Home buying location advice needed
Posted by _reginaphilange@reddit | askdfw | View on Reddit | 12 comments
Moving to Dallas and unfamiliar with the region ,
Looking for homes in the Dallas metro with a decent commute to University Park. We really like the Grand Braniff new construction in Irving but was unsure how the area was. Can anyone one please chime in?
School districts aren’t priority atm but want a safe family friendly area.
_reginaphilange@reddit (OP)
Thanks all. Also found Greenwood Square by DR Horton in the far north Dallas area. Any advice/recommendations on this place?
research1975@reddit
Try Far North Dallas districted to RISD (if you have kids and are doing public school). If you are near the tollway community will be less than 30 minutes even in rush hour. If you are less concerned about schools try “Fakewood”. Basically the Lakewood area but just north of Mockingbird east of Skillman. Welcome.
_reginaphilange@reddit (OP)
Lake highlands and Lakewood - I’m literally not seeing anything that is newer/comparable sqft in that price range NGL
deaddaughterconfetti@reddit
The higher prices are reflected in the neighborhood's walkability and community aspects. It's a gorgeous area with unique homes and excellent schools. Just going to mention that, over the last 20ish years, I've purchased four houses in the DFW metroplex, and the one I had the most trouble with was new construction. Older homes have started or are well into the settling process (DFW soil is primarily clay and unstable) so at least you know what you're getting into regarding the foundation. I sold the new construction in Frisco under a year after I bought it because the foundation work it was going to need was beyond extensive, and bought an older home in Lewisville that didn't need any foundation work over the next 6 years I lived there.
captain_uranus@reddit
I can see how it appeals for a reasonable commute to University Park and I have seen those houses going up driving past it on 183 but just now seeing the prices on them is humbling, they are exorbitantly overpriced (houses in the $900s and up) for what is just a zero lot plus what borders a rough area in south Irving on the other side of 183 and what could very much be a casino in the medium to long term and at minimum a high traffic magnet in a resort development in the short term just on the other side of Loop 12.
_reginaphilange@reddit (OP)
It is within our budget but i don’t know what I don’t know in terms of safety, whether it is an upscale area and it’s worth buying.
Not concerned about schools just this moment
captain_uranus@reddit
I think you just have to look at the satellite map around the neighborhood and determine if that's what you want to live around and deal with day in and day out.
As you know the development is on it's own island. To the north there's a (small) university which is fine, but it does have it's own DART (light rail station) which might bring some stragglers/walkers coming through the neighborhood. To the west is industrial and warehouses which means contending with trucks and semi's after exiting the neighborhood and getting on the highway.
To the west is apartments- I wouldn't want to be next to apartments if I'm buying a million dollar house, but that might just be me. And then as I mentioned before just further east is a soon to be resort development and the traffic/people that attracts. And to the south is lower income albeit houses and the problems that come with it.
So in summary, you're paying nearly a million bucks living in a patch of land that probably shouldn't be zoned for houses with it's only redeeming quality being easy highway access.
Buehler_DFW@reddit
There's some nice spots in and around the University Park / Preston Hollow area. May be hard to find something completely updated at 900 though. The homes down there are either larger and in the 1.5+ range or they're smaller older at like 5/600 and most people are now doz'ing them and building larger homes on them. How far are you willing to drive?
mzfnk4@reddit
What is your budget?
_reginaphilange@reddit (OP)
Budget is around the $900K mark
Sea_Currency_9014@reddit
Lakewood if you have kids. Lakewood elementary is highly rated but they accept only neighborhood kids
mzfnk4@reddit
Lake Highlands or Lakewood.