Help This Poor Reader Find a Neighborhood: Where's the Best Place to Park Two (Maybe Three) Kids and a Husband?
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A Reader Writes:
Here is a picture of the fam in front of our townhome. We are still all over the place in terms of where to live and find the perfect neighborhood. When I wrote you last, it was Lake Highlands. A week before that, it was UP. Today, it’s Lakewood.
As you can see from the pic, we need some room for the family. I hope I can convince the hubs to have a 3rd baby by next year. If I prove persuasive enough, we’ll have 3 kiddos. We know we will need space for kids, a nanny, and a good public elementary. Whether that is buying a 4 bedroom in Lake Highlands, building an extra living quarters onto a 3 bedroom in Lakewood, or just sacrificing to get into (a shoebox) in Park Cities is a daily discussion. On top of that, each of those submarkets have micromarkets within. We want some value-add/fixer-upper potential, but to what degree, we are not sure. We just know that we don’t want to commute, and we don’t want to pay for private school.
We still have a lot of soul searching to do, and any advice helps.
What a beautiful family! Please tell your husband you have to have at least one more baby because your children (and y’all) are so beautiful!
Your’s is the classic Dallas dilemma brought on by what has been, in some parts of town, a mediocre public school system for the last 30 years. Of course you’re all over the place because Dallas has so many wonderful neighborhoods close in, but you have children to educate and I’m sure security and safety are also important.
My daughter just moved to Lakewood, submarket Hollywood Heights Santa Monica, because of the great elementary schools and leafy terrain. The great public schools in Lakewood are driving that market up up and away. To a certain extent, the same thing is happening around Kramer Elementary up near JanMar and Northaven, and really around any high-performing public school. Let’s enlist the help of our talented real estate community to help you narrow down the selection, and find you a new home!
PS: I’m with you on Lakewood. Today, at least!
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I think Lake Highlands is your best bet. There are some amazing homes out there that are move-in ready and absolutely gorgeous!
I think Lake Highlands is your best bet. There are some amazing homes out there that are move-in ready and absolutely gorgeous!
I am a fan of all of the neighborhoods mentioned but very partial to Lake Highlands because that is my home. Tons of parks, just North of White Rock Lake, the schools, and the people are incredibly friendly…just can't go wrong!
I am a fan of all of the neighborhoods mentioned but very partial to Lake Highlands because that is my home. Tons of parks, just North of White Rock Lake, the schools, and the people are incredibly friendly…just can't go wrong!
If I had to do this all over again(and you know where I live) I would choose Lake Highlands. Great neighborhoods, affordable homes, and a very good public school system. Living in Dallas around Kramer they will eventually end up in private schools. I grew up in East Dallas and all my friends that raised their children in Lake Highlands ended up at the same colleges as my daughters and many of their friends.
Ann, yes you are so right! I feel like I should write a book telling young parents what not to fret about. Number one is private schools. Though my children loved their private schools and were so enriched, now I see so many children from public schools who ended up at the same (or better!) colleges because in some cases, they thought the private school children were too privileged. Then the other thing not to waste one moment of worry on is where your child goes to college. Having a strong work ethic is so much more vital than a perfect SAT that gets you into Harvard or wherever the hot school due jour is. Ann, what can you add?
If I had to do this all over again(and you know where I live) I would choose Lake Highlands. Great neighborhoods, affordable homes, and a very good public school system. Living in Dallas around Kramer they will eventually end up in private schools. I grew up in East Dallas and all my friends that raised their children in Lake Highlands ended up at the same colleges as my daughters and many of their friends.
Ann, yes you are so right! I feel like I should write a book telling young parents what not to fret about. Number one is private schools. Though my children loved their private schools and were so enriched, now I see so many children from public schools who ended up at the same (or better!) colleges because in some cases, they thought the private school children were too privileged. Then the other thing not to waste one moment of worry on is where your child goes to college. Having a strong work ethic is so much more vital than a perfect SAT that gets you into Harvard or wherever the hot school due jour is. Ann, what can you add?
My husband and I have the exact same conversation everyday. Our situation is fairly similar minus a few kids. We are expecting our first in October and are currently in a townhome. Good luck to this family! We have been looking for a few months and still haven't been able to find the right place to call home.
My husband and I have the exact same conversation everyday. Our situation is fairly similar minus a few kids. We are expecting our first in October and are currently in a townhome. Good luck to this family! We have been looking for a few months and still haven't been able to find the right place to call home.
Agree with everybody, but what is their price point? Now? Are they thinking this first home will be a "forever" home? If forever home and two or three children, you still have to think about the middle, junior and high schools available in your location. This young family should probably plan on finding their "starter" home in one of the great areas mentioned – but with an eye to being able to move "up" or "out" if their circumstances change.
Agree with everybody, but what is their price point? Now? Are they thinking this first home will be a "forever" home? If forever home and two or three children, you still have to think about the middle, junior and high schools available in your location. This young family should probably plan on finding their "starter" home in one of the great areas mentioned – but with an eye to being able to move "up" or "out" if their circumstances change.
Go North…come to Frisco! Top rated schools, neighborhoods & easy commutes to downtown & airports. Also, Frisco has a fantastic Dog Park! Lynn Slaney Silguero.
Go North…come to Frisco! Top rated schools, neighborhoods & easy commutes to downtown & airports. Also, Frisco has a fantastic Dog Park! Lynn Slaney Silguero.
2 years ago we were in your shoes! Not to throw a total wrench in things but have you considered North Dallas/Richardson area feeding into RISD? We lived in Lake Highlands for a year renting a home while we looked for one to buy and after taking a deeper look at the schools, home prices, etc. we landed in North Dallas and could not be happier. The commute downtown is MAYBE 10 minutes longer from Lake Highlands (either taking Tollroad or exiting Coit from 75). Take a look at Brentfield and Bowie as well as Mohawk and Prairie Creek and compare them to the elementary schools in Lake Highlands. Also compare Parkhill Junior High and Pearce High School to what you will be feeding into in Lake Highlands. Worth researching rather than taking people's opinions…a lot has changed in the last decade! http://www.risd.org/Group/Schools/Elementary.html
Great insight, thanks. I know some mighty smart people from JJ Pearce HS…
2 years ago we were in your shoes! Not to throw a total wrench in things but have you considered North Dallas/Richardson area feeding into RISD? We lived in Lake Highlands for a year renting a home while we looked for one to buy and after taking a deeper look at the schools, home prices, etc. we landed in North Dallas and could not be happier. The commute downtown is MAYBE 10 minutes longer from Lake Highlands (either taking Tollroad or exiting Coit from 75). Take a look at Brentfield and Bowie as well as Mohawk and Prairie Creek and compare them to the elementary schools in Lake Highlands. Also compare Parkhill Junior High and Pearce High School to what you will be feeding into in Lake Highlands. Worth researching rather than taking people's opinions…a lot has changed in the last decade! http://www.risd.org/Group/Schools/Elementary.html
Great insight, thanks. I know some mighty smart people from JJ Pearce HS…
You might consider Caruth Terrace. (N. of Mockingbird, S. of DART line, between Skillman & Abrams.) Really great location and you can get a lot of house for good value. Elementary is Stonewall Jackson. Feeds into Long and Woodrow. Do some digging on those schools to get a full picture of their strengths (and weaknesses).
You might consider Caruth Terrace. (N. of Mockingbird, S. of DART line, between Skillman & Abrams.) Really great location and you can get a lot of house for good value. Elementary is Stonewall Jackson. Feeds into Long and Woodrow. Do some digging on those schools to get a full picture of their strengths (and weaknesses).