Home Rentals in McKinney (Dallas, Plano: houses, buying, construction)

[dmorton]

Hello Everyone,

We are planning a move back to Texas this Spring. Not sure if we'll be staying permanently or just a few years. We're looking to rent a home in McKinney, and interested to find out:

1. What are the best sites/contacts to help locate rental houses in this area?? Have been visiting Realtor, & Ebby.

2. Anything we should be aware of renting a house in there? Does the owner usually pay HOA, etc.?

Thanks for any info or advice!

Denise

[socketz]

I'd check the Dallas newspaper and Ebby's site.

If you have a commute, I would not Rent in Mckinney. Living there is one thing, but renting out there seems self-abusive.

[Jaima]

Originally Posted by socketz

If you have a commute, I would not Rent in Mckinney. Living there is one thing, but renting out there seems self-abusive.

whats wrong with the commute? Im getting ready to relocate jobs from california to garland in march and looking to rent a home for the first year, we were looking at mckinney and the mieage i came up with was about 24 or 28 miles.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by Jaima

whats wrong with the commute? Im getting ready to relocate jobs from california to garland in march and looking to rent a home for the first year, we were looking at mckinney and the mieage i came up with was about 24 or 28 miles.

The miles are one thing the time it takes another. By living in Garland and not McKinney to commute to downtown Dallas you can save yourself at least 20-30 minutes each way in light traffic. If there is a wreck or construction it can be a nightmare. In case you have not visited the area Hwy 75-Central Expwy narrows to 2 lanes in each direction once you are just north of Allen. So there is a bottleneck of people trying to merge into those 2 lanes on their way to McKinney and points beyond. Right now there is construction on 75 in Plano so it makes it even worse. Then we are just talking the highway traffic. The drive to and from the highway to your house is another story unless you live right off the highway. Even 5 miles away can take you a good 20 minutes in decent traffic w/ all of the lights, road construction and people.

[Jaima]

thank you for that response, i would like to try and avoid alot of the traffic, I have seen a few homes in garland, rowlette and plano(still closer than mckinney) that we are looking at too.

[momof2dfw]

Avoid Rowlett. While it does share a school system w/ its neighbors you don't want to live there. Right now just about every major road and intersection in that place is torn up and under construction. Traffic is a nightmare and worse than McKinney in some cases. Rowlett also has the highest property tax rate in Dallas County and the highest water rates around (they raised it three times this summer alone). I lived in Rowlett for a few years and hightailed it back to Garland. The schools: for those that live in the Dallas County portion that makes up the majority they are part of the Garland ISD. Those that live in the Rockwall County side attend the Rockwall ISD. The Rockwall ISD has only 1 campus in Rowlett, an elementary school. For jr high and high school you must cross over the lake into Rockwall. Then there are the politics . This is what has brought Rowlett down to rock bottom and I do not see it coming up anytime soon w/ the upcoming mayoral election. The mayor just announced his sudden departure immediately. Many were glad to see him go but he did more for that place than anyone else he just had too many trying to keep Rowlett behind. They constantly complain about the road conditions but refuse to pass a bond election to improve them. The gripe about the library but last year denied a bond election to bring it up to min standards. Complain about the empty old buildings lining Hwy 66 aka Lakeview Pkwy but won't give a business interested a tax incentive to move there. Then in the development called Waterview, it's next door neighbor is the City of Garland landfill. Lovely. I've posted some pics of the area (both Garland and Rowlett). Here is the thread where I posted some pics of Rowlett:

Rowlett?

Here is the link to the thread that I posted some pics from around Garland:

Pics taken around my area

[stargazer]

There are a couple of nice homes for rent over in Valley Creek area of Mckinney if you are interested. That is a very upscale area of Mckinney. One in a sub division over off of Valley Creek Road with a golf course view, very charming I believe about 1200 a month for about 2900 or 3000 square feet and the other over in Village Creek in the new phase off of El Dorado. I live in the Valley Creek area and love it!

If you want to move here, I would weigh all that is important to you. If you don't have to commute a long distance down 75 then I believe it is ok. The roads do narrow to 2 lanes before getting to Mckinney but they are 4 and more around Dallas to Plano. It starts to go to 3 lanes past Plano then down to 2 past 121. 121 is going to be a full toll soon too and that is going to take some pressure off of 75 but that won't be for awhile, I don't know when the toll will go into effect but they are working on it. To go to Allen it takes me about 10 minutes to go to the Outlets over off of Stacy Road and to McDermott which has Target in Allen and that area about 12 minutes or so. For me though, the key is when to go. After rush hour fast, during you just don't know. I have been having to take my husband to his work ( were down to 1 car, buying a new one this week) which if off of Fitzhugh, Knox Henderson exit and it takes about 45 minutes to go 30 miles sometimes more or less. It depends on if you pass a wreck, yesterday I past 2 wrecks going each morning and evening. In the past when we would go meet for lunch, we would meet off of Spring Valley in Richardson over across from TI at the Razoo's, El Chicos or the Humperdinks and that takes 20 minutes to drive. If you leave really early around 6 in the morning, you can make it to downtown 30 minutes. If you go at 7 it can be any sort of time, as I said depending on the traffic.

Talking about these commutes and I don't even know if you will be commuting. Are you going to be working far or in town? If you need any help on any sort of area to live around my area, let me know. Just shoot me a pm and I will be happy to answer. I get around quite a bit here and know Mckinney pretty well now.

[socketz]

Another key road for the back part of Mckinney in Stonebridge is Custer.

North south with less pain than the 75.

Lake Forest is another North South that will get you to the 121, which then gives you nice East-West access.

[socketz]

Stargazer,
I finally pulled the trigger. I'm coming to join you up there in Mckinney/Stonebridge. I'm coming from Plano where everything is at your fingertips, so you'll need to tell me where the good restaurants are located.

A friend/co-worker of mine is part owner of the Mckinney Tavern (nice sports bar), so I eat there when I'm in town, but am looking for other spots.

It seems to me that Mckinney has waaayyyy too many Pizza places....they need more variety.

[dmorton]

Thanks for all the advice! I appreciate your insight, Stargazer, and just may be emailing you soon