Collin County Sprawl (was previously in the Texas part) (Dallas: transplants, home builders)

[bw87a]

It was suggested I move this thread to the Dallas part.

Hello. I've been very interested in researching the Collin County sprawl problem. I would love to hear some insights from those that live in Collin County about the sprawl. Why do developers cram neighborhoods so close together. I use Google Earth quite often and I'm always amazed at the random housing subdivisions that go up. And the houses are so close together! What is so ideal about this and how is life in these kinds of areas? I was reading where Collin County's population increased by 200K in just 6 years from 2000-2006! This is mind boggling! 200K of mostly residential neighborhoods?! I can't believe it. What is going on here and why is this area so coveted?

[Acntx]

Originally Posted by bw87a

I was reading where Collin County's population increased by 200K in just 6 years from 2000-2006!

Just thought I would mention this fact. According to estimates from the North Central Texas Council of Governments, eleven cities in Collin County have more than doubled in population during the past seven years.

City........2000......2007...Growth Rate
Anna.......1,225.....7,100...(479.6%)
Murphy.....3,099....12,450...(301.7%)
Lavon........387.....1,550...(300.5%)
Fairview...2,644.....7,650...(189.3%)
Prosper....2,097.....6,050...(188.5%)
Frisco....33,714....92,100...(173.2%)
Melissa....1,350.....3,500...(159.3%)
Celina.....1,861.....4,650...(149.9%)
Parker.....1,379.....3,300...(139.3%)
Wylie.....15,132....35,400...(133.9%)
McKinney..54,369...112,000...(106.0%)

[lh_newbie]

It's something in the water.

[CallMeLaura]

I asked about it when we looked at property in Anna. We originally looked at 1 acre lots, but all the houses would be crammed together with huge expanses out back. Well, we wanted an acre so we weren't sitting on top of the neighbors, but you could still almost touch both houses at the same time...

The answer is that it's expensive to run utilities, so they group the houses close together to save on cost.

The builders can calculate how many houses they'll have to build on a certain piece of property in order to make a profit, so the neighborhood layout will reflect that. They don't make their money on the land, so it doesn't benefit them to design big yards.

People buy out in the 'boonies' because you get more house for the same money. Or the same house for less money. Life is pretty much the same as in Dallas county...

[lh_newbie]

Originally Posted by CallMeLaura

Life is pretty much the same as in Dallas county...

Dallas County living is definitely different than Collin County.

[lpepping]

Originally Posted by lh_newbie

Dallas County living is definitely different than Collin County.

I second that.

[Grainraiser]

It all started with all the transplants moving to Plano. Plano had rapid growth and quickly the availiable land to build on was gone. This growth spilled over to Frisco, McKinney and the surrounding area's. The growth in the northern sector has been mind blowing. The only available land close to Dallas is the eastern sector. Once you get past Mesquite there is huge parcels of land that can be develop. The City of Sunnyvale is really starting to grow and they are offering upscale neighborhoods that the stupid city of Mesquite refuses to do.

[stargazer]

Most of the home builders that are building here are big corporations and not small custom builders....I am of the opinion the reason why big corporations build so closely together is to make as much $$$$ as possible. Jmo but that is how I see it...

There was a time when many families wanted to live in a custom one of a kind home on a little bit of land. The market now which is saturated with high end reproduction homes though has changed that and more and more people are opting to live in master planned communities where these builders are at due to what the master planned communities offer. Truly too, I am shocked at the prices.. I walked through a Huntington Home, beautiful btw but the price is more than my custom house which sits on a little more land. I have the same materials in my house but it was still more. I truly believe the bottom line for these companies is profit, after all it is business... several of these companies saw the growth in the area and were able to come in and create homes to meet that..

supply and demand equals profits

[KantLockeMeIn]

Originally Posted by bw87a

It was suggested I move this thread to the Dallas part.

Hello. I've been very interested in researching the Collin County sprawl problem. I would love to hear some insights from those that live in Collin County about the sprawl. Why do developers cram neighborhoods so close together. I use Google Earth quite often and I'm always amazed at the random housing subdivisions that go up. And the houses are so close together! What is so ideal about this and how is life in these kinds of areas? I was reading where Collin County's population increased by 200K in just 6 years from 2000-2006! This is mind boggling! 200K of mostly residential neighborhoods?! I can't believe it. What is going on here and why is this area so coveted?

Jobs + low cost of housing + plenty of stuff to do + good schools = desirable in my book. I'm 10 minutes from the office, my wife is 30 minutes but closer to 20 minutes once the 190 is extended to 30. We were able to buy a home just as big as we had back in VA for half the price, and there's so much more to do. What's not to like about that?

[CallMeLaura]

Originally Posted by lh_newbie

Dallas County living is definitely different than Collin County.

Some parts may be, but I've lived in several counties and you can't tell without looking at a map where you are...