H-Town to Keller TX (Dallas, Fort Worth: real estate, houses, buying)

[cammyspot]

Good Evening,

My husband may have an opportunity to work with the Keller Post Office in the near future, so we are contemplating a move over to the DFW area. We have 3 children: ages 12, 9, and 7. I am trying to get some feedback on some good real estate for our money. We currently live in the Spring TX/The Woodlands TX area now and I would like a similar environment to raise our family.

I would like some idea on areas to live:

Max budget: $360k/4bd/3ba
Family friendly feel with good shopping, and great schools. My youngest has some reading challenges/ADHD so I would like a school district that can support that. I am a licensed counselor so I can work just about anywhere but would prefer my husband to have a short commute, under 25 min.

I love Addison, but I understand we are priced out of the area. What are your suggestions?

[biafra4life]

mod cut: threads merged
Also Addison is NOWHERE NEAR Keller, so I'm not sure why anyone suggested it to you. Also it's not really a place for families with kids. You definitely want to be in Tarrant County as opposed to Dallas or Collin County if the job is at Keller Post Office.

[AlecZTexan]

Keller is an excellent school district. However, $360k for 4bd/3ba may be difficult to find. You may search North Richland Hills, Watauga, Bedford, Hurst, Euless, and far north Fort Worth (76244, in Keller or Northwest ISD, newer houses with >3% property tax though), all within your budget with good school districts.

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

I've never understood why so many people in DFW insist on taking on a big commute. There are currently 45 4 bed, 3 bath houses in Keller for under $400k. Why decide to live in some other suburb just so you can drive through a bunch of different suburbs on the way to the suburb you work in?

Keller sounds like exactly the kind of place you are looking for. Why not live there?

[cammyspot]

Originally Posted by biafra4life

You should probably post this in the Fort Worth forum. You would get more responses there.
Also Addison is NOWHERE NEAR Keller, so I'm not sure why anyone suggested it to you. Also it's not really a place for families with kids. You definitely want to be in Tarrant County as opposed to Dallas or Collin County if the job is at Keller Post Office.

I understand that Addison is quite a distance from Keller. We are originally from NJ so we enjoy the many shops and restaurants that Addison has to offer. Why is Addison never referenced as a good place for families? It is because more millennials are there? I thought Fort Worth is more country, that's why I was wondering about other cities. I will mention on the Forth Worth forum too. Thanks.

[cammyspot]

Originally Posted by AlecZTexan

Keller is an excellent school district. However, $360k for 4bd/3ba may be difficult to find. You may search North Richland Hills, Watauga, Bedford, Hurst, Euless, and far north Fort Worth (76244, in Keller or Northwest ISD, newer houses with >3% property tax though), all within your budget with good school districts.

Not a problem, our current home has a property tax of 3.34% rate. I will research, thanks for the suggestions.

[cammyspot]

Originally Posted by Wittgenstein's Ghost

I've never understood why so many people in DFW insist on taking on a big commute. There are currently 45 4 bed, 3 bath houses in Keller for under $400k. Why decide to live in some other suburb just so you can drive through a bunch of different suburbs on the way to the suburb you work in?

Keller sounds like exactly the kind of place you are looking for. Why not live there?

That's why I was suggesting 25 min commute or better. I am only familiar with Addison, Carrollton and a little bit of Farmer's Branch. Thanks for the suggestions.

[calgirlinnc]

You absolutely should be able to buy close to Keller proper, even if you cannot afford Keller itself. By "Keller", I mean the area zoned to Keller HS. Other areas will be marketed as Keller and are in Keller ISD but are really Fort Worth.

Look in this priority:

1) Keller proper, zoned to Keller HS (may also include parts of North Richland Hills). Tight in your budget but it exists.

2) North Richland Hills zoned to Birdville HS (Birdville ISD) or areas of North Fort Worth zoned to Timber Creek HS (also in Keller ISD)

3) Trophy Club, zoned to Byron Nelson HS

Keller ISD does really well overall with kids with special needs.

I really don't think you need to go as far as Carrollton or Farmer's Branch.

[WorldKlas]

Originally Posted by cammyspot

Good Evening,

My husband may have an opportunity to work with the Keller Post Office in the near future, so we are contemplating a move over to the DFW area. We have 3 children: ages 12, 9, and 7. I am trying to get some feedback on some good real estate for our money. We currently live in the Spring TX/The Woodlands TX area now and I would like a similar environment to raise our family.

I would like some idea on areas to live:

Max budget: $360k/4bd/3ba
Family friendly feel with good shopping, and great schools. My youngest has some reading challenges/ADHD so I would like a school district that can support that. I am a licensed counselor so I can work just about anywhere but would prefer my husband to have a short commute, under 25 min.

I love Addison, but I understand we are priced out of the area. What are your suggestions?

Suggest Keller, Grapevine, North Richland Hills or North Euless (in Grapevine-Colleyville School District)

[calgirlinnc]

Originally Posted by cammyspot

That's why I was suggesting 25 min commute or better. I am only familiar with Addison, Carrollton and a little bit of Farmer's Branch. Thanks for the suggestions.

Addison to Keller is roughly 32 miles. That is a 60 minute to 90 minute commute. Texas (DFW) is not like back east where you can estimate 1 minute a mile; here it is closer to 3 minutes a mile, and growing worse.

Keller proper is a wonderful community with excellent schools. Shops and restaurants are everywhere. And although Keller doesn't have a mall itself, it is adjacent to Southlake, which has all the shopping and restaurants you could ever want.

I would recommend you start looking in Keller itself and branch out to neighboring towns I listed above only if your budget prevents you from buying close to your husband's job.

ETA: Fort Worth is not really "country."