Sanity check: moving to the burbs (Parker, Lucas..) (Plano, Garland: HOA, homes)

[mastershake575]

Originally Posted by biafra4life

Dont know your price range but if I were you I would look in somewhere like Richardson. If you can afford Lakewood then I think Richardson would be in your ball park, with much bigger yards that you need.

Richardson would be good commutee wise and have most of what he wants (bigger yards, better roads, good outdoor trees/parks, bigger house).

House in like Canyon Creek or Praire Creek would be sweet (tons of mature trees, big back yards since the houses are on .2 to .4 acre lots, good chunk of the houses have pools, roads are not only nice but very wide, natural elevation, tons of parks, good commutte for both of you).

Since kids don't come into play the neighbhorhood on the other side of 75 (sherrill park) has the same benefits commutte wise but houses are bigger/cheaper do to schools not being as good (more bang for your buck)

[Watchful]

Just had to chime in and say I am really proud of the commenters for providing helpful (if varied) perspectives and none of the....(well you know)......keep it up folks

[2L8IWON]

Totally agree - thanks for all the feedback, folks.

To address some of the earlier comments around ‘why Lucas/Parker’ - it’s really a land thing, and for the potential to have animals longer term. We can’t seem to find homes sub $700k that have any land anywhere else in the metroplex without going way north (celina, etc.) or south west, which wouldn’t work for our commutes. I also suspect that in the coming ~10 years, we will see appreciation there as TONS of new builds are going in and land is becoming more of a premium as it has in other places.

But I also agree that the biggest challenge for us will likely be food options and family neighborhoods (From a social perspective.).

Keep the feedback coming - I’m happy to hear it.

[texstout]

Does it have to be either-or? While I am much more into Lakewood personally, why not look at Richardson (e.g., Canyon Creek area), North Dallas, areas near Brookhaven/Farmers Branch, Plano, etc?

[2L8IWON]

Originally Posted by texstout

Does it have to be either-or? While I am much more into Lakewood personally, why not look at Richardson (e.g., Canyon Creek area), North Dallas, areas near Brookhaven/Farmers Branch, Plano, etc?

Sort-of. We won't find the yard / privacy we're looking for in Richardson / Farmer's Branch. We can find tens (or hundreds) of homes in plano sub 700K with the right interior space, but they're all on postage stamps. If we're moving to the burbs over Lakewood, we want space.

I agree that Canyon Creek is a beautiful neighborhood btw - it's one of the few suburb neighborhoods I actually wanted to move at any point over the last 7 years.

[HP48G]

This thread made me look what is available for new builds in Richardson at Frisco average price... land has definitely gotten expensive when this is an outdoor area.

[El Chingaso]

I'd look at East Plano. It'll take some time for something to pop up on the market, but it will.

You'd still have relatively quick access to the stuff you like, without being flung to the boondocks. Heck, it's only a $30 Uber to Deep Ellum from there for date night when both of y'all knock back a few.

[AlecZTexan]

Why not try Lucas/Parker while keeping your Lakewood home? Now it's a good time to have a cash-out refinancing of your Lakewood home due to the historical low mortgage rate. Then you use the refinanced cash to help the mortgage in the new house in North, and meanwhile rent out your Lakewood property to cover expenses. In this way, you can have a taste of the big land on the north, and retain the option to go back to the city in the near future.

[2L8IWON]

Originally Posted by AlecZTexan

Why not try Lucas/Parker while keeping your Lakewood home? Now it's a good time to have a cash-out refinancing of your Lakewood home due to the historical low mortgage rate. Then you use the refinanced cash to help the mortgage in the new house in North, and meanwhile rent out your Lakewood property to cover expenses. In this way, you can have a taste of the big land on the north, and retain the option to go back to the city in the near future.

I hadn’t tried that, and I’m not sure how the refi would impact the loan on the ‘country house’, but I’ll check it out to see if the numbers make sense. Thanks!

[TexanByMarriage]

You said your social circle is small and that you think it'll stay that way "in the country" - my impression of Parker and Lucas is the opposite. We're considering the same area, and the feel I get when visiting homes there is that you might actually connect with your neighbors and have a community feel. Our realtor said so as well. More so than in the "poststamp" houses, as you say, in the large Plano neighborhoods. Granted, we're your standard family with 3 kids. I don't like to think that a community like that is not welcoming to a gay couple as well.