Moving to Dallas area (Plano, University Park: best city, apartments, for rent)

[LolaSasha]

Hello,
I'm a 36 year old recently divorced single mother and my daughter and I will be moving to the Dallas area. She will be 2 when we move and I'm looking for advice for the best places to live - that would be good for us. I would like a great social lifestyle but also great schools/parks/things for kids. We are moving from Chicago and live in the Lincoln Park neighborhood if that is a reference for anyone.

I'm not currently employed (something I need to work on) but we won't necessarily be totally limited by income - but certainly within reason. I'm thinking we would like a 3 bedroom townhouse, although I've heard that homes are cheaper than in Chicago but townhouses/apartments are close. We would probably rent for the first year and then possibly buy something in the future. I would be ok paying under $3000/month in rent if it were the right neighborhood for us.

Thanks!

[ThomasCrown]

That's a very healthy budget for renting. However, balancing your desire for a great social lifestyle but also with great schools and things for kids is pretty limiting.

I'd suggest renting around the Shops of Legacy in Plano. You'll have your nightlife/social aspects, but you'll be very close to lots of parks and Plano's schools are top notch.

[LolaSasha]

Thanks! Ok, let me separate the two:

Where are the great social areas for single people and where are the great areas for schools/parks etc for toddlers?

[ThomasCrown]

Originally Posted by LolaSasha

Thanks! Ok, let me separate the two:

Where are the great social areas for single people and where are the great areas for schools/parks etc for toddlers?

Social areas that are commonly mentioned are Uptown (neighborhood just north of downtown), Addison (a suburb of Dallas several miles north off the tollway), Shops of Legacy (there are several townhomes/condos surrounding and incorporated into the development, it was designed as a "walkable" lifestyle), and sometimes you'll hear places like Lakewood, M Streets, etc thrown out. They are neighborhoods near downtown.

However, out of all of those, only Plano is going to have a good school system at all levels, while being known as a family friendly suburb.

[TurtleCreek80]

Plano = Schaumburg or Naperville. I can't imagine someone coming from Lincoln Park enjoying Plano much at all.

I would look at renting a house or duplex in the M Streets, Lakewood, or Hollywood Heights/Santa Monica. They are charming historic in-town neighborhoods that are extremely family friendly due to very sought after public elementary schools. Zip codes 75214, 75206, 75223. Lakewood and Stonewall Jackson are the top elementary schools, with Lee climbing the charts as yuppie/hipster families infill. You can't beat the location, just 5 minutes to downtown for museums & the arts, 5 minutes to White Rock Lake & the Dallas Arboretum, etc. The Lakewood Early Childhood PTA is a great place to meet other moms and get your kid into playgroups and axfivities. Lots of SAHM's. Tietze Park is a popular neighborhood park as are several sprinkled in Lakewood itself. Kids/ Family activities include Children's Garden at the Dallas Arboretum, Knights of Columbus pool (have to have a membership), Lakewood YMCA, Perot Museum of Nature j Science, kids activities at the Dallas Museum of Art, tons of youth sports leagues through school and club teams, etc.

This is also a great, social area to be a divorcee in as while it's family friendly, it's not child-centered like the suburbs. Lots of singles of all ages. It's not an area where every house on the block is a married family with 2 kids and a dog. You'll have singles mixed with empty nesters, seniors, families, etc. Dallas has a lot of young professionals groups (for under 40's) where you can connect and meet people. There is also a big Junior League here if you are already a member and can transfer.

[numbersguy100]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

Plano = Schaumburg or Naperville. I can't imagine someone coming from Lincoln Park enjoying Plano much at all.

I would look at renting a house or duplex in the M Streets, Lakewood, or Hollywood Heights/Santa Monica. They are charming historic in-town neighborhoods that are extremely family friendly due to very sought after public elementary schools. Zip codes 75214, 75206, 75223. Lakewood and Stonewall Jackson are the top elementary schools, with Lee climbing the charts as yuppie/hipster families infill. You can't beat the location, just 5 minutes to downtown for museums & the arts, 5 minutes to White Rock Lake & the Dallas Arboretum, etc. The Lakewood Early Childhood PTA is a great place to meet other moms and get your kid into playgroups and axfivities. Lots of SAHM's. Tietze Park is a popular neighborhood park as are several sprinkled in Lakewood itself. Kids/ Family activities include Children's Garden at the Dallas Arboretum, Knights of Columbus pool (have to have a membership), Lakewood YMCA, Perot Museum of Nature j Science, kids activities at the Dallas Museum of Art, tons of youth sports leagues through school and club teams, etc.

This is also a great, social area to be a divorcee in as while it's family friendly, it's not child-centered like the suburbs. Lots of singles of all ages. It's not an area where every house on the block is a married family with 2 kids and a dog. You'll have singles mixed with empty nesters, seniors, families, etc. Dallas has a lot of young professionals groups (for under 40's) where you can connect and meet people. There is also a big Junior League here if you are already a member and can transfer.

I agree with all of this. Someone moving from Lincoln Park to Plano will be like a fish out of water unless that's very much what they were looking for. The only thing I will say is that if you move here with no job, Lakewood will limit you in your job search as it's a bit less convenient to anything other than downtown/uptown. M Streets seems slightly more commuter friendly and well within your price range.

[JTC Mom]

I agree with recommendations above that M streets would be my first choice.

The best schools and best city services are in the park cities, Highland Park and University Park. They also have very strong early childhood PTA groups. There are a few streets with relatively high concentrations of duplexes that would be in your budget. 4500 blocks of Westway and Fairway in HP. In UP the streets are west of Preston and East of the tollway: University, Normandy, glenwick, druid, emerson, and, grassmere. Some of these streets are walkable to some places, but mostly not to bars. But overall HP and UP are great locations for commuting, schools and safety.

Still...M streets is so much more walkable that if that is important to you it may be a better choice.