Stemmons Freeway (Dallas, Garland, Grand Prairie: real estate market, apartments, house)

[PJW3565]

Hi again all!
Finally know what area my husband will be working in, it will be on Stemmons Freeway, on the map it looks to be near Brook Hollow Golf Course.
So, a couple more questions since my last posts were concerned about living in Northeast Dallas suburbs...could you all fill me in on this side of Dallas.

Good neighborhoods/towns up to 200K for a 3-4 bedroom house willing to commute up to 45 minutes if needed

But especially safe schools for middle and high school with NO specific uniforms or standardized dress codes. Would really like a safe, comfortable place with caring teachers more than a super-duper academic overcheiver environment (not that there's anything wrong with that)just doesn't fit my daughters artsy personality

Also, a good area for apartments to stay in up to 6 months while househunting

Thanks so much to all of you for the great responses!

[WillysB]

From Stemmons take a cross street west over to Hiway 114 and head out north by west, towards Grapevine beyond DFW north or west. Or east over to Dallas North Tollway and go anywhere beyond 121.

[kacvb1974]

Ok. As a native Dallassite and graduate of private education-- a 30-something w/o kids who is somewhat ignorant about our burbs' school districts and their various wardrobe requirements---does a person truly have to travel to the extreme outskirts of DFW, as the above poster described, to find suitable housing/education??

Eeegads.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by kacvb1974

Ok. As a native Dallassite and graduate of private education-- a 30-something w/o kids who is somewhat ignorant about our burbs' school districts and their various wardrobe requirements---does a person truly have to travel to the extreme outskirts of DFW, as the above poster described, to find suitable housing/education??

Eeegads.

NO they do not. There are VERY FEW areas w/in ALL of the Dallas Metroplex I'd live that suit our tastes and two of them are IN the City Limits of Dallas. Not the most reasonably priced areas (Preston Hollow and surrounding area and Lakewood) but they are good areas w/ a good return on ones investment from the real estate standpoint. Education wise - that is up to the student and the parents. You get out of it what you put into it. As for the school mandated uniform - a good number of private schools in the burbs DO have a uniform. Even if the OP moved into an area that the school for that zone did not have such NOW there is nothing saying they won't next year. If the OP's child is artsy then I'd HIGHLY recommend they check out the Dallas ISD magnet, Booker T. Washington (check the alums from that school). OR, the Garland ISD does have an arts magnet for elementary and middle school. Then head to Booker T for high school. FYI, you don't have to live IN the DISD zone to get into the Dallas ISD magnet schools.

[Lakewooder]

W.T White attendance zone is pretty close to there:http://www.dallasisd.org/demo/schoolinfo/highzones2008/White2008.pdf (broken link)

W.T. White was ranked higher in the recent Newsweek Best High Schools in America than any high school in Collin County. Woodrow (Lakewood) and Hillcrest (North Dallas as is White) are also above all schools up there except two. It would be a bit farther from the last two but I would think around 30 minutes or less. You could go on surface streets and avoid clogged freeways from any of these.

Woodrow is the more artsy - probably the most artsy you can get for a comprehensive (not a magnet) high school - the musicals and dramatic productions there regularly win over other schools in the regional Cappie competition (equivalent to Tony Awards). However, Woodrow does have uniforms except for spirit Fridays.

Also getting something for $200K would be a challenge in these school attendance zones. I know the Hillcrest area fairly well, but I am not as familiar with the White area as far as prices. There used to be some areas around Forest and Marsh which were less expensive.

If you could get into Booker T. you could probably live in a lesser priced area - not sure how that neighborhood would be though...I think if you live outside DISD you have to pay tuition for the magnets. I know we have had students from Highland Park who pay tuition to go to Woodrow (my alma mater).

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Also getting something for $200K would be a challenge in these school attendance zones. I know the Hillcrest area fairly well, but I am not as familiar with the White area as far as prices. There used to be some areas around Forest and Marsh which were less expensive.

The Forest/Marsh and Forest/Midway areas are "HOT" in the real estate market. Or they were. Lots of young families were finding it very appealing being close in, convienent, large lots w/ mature trees, etc. So is the Glenwood Estates Area of Dallas a little bit further south off of Walnut Hill. Totally revitalized area (not that it needed it in the first place) as it has pretty much stayed kept up all of these years.

[PJW3565]

Does anyone have any opinions on Grand Prairie? It looks close to Stemmon's Fwy on the map and has good home prices online. I've been looking at Coppell and Grapevine also, it's just so hard to determine driving times even if you mapquest the areas because of traffic. I would really appreciate more info! Thanks!

[WillysB]

Your access to/from Stemmons and Grand Prairie will be tedious at best, during rush hours. Unless there is something you want in GP you'll prefer going north wise.

I35 at downtown is a real choker.

[Grainraiser]

For your price range and the size house your wanting you should focus your search on Lewisville, Corinth or North Carrollton. They are located on the Stemmons corridor and would be 30 minute commute.

[PJW3565]

Thanks so much for your replies, it really helps narrow the search, I will look more at Corinth, it had just looked to far on the map, but glad to know it's only 30 min. How's the commute from Grapevine or Coppell or Flower Mound? Thanks again!