the non-essentials still packed. Good luck.
Last edited by SouthernBelleInUtah; 05-21-2011 at 05:40 PM..
The rental option makes sense, even if just for a short time while we learn the area.
It's a great suggestion and there are houses to rent in both Canyon Creek in Richardson and all over Plano.
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Responses to any are appreciated.
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