Relocating from Allen to Dallas. Help with safety? (Plano, Carrollton: low income, apartments)

[Dallas520]

I currently live in Allen with my husband and two young kids. His commute to 75/635 has gotten to be over an hour each way some days. We are looking into relocating closer to Dallas. We are currently looking at a house near Spring Valley & Coit. It is in the neighborhood that has RISD elementary school Spring Valley. Can anyone give input on how safe this area is? Would we feel safe riding our bikes or walking in the neighborhood? Schools are Richardson, but it's in Dallas, so I'm also wondering if crime could be worse there since it is served by Dallas Police Department. If you had to compare that area to Preston Hollow, how do they compare?

Thanks for all input!!

[NP78]

Not really sure about safety, but I might suggest that you take a look at neighborhoods in the Richardson/Far North Dallas area that feed into RISD's J.J. Pearce High School. Elementary schools would be Brentfield, Bowie, etc. Spring Valley is not really considered a desirable elementary school.

[Dallas520]

Thanks for your reply. I should have mentioned that we homeschool, so schools aren't a big factor (except for maybe resale value). Our main concern is being as close to his work at 635/75 and safety.

Thanks!

[ChristieP]

The old apartments at Spring Valley and Coit have been bad for decades. The further away you get from them, the better. West of Coit is better than east.

[CMC_TX]

Originally Posted by Dallas520

I currently live in Allen with my husband and two young kids. His commute to 75/635 has gotten to be over an hour each way some days. We are looking into relocating closer to Dallas. We are currently looking at a house near Spring Valley & Coit. It is in the neighborhood that has RISD elementary school Spring Valley. Can anyone give input on how safe this area is? Would we feel safe riding our bikes or walking in the neighborhood? Schools are Richardson, but it's in Dallas, so I'm also wondering if crime could be worse there since it is served by Dallas Police Department. If you had to compare that area to Preston Hollow, how do they compare?

Thanks for all input!!

Spring Valley elementary has a bad reputation. I don't think the neighborhood's around the school are very well kept, and as another poster mentioned, it's near an unsavory area with a lot of low income apartments, crime, and Spanish-speaking businesses.

I would try to focus more on West of Coit but north of Beltline, such as near Northwood Hills Elementary. For resale, anything feeding to Bowie, Mohawk, or Brentfield would be good options. These areas are all just a bit further North off Coit or Hillcrest before hitting Campbell. They're really popular due to the schools so houses will go fast.

Preston hollow has terrible DISD schools, but you homeschool and the other kids are in private school, so it doesn't impact home values. Problem is, there's a huge difference between the price of an affordable, liveable family home in Preston a hollow versus a family home in Far N Dallas or Richardson. Lot values for a tear down in P Hollow are 500K plus so bring your checkbook!

[UnfairPark]

Why not look at NE Richardson in 75082. You'll be safe, have shorter commute, Plano ISD schools and excellent resale. Homes aren't cheap but very good for the value you get out of it. There are many parks around and people from many subdivisions can ride there bikes to parks. One that comes to mind is Creek Hollow Estates near Stinson Elemantry. It backs up to Campbell Road and just minutes from both 75 and George Bush Turnpike.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by Dallas520

I currently live in Allen with my husband and two young kids. His commute to 75/635 has gotten to be over an hour each way some days. We are looking into relocating closer to Dallas. We are currently looking at a house near Spring Valley & Coit. It is in the neighborhood that has RISD elementary school Spring Valley. Can anyone give input on how safe this area is? Would we feel safe riding our bikes or walking in the neighborhood? Schools are Richardson, but it's in Dallas, so I'm also wondering if crime could be worse there since it is served by Dallas Police Department. If you had to compare that area to Preston Hollow, how do they compare?

Thanks for all input!!

If you're comparing to actual Preston Hollow (the neighborhood bordered by Northwest Hwy, Midway, Royal, & Hillcrest), I'd much rather live in Preston Hollow - much nicer neighborhood, safer, better & more shops and restaurants nearby, etc. if you're comparing to another north Dallas neighborhood that realtors call "Preston Hollow", it would depend on which one Midway Hollow or The Meadows or the Preston Royal neighborhoods are all great, but if a realtor was trying to call the area west of Webb Chapel "Preston Hollow", then definitely NO.

Coit from Spring Valley south to LBJ is BAD NEWS. And very close to some nasty cheap motels on 75 that are also BAD news (prostitution, drugs, gun violence). If the house is within a few blocks of Coit, I wouldn't feel that safe there. If it's north of Spring Valley or west of Meandering Way, then that's ok! Though no commercial on Hillcrest so not sure where you'd be riding a bike to?

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

The old apartments at Spring Valley and Coit have been bad for decades. The further away you get from them, the better. West of Coit is better than east.

West of Coit is Dallas. East of Coit is Richardson (until you get to Plano, obviously).

Basically you're saying all of west Richardson is undesirable? I know that's not really what you're saying but someone who doesn't know the area could interpret it that way.

FWIW, not everything on the Dallas side of Coit is peachy keen either. Go west on Arapaho sometime and see the ickiness. Or those dumpy neighborhoods between Belt Line & Arapaho on the Dallas side.

[ChristieP]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

West of Coit is Dallas. East of Coit is Richardson (until you get to Plano, obviously).

Basically you're saying all of west Richardson is undesirable? I know that's not really what you're saying but someone who doesn't know the area could interpret it that way.

FWIW, not everything on the Dallas side of Coit is peachy keen either. Go west on Arapaho sometime and see the ickiness. Or those dumpy neighborhoods between Belt Line & Arapaho on the Dallas side.

I'm saying in the area near Coit and Spring Valley, stay west of Coit.
The further north you go, it gets a lot better. The "Indian reservation" streets east of Coit near Pearce HS are great.

[UnfairPark]

Carrollton and parts of Plano bordering North Dallas/Carrollton may put you at a much shorter distance to 635@75 than Allen.