a final analysis (HOPEFULLY) (Austin, Bryan: for rent, crime, houses) - Dallas - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

irag · 07-01-2009, 04:42 PM

We're thinking about 3 homes/schools/areas:
a.) Corner of Vanderbilt and Abrams (Lakewood elementary)
b.) Ridgedale AVE, 5 homes in from 75) (Stonewall Jackson)
c.) Peninsula DR near N Buckner Blvd in Lake Highlands (East of lake, Hexter Elementary)

Concerns:
property a - Traffic on Abrams
property b - Densely urban, not sure about crime in area, proximity to 75?
property c - Don't know much about this part of Lake Highlands. What's the crime situation? Via Google maps it still looks somewhat "undiscovered" - bungalow style homes on very leafy streets.

Finally, how does Hexter compare to Lakewood and S. Jackson? It seems quite comparable via web our research.
(My wife is also a bit worried about too much emphasis on testing at Lakewood-something she read about in a few Google Map reviews).

THANKS!!!!
Getting very excited about the move (assuming we have a place to sleep).

Lakewooder · 07-01-2009, 04:52 PM

I'm going to say Vanderbilt for the whole Lakewood family thing and it's just a few blocks from school - traffic is a minus but you know that - BUT you are going to be equidistant from shopping in Lakewood Shopping Center and Hillside (Mockingbird at Abrams) and you will be able to go directly east to the lake and school with no traffic lights and no major streets. I have not been in that house but it looks like a good example of the really solid homes built throughout there..

BTW, Hexter is exemplary for the second year I believe - Tim Rogers, D Magazine editor, has his kids there. Only problem with that is that currently a lot of folks don't like Hill Middle School and Bryan Adams HS. However, BA has improved quite a bit over the last two years - the principal (a TJ alum) is being promoted to an area director - she was principal of the year this year.

If you stay in Lakewood and go to Lakewood or Stonewall there's a good chance your kids will go all through school together and remain friends for life. Also the IB program is being rolled out and should be in J. L. Long (IB MYP) in two more years and then into Lakewood (IB EYP) in four. Stonewall will also probably get it and the third elementary is up for grabs as of now.

ChristieP · 07-01-2009, 04:58 PM

Pensinsula neighborhood is really cool. DH and I looked at homes there a few years ago and really liked them. Cute houses, but make sure you get one that has been updated!

Bryan Adams HS SUCKS. It wasn't much better when my Dad went there (class of 65). I would not send a child to that HS. Maybe in a few years it will get better, but as long as it still pulls students form Casa View, that's not likely. Casa View was decent when Dad was a kid, but it has gotten downright scary the last few years...we moved my grandmother out of the neighborhood in 2002.

roverchris · 07-01-2009, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irag

We're thinking about 3 homes/schools/areas:
a.) Corner of Vanderbilt and Abrams (Lakewood elementary)
b.) Ridgedale AVE, 5 homes in from 75) (Stonewall Jackson)
c.) Peninsula DR near N Buckner Blvd in Lake Highlands (East of lake, Hexter Elementary)

Concerns:
property a - Traffic on Abrams
property b - Densely urban, not sure about crime in area, proximity to 75?
property c - Don't know much about this part of Lake Highlands. What's the crime situation? Via Google maps it still looks somewhat "undiscovered" - bungalow style homes on very leafy streets.

Finally, how does Hexter compare to Lakewood and S. Jackson? It seems quite comparable via web our research.
(My wife is also a bit worried about too much emphasis on testing at Lakewood-something she read about in a few Google Map reviews).

THANKS!!!!
Getting very excited about the move (assuming we have a place to sleep).

Ridgedale is a nice street. My parents first home in the M streets was on Ridgedale. Crime wasn't bad when they were there and I believe the street is actually nicer now.

Lakewooder · 07-01-2009, 06:32 PM

Advantage to Ridgedale location is that if you must get on Central you will shave at least five minutes off the Vanderbilt location. And you can walk to the shops/restaurants/pubs on Henderson

roverchris · 07-01-2009, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Pensinsula neighborhood is really cool. DH and I looked at homes there a few years ago and really liked them. Cute houses, but make sure you get one that has been updated!

Bryan Adams HS SUCKS. It wasn't much better when my Dad went there (class of 65). I would not send a child to that HS. Maybe in a few years it will get better, but as long as it still pulls students form Casa View, that's not likely. Casa View was decent when Dad was a kid, but it has gotten downright scary the last few years...we moved my grandmother out of the neighborhood in 2002.

We were actually looking at homes in the Little Forest Hills area. Is this considered Casa View? It reminds us of where we lived in Austin, which was the Crestview neighborhood.Same type of area, old homes that have been maintained and updated, McMansions and just some old junk.

ChristieP · 07-02-2009, 05:16 AM

No, but be advised that they both feed into Bryan Adams HS. DH and I lived in Little Forest Hills for 6 years.

Casa View is the area off Easton, Gus Thomasson and Ferguson that surrounds the old Casa View Shopping Center. Litttle, mostly frame homes with a few neighborhoods of nicer brick homes. It was built in the 1940s and 1950s.

pepper131 · 07-02-2009, 06:59 AM

The Ridgedale home -
the one thing I would worry about here is if this street is a cut-through. I doubt it is since Monticello is and has road humps to slow down traffic.
You can walk across I-75 at Monticello - some retail (Sunshine Flowers has flower happy hour after 4pm for half off) and restaurants. Just based on location, this would be my number one.

Hexter Elem is an excellent school. Since you will be renting for now - you may not need to worry about middle and high school so immediately. Hexter puts on the White Rock Home Tour as a fundraiser for their school. Erykah Badu lives in the Peninsula neighborhood overlooking White Rock Lake.

As for the house on Vanderbilt - although great location, great school. Abrams is just too busy. I would worry about my small kids walking out the front door and stuff like that.

billdfw · 07-02-2009, 10:24 AM

Only Stonewall Jackson and Lakewood Elementary are good schools. So unless you want to send your kids to private school, I would look at the other two houses.

Among those 3, I would choose the house on Ridgedale, personally, since you are not on a busy street and you have a good elementary school.

Not to make your decision harder, but there are a ton of houses for rent right now in the M Streets if you just drive around.

momof2dfw · 07-02-2009, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billdfw

Not to make your decision harder, but there are a ton of houses for rent right now in the M Streets if you just drive around.

I think the OP is having to make this decision long distance. Therefore, the need for feedback from C-D posters.