Las Colinas/Valley Ranch? Young family relocating for a job in Uptown Dallas (Richardson: apartments, renting)

[trh0608]

I've taken a job in Dallas (office is in uptown) and will be relocating my young family. Will be working a lot so looking for a good neighborhood with lots of other young families and a short commute (30 mins or less). Does Las Colinas or Valley Ranch fit the bill? Other suggestion? Have heard Lakewood/Forest Hills, Preston Hallow, M Streets, Disney Streets, Prestonwood (between Addison and Richardson) are all good locations as well but I'm worried those areas are not as young-family rich. Commute from Frisco seems out of the question.

[ChristieP]

Yes, Frisco is out of the question.

But the bigger questions that we need to know:
Are you renting or buying?
What's your budget?
How old are your children, and are public schools important?

[trh0608]

Prefer to buy ($350k-$550k). Kids are too young for school but we'd still like to be in a good public system.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by trh0608

I've taken a job in Dallas (office is in uptown) and will be relocating my young family. Will be working a lot so looking for a good neighborhood with lots of other young families and a short commute (30 mins or less). Does Las Colinas or Valley Ranch fit the bill? Other suggestion? Have heard Lakewood/Forest Hills, Preston Hallow, M Streets, Disney Streets, Prestonwood (between Addison and Richardson) are all good locations as well but I'm worried those areas are not as young-family rich. Commute from Frisco seems out of the question.

You are comparing new/newer construction suburbs with mature in-town neighborboods. My guess is when you visit, you'll have a strong preference for one or the other. With Las Colinas and the Dallas neighborhoods, you're in the Ana boat for schools - elementary school choices are strong, but 6-12 will require navigation of private or magnet schools, or a leap of faith into upper grade public schools. That said, plenty of families live in all those areas and figure out the school thing just fine. With Valley Ranch, you could be zoned for Coppell's excellent K-12 schools. I think that more apartments are zoned to Coppell schools than single family homes. I would also add Lake Highlands to your list/ it's a Dallas neighborhood inside 635 loop, but Richardson ISD schools.

You will get more space and newer/new construction in Las Colinas/ Valley Ranch. $550k will not get you into Preston Hollow or Disney Streets. It will barely get you into 75229 neighborhood's zoned to the preferred elementary school, Withers. DeGoyler Elem is also worth a look in 75229 and will have more homes in your price range. In the M Streets and and Lakewood, homes run over $200/SF so you're looking at about a 2000SF home at the top of your budget. Prestonwood is a good location between the city and suburbs/ homes not as small as in-town, but not as new as Las Colinas.

Be ready to pounce on any home you love because <$500k is the touches market for buyers these days. Once you select an area of interest, ensure you hire a realtor who specializes in that area and has access to off-market listings. This is not a market where you can accept your company's relo generalist agent.

[trh0608]

Thanks, TurtleCreek. So the commute to uptown from Las Colinas/Valley Ranch isn't too bad?

Also, does Prestonwood have a decent amount of young families? Seems like an older neighborhood...

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by trh0608

Thanks, TurtleCreek. So the commute to uptown from Las Colinas/Valley Ranch isn't too bad?

Also, does Prestonwood have a decent amount of young families? Seems like an older neighborhood...

Any commute involving I-35 is worse than one involving the DNT (like from 75229 or Prestonwood) or surface streets (from Lakewood/ Lake Highlands), but I would think it's a consistent 25-35 minute drive time.

I don't know a ton about Prestonwood, but we do know one couple who bought there and they have a good number of kids in their neighborhood. Most of those houses have been remodeled and updated as the original owners sell.

[WorldKlas]

Commute between Valley Ranch to Uptown is not Optimal. Better would be a home in the Richardson school district. The M streets would be just about perfect (lots of young families) but expect to look at grades 7-12 for private schools --or at least be prepared to find privates if the publics don't work out for you. Excellent, goal focused students suceed in almost any school but the "average" student doesn't. Sorry but only about 5% - 10% of kids are top students.

[Aceraceae]

I'd look in Lake Highlands and Richardson.

[mSooner]

I'd consider Coppell at least. It takes a long time to get out of Lake Highlands to UTSW. My husbands commute from Coppell to the med center is similar to what a friend's husband was doing from Lake Highlands to UTSW.

It's really going to come down to the environment you like. All are great areas.

[smdebnam]

I drive daily from Valley Ranch to the Oak Lawn/Lemmon area. I have flexible hours so my drive is approx 20-25 minutes at 6am and 25-30 minutes at 3pm. On the occasion that I work until 5 or 5:30 it can take anywhere from 35-45 minutes to get home. There are different routes that you can take when needed. (114, DNT, Harry Hines, Northwest Hwy etc) We are in the area of Valley Ranch homes zoned to Coppell ISD. You can see the Coppell ISD zoning map here: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer...o.kONnTrCRxsH4