Lake Highlands: Overrated? (Dallas, Garland, Richardson: loan, houses, neighborhoods)

[pbratt]

Dear Fellow Citi-data folks:

I posted last year about looking at Hollywood Heights and Junius Heights as potential places to purchase a home. Well, my wife and I are taking the plunge, and are going with a realtor to check out houses later this month. Should be fun. We have a price range between $150,000 and $275,000, and have our financing all lined up.

We have a wonderful agent, but she's really pushing for us to look more at Lake Highlands as opposed to Junius Heights and other neighborhoods on the western edges of Lakewood. Honestly, I think that with the budget we are working with, Hollywood Heights is a bit out of our price range, but neighborhoods such as Lakewood Hills and University Terrace are places we are certainly looking at in addition to Junius Heights. Perhaps it is because we are from the east coast, but my wife and I are urban people, and the suburban housing stock in Lake Highlands makes me want to weep when I drive around there. I know that the Richardson ISD schools are excellent, but I'm a big supporter of DISD, especially Woodrow.

I don't know what other people's experiences have been, but are we off base looking more for older urban places near Lakewood? My wife works near lakewood, and I work downtown. I prefer to ride the bus/train to work, and I've done it already for the past two years without any problems. I know that I'd be dead without being able to get to White Rock Lake for exercise in the summer, so staying close to the lake would be a big plus for me.

Thanks in advance for all your help!

[ramz003]

pbratt I'm right there with you. We are also looking but just not sold on Lake highlands as a long term solution. I look forward to seeing everyone comments.

[ClarenceBodiker]

I wouldn't say Lake Highlands is overrated at all, and I like Lakewood's personality a little better, too. You're really going to have to weigh the pros and cons of what you and your family need. Lakewood/Junius Heights is definitely quite a bit more urban/eclectic than Lake Highlands, but I don't feel like Lake Highlands is typical suburbia either. The housing stock isn't as old or varied, but I love some of the rolling hills in the area and the proximity to most things in Dallas is still pretty great. The Lakewood area has the best public schools in DISD, but RISD as a whole is a safer investment over DISD long term. Lakewood is closer to downtown, Lake Highlands has better public transit options including rail. Lakewood is going to be closer to better, more unique retail/restaurants/bars in town.

If you're looking for a more unique neighborhood in Lake Highlands, check out the part that I think is called White Rock Valley. It's just north of Flagpole Hill Park, South of Walnut Hill, East of the railroad line, and west of Audelia. It's not urban or old by any means, but it's very green, hilly, and has an interesting feel.

[Lakewooder]

I think you need a Lakewood agent. "Steering" is the term for what your agent is doing and I don't know about these days but in days past that could get you in big trouble as sometimes it was racially based. LH and Lakewood have some things in common are as different as chalk and cheese in most ways.

Usually a Lakewood agent is not an expert on LH and vice-versa...

[TheRedTelephone]

Recipe for Lake Highlands Banana Split:

1/3 scoop Garland yogurt
1/3 scoop Richardson ice
1/3 scoop Lakewood gelato
1 spotted banana from the Albertson's Casa Linda
top with scattered nuts

Serve in a vintage armrest from a 1996 Ford Taurus

[Macbeth2003]

I live in Junius Heights and I LOVE it here. I would never say Lake Highlands is overrated, but it is a very different place. I would have serious questions about a Realtor who steered people looking at Old East Dallas towards Lake Highlands, or vice versa. Old East Dallas, is like living in a historic small town, that happens to be located right smack dab in the middle of a big city. Lake Highlands is like living in a lovely older suburb which is just a couple of miles away from the center of the city. Both can be great, but if you lean strongly to either, that is where you should look.

[Considering Coming Back]

As someone who grew up in Old Lake Highlands (DISD) I can say with confidence that faux Lake Highlands (RISD) is overrated. It's the original white-flight, reloville neighborhood in Dallas. It became popular when the schools were desegregated and when TI opened.

It's boring and suburban, has almost no grocery stores, and has not held value over its southern neighbors since the S&L loan days.

I see a few homes in Hollywood Heights in your price range, go with your original instinct. Taking the 60 bus to work down Lindsley is faster than driving to the Blue Line and parking and riding, plus your wife would be able to walk. You'd also likely get in a car to get to the lake in LH, whereas Hollywood Heights is just a quick trip down the Santa Fe Trail.

[jelf]

I agree with Clarence's recommendation of White Rock Valley. It has the most unique architecture in Lake Highlands, but it is also fairly expensive for LH. There are a few homes in your range--I would check it out.

I can understand why you might like Junius Heights over Lake Highlands for the architecture. Can you explain why you would like the houses in University Terrace and not those in Lake Highlands? They are both on the suburban side in terms of looks. Where in Lake Highlands have has the realtor been showing you houses? In a more modest price range, Lake Highlands has the nicer houses. If money is no object, Lakewood offers some great estates. One could consider both LH and Lakewood overrated in different ways.




If you're looking for a more unique neighborhood in Lake Highlands, check out the part that I think is called White Rock Valley. It's just north of Flagpole Hill Park, South of Walnut Hill, East of the railroad line, and west of Audelia. It's not urban or old by any means, but it's very green, hilly, and has an interesting feel.[/quote]

[pbratt]

Folks-I really appreciate the comments and feedback here. I don't believe that our agent is steering us, but rather she really like LH over JH and other places west of Lakewood. One commenter said that the neighborhoods north of Lakewood are very similar to LH, and he/she is right on the mark. I guess for myself, I am a hard core walker, and I love being able to walk to various places where I live, one reason I'm looking at JH.

When I walk around White Rock Lake, i really like some of the places on the east side of the lake. At the same time, living on the east side of the lake adds more time to my commute downtown and my wife's commute to Lakewood.

We'll see what happens.

[ClarenceBodiker]

Originally Posted by pbratt

Folks-I really appreciate the comments and feedback here. I don't believe that our agent is steering us, but rather she really like LH over JH and other places west of Lakewood. One commenter said that the neighborhoods north of Lakewood are very similar to LH, and he/she is right on the mark. I guess for myself, I am a hard core walker, and I love being able to walk to various places where I live, one reason I'm looking at JH.

When I walk around White Rock Lake, i really like some of the places on the east side of the lake. At the same time, living on the east side of the lake adds more time to my commute downtown and my wife's commute to Lakewood.

We'll see what happens.

I live east of the lake and love it. I can walk to the lake, Casa Linda, and the Aboretum where I live. Of course, I don't have kids yet either. While some of the elementary schools are great (Hexter and Sanger), I would take a good hard look at the middle schools (Hill and Gaston) and high school (Bryan Adams) before commiting. They don't have the community support behind them like Lakewood schools do.