Moving to Plano in 2 Months - Need help on school (Dallas: for rent, insurance)

[Pintea]

If you're still interested in Plano, we rented for a while at Towns of Chapel Hill. It was great, no problems whatsoever. It is within walking distance to Barksdale Elementary - great school!

[nxm]

We would like to stay in Plano so my commute to job is minimum but we are having hard time finding a good preshool.

Perhaps somebody can suggest a good preschool in the range of $300-$400 for 5 days a week going half-day each day from 8-12 or something?

Thanks.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by nxm

We would like to stay in Plano so my commute to job is minimum but we are having hard time finding a good preshool.

Perhaps somebody can suggest a good preschool in the range of $300-$400 for 5 days a week going half-day each day from 8-12 or something?

Thanks.

Your budget is on the very low side for private PreK. A half-day (5 days/week) program is going to run $5-6k per year, even at a less expensive church run school.

Just checked and Prestonwood Christian's half day PreK (2 days/week) is $3,800 per year. Don't know if you'd consider that.


The Russell Creek YMCA has a 5day 8-2 program that is between $350-410/mo depending on your level of Y membership.

[TX75007]

Originally Posted by nxm

Thanks so much, this is very helpful information. I am not much familiar with the Plano area so I don't know where does the West Plano start and what vicinity should I stay in to be considered in good part of West Plano?
.

Between Preston Road to the East and Midway Road to the West and between PGBT to the South and 121 to the North. Mostly in the 75093 zip code.

Your budget for preschool is a bit low. Again, google is your friend and you can call around. There are a lot of locations in that area.

[fndmom]

Agree that your budget for preschool is low, but if you can handle only 4 days a week the programs at the Plano Senior High Schools are well done and affordable.
Early Learning Centers : Plano ISD

[Souleiado]

All the schools you cited earlier are pretty good , I would not hesitate , South of Allen especially around Twin Creek is pretty much in Plano , it wouldn't add so much minutes to your commute.

[Pintea]

Originally Posted by fndmom

Agree that your budget for preschool is low, but if you can handle only 4 days a week the programs at the Plano Senior High Schools are well done and affordable.
Early Learning Centers : Plano ISD

I agree, very good program!

[billydoc]

Well, I know it's a "blast form the past". But I figured this was a good thread, and hope OP is doing well in DFW area. We are not in the same situation as far as our kids are of the very different age. Thus, a dillemma where to live when we first move? I did not creat my own thread in hopes that I could get enough responses here. But if it doesn't work I'll repaste it onto the new thread. Our kids are 10 years appart . Primary concern is for our older dtr who will be entering 10th grade next school year, and our younger one will be staring grade K in September. From all the reading on schools and commute options all roads lead to "Rome" which is Plano. We've never been in the area and our move to DTW is dependent on the school year time frame. Those of you who have done it before....I really appreciate your advices and opinions. We have a chance to visit rhis week for two days only. If we don't visit now the next time will only be possible in early June. I need your advice if it's even worth to go now? We mostly wanted to see schools and get the ball rolling, as I have no idea what transfer from NJ to TX school will require. As far as employment I'm the only bread winner in the family right now, but so far has been foturnate to access my work from home option, and sure hope it will still be the case when we move. I know the advise is to live near where you work, but in our situation this may not be very practical as my wife will start looking when we get there, or rather shortly before then.So, to narrow it down, I just wanted to hear from some of you who've rented in Palno area before you bought your houses there or in some other location. We basically don't have much time to get all these things done before Summer time. Gotta place our house in NJ on the market, rent for a while in TX but buy a house within a year before tax man will get us.

Please help with these choices and may be your refferences from personal exp:

Budget: ah..somewhat flexible but wanted to keep it in the area of 1700 give or take. Not looking for any kind of luxary in the rental, but has to be 3 bedroom, functional and located within reasonable distance to the schools (HS and elementary....not sure which ones but in PISD)

Should we look for only apt complexes or some folks have had good exp with renting a house in the area?

Also need some pointers on what could be accomplished in "taking a looksy" within a couple of days? We sure wanted to visit HS schools in Plano, Richardson, and may be Coppell? Just looking at those areas HS stats sure looks like would be great alternatives to Plano schools, but not sure if temp rentals are available there?

Anyway, sorry for the confused post on somebody else's thread. If it doesn't generate enough responses I'll start a new thread.

Thank You all very much in advance.

Billy

[Bypass13]

1. E-mail PISD to find out about procedure to follow and documentation to provide.
2. No need to waste money on "look see" airfare & hotel to find a rental place.
3. Budget is not enough to rent a house in any area with good schools, look at apartments and townhomes.
4. Apartments around Shops at Legacy are perfect for a new comer, new apartments with good amenities, lots to do within walking distance, good schools, central location, many corporate employers in the area.
5. There are nice Prestonwood apartments on Midway,some good ones on Parkwood near Brinker and others on Windheaven PkWy. All nice & family oriented places.

[Big G]

Originally Posted by Bypass13

3. Budget is not enough to rent a house in any area with good schools, look at apartments and townhomes.

The other parts were good info, but this is just not true. Right now, MLS has a couple dozen SFH rentals in PISD at or below $1700/month, including some in very desirable exemplary elementary school areas.

For the OP - you might want to include Allen on your list. Just thinking of the logistics of a 10th grader transferring in. Allen's HS runs 10-12, while you'd be joining one of the Plano campuses "mid-stream".