Moving to Dallas - Nice areas near SW Medical? (McKinney: real estate, for rent)

[rouge430]

Hi!

My husband and I are moving to Dallas at the end of June. I've been researching areas online and I'm a bit overwhelmed. My husband will be working at Southwestern Medical so we would like to live as close to there as possible. I just can't seem to find decent areas near that area. We have 2 dogs, so we would really like to have a yard. I would love to find a townhome with a small yard. What are some areas that have a short commute to SW Medical that I should check out? Any advice would be helpful.

[WillysB]

The nearest 'okay' neighborhoods to SW are Oak Lawn, Uptown and State/Thomas.

Oak Lawn is nearest, zip code 75219 (in google maps, search the zip code), is along Oak Lawn Blvd and crossing Maple, Cedar Springs and Lemmon and abuts Highland Park on the north side. Oak Lawn sit beneath the Love Field airport glide path which creates a bit of an annoyance when jets take off. The area is under re-development and sports numerous townhome structures, some with small yards, many none. These townhomes are new and priced accordingly. Oak Lawn is frequently referred to as the gay area but with the new construction tends more to an upwardly pricey area. In the Oak Lawn area you probly will avoid the area between Cedar Springs and Harry Hines and probly don't want to look north of the Dallas North Tollway.

Across Turtle Creek from Oak Lawn is Uptown which also is redeveloping with townhomes and condos. Uptown runs along McKinney, between Turtle Creek and US 75. You're not likely to find many yards of any size here.

On the south end of Uptown is State/Thomas, named after two streets, State and Thomas... go figure. State/Thomas is also a re-developed area with a wide variety of structures, some of which may have some sort of yard.

Each of these areas will allow easy access to SWmed. Stay away from Revershon Park.

[TurtleCreek80]

A great place for you to look would be in North Oak Lawn. These are the streets north of Lemmon, between Preston/ Oak Lawn Rds and the Dallas North Tollroad. Most of the main streets (Hawthorne, Prescott, etc) are lined with duplexes, where you would have access to a yard (shared with your up/down stairs neighbor). Rents are around $1100-1500 for a 2/2 with garage and yard. They are charming old duplexes from the 1940s and 1950s. Many of the landlords are local, so it's best to drive around and call #s on the "for rent" signs vs search on the internet.

The neighborhood is in a great location, sandwiched between Highland Park (wealthiest & nicest area in DFW) and Uptown/Oak Lawn neighborhoods, where there is tons to do in terms of restaurants, bars, parks, shopping, etc. There is also a great Whole Foods on the western edge of the neighborhood and a huge field by a school that is in the neighborhood where everyone takes their dogs after work.

This would be about a 10 minute drive (Lemmon west to Inwood, Inwood south to SWMedical) to the hospital on surface streets (no highways).

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by WillysB

and probly don't want to look north of the Dallas North Tollway.

Um, the Dallas North Tollroad runs north & south, so looking "north" of the DNT would be some ex-burb way past McKinney....Prosper? Savannah? Celina?

Not sure what you meant to say here....

[WillysB]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

Um, the Dallas North Tollroad runs north & south, so looking "north" of the DNT would be some ex-burb way past McKinney....Prosper? Savannah? Celina?

Not sure what you meant to say here....

It's a matter of perspective but don't let it fret you. Maple is over there anyway.

Otherwise, what TurtleCreek says about north OakLawn. I lived there for a few years, walking my dog frequently most anytime of day or night. The streets Hawthorne/Prescott/Herschel have both the duplexes and new construction. It's a great area.

[rouge430]

Thanks everyone! You have been a big help.

[texanne]

The neighborhoods mentioned above are good---Highland Park, University Park, Oak Lawn, etc...but
there are some great neighborhoods a little bit more north that are on the east & west side of the Tollway but south of I-635 (or as we call it: LBJ)--these would make for decent commutes.
You might consider Preston Hollow, Midway Hollow, North Dallas (but not far North Dallas.) The boundaries I'd suggest that encompass the PH, MH and ND areas are Northwest Highway to the South---Forest Lane to the North---Boedekker/St. Michaels to the east---and Midway to the west. You'd have easy access to the Tollway to get over the medical center and have a variety of price points for real estate.

[FarNorthDallas]

Originally Posted by texanne

You might consider Preston Hollow, Midway Hollow, North Dallas (but not far North Dallas.)

What's wrong with Far North Dallas? I have several neighbors that work at UTSW.

[PanTerra]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

What's wrong with Far North Dallas? I have several neighbors that work at UTSW.

I suppose it all depends on what the OP meant by :

would like to live as close to there as possible.

I had a business partner that lived in the M-streets, our office was in Two Turtle Creek Village. He didn't like going north of Northwest Highway because it gave him a bloody nose.

[WillysB]

Originally Posted by PanTerra

I suppose it all depends on what the OP meant by :

I had a business partner that lived in the M-streets, our office was in Two Turtle Creek Village. He didn't like going north of Northwest Highway because it gave him a bloody nose.

I would rarely venture beyond Hwy12... principally just not any reason to. But also a little to close to Oklahoma.