Moving - Lake Ridge, Grand Praire - Cedar Hill ? (Dallas: middle-class, sale)

[kirbsdc]

My husband and I have a opportunity to get out of a timeshare and buy property with the timeshare equity. We picked out a lot within a gated community within the Lake Ridge at Joe Pool Lake Community. The lot is technically in Grand Praire.

We are looking to relocate from the Chicagoland suburbs. We are looking to build a $300,000 ish home on this vacant lot.

We are not educated on the Dallas area and I have concerns about this investment.

We have a 9 year old son that has ADHD so I know that private schools are a must considering the ratings of the Cedar Hill and Grand Praire Schools.

Can anyone share their wisdom with regard to living with a higher end gated community in Grand Praire/Cedar Hill.

Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[LQQKOUT]

I would get the lot and then sale the lot and purchase land else where. Most Southern cities are not a place to raise children. You want to stick with anything North Dallas and up...or East/West above the 30 fwy. Are you looking for acres, or just a nice building lot?

[LQQKOUT]

Also, IF you plan to build there take a CLOSE look at your HOA agreement...it will frighten you I am sure with all the bylaws and rules.

[kirbsdc]

We have the opportunity to purchase land with the equity we have in a timeshare.

We saw Lake Ridge at Joe Pool Lake (Cedar Hill - Grand Praire) and likes the community and access to the lake. However, since I have learned about the bad schools and questionable neighborhoods.

I also have the opportunnity to buy in the New Braunfels area.

The schools seem better,

Please share your opinions and insight into what New Braunfels has to offer for a 52 year old mother, 45 year old father and a 9 year old son who currently llive in the Chicago Land area.

Also, How hot doe sit really get (how miserable is it)?


Thanks.

[LQQKOUT]

Originally Posted by kirbsdc

We have the opportunity to purchase land with the equity we have in a timeshare.

We saw Lake Ridge at Joe Pool Lake (Cedar Hill - Grand Praire) and likes the community and access to the lake. However, since I have learned about the bad schools and questionable neighborhoods.

I also have the opportunnity to buy in the New Braunfels area.

The schools seem better,

Please share your opinions and insight into what New Braunfels has to offer for a 52 year old mother, 45 year old father and a 9 year old son who currently llive in the Chicago Land area.

Also, How hot doe sit really get (how miserable is it)?


Thanks.

As for New Braunfels, I have only been there once....so I can't give my honest opinon of that area...however I do know that the further South you go in Texas the more HUMID it gets. In North Texas DFW area it's humid but NOTHING like South Texas. See what other offers this place might have.

Moving from Chicago to Texas is going to be miserable if you don't like the heat. I am use to the heat....I can't stand the cold. So it's a win win for me.

Texas is beautiful and has a lot to offer families. You might have luck getting the property in either area come and check out the area personally and then if it's not you sell it.

Texas is a great place to raise a child, and I am not just saying that because I live here I am saying that because I moved an 11 year old out here from California so she had a good shot with good schools and decent kids.

I know nothing about Chicago, but Southern Cali started to really be over runned. I was not a happy camper...so I came back to my roots. I was raised in West Texas until the late 80's when my dad lost his job with Xerox. So we moved to California where family was. Once I hit my 20's I was looking for a way to get back to Texas. I landed in East Texas, but I love it and wouldn't take back the move or anything. My daughter is happy, that makes me happy.

[momof2dfw]

Neither.

Seriously though it would depend on the job situation and what you like to do as a family:

Cedar Hill: Closer to the big city of Dallas and Ft Worth. The state park by there is great and one of the best around. Schools are so-so. Depending on where in the area you got a job the commute could be a piece of cake or a ROYAL PITA!

New Braunfels: Schlitterbahn is awesome and your kids would love having that at their backdoor. Not far from Austin or San Antonio (with the growth the two larger cities are about to connect and NB is right there in the middle of it). If your kids wanted to attend one of the schools in Austin or San Antonio for college they could practically commute. Close to the Texas Hill Country . If your jobs were in the southern sector of San Antonio or north of Austin it would be a PITA! Jobs in New Braunfels are going to be scarce. Exploring San Antonio and all of the old missions of Texas and the state capitol would be a good family activity for the weekends and summers. Great German food and killer BBQ all nearby. Don't know much about the schools here.

Weather wise they both can be hot and humid.

[Grainraiser]

Originally Posted by kirbsdc

My husband and I have a opportunity to get out of a timeshare and buy property with the timeshare equity. We picked out a lot within a gated community within the Lake Ridge at Joe Pool Lake Community. The lot is technically in Grand Praire.

We are looking to relocate from the Chicagoland suburbs. We are looking to build a $300,000 ish home on this vacant lot.

We are not educated on the Dallas area and I have concerns about this investment.

We have a 9 year old son that has ADHD so I know that private schools are a must considering the ratings of the Cedar Hill and Grand Praire Schools.

Can anyone share their wisdom with regard to living with a higher end gated community in Grand Praire/Cedar Hill.

Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks.

I been to that area many times and I will say without a doubt it is the most beautifull part of Dallas. Rolling hills and a lake is all I need to say. I had many clients who lived in that area and I never heard any complaints (other than a builder took off with a deposit). I do know the area is very diverse and had a couple of pro athletes who built in that area. To my knowledge the schools are not grade A but they certainly are not horrible. Take a look for yourself and see what you think. Southern Dallas get alot of flak but the vast majority of those folks have never ever been to the Lakeridge area.

[kirbsdc]

I appreciate all of your input.

The Lake Ridge Community is very nice from what I could see.

The lake and parks lok great as well.

Most of all I am concerned about raising my 9 year old son there. The LakeRidge Elem school got a 9 on greatschools.org (nothing wrong with that). However, the middle school and HS in Cedar Hill (which is the public school he would attend do not have good scores. The high AA population concerns me, I am use to a more 80/20 mix. I don't want to sound like a racist, however my son has some issues and is easily influenced. Being born and raised in the Chicago area I am concerned more about the rapper/gang/getto type AA . I am not looking for a completely anglo saxon community. I just don't want to be the minority.

I am open to private schooling for him if need be.

Does anyone have any suggestions with regard to a private school that is not religious or too strict just plain old fashion school with teachers that care?
Thanks again for taking the time to share your knowledge.

[Grainraiser]

Well there is no doubt that the southern sector of Dallas has the largest amount of minorities. From my dealings that area is very diverse. I dealt with middle easterns, asians, blacks and whites. My guess would be that the elementary school is pretty diverse but I am pretty sure a white kid would in the minority when it comes to middle and high school. I am sure someone who is more familar with the area could give better information than I can. I am not sure if this would be the case for Grand Prairie.

[Acntx]

Originally Posted by Proud Rowlett Owner

Most Southern cities are not a place to raise children.

Simply not true. You are talking to someone who grew up and still lives in the southern suburbs and to just generalize a whole area like that is completely unfair, especially to parents like mine and many others who raised their children well. Southwest Dallas County is the fastest growing part of the county, with places like Cedar Hill, Grand Prairie, DeSoto, and Lancaster boasting growth rates in excess of thirty percent over the last few years and many of those new residents have children. A good education is still attainable in the public schools of the southern suburbs. It all comes down to student motivation and parental guidance, no different than anywhere else.

Originally Posted by kirbsdc

I appreciate all of your input.

The Lake Ridge Community is very nice from what I could see.

The lake and parks lok great as well.

Most of all I am concerned about raising my 9 year old son there. The LakeRidge Elem school got a 9 on greatschools.org (nothing wrong with that). However, the middle school and HS in Cedar Hill (which is the public school he would attend do not have good scores. The high AA population concerns me, I am use to a more 80/20 mix. I don't want to sound like a racist, however my son has some issues and is easily influenced. Being born and raised in the Chicago area I am concerned more about the rapper/gang/getto type AA . I am not looking for a completely anglo saxon community. I just don't want to be the minority.

I am open to private schooling for him if need be.

Does anyone have any suggestions with regard to a private school that is not religious or too strict just plain old fashion school with teachers that care?
Thanks again for taking the time to share your knowledge.

You should be fine in the Cedar Hill/Grand Prairie area. If the public schools aren't what you are looking for, then there are a few private schools in that area. The only one I can think of off of the top of my head is Trinity Christian School in Cedar Hill, but there are more.

You said that you are looking to relocate from the Chicago area. As a resident of one another southern suburb, they are strongly middle-class communities that are generally safe and diverse. The crime rates are nowhere near as high as some of the Chicagoland suburbs with similar demographic characteristics.

Sadly, there is a lot of misinformation being passed around on this forum about the southern suburbs. There is also no denying that some communities, particularly those north of Dallas, have a 'favored' status on this forum. Anytime someone suggests a possible interest in a community outside of that 'zone', it won't be long before someone will try to discourage the person from moving to the area. I have seen it since the day I created an account here and while it has lessened as more people living in our area have signed up and posted here, it still continues.