Is this budget completely unreasonable? :) (Dallas, Plano: sale, house, safe area)

[Tedology]

Hello all,

It's my hope to move to the Dallas area (preferably a suburb) next summer.

I'm currently a teacher in CA and I am not certain I want to get into teaching in TX, esp. at the ripe old age of 50. I think I'd be just as happy working in a bookstore or bank...somewhere I don't have to take my work home with me.

With the sale of my home here I will have approximately $135K to purchase a home, and I guess I'm wondering if that is just not heard of?

I looked in the South Dallas suburbs and I had heard they don't have the best areas. I really don't need an active nightlife...I'm more of a homebody.

I don't want anything huge or fancy, but I do want something that isn't falling apart, or needs a LOT of "TLC" to get it to be livable.

I have friends in the area who are suggesting I try Richardson, or even McKinney (I know Plano is out of the question with my budget), but not even sure I can afford those two places.

I thought about Mesquite, but I am hearing mixed reviews (and I have searched here to read some more mixed reviews).

I guess I'm hoping for some advice on places to avoid and places to consider.

Thanks in advance. I truly appreciate it!
Ted

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

That is pretty low to purchase a house in a safe area in the northern burbs that is not run-down. Unless you go to the southern suburbs but I am not really familiar with them. There are some nice safe, family areas but someone else will chime in before too long.

[Tedology]

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply.

Yes, I thought as much... I guess I was just hopeful!

[cordata]

You might take a look at downtown Garland. Many here wouldn't like it but there seem to be homes in your price range.

[ChristieP]

$135k would be a good down payment, but you will need at least $25k more to get into a safe area and not have a run down, old home that's going to have high upkeep costs. Remember that the DFW area is huge, and commutes here can be very long. I assume you will want to teach in a good school district, so if you live in an area with homes in that price, it's safe to say that the local schools won't be very good.

Have you considered rural areas? They need teachers, too, and the home prices will be less expensive.

[Tedology]

Originally Posted by cordata

You might take a look at downtown Garland. Many here wouldn't like it but there seem to be homes in your price range.

Thank you very much for offering your input.

I haven't thought to check Garland. I may do that.

[Tedology]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

$135k would be a good down payment, but you will need at least $25k more to get into a safe area and not have a run down, old home that's going to have high upkeep costs. Remember that the DFW area is huge, and commutes here can be very long. I assume you will want to teach in a good school district, so if you live in an area with homes in that price, it's safe to say that the local schools won't be very good.

Have you considered rural areas? They need teachers, too, and the home prices will be less expensive.

I probably could swing another $25k... or at the very least take out a small mortgage. Compared to prices in CA, that is nothing!

Thanks for your help, Christie. I haven't really considered rural areas. I'm not even sure what would be considered rural areas.

The reason I wanted to stay close enough to Dallas was because my home church will be located in Dallas, so I wanted to have the proximity.

[ChristieP]

Where in Dallas will your church be? You would be wise to look in the direction of that church; although traffic isn't bad on Sunday mornings.

[Tedology]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Where in Dallas will your church be? You would be wise to look in the direction of that church; although traffic isn't bad on Sunday mornings.

Thanks for your continued help, Christie!

Watermark is on LBJ Freeway.

I even thought about south (like Lancaster or Duncanville), but not sure what the traffic is like... it seems like it would only be about 30 min. away. Of course weeknights may be treacherous (if I ever want to attend an evening event).

[lepoisson]

My goal is to buy a home around $150K. I want a 3br that was built in 1980 or newer, and something that is fairly up to date. A realtor told me that I need to increase my budget to at least $180K in DFW to find what I want. And at that price I'll be somewhere further away like Mansfield.