How to spend $250K in Fort Worth (west side?) (Dallas: for sale, real estate)

[aviatrix1]

Hello all, I’m planning on accepting a job offer and relocating to Fort Worth next summer and feeling distraught about housing prices. I plan to rent for the first year and then purchase, hopefully for around $250K... 0 down, VA loan.

My non-tradeables are:

-a commute less than 40 minutes to Lockheed Martin
-garage
-decent sized backyard for large dog
-safe neighborhood
-no renovating required

We are a childfree couple and don’t care about kid amenities. We’d love to have a single story ranch home with mature trees— renovated mid century is definitely desired, but will absolutely look at traditionals and new builds.

Is this going to be doable? Where should I be looking? I’ve seen houses that I liked all over the city but have a feeling most of the neighborhoods were not safe.

Really appreciate any tips! Real estate agent recommendations are also appreciated!

Sidebar— I’m a native Texan who has been displaced against my will for the last couple of years and I can’t wait to return. Fort Worth is new for me though (I’m from south/central Texas). Please let HEB make it to Fort Worth!!!

[bmlx]

If you could get one of the older homes in Westworth Village you would be in a safe neighborhood that would be within your price range, and is also pretty close to Lockheed. That said, many of the older homes there have been torn down and replaced with more expensive (new) housing stock that would be out of your price range, and given that Westworth is small, the selection of homes for sale will be limited.

[ChristieP]

Your budget is going to be tough for your want list, especially the “no renovations” requirement. In 2018, the median home sale price was $273k, so from the beginning, you’re looking at the bottom half of the market.

A few areas to avoid:
White Settlement, particularly the older parts between Lockheed and Loop 820. Some of the newer WS neighborhoods west of the Loop would probably work for you, although you’d still have to shop in and drive through the undesirable parts on your way to work.
“Como” area south of I30 and east of Camp Bowie.
“Northside” which is from downtown Fort Worth north to Loop 820. This is a historically bad neighborhood where convenience store robberies and drive-by shootings are not uncommon. The small island of the Stockyards is safe, mainly due to heavy police presence.

A few areas to look at:
Ridglea, which is between I30 and the railroad tracks to the south, and Arlington Heights, which is between I30 and the Will Rogers Complex. You probably won’t find much on your price range in either of those.
TCU area, too, although stay on the west side of Berry Street.
Westworth Village near the Joint Reserve Base, although getting around the base to Lockheed can be difficult in traffic.
Weatherford and Willow Park, although those will be at the maximum of your commute limit.
Walsh Ranch new home development in far western Tarrant County near Willow Park. The smaller homes will be in your price range.

If you want the name of a Realtor who specializes in western Fort Worth, let me know.

[abelinkkin]

Originally Posted by aviatrix1

Please let HEB make it to Fort Worth!!!

You're in luck. A new HEB just opened in Hudson Oaks. There is also one in Burleson.

[bmlx]

I always wondered why HEB didn’t make a full push into the DFW area a while back. Their logistics operations are already set up to handle the DFW area (and have been for a long time) since they operate Central Market as well.

I heard it had something to do with a highly competitive market, but I’m not sure if that is correct or not.

[ChristieP]

I've heard the "highly competitive market" excuse, too. Supposedly the high percentage of DFW grocery shoppers who shop at WalMart makes HEB think they can't penetrate the market here. Personally, I would be waiting at the door if an HEB opened within 10 miles of my house!

[dallasboi]

Because Central market is the best line in the HEB brand and it blends in the fabric better and is more on Dallas' level....Thats why we have more than any other metro in Texas.

[tcualum]

Central Market is great for specialty items but isn't great for everyday grocery shopping. I'd love to have an HEB nearby for that. BTW, this is the Fort Worth Forum, not the Dallas one. The cities' residents have different attitudes and opinions about many things. I'm not sure your comment about Dallas is relevant to this discussion. Fort Worth is also quite familiar with Central Market, given the fact that the store came to Fort Worth before it came to Dallas.

[dallasboi]

Originally Posted by tcualum

Central Market is great for specialty items but isn't great for everyday grocery shopping. I'd love to have an HEB nearby for that. BTW, this is the Fort Worth Forum, not the Dallas one. The cities' residents have different attitudes and opinions about many things. I'm not sure your comment about Dallas is relevant to this discussion. Fort Worth is also quite familiar with Central Market, given the fact that the store came to Fort Worth before it came to Dallas.

Good....I was speaking about DFW as a whole not Dallas. And I know this is a FT.Worth Forum and I also can post anywhere I want.

[tcualum]

You said Dallas not DFW and you're known for being an over-the-top Dallas booster. Yes, you can post where you wish but it's polite to respect the place you're posting in.