Will be in Dallas Next Week to Scout Neighborhoods...Please Help! (Plano: for sale, real estate)

[globe9]

Hey Ya'll,

The GF and I will be flying into Dallas this Friday and staying through the 10th. We're planning a move to the Dallas area ASAP. Here are our details:

Currently live in NOLA.
GF's Mom lives in Garland
Assorted Uncles & Cousins live in Sachse, Richardson, Carrollton, Garland
I had planned on finding a new job, but as it so happens, my current company just opened an office in Dallas, so I may just transfer. Located several miles from Love Field Airport in an office building.
The GF will need a new job.
We plan on moving in with her Mom until we get settled and then buying a house.
We are putting our home up for sale in NOLA at the end of July...we will move as soon as it sells.

Our budget for a home maxes out at about $160k. We don't have kids and won't ever have any, so we don't need a large home. We're thinking under 2,000sf, preferably single story. We like established neighborhoods with mature trees, etc. I really like the Eastern Hills subdivision of Garland.
I want to be near a large park or greenbelt...within bike riding distance(less than a mile). Someone mentioned Rowlett Creek Preserve...this sounds perfect for me(with the miles of mtn bike trails)....what neighborhoods are near this area? Any really close?

What areas should we be looking at? Last Oct. we came and mom drove us around to places in Rockwall(most of these places were way out of our budget..mom didn't seem to understand this). She's also trying to steer us away from Mesquite, which I've suggested, as well. Homes seem affordable there, but she's worried about all of the HUD homes and foreclosures effecting the neighborhoods.

We don't mind doing a little work to a home, but we don't want to have to do a complete renovation. Checking out pics of homes on real estate sites, I notice that there are still TONS of homes in Dallas area with wood paneling in almost every room or more than 50% of the home. I don't mind re-doing 1 room, but we don't want to do a whole house of updating.

Any areas ya'll could suggest to drive through next week...the more specific the better. Oh, and we don't really like those subdivisions where the houses all look the same, more or less, and they seem to be built on top of each other, and have all those HOA rules. That's why we like older neighborhoods...the "subdivision" wasn't so cookie cutter back then and the lots seem to be larger.

Thanks! I can't wait to see Dallas again!!

[BigDGeek]

Frankly my part of Richardson sounds like a good fit for you. Try looking in 75080 and 75081.

[globe9]

Thanks for the tip! We will definitely check out those areas in Richardson.

Any other suggestions?

The Dallas area is very confusing/intimidating for a girl from NOLA. Down here our choices are basically New Orleans, Metairie, or Kenner...we don't count the Westbank LOL Or the Northshore, which is basically just Mandeville/Covington/Slidell.

In Dallas you have Garland, Rowlett, Mesquite, Plano, Carrollton, Frisco, Richardson, Sachse, Farmer's Branch, Grapevine, Mckinney, etc. etc. and I haven't even named them all.

Thanks again!!!

[Lakewooder]

Originally Posted by globe9

Thanks for the tip! We will definitely check out those areas in Richardson.


In Dallas you have Garland, Rowlett, Mesquite, Plano, Carrollton, Frisco, Richardson, Sachse, Farmer's Branch, Grapevine, Mckinney, etc. etc. and I haven't even named them all.

Thanks again!!!

Not to mention many, many neighborhoods in Dallas.

[momof2dfw]

I'm not sure of the neighborhood name and I was just there....... picking up my daughter at a friends house but it's literally right across the street from the parking lot of the Rowlett Creek Preserve off of Centerville in Garland between Hwy 66 and Firewheel Dr. There are some houses in there for sale, it's a small neighborhood, backs to a creek and it would be in your budget. Some of the street names are Heather Ridge, Wood Creek, St. Albans. Mapsco 19A.

From there to get to LBJ is about 5-8 minutes. Or you could take surface streets if the highways are a mess easily.

[HubbaHubba1]

Go with Richardson.....It's close to everything, quiet, and nice. Rowlett and Mesquite, Grapevine, Mckinney are all soooo far out......Farmers Branch Police officers suck!

[loves2read]

have you checked the commute from Rowlett area to that job location?
I would think it would be at least 40 min to an hour from what you describe but I don't commute in Dallas area--

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by HubbaHubba1

Go with Richardson.....It's close to everything, quiet, and nice. Rowlett and Mesquite, Grapevine, Mckinney are all soooo far out......Farmers Branch Police officers suck!

I agree, I love it here. Very quiet.

[Squirl]

I would discourage you from Mesquite.....JMHO

[globe9]

Thanks for all the suggestions! Will definitely check them out!

Why does it seem that a lot of people are down on Mesquite? From what I recall from some of my last trips to Garland...we stayed with my gf's mom who lives off of Duck Creek...we'd be in Garland one minute and then in Mesquite. I didn't really notice a difference in the area(meaning more run down properties etc) If I wasn't paying attention, I would have hardly even noticed that we had left Garland and was in Mesquite.

I just google mapped the location of my company's new offices and they're on Rambler Road near Harry Moss Park and the Texas Health Presbytyrian Hospital right by 75.

I'm no expert, but that location doesn't seem very far from Eastern Hills or gf mom's house, but i don't know what traffic is like. I do think I'd be able to take surface streets for the commute. The area of Rowlett by the Preserve doesn't seem that far away either, but I'm looking at a map so it's pretty hard to judge distances in miles, for me anyway

Still haven't decided if I'm gonna stick with my current job or try to find something else once we move. Just good to know that option is there if I need it.

Thanks again to all! I look forward to getting back to Dallas this Friday!