Possible Relocation young family needs some insight (Fort Worth, Arlington: for sale, real estate)

[kckt]

Any luck on finding a good neighborhood? We currently live in Charlotte and might be relocating to Fort Worth for a job. The Fairmount area is similar to our neighborhood here in Charlotte. There are bungalows and craftsman style houses in a walk able neighborhood near downtown. The major difference is crime, in Charlotte we do have some crime in the neighborhood but not a lot. I leave a bike and a stroller in our carport and don't have to worry about it. We can walk day or night and not be scared. It sounds like from other post I have read that isn't the case for Fairmount.

I am married and have a 3 month old daughter and we are looking for a friendly neighborhood that gets outdoors and have neighborhood events. We both like to run, I like to mountain bike, getting into kayaking, and we both like to be social as much as we can with our daughter. If possible we would like to be in an area where we can walk to restaurants and neighborhood bars, and close to a grocery store. I will be working in Hurst, TX and my wife will probably look for a job in downtown Fort Worth.

We aren't that concerned about the school system we have 5 years to think about that.

Any help will be nice. We are looking to find a single family home for under 300,000.

[TheCzar]

Go to a zipcode search and you will see zip codes that would be a good fit for you. Then look at a realtor cite and you can find a bunch of homes for much less than that.

[Squirl]

Check out a section in Fort Worth known as Arlington Heights....

[lonestar9918]

You may find some places right there in Hurst or Bedford that would work for you. If you are going to buy, I emplore you to weigh the schools thing more heavily. In Texas, school district RULES your resale/equity...whether you are concerned with schools are not.

[ChristieP]

And, if you stay in your home only 5 years, you will probably LOSE money. DFW area homes don't appreciate in value that quickly. You could end up having to bring money to closing!

[kckt]

[SIZE=3]Thanks for giving me a heads up on the schools. It plays a big part in Charlotte too by significantly increasing prices in areas. But we also have areas that are booming in bad school districts that appeal to young professionals/families due to the area being walk able to restaurants/bars, shopping, and uptown. That’s a good point on how long we plan on staying. We lived in our house less than 3 years and should make a decent profit but it was banked owned when we bought it and in a thriving area, always a risk especially now. If Fort Worth real estate is slow right now we might not want to buy. What I am seeing in Charlotte is rent increasing a lot over the past 2 years. People are renting 2 bedroom 2 bath condos for the same amount I am paying for my 3 bedroom 2.5 bath house including taxes, and insurance in the same area. [/SIZE][SIZE=3]I will look into Arlington Heights I read some good reviews. I know how to do a search for houses in different areas. I just don’t know anything about them. Are there any neighborhoods worth taking a drive through when I’m in the Fort Worth area that might match some of my criteria? I don't need to be downtown Fort Worth but just looking for an area that has a cool downtown area where you can walk to or park and walk around. [/SIZE]

[Vintrest]

KCKT: Are there any neighborhoods worth taking a drive through when I’m in the Fort Worth area that might match some of my criteria? I don't need to be downtown Fort Worth but just looking for an area that has a cool downtown area where you can walk to or park and walk around.

You might want to check out the Samuels Avenue neighborhood where my spouse and I have lived for 23 years. Though once considered very marginal, developers and gentrification arrived in the middle of the last decade and new condos as well as new apartments stand where tumble-down old rentals once stood. The part of the neighborhood north of Pioneers Rest Cemetery (Fort Worth's oldest) has some of the cities oldest homes with some dating back to the 1870's and 1880's. As of right now, 3 Victorian era homes in the neighborhood are up for sale ranging in price from $2 million down to $150k (the latter is ironically right across the street from the $2 million property) Condos and apartments are available to non-old house rehabbers or those who prefer to rent. We are in walking distance of downtown and only a few blocks northeast of the Courthouse. We have two parks in the small neighborhood: Ripley Arnold Park and Traders Oak Park. Bicyclists frequent the neighborhood as do the horse-drawn carriages going between downtown and the Stockyards. The future offers the Trinity Town Lake project on the Trinity River below the bluff on Samuels and fireworks from the stadium across the River can be watched from many backyards on the west side of the street. Just another alternative to consider.

[the_little_truth_writer]

Vintrest: You might want to check out the Samuels Avenue neighborhood where my spouse and I have lived for 23 years. Though once considered very marginal, developers and gentrification arrived in the middle of the last decade and new condos as well as new apartments stand where tumble-down old rentals once stood. The part of the neighborhood north of Pioneers Rest Cemetery (Fort Worth's oldest) has some of the cities oldest homes with some dating back to the 1870's and 1880's. As of right now, 3 Victorian era homes in the neighborhood are up for sale ranging in price from $2 million down to $150k (the latter is ironically right across the street from the $2 million property) Condos and apartments are available to non-old house rehabbers or those who prefer to rent. We are in walking distance of downtown and only a few blocks northeast of the Courthouse. We have two parks in the small neighborhood: Ripley Arnold Park and Traders Oak Park. Bicyclists frequent the neighborhood as do the horse-drawn carriages going between downtown and the Stockyards. The future offers the Trinity Town Lake project on the Trinity River below the bluff on Samuels and fireworks from the stadium across the River can be watched from many backyards on the west side of the street. Just another alternative to consider.[/quote]

I see the same thing happening in my neighbourhood, Vintrest, albeit very slowly. Small, old frame houses are being knocked down and much larger brick homes are put in their places. I understand it completely here...where I do not understand the knocking down and rebuilding is in Tanglewood. In the last year, I have seen a couple of nice, old, large homes valued at quite a bit of money be sold, knocked down, and new homes built in their places.

[loves2read]

Am I the only person who finds the two post prior to mine too close in content for comfort
sounds like one poster with two different signon

[loves2read]

North Hurst around Chisholm Park has some nice older homes
Not really walkable because you would have to cross Hwy 26---very busy 5 lane road-- to get to Tom Thumb shopping center and some fast food restaurants
There is another strip center along Harwood and Norwood with good Thai restaurant and ok Italian run by Hispanics
Driving makes all areas pretty convenient
Park is convenient for walking though and city swim pool
Close to NRH2O
Birdville ISD and good schools in that catchment