Craig Ranch in McKinney (Dallas, Plano: apartments, rental, HOA) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

FuturaDesign · 09-07-2012, 05:08 AM

So I currently rent an apartment inside Watters Creek in Allen and am looking at a house in the vicinity to stay close to my mother in law and mom. We have looked in Fairview, Allen, McKinney, and a few other towns.

There seem to be some homes in Craig Ranch that we are interested in, but I see a few concerns with this master planned community. What is everyone's thoughts?

tracenat · 09-07-2012, 06:25 AM

There have been a lot of comments previously about CR. Use the search function and that will help you. I didn't live in there, but rather in apartments across the street for 2 years before we finally just bought our first house. I can tell you that the development hasn't really moved much in these past couple of years. Lots of open land that is undeveloped as of yet, which can be risky. However, in the past few months (since spring) there has been more development going on. Additionally, I've heard from people that the HOA is rigid. Traffic down Stacy to get to 75 is really annoying in the morning and will only get worse, but if you don't have to travel down that way, then that's not really a negative for you. Some of the homes are pretty, but really do your research. Definitely talk to people who live there, too. You'll probably find out a lot that way!

MckinneyOwnr · 09-07-2012, 06:34 AM

I've seen/heard far more negative comments from people who have lived there than positive. I live in the surrounding area, we did look for homes in CR in 2010, but the value wasn't there. I've heard prices have been slashed even more since then, so it may be worth a look, but in my and my wife's opinion, it was too expensive for what you get.

Most of the amenities you can enjoy without even being a resident apparently, my neighbors utilize the Cooper center a lot, they said it wasn't too expensive. Why pay such a high HOA fee if you can live elsewhere and just pay to use what features you want?

FuturaDesign · 09-07-2012, 07:00 AM

I just went through most of the previous Craig Ranch threads and have gained some insight. It's a toss up for me right now.

I like the Dunhill Homes development being built right off Stacy/Custer and the CB Jeni townhomes in the Settlement along with Beazer Homes. Neighborhood looks right up our style, but I can't let my emotions for a nice looking home outweigh longer term goals. We're looking at a new construction home in the $200-$250k range.

I work from home occasionally going into the office at Legacy/Tollway, but my wife's office is off Josey/635. I'm thinking maybe something in Irving/Las Colinas might be better for her commute, but we'd still like to be close to my mom in Wylie and her mom in Allen.

biafra4life · 09-07-2012, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FuturaDesign

I just went through most of the previous Craig Ranch threads and have gained some insight. It's a toss up for me right now.

I like the Dunhill Homes development being built right off Stacy/Custer and the CB Jeni townhomes in the Settlement along with Beazer Homes. Neighborhood looks right up our style, but I can't let my emotions for a nice looking home outweigh longer term goals. We're looking at a new construction home in the $200-$250k range.

I work from home occasionally going into the office at Legacy/Tollway, but my wife's office is off Josey/635. I'm thinking maybe something in Irving/Las Colinas might be better for her commute, but we'd still like to be close to my mom in Wylie and her mom in Allen.

Ouch. that's a tough one. you've got literally two ends of the Dallas area to commute to, so one is going to be rough. The closest thing to a mid point would probably be Plano, which is pretty close to both Wylie and Allen, and depending where you are in Plano and what time she leaves, would be maybe 30-45 minutes to Las Colinas (more if there is a wreck). The only negative to Plano is that I dont think you will be able to find new construction, at least not for under $250K. So you would have to let that go.

DoneWithDallas · 09-07-2012, 10:10 AM

We drove through CR in our search for a house both rental and to buy. I wasn't impress to be honest. Maybe it was the streets we drove down but the construction seemed like it made CR very unaccessable and inconvenient to get anywhere. Also, again maybe it was the streets we chose to look at but it seems like it was an unkept as far as yards and such, but thats my personal preference.

txgolfer130 · 09-07-2012, 10:22 AM

A lot has been going on in CR within the last 4-5 months. And yes the CR HOA is extremely rigid. I do love Cooper's though.

However in the OP's situation maybe Plano just S. of 121, or maybe Frisco so that both could take the Tollway to work. In McKinney (which would be far for your wife ~45 min commute each way) there is always the new developments off of Custer. As well as the new developments going up by Beazer, Ashton Woods, Meritage and a custom builder in the Mallard Lakes/Winding Brook developments off of Hardin/Eldorado & Hardin/Virgina areas.

FuturaDesign · 09-07-2012, 11:12 AM

What's everyone's opinion on townhomes such as "Villas in the Park" in Fariview or the "Chateaus of the Settlement at Craigs Ranch"? The Villas in the Park seem to be more in our price range in the low 200's. I believe they've been trying to fill that subdivision up for 5 years with about half of phase II complete.

Rakin · 09-07-2012, 12:03 PM

Have you looked at Townhomes in the Addison, Carrolton, Plano areas south of GBTR? They would all be older but there are some nice complexes below $200k and very convenient to your wifes work, Addison night life, the toll road, etc. You could very easily get back to the Allen area with GBTR.

tracenat · 09-07-2012, 12:33 PM

Seconding Rakin. We actually purchased a house in the Addison/Dallas area described by him, and there are some nicer townhomes around there, too. I've posted a couple of times about our search, we started looking in McKinney, at the Pulte homes off of Virginia, and slowly moved more and more south. I don't want to annoy people by repeating, but you can find my posts if you want to read my advice

Being close to family is really important, and CR I think poses more problems than solutions, especially because your wife travels so far (on a M-F basis, right?) and visiting parents probably doesn't happen at rush house type times, right?