So frustrated.... (Highlands, Manor: home search, private school, zip code)

[LauraLama]

Originally Posted by MSC31

Update...we are putting an offer on great outdoor house. I really don't love the house and will have to put a lot of money into it but we don't want to deal with the rental market and are terrified of rolling the dice that something will come up once we leave.

If we get the house we will be redoing the kitchen and I would love to remove the wet bar that sits in between to walkways that lead to the small family room. Hopefully the wall isn't load bearing.

Sounds good. There are no perfect houses, it's all give and take unless you have an unlimited budget and no time or commute restraint. Is it near Hockaday?

[MSC31]

Originally Posted by LauraLama

Sounds good. There are no perfect houses, it's all give and take unless you have an unlimited budget and no time or commute restraint. Is it near Hockaday?

It is not near Hockaday. It is in West Plano. I know the commute won't be fun but we just couldn't find anything that my husband and I agreed on closer that didn't sell the first day before we could get an offer in. Ugh.

[loves2read]

Have you driven that commute in real world conditions?
Are you using an agent who really knows the area?

A bad commute and a house you really aren't happy with doesn't sound like a good choice

[serger]

This is a difficult commute (and getting worse by the day), if done once daily. Twice a day, I can't imagine.

[LauraLama]

Originally Posted by MSC31

It is not near Hockaday. It is in West Plano. I know the commute won't be fun but we just couldn't find anything that my husband and I agreed on closer that didn't sell the first day before we could get an offer in. Ugh.

Obviously it is not as good as living next doors to Hocakaday but I know several families who drive to Dallas privates and find it manageable. You'll find parents willing to carpool. West Plano is convenience central and having good public schools as fall back plan is a always a good thing.

[MSC31]

Originally Posted by LauraLama

Obviously it is not as good as living next doors to Hocakaday but I know several families who drive to Dallas privates and find it manageable. You'll find parents willing to carpool. West Plano is convenience central and having good public schools as fall back plan is a always a good thing.

Exactly!!! I want good public schools as aback up in case Hockaday is not a good fit or financially things change. We dietary the drive Friday morning and it took 34 minutes taking Preston. My daughter will just have to get dressed quickly and eat in the car. (-:

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by LauraLama

Obviously it is not as good as living next doors to Hocakaday but I know several families who drive to Dallas privates and find it manageable. You'll find parents willing to carpool. West Plano is convenience central and having good public schools as fall back plan is a always a good thing.

I know people who do the Plano to various North Dallas privates too. Heck we did it ourselves until 2010. One of my daughter's friends and family did the McKinney to Ursuline shuffle for four years. The point is these commutes are worse now than in the past and the will be worse still as the Toyota, Mass. Mutual et. moves occur.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by MSC31

Exactly!!! I want good public schools as aback up in case Hockaday is not a good fit or financially things change. We dietary the drive Friday morning and it took 34 minutes taking Preston. My daughter will just have to get dressed quickly and eat in the car. (-:

Trust me she will become a master at eating, studying, taking power naps, changing clothes etc. in the car.


1. Congratulations on the Hockaday admission it's an impressive accomplishment.
2. I predict that your family will love Hockaday.
3. So far as getting there you'll want lots of routes in and out as traffic snarls happen all the time:

A. The Preston options
1. Over on Harvest Hill and down Inwood to Forest

2. Over on Harvest Hill and down Welch to Forest and either set of entrances into Hockaday (Welch side or along Forest)

*3. Preston to Northaven and over to Welch or up Strait and over to Welch on Alta Vista or Hallmark, I guarantee you this route will save you time on occasion.

*4. Preston to Royal and then North on Quincy Lane it's a little side road that runs along the Tollway to Northaven or Forest. Quincy is little used by cars because it has speed bumps and it's more or less hidden.

5. Preston to Royal and up Inwood to Northaven or Forest or to Welch and up to the west side entrances or Forest.

B. The Tollway - no matter what there will be times when the tollway makes sense. Remember there is no southbound Tollway exit at Forest and you there is not Northbound access to the Tollway at Forest. So you'll have to use Royal to the south or Alpha well to the north. I'd only use Alpha in emergencies it'll cost you time. You'll quickly learn to co-mingle the streets in part A with using the Tollway.

C. Midway as a bailout you can take Midway road south to Forest or Northaven.


If you don't have a mapping system with traffic updates in your car or on your phone you'll need one or the other.

Again congratulations and good luck.

[MSC31]

EDS...your post will become my bible. (-:
We bought a house in Willow Bend. It's not our dream house but we don't plan on living there forever. It is about 1200 sq ft smaller than the house we just sold so we have to get rid of so much furniture.

We don't have a lot of extra space in the backyard but would like to do some sort of small outdoor living/kitchen. Any suggestions of companies to contact?

[Johnhw2]

Originally Posted by MSC31

EDS...your post will become my bible. (-:
We bought a house in Willow Bend. It's not our dream house but we don't plan on living there forever. It is about 1200 sq ft smaller than the house we just sold so we have to get rid of so much furniture.

We don't have a lot of extra space in the backyard but would like to do some sort of small outdoor living/kitchen. Any suggestions of companies to contact?

I know another in willow bend area whose child is in Hockaday you might consider car pooling as an optin to making your own way twice a day.