Getting a job in Frisco, where to live with wife/kids??

[D-Towner]

Originally Posted by jjensen

Looks like I'll be getting a job in Frisco by the end of the year and I'm looking for somewhere to live. May need to travel to Denton once a week for work. Married with wife, 2 boys 10 and 7. Willing to travel 30 to 45 minutes each way to work. Looking for a house around $350k in excellent public school district in a safe, established smaller community that has at least 1 or 2 mature trees. I also don't like cookie cutter homes or McMansions. Older but updated homes are best in my world. Have relatives in Rowlett so want to be somewhat close to them. I know that opinions are like underwear, we all have them, but what are the best towns in this area. Schools are REALLY important. Frisco, Richardson, PLano, Allen, McKinney, Garland, Rowlett, Rockwall????.......2 many towns on the map, don't know where to turn. My wife is a cowgirl 25 years removed and I'm from NJ...so please a little help

Frisco would be a nice place, but it is full of cookie cutter homes. Aubrey might be more to your liking because you can find spaced out properties while you are not to far from things. Rockwall and Rowlett are probably too far. McKinney is a nice place, but it is east of Frisco. Aubrey would be a little to the north, but still in between Denton and Frisco.

[sacramento]

Originally Posted by jjensen

Where abouts in Frisco do you live? Are some areas better than others? Mainly want to be in the best school district possible for my 2 sons. Any pictures you can post? I also keep hearing some horro stories with regards to property taxes, can you give me any figures ort an example? I am looking in the $350k range. Thanks for the help.

I have lived in Frisco for just a year and live in an area where infrastructure is growing rapidly. When we first moved here there was little around. Now, we have grocery stores, dental, family entertainment centers, hair & nail salons, Super Target, etc. Our location is near the Dallas North Tollway and Eldorado (Cobb Hill Estates). There is a huge soccer facility called Pizza Hut Park and a nice ball field (Warren Sports Complex) nearby. We don't have children living with us so I can't comment on the schools - although, there are a lot of beautiful new schools everywhere it seems. You could always look up the school systems to see how the individual schools perform.

I am directionally challenged so it is important that I can get around easily. In Texas you have choices like taking frontage roads instead of the freeway/tollway - nice. I can pretty much drive to everywhere I need to go without hopping on the freeway/tollway - even the Wiggly Center when my granddaughter comes out.

When we bought our home I thought I had died and gone to heaven as it has everything I ever wanted in a home at a very reasonable price. Now, we have to move and I am devistated. I can't find a house like this in CA for less thatn $750,000.

Our property taxes last year were $5,694.84 - mind you that is for an appraisal value of $265,000 - I am sure it would go up a bit each year until it reaches full sold value.

I don't have any pictures of Frisco to share - sorry.

Moderator cut: deleted link to another forum

Good luck.

[txgolfer130]

Originally Posted by jjensen

Where abouts in Frisco do you live? Are some areas better than others? Mainly want to be in the best school district possible for my 2 sons. Any pictures you can post? I also keep hearing some horro stories with regards to property taxes, can you give me any figures ort an example? I am looking in the $350k range. Thanks for the help.

Also the Star Ranch area in Frisco is really nice. There are deals to be had in Frisco, and I'm sure you'll be able to easily find something in your price range. The schools are great, although there are more opening it seems all the time due to the huge increase in population boom.

If you want to talk to a realtor I can give you my realtor's name that we are working w/ right now. She's great, very pro-active and has kids of her own so she understands the importance, and her office is in the Frisco area off of the Tollway & Preston.

[grhtex]

Originally Posted by jjensen

Is Prosper a good commute to Frisco? How about down to Rowlett area? I have family there. I will be coming down the last week in April and I definitely will check out Prosper. How bout the property taxes? Are there also good green areas to play, hike, swim, etc, Thanks for all the help

Prosper and Frisco are right next to each other.
US 380 is the dividing line with Prosper to the north and Frisco to the south.
Rowlett is a long drive for commuting but for visiting probably ok.
Taxes in Prosper I believe are a bit higher than Frisco. There are a lot of green areas in Prosper still but it is not built out yet like Frisco is. We live in Lakes of Prosper, We have a pool and play area in the development. Lots are generally bigger in Prosper than Frisco. Lakes of Prosper is only about 2/10s of a mile from the Dallas Tollway extension. A new park with athletic fields are planned for the adjacent field just North of Lakes of Prosper, as is a new Prosper ISD stadium (eventually). I fly my RC planes in the empty field next to our development. As for hiking the best place I've found is the greenbelt park about 15 minutes down US380 towards Denton. It's a 10 mile long dirt trail running next to the river all the way to lake ray roberts (a very pretty lake with fishing, swiming and camping) . I've walked in the trail about 4 miles and seen signs of beaver activity which surprised me. It's also a good bike trail. There are lots of trees along the trail and It's mostly covered by the tree canopy along the trail.
Lots in Lakes of PRosper continue to sell well (about 9 in March alone. It's about 70-75% built out. There are many young kids in the neighborhood.
I like both Frisco and Prosper. In Frisco you are closer to everything, while Prosper still has a rural feel to it and not much commercial development yet.
Do a google search though and look for the master plan for Prosper you'll see what they have planned and it's extensive.

I hope I answered all your questions.
Regards,
GRHTEX

[jjensen]

GRHTEX thanks a million that info ceratinly helps. From what Ive read, looked up and spoken to a few people about I have narrowed it down to Frisco, Prosper and Flower Mound which is a little bit out of the way but seemingly everything I am looking for (except the visiting commute to Rowlett area) Any and all info is truly appreciated. As for taxes they dont seem 2 bad compared to NJ where I have lived all my life. I am currently in a nationally recognized school district but pay $8400 on a 2 BDrm, 1 bath bunglaow appraised at $500K!! so the Texas home prices and taxes are a step down 4 me. I hope 2 be making the same salary however so things are working out.