We've recently moved to the Dallas area and need some advice on areas to focus our house-hunt. (Arlington: for sale, real estate)

[venus_dallas]

We're currently in corporate housing in Irving. Some of our requirements are:
1. Want to live in Dallas city
2. Commute to Irving (where my work is) < 20-25 min
3. Not too far from airports (husband and I travel frequently)
4. Lots of greenery/trees
5. Prefer older neighborhoods
6. Young family friendly - dont have kids now, but planning to start soon
7. Price $500K range

We have been looking in Greenway Crest and Devonshire. Any other areas we should consider?

[Grainraiser]

Kessler/Stevens Park would be a great fit if your willing to send your kids to private school.

[Ilovethewindycity]

Check out Munger Place zip 75214, it's a neighborhood that was started in 1905. For Munger Place searches stay between Fitzhugh and Henderson, also include Gaston in your search.

I like this website when searching homes Allie Beth Allman & Associates, it allows you to search by street name. In the address field enter just the street name ex: Junius.


Munger Place Real Estate, Munger Place Historic Homes, Dallas Neighborhoods, Douglas Newby specializing in Munger Place Real Estate: the first neighborhood in Dallas that required architect designed homes and a Dallas neighborhood where the homes rem (scroll down where you can see homes by block)

Munger Place Historic District - History (http://www.mungerplace.com/history.htm - broken link)

By the way the neighborhood elementary school, William Lipscomb Elementary is a great school.

[venus_dallas]

Thanks for the feedback.

Kessler/Stevens and Munger Place seem a longer drive than I would like to Irving. (though I have not yet tried driving the route)

Also, we will likely move again in 3-5 yrs i.e. by the time school districts become relevant. So, not too concerned about schools now except as it impacts resale value :-)

[theloneranger]

Preston Hollow in North Dallas sounds like a good fit. If you stay in the area, most parents send kids to private schools and there are many good private schools in the area, but that will run you around $15k-$25k a year per child on top of a mortgate and property taxes, so I'd keep that in mind. It's an older established neighborhood of Dallas but has had a lot of teardowns for McMansions in the last several years.

You might also want to look at the Bent Tree area of Far North Dallas--it's in the Plano school district so you wouldn't need private schoosl and it's a very nice community, but it's not very close to Irving, though definitely doable. Bent Tree is a newer neighborhood, so you may not like that.

I'd recommend Lakewood for that budget, but the commute won't be great because you will have to drive through downtown. It's a very nice neighborhood though, with good K-5 schools and a great sense of community. It's one of the greenest neighborhoods of Dallas and IMHO is the most beautiful part of hte Metroplex--the Dallas Arboretum is right on White Rock Lake and is GORGEOUS!

If living in Dallas proper isn't a HUGE problem (and it shouldn't be), I'd recommend the Las Colinas area of north Irving. There are a lot of very nice homes in the area that should fit your price range, and it's a very vibrant area of the Metroplex.

[loves2read]

don't know why you specify Dallas city specifically

especially if you are planning on having children in near future I would say buy that house now that merges best of both sides of your planning list
consider Coppell--it is suburban neighborhood but would not be that far a commute to Irving or DFW
has great schools, quality neighborhoods in your price rage, and fairly easy commute into Dallas for entertainment or FTW/Arlington for Sundance Sq, Dallas Cowboys, Rangers

and I don't live in Coppell--but it is nice area...and I looked at Devonshire--three homes for sale and none in your price range--might be long wait for something there...
the other neighborhood--price per sq st is pretty high to me but I can understand why some of those homes are attractive--

[nsumner]

Devonshire, Beverly Terrace, Inwood Estates, Preston Park, Bluffview, and many more neighborhoods around the Park Cities area. All have homes within your price range, towering trees, older beautiful homes from the 1920s to the 1940s.

Naima

[nmnita]

If you really want to stay in the Dallas city limits, I agree with the Preston Hollow suggestion.

If you can consider someplace other that the city I would strongly suggest Las Colinas or Coppell. As you mentioned schools are not an issue now, but when it comes to re-sale they certainly will be..Schools couuld be the number one concern for many buyers.

Nita

[Lakewooder]

Originally Posted by venus_dallas

We're currently in corporate housing in Irving. Some of our requirements are:
1. Want to live in Dallas city
2. Commute to Irving (where my work is) < 20-25 min
3. Not too far from airports (husband and I travel frequently)
4. Lots of greenery/trees
5. Prefer older neighborhoods
6. Young family friendly - dont have kids now, but planning to start soon
7. Price $500K range

We have been looking in Greenway Crest and Devonshire. Any other areas we should consider?

Lakewood is probably the ultimate family neighborhood in Dallas and within Lakewood Elementary the average price is about $550K. Lots of greenery and and trees (plus White Rock Lake), older etc but it is a bit father from DFW. If you go at odd hours you can get there in 20-30 minutes, but not during rush hour. Love Field is about 10-15 minutes. You can get to Irving by Northwest Highway (Loop 12) or by I-35 Stemmons (usually bad) Of course I know some back roads being a native. Also the DART rail line will be opening to Irving in a year or two. The station at Baylor Hospital opens in September - that would be 5-7 minutes from home. Also Mockingbird Station would be convenient.

In any case it might be worth the drive - it's very friendly here and there are numerous organizations where it's easy to get to know folks. If you are going to be here on July 4th, check out our neighborhood parade Lakewood Parade very Norman Rockwell - but slightly irreverent.

Also see http://lecpta.org/

[venus_dallas]

I'm finding some homes along NW Hwy in the gated communities between Midway and Marsh. Clearly these are newer construction and not much trees around :-)

Any feedback on this area in general? Further west along NW Hwy, the area seems to get fairly run-down.