Grapevine vs. Rockwall --- Nice town to live and raise a family (Dallas: houses, purchase)

[Bacon and Eggs]

I will be relocating to the Dallas area from out of state, and am looking for a community that has a small-town feel. I have a budget of up to 375K to purchase a home.

When I say "small-town," here's what I mean:


- An active Main Street-type downtown area
- A good recreation program for kids
- A sense of community
- Good schools and ones that are not huge


Some on this forum have recommended Grapevine and Rockwall. Never having been to either town, I would appreciate any input you can provide.


Based on the criteria I am looking for (see above), which town would you choose - Grapevine or Rockwall - and why? Also, pros and cons of each town would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks!

[BigDGeek]

They're REALLY far apart. Where's your job going to be?

[frisco19542]

Grapevine has a more active Downtown but Rockwall will give you a smaller town feel overall. You can also see much more open land out there. East of there is lots of hunting and fishing.

The issue with rockwell is you have to travel over lake ray hubbard to Dallas if you are working there. Grapevine is more centrally located and is great because your in the center of the Metroplex. Between the two of them I would say grapevine is the better place to live since your near everything and it has better schools. But if you don't like being in the middle of a city and older houses you may prefer rockwall.

[mSooner]

Unless your job allows you to work from anywhere, your commute is going to do the picking for you.

[ChristieP]

I know both towns well. I live in Grapevine and my parents live in Rockwall.

Where will you be working? That is going to make the difference.

[Bacon and Eggs]

I will be working in downtown Dallas.


I'm not a "hunting and fishing" type guy, so having fishing and hunting (rural) areas nearby is not important.


Although I am looking for a place with a small-town feel and a sense of community, I would prefer to be close to the DFW metro area as I like to have easy access to things to do. Would also like to be in an area where there is a fair number of professionals, but not a fancy place like Southlake.

[DTXman34]

Originally Posted by Bacon and Eggs

I will be working in downtown Dallas.


I'm not a "hunting and fishing" type guy, so having fishing and hunting (rural) areas nearby is not important.


Although I am looking for a place with a small-town feel and a sense of community, I would prefer to be close to the DFW metro area as I like to have easy access to things to do. Would also like to be in an area where there is a fair number of professionals, but not a fancy place like Southlake.

Although both Grapevine & Rockwall are almost equidistant to Downtown Dallas, Grapevine is hands down the closest to most of DFW's amenities. It's much easier to catch MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLS games from Grapevine than Rockwall as well as having the added bonus of living a couple of miles away from DFW Airport. Ditto for Dallas Love Field access. You have two fairly large lakes to choose from -- Grapevine & Lewisville. You also have a much easier time accessing both the cities of Fort Worth and Dallas, whereas in Rockwall, you're far away from Fort Worth. Grapevine also has a nice historic Main St., while Rockwall's is nothing to write home about.

[mSooner]

Personally, I think I'd pick Grapevine, but mostly because I have more ties to the mid-cities and I like being near DFW airport. That being said, I visited a friend out in Rockwall recently and it is charming. I think you need to visit both and decide what fits you best.

[ChristieP]

For what you are looking for, Grapevine will be better. As others have said, the central location and easier access to both Dallas and Fort Worth for activities is much better. Grapevine also has more parks and recreation activities for kids,and a alreally nice community center. As DTXman said, there really isn't a comparison between the two downtowns. Rockwall's is a couple of streets of restaurants and shops, and Grapevine's is several blocks long, is on the National Register and hosts two major festivals a year.

As for schools, GCISD has a slight edge over RISD. The housing market in Grapevine is going to be more competitive simply because Rockwall still has plenty of new construction going on, while Grapevine is built out.

[Grainraiser]

Take away number one on your list and Sunnyvale would be perfect for you.