Moving Back to Texas--Dallas Suburbs

[Miller]

Hey Everyone,

I'm excited that me and my family are moving back to Texas in June. We have loved Chicago and our home in Winnetka by the lake the last 4 years but family trumps all. If y'all don't know I grew up in Ft. Worth, went to TCU, moved to Houston for law school(thus HoustonFrog when I joined) in 1993 and was there 18 years. We moved here in 2011 because my wife was/is an executive at Continental and with the United merger she got a promotion and our 2 kids were small at the time...we have 3 now. Anyways, we both have great jobs lined up in the Dallas area and have been researching suburbs. Wife's job will be in Southlake. I'll be in downtown Dallas. We'd prefer one of us be really close to work so the choice was my wife and we are looking Southlake, Colleyville, Grapevine, etc. We are lucky that our neighborhood up here has some of the top schools and it is probably the prettiest place we will ever live with lake, trees, etc. So with that said does anyone have any thoughts regarding areas with these criteria in mind

Schools
Quality of Life
My commute to downtown,..I know I'll be sitting 45-over an hour.
Trees/Development/Established vs Bare new subdivisions

Any help would be great. We are excited to be back!!

 

[CyberB0b]

Southlake will have the best schools, but it is extremely pricey. Grapevine will probably be your best bang for your buck in that area. Las Colinas and Valley Ranch might be worth checking out. Are you buying? What's your budget?

 

[Longboysfan]

Southlake is a bit high on the $$$$ range. Great schools.
The other two are about the same - well to me. Grapevine getting ther nod above Colleyville.
Your commute to downtown Dallas will not be fun from anywhere there.
114 is a slow go after the airport in the morning - same going home.
Maybe Farmers Branch. A bit closer and you're near Valley Ranch.
They are building everywjere in the areas mentioned.
Even in mine out in Roanoke.
But if you are working in Southlake then Grapevine is a good choice.

 

[Miller]

Thanks for the help!. We don't have a set budget right now but the houses up here are really steep and with the market we purchased in and now are selling in, we should make a killing. So from what I've seen we shouldn't get priced out of Southlake. We won't be in a million dollar house but could probably do anywhere from $500k-900k, depending on what is offered lot size, house size, etc. Again, bang for buck would matter. We aren't looking pool since one kiddo is 3 and pools scare me. I have a sister in University Park that would love for us to be closer but I don't want to be on the high end and still only get older house/smaller lot.

 

[CyberB0b]

OK, the market is REALLY hot right now in the DFW area, so expect to pay over asking. You can get a really nice house for 750-900k in Southlake. If I could afford it, I would definitely live there.

https://www.redfin.com/TX/Southlake/1335-Forest-Ln-76092/home/32350699

That place is listed for 550, will probably go closer to 650.

 

[Miller]

OK, the market is REALLY hot right now in the DFW area, so expect to pay over asking. You can get a really nice house for 750-900k in Southlake. If I could afford it, I would definitely live there.

https://www.redfin.com/TX/Southlake/1335-Forest-Ln-76092/home/32350699

That place is listed for 550, will probably go closer to 650.

Thanks for the info and link. Much appreciated!! Yeah, as I stated, we hit the market up here when it was at its lowest ever. The houses around us are all 1-4 million dollar homes. They just built next to us and it is 2.1 mil on market. Ours isn't a new home..1922...but we did a lot of renovations and got it in a short sale. It won't be a million but close. So our ability to buy above average is linked to our sale...which will be a profit no matter how you slice it. Thus being able to parlay that into more....though I'd prefer to find a deal...even paying above...and pocketing a lot too.

 

[Longboysfan]

Reminder - first things to do back in the area - Stockyards and Joe T's.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Here is a zillow link for Southlake with a max of $900k

http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sal...060003,32.903803,-97.241964_rect/12_zm/0_mmm/

Here is a sotheby link

http://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/sales/southlake-tx-usa#eng/sales/southlake-tx-usa/0-900000-price

 

[Miller]

Here is a zillow link for Southlake with a max of $900k

http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sal...060003,32.903803,-97.241964_rect/12_zm/0_mmm/

Here is a sotheby link

http://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/sales/southlake-tx-usa#eng/sales/southlake-tx-usa/0-900000-price

Thanks BP, its really appreciated! I'll comb what is out there. This all happened rather quickly the last 3 weeks so its going to be a whirlwind until June.

 

[BlindFaith]

Check out the Colleyville area. It's a little further south of Southlake, but it would be an easier commute for you to Dallas.

 

[CF74]

Hey Everyone,

I'm excited that me and my family are moving back to Texas in June. We have loved Chicago and our home in Winnetka by the lake the last 4 years but family trumps all. If y'all don't know I grew up in Ft. Worth, went to TCU, moved to Houston for law school(thus HoustonFrog when I joined) in 1993 and was there 18 years. We moved here in 2011 because my wife was/is an executive at Continental and with the United merger she got a promotion and our 2 kids were small at the time...we have 3 now. Anyways, we both have great jobs lined up in the Dallas area and have been researching suburbs. Wife's job will be in Southlake. I'll be in downtown Dallas. We'd prefer one of us be really close to work so the choice was my wife and we are looking Southlake, Colleyville, Grapevine, etc. We are lucky that our neighborhood up here has some of the top schools and it is probably the prettiest place we will ever live with lake, trees, etc. So with that said does anyone have any thoughts regarding areas with these criteria in mind

Schools
Quality of Life
My commute to downtown,..I know I'll be sitting 45-over an hour.
Trees/Development/Established vs Bare new subdivisions

Any help would be great. We are excited to be back!!

That whole area around Southlake is very nice.. I've lived in the midcities area since 2008 coming from San Antonio..
Can't go wrong with: Southlake, Grapevine, Colleyville, Trophy Club, Keller, Westlake, Flowermound, Euless, Bedford, or even Lewisville...

 

[DFWJC]

I found you a nice lil home in Southlake.
Bargain price of 2.5 mil

 

[CF74]

http://www.dfwurbanrealty.com/blog/colleyvilles-most-expensive-homes-for-sale.html

 

[MonsterD]

I found you a nice lil home in Southlake.
Bargain price of 2.5 mil

Cheap.

I think Flower mound might be somewhat cheaper than Southlake. Won't be as ritzy though.

 

[CyberB0b]

That whole area around Southlake is very nice.. I've lived in the midcities area since 2008 coming from San Antonio..
Can't go wrong with: Southlake, Grapevine, Colleyville, Trophy Club, Keller, Westlake, Flowermound, Euless, Bedford, or even Lewisville...

Euless, Bedford, and Lewisville are way lower end.

 

[CF74]

Euless, Bedford, and Lewisville are way lower end.

Yeah I had them at the end of the list...

 

[Miller]

Thanks for all the replies! It's greatly appreciated. Those last few links and houses are a little steep ...but fun to see!