Where will I fit in? (Dallas, Plano: real estate, low crime, townhomes)

[SpeedyAZ]

In a little over a year I plan to relocate to the Dallas area and while I have posted threads on here before, I still haven't completely settled on where exactly I want to live. Here's a little backround info:

I'm 27 years old and I work in real estate in Phoenix/Scottsdale. I've lived here for 8 years and decided that I need a change in my life to a larger environment with more opportunities. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Phoenix will all my heart, it's a great city to live and work in. Currently I live in an upscale area of the Valley and enjoy it very much (except for the occasional snob).

Anyway I know Dallas fairly well but I'm sure some of you could clue me in to what I don't know. I really don't care to live in the city proper, I'd rather live in a suburb and commute to work (yes I'm weird, I know). I generally prefer newer areas as opposed to older ones with a few exceptions to that rule (notably the Park Cities). I'm still not positive to where I'll be working but it's a good chance that it'll be Lockheed Martin (don't need to factor this in QUITE yet). I'd like to keep my budget under the $400K mark but if I did find the right house in the right area, I would bump it up quite a bit.

I read the article "Rating the Suburbs" and it was quite helpful but it still isn't like getting real opinions from real people. Right now the suburbs I'm interested in are:

Frisco
Plano
Southlake
Colleyville
Flower Mound

Of course I'm open to suggestions of any kind. What I really want is:

-Good schools
-Middle and Upper-Middle Class area
-Low crime
-Close to shopping
-Parks and walkways
-Somewhat close to DART

If anyone could help me out with suggestions, advice, or give a review of any of these Dallas suburbs, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks

[FarNorthDallas]

The DART issue only leaves Plano. None of the others have DART.

[SpeedyAZ]

The DART issue only leaves Plano. None of the others have DART.

I was just thinking for pleasure, I don't honestly plan on using DART to commute. If I'm not near DART, it's no big deal.

[Lakewooder]

Will you be working in Real Estate in Dallas? If so, what kind? (If I may ask..)

[SpeedyAZ]

No, I'd likely be working at Lockheed Martin; I stated this above.

[lpepping]

Isn't Lockheed on the west side of Ft Worth? I would think Frisco and Plano are too far of a commute.

[momof2dfw]

And I'm going to guess............ a home w/ about 2500 sq ft give or take 500 AND a 3 car garage. You will want to stay in the newer areas in order to find the 3 car garage and to make sure most of the homes around you are the same.

Is the option of a job in Richardson still on the table or just the Lockheed job? That could change things a lot if you ended up w/ the job in Richardson and bought a place closer to Lockheed. You want to avoid having to commute on LBJ. YUCK!

Southlake - would be nice if working on the west side of Dallas. A commute to the other side of Dallas could be tiresome.

Frisco - I personally would avoid it. Too much traffic and the commute for any job is going to be horrible. Just last night on the news they showed where for one area in normal rush hour traffic it took over 10 minutes to go something like a block and a half. Too many investors and lower end housing developments have hurt this area. Also home to a lot of the baby buggy crowd.

Plano - okay. I prefer far eastern Plano and that is because of the terrain change and the lack of heavy traffic 24/7 that can be found in west Plano.

Colleyville - same as Southlake.

Flower Mound - ehh. Traffic is an issue. Far from the nightlife of Dallas and probably the WORST drive to get back home after a night on the town. Too much twisting and turning. At least w/ Frisco you have the Dallas North Tollway.

If you like the Park Cities you might try looking around there in some of the newer developments. Put you a lot closer to the nightlife and amoung more professional singles. Even many of the young single professional athletes move to this area when first coming to Dallas.

[Lakewooder]

There a lot of new townhomes in Uptown/edge of HP in that price range -- probably too many so you might get a deal...that would be a way to have a 'new' place and still not be stranded out somewhere far away from all the single 27 year olds.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

There a lot of new townhomes in Uptown/edge of HP in that price range -- probably too many so you might get a deal...that would be a way to have a 'new' place and still not be stranded out somewhere far away from all the single 27 year olds.

Not to mention that if you want to find another part time job like the one you currently have for fun it will be MUCH easier closer into Dallas than it will in some of those far reaching burbs.

[SpeedyAZ]

And I'm going to guess............ a home w/ about 2500 sq ft give or take 500 AND a 3 car garage. You will want to stay in the newer areas in order to find the 3 car garage and to make sure most of the homes around you are the same.

Is the option of a job in Richardson still on the table or just the Lockheed job? That could change things a lot if you ended up w/ the job in Richardson and bought a place closer to Lockheed. You want to avoid having to commute on LBJ. YUCK!

Southlake - would be nice if working on the west side of Dallas. A commute to the other side of Dallas could be tiresome.

Frisco - I personally would avoid it. Too much traffic and the commute for any job is going to be horrible. Just last night on the news they showed where for one area in normal rush hour traffic it took over 10 minutes to go something like a block and a half. Too many investors and lower end housing developments have hurt this area. Also home to a lot of the baby buggy crowd.

Plano - okay. I prefer far eastern Plano and that is because of the terrain change and the lack of heavy traffic 24/7 that can be found in west Plano.

Colleyville - same as Southlake.

Flower Mound - ehh. Traffic is an issue. Far from the nightlife of Dallas and probably the WORST drive to get back home after a night on the town. Too much twisting and turning. At least w/ Frisco you have the Dallas North Tollway.

If you like the Park Cities you might try looking around there in some of the newer developments. Put you a lot closer to the nightlife and amoung more professional singles. Even many of the young single professional athletes move to this area when first coming to Dallas.

You guessed correctly, appx 2500 sq ft and a 3 car garage would be my dream.

As far as jobs, I'm still somewhat uncertain of where exactly I'll be working, as of now everything is on the table.

Thanks for all the advice on the suburbs too. Dallas has so many suburbs it's MIND BOGGLING!! The ones I was leaning towards were Southlake, Plano, and Colleyville but I'll also consider the Park Cities.

I know HP/UP are both extremely expensive so would finding a home say $500K or slightly above be difficult especially if I wanted something in the 2500 sq ft range? I didn't include these two in my initial list because of the cost of real estate, my pocketbook just doesn't stretch that far.

As far as commuting, I'd be willing to have an hour commute if I could live in the right area. I know Southlake is quite a nice place but what would a commute to Ft. Worth or Richardson be? Same thing goes with Colleyville?

Plano is such a large city that I know it'd be difficult to judge a commute time. I know West Plano is a nice area, is East Plano about the same?

There a lot of new townhomes in Uptown/edge of HP in that price range -- probably too many so you might get a deal...that would be a way to have a 'new' place and still not be stranded out somewhere far away from all the single 27 year olds.

Right now I live in a Townhome but I think I'd like a change and have an actual home with a backyard and patio. I don't really want to be in the middle of all the action as I would be in Uptown, I'd rather be farther out and drive into Dallas.

Not to mention that if you want to find another part time job like the one you currently have for fun it will be MUCH easier closer into Dallas than it will in some of those far reaching burbs

I really don't know if I'd take a 2nd "fun" job like a have now for the sole reason that the bar I tend at is local and I know quite a few of the people that come in. If I got the job that I'm seeking, I don't think I'd want to have another job on the side. Plus I really wouldn't need any extra income since this job pays a LOT better than my current real estate one.