Thoughts on Upstate NY to Flower Mound
Posted by Dragon1107@reddit | askdfw | View on Reddit | 26 comments
Considering relocating from Upstate NY to Flower Mound area to be closer to family/better oppurtunities. We have 2 small children and the winters are rough here.
Are there any particular neighborhoods or areas around FM that we should look at? Or ones to avoid? The kids are in Montessori school and we would like to continue that if finances allows so any recommendations would be appreciated.
My husband has the ability to work remotely but is in tech and really thrives in a good community which is another reason we are considering the move. Are there any coworking centers nearby or an active meet up group?
Is the housing market softening in the area? I would love to get a 4 bedroom for around $500k, but am not sure if we need to change our expectations. Doesn't have to be super fancy but I want a good place for kids to play.
What are hidden costs I should be considering? Are school taxes/property taxes/home owners insurance terribly high for that price of house? Estimating around 2500 sq feet. I've never dealt with a pool before and am terrified I'll get wildly high utility bills between that and AC.
Anything people wished they considered before moving? I saw traffic and tolls were a lifestyle so I am keeping that in mind.
Thank you!!
Primary_Excuse_7183@reddit
Extreme cold to extreme heat. trading up i see
Dragon1107@reddit (OP)
Ha, exactly. Trading downhill skis for water skis? Is that a thing to do?
Primary_Excuse_7183@reddit
š thereās several lakes where you can
Buehler_DFW@reddit
I've lived here in FM for 5 years, our team has been here for almost 40. It's a really nice area, super family friendly, great schools. Good location in the metroplex, the proximity to the airport takes a bit of getting used to as it's a little bit in some flight paths but it becomes white noise after a while. Home wise, you may want to bump your price up a little for a 4 bedroom. 500k isn't impossible by any means, it's doable, but you may need to do some cosmetic updates. A really nice 4 bed will be closer to 600 from what we're seeing here in the market. Taxes aren't terribly crazy. I'd avoid a pool unless you really want one, costs of parts etc keep rising and half the time they're not worth the money you spend. Traffic in FM isn't terrible, gets a little slow during peak hours but there's enough ways around the city to avoid the busy areas if you need to. I have a couple questions, going to send you a pm!
Numerous-Meringue-16@reddit
You think winters are bad in NY? Wait until you experience your first summer here. 2 years ago we had 50 days in a row where the temp was over 100.
brace yourself
Dragon1107@reddit (OP)
Thanks! We ran the numbers and the Dallas area had about 240-270 days per year between 40 and 90 degrees while weāve got about 165-190 days. Obviously things are changing but we seem to be getting more extremes on both our winter and summer.
Not sure if itās worse to not be able to breathe from allergies or freezing air. š
CatsNSquirrels@reddit
The heat in Texas is nothing like youāve ever experienced (native Texan here, now in the northeast). It is intense and oppressive and ārunning numbersā is not going to tell you anything about the experience of actually living in it. Strongly recommend you come and visit in July or August to make sure you can handle it, and want to live in it for more than half of the year. Ā
Dragon1107@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the input. Iāve actually been to the DFW area probably 10 or so times in the last 5 years, 10-14 day trips each, including in both July and August, so itās looking like Iāve got that covered.Ā
djrosen99@reddit
As someone that grew up in NYC and went to college in Buffalo and the fact that I hate snow, I would still take Buffalo weather every single time. Its the days in a row here that kills you. I have been in Texas for 25 years.
momamdhops@reddit
We are from Syracuse, NY.
Weāve been here for over a decade. We have been out of Syracuse for a little over 20 years with stops in VA,FL and CA.
Flower Mound is a great suburb. School district is LISD, which is a mix of cities and towns.
Home prices have skyrocketed in DFW.
We moved from Los Angeles to little elm, TX in 2012.
We paid $169,000 for a new construction house. We sold it about 14 months later for $210,000. We moved when we had our daughter.
We moved to Lantana, TX which is just outside Flower Mound but feeds into Denton ISD. We lived there for 8 years. We paid $365,000 for a new construction home and solid it 2022 for $725,000.
We now have a 1.4 million new construction home just outside of Flower Mound that feeds to LISD.
Flower Mound has Alden Montessori school, one of the best Montessori schools in TX (IMO) itās 18 months thru 3rd grade.
You can find plenty of homes in and around FM at your price range, they just will be a little older.
Now, as for a pool, I think itās a must for the area. We have had one at our last two homes. I canāt explain how hot the summers are, the pool makes your house livable for all seasons. Technology today makes pool costs negligible. Itās nothing like NY where you have to winterize your pool and close it for half the year. All the swimming season down here is much longer than your used to.
I donāt know where you are coming from in Update, NY but I can tell you, being born and raised their, DFW is sooooooooo much more enjoyable.
txchiefsfan02@reddit
Things to know/watch out for:
High property taxes and sales tax offset the lack of a state income tax. The insurance market here is not stable. Get fresh quotes vs. assuming you'll pay what the prior owner paid.
Foundation issues are endemic in North Texas, so get your own inspection or move on to another property
If you buy a house with a pool that's more than a few years old, get a separate pool inspection
TX law gives HOAs much more power than other states
You and your kids are going to be asked about your religion/church much more often than in upstate NY; religion is not a private matter in TX, and especially in Denton County
Talk to the schools you're interested in before you buy, don't just assume they'll be accessible once you move here.
Dragon1107@reddit (OP)
Amazing! Thank you!!!
latinobombshell@reddit
Loaded question lol
Dragon1107@reddit (OP)
Hi! Not exactly sure what you are thinking is loaded except maybe my question about the market?Ā
For reference, we are still in a sellers market here due to low inventory.Ā According to realtor.com, year over year prices stayed the same in Flower Mound but went up 21.7% here. Neighbor just got 63k over asking in 3 days. Lots of āfinals offers due by XXā, cash or waiving inspections. That sort of thing.
TotesMcGotes13@reddit
I didnāt mention it in my other comments, but gonna piggyback on this one. The loaded part of the question could be around political climate. Obviously Texas is overall conservative and going down the far right path in terms of public education, dumb culture war laws, anti abortion measures, etc. Youāre probably aware, but thatās gonna be a big difference potentially between NY and here.
Dragon1107@reddit (OP)
Got it. There is actually quite a bit of conservatism in NY outside of the major cities, although a Red New Yorker may still be considered a Blue Texan šĀ
I figure if it all becomes more than we bargained for we could always move again.
latinobombshell@reddit
Thank you ā¦ yes this is what i meant by loaded question. Thank you for understanding
Dragon1107@reddit (OP)
Got it! Thanks guys. Not too concerned about the politics but more so trying to understand the numbers.
latinobombshell@reddit
Iāll send you a message. I can send all Day on Market for the area code and showings per home price which is just as important
latinobombshell@reddit
There is so much to talk about in this question. Itās not a yes or no. Many subjective and objective including opinions of what you are asking.
Loaded means way to much to text/type and requires a conversation
latinobombshell@reddit
What? Lol
TotesMcGotes13@reddit
Im in Flower Mound with a toddler. Been here since 2019. Itās a great town for families and kids. For $500k, youāll likely need to look in the approximate area of south flower mound / closer to Lewisville to get 4 BR and 2500 sq ft for around $500k. They likely wonāt be the most up to date either. My neighborhood had had some recent sales around $510k - $530k. Good houses, but some of the 1990s/early 2000s styling was still in place as they hadnāt had extensive renovations.
Housing market has plateaud a little but I donāt think I would call it āsofteningā. I think overall mortgage rates and economic uncertainty are driving behavior a bit. There are still a crap load of people moving to DFW, so housing isnāt gonna just drop or anything.
There are some coworking spaces around in FloMo and Coppell.
Utilities will be pricey in summer because itās hot as hell and your AC will be going nonstop. Pool utilities arenāt bad, especially if you have a variable pump.
Overall I highly recommend Flower Mound for raising families. Great parks and good schools. Plenty of restaurants and shopping and a decent central location.
Dragon1107@reddit (OP)
Thank you!! Your experience seems to be similar to what I am seeing on Zillow. Do you happen to know the typical time of year most people list? Around here most people list in May to have kids moved to new districts before September. Iāve seen house prices drop after siting for a while so I am also trying to understand if they are in ābadā areas of town, need tons of work, or were just overpriced to begin with.
The plan would be to spend around 500k, expecting another 100 or so to upgrade to our own style so 90s is fine. If we found something we loved already finished around 700, weād be able to make that swing (but would want a 5 bedroom then).
TotesMcGotes13@reddit
Awesome. There are no ābadā areas in flower mound in my opinion. Iām off of Forest Vista near Morris. Great parks and trails in that area. As you venture north towards highland village, home values typically increase from what Iāve seen. Not sure thereās much seasonality in listings here different from what you noted - families will list around school calendars. My house (and a lot of my neighborhood) sold based on retirees / empty nesters cashing out on equity and younger families moving in, so you might get a little of that still. Just make sure you get an independent inspection for foundation issues - the soil here can result in foundation problems and you donāt wanna be on the hook for that cost if you can avoid it.
llamalovedee123@reddit
FM is a great place to raise a family coming from me and Ive grown up here for 24 years and want to raise my own kids here soon!! so safe and up-and-coming you can't go wrong with any of the neighborhoods inside of FM. It's a great suburban community and great school district 2 with LISD.
Dragon1107@reddit (OP)
Thank you!! šĀ