Multi ethnic family neighborhood in Dallas? (Plano, Carrollton: new home, neighborhoods, to buy)

[monthaven]

My family is relocating to Dallas in a few months and my husband's office will be in the center of downtown. We are a multi ethnic family, white and Filipino, kids 7 & 10 yrs. We value diversity and hope to buy a home in an area of diverse families not more than a 35 min commute for my husband. A home built 1980 or later, or a remodel, near a park or greenbelt and maybe in the Dallas ISD boundary is what we're looking for. There are high schools we think would be good for our kids in the DISD but not so sure about the elementary and middle schools. I might homeschool until HS. A natural foods store/whole foods relatively close is a plus. Can buy up to 400K. Any thoughts on neighborhoods? Outside DISD is fine too but hoping to find STEM focused program in HS.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

It's way too far north for you but my d-I-l is Filipina and has a circle of 15-20 friends, all married to American guys. They are at the border of Little Elm and Frisco. So fas as I know, all the families are comfortable in their neighborhoods. I can't imagine downtown is any different. Welcome!

[TX75007]

There are a number of Filipinas at my church. Wifes 2d BF is Filipina. McCoy-Josey-Marsh and PGBT area in Carrollton down into Addison.

Not sure about Dallas ISD proper.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Honestly, I would consider not living in Dallas proper. The suburbs to the North and West are much more multicultural than Dallas itself. I would look at Richardson or Plano. The DART runs there and your husband could take the train to work. Not to mention the schools in those cities are better than DISD.

[GreyDay]

Dallas is fine culturally. The less political couplings rarely attract attention, neither do political couplings. Your budget affords you plenty of places- Uptown (not the best for kids, but central), possibly the M-streets areas, far north Dallas. The issue in Dallas is the schools, not all are bad, but you need to pick carefully. If your kids are especially gifted you may be able to get them tested and enrolled in the excellent Dallas magnet schools.

Richardson is the flavor of the month IMHO. Plano is nice, but at your budget, you're likely looking at east Plano, which is the least desirable of the two. Plano is also, very much a suburb and it sounded like you were looking for a more urban environ.

[Grainraiser]

Sounds to me that what the OP really wants is a intercity burb. I would suggest Richardson or Lake Highlands as a starting point. DISD have some great schools but like stated you have to be ultra picky when selecting a neighborhood. DISD also have some fantastic magnet schools. You will have some choices based on your want list. Best of luck to you.

[Lakewooder]

There is a STEM academy at Woodrow Wilson High School Woodrow Wilson High School :: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Academy. Woodrow and its feeder, J. L. Long Middle School, are also the only public schools offering IB in Dallas. I don't think Richardson has any IB schools, either..

This is by far the closest you can get to downtown - about 10 minutes or less, depending on where you live in the attendance zone: http://www.dallasisd.org/cms/lib/TX0...Wilson2012.pdf

As far as elementary schools, Stonewall Jackson and Lakewood are two of the best in Texas. I would say Lakewood has more of a math emphasis, while Stonewall is smaller and has more diversity and more of an international emphasis.

There are few homes built after 1980 in your price range. There are new homes all over (where the original homes were torn down) but those tend to be $700,000 or more - but I do know someone who got one for around $500,000 a couple of years ago. There are remodeled homes in your range - search 75214 and 75206. This is also a good area in which to invest, as home prices are climbing and there's really no end in sight.

There is a Whole Foods in the center of 'downtown' Lakewood and several other options, such as Green Grocer on Greenville Avenue.

There are plenty of parks and trails - the most notable being the largest park in Dallas, White Rock Lake, and the second largest, Tenison/Samuell Grand.

[Considering Coming Back]

You wont get into SEM or TAG if you homeschool. If you want your Tiger Cub to go to one of the Townview flagships you need to go to a DISD middle school.

You want to buy a house on Lawtherwood in the Lakewood attendance zone (75214)-- built in 1980, under $400k, close to Whole Foods, great elementary school. Then get into Travis middle school, Long is acceptable too. From there you apply to SEM and TAG.

[monthaven]

Originally Posted by Considering Coming Back

You wont get into SEM or TAG if you homeschool. If you want your Tiger Cub to go to one of the Townview flagships you need to go to a DISD middle school.

You want to buy a house on Lawtherwood in the Lakewood attendance zone (75214)-- built in 1980, under $400k, close to Whole Foods, great elementary school. Then get into Travis middle school, Long is acceptable too. From there you apply to SEM and TAG.

Thanks, that advice about having to go to a DISD Middle school to get into STEM is exactly what I was wondering about. Really appreciate the specifics about where to look, Lawtherwood. We'll check it out!

[monthaven]

Thanks for the great info. We have considered Richardson as a possibility, but DISD magnets do look good. With a budding actress and singer for a daughter we really think Washington Performing Arts Magnet would be a great school for her. Do you think a homeschooler could get in there or will it be important for her to be in a DISD middle school to get in? Homeschooling for right now will allow her to spend more time on acting/dancing/singing classes, to go on auditions and book jobs without being overly stressed trying to do school on the regular time schedule. And if she gets into the magnet HS, I'm guessing the school is used to kids missing classes for their auditions, etc. Our son is the STEM candidate, obsessed with buildings and science. We'll check out Stonewall Jackson and Lakewood as a place to begin for him. I do agree that traditional classroom vs. homeschool will better prepare him for rigorous HS & college curriculum.