Michelle Lynne: Why My Family is Leaving Dallas for Colleyville
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By Michelle Lynne Pant
Guest Columnist
Ed. Note: Replying to reader queries whether Ms. Pant’s home is located in the Dallas or Richardson school district, she told us her home is zoned for RISD and sits on the border of DISD. “Richardson closed several schools and we were told we may end up in Dallas because we are on the cusp. Nothing was firmed up, but we were not waiting around.”
My family is leaving Dallas. As a Dallas resident and local business owner for over 20 years, I have been proud to call this city home. I’ve waved my 214 area code with pride and vowed loyalty to Dallas, even as friends and many of my interior design clients flocked to the suburbs. But now, after careful consideration, my family has decided to leave Dallas and move to Colleyville. Here’s why.
We Are Leaving Dallas Because of Property Taxes
First and foremost, the property taxes in Dallas have become untenable. Our property tax bill has skyrocketed, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to justify the expense. The taxes are supposed to supplement the public schools and hospitals, compensate the police force and other vital programs, and maintain city streets and country roads — all of which are sorely lacking.
We Are Leaving Dallas Because of Public Schools
The public schools in Dallas are struggling, to put it mildly. The quality of education is not where it should be, and we can’t, in good conscience, send our child to a school that isn’t up to par. The alternative is private school, but that adds a financial burden on top of the already high property taxes. In Colleyville, not only are the property taxes lower, but the public schools are excellent, which means we can provide our child with a top-notch education while also having her friends live immediately within our neighborhood, providing a family-friendly environment in which to raise her.
We Are Leaving Dallas Because of Homelessness and Safety Concerns
The homelessness crisis here is another major factor in our decision to leave Dallas. Seemingly, every freeway bridge is home to countless homeless individuals, either sleeping in their mess or panhandling —which is disheartening and contributes to a feeling of insecurity. The increase in crime and the general lack of safety have made us feel uncomfortable in our own neighborhood. In Colleyville, the sense of community and safety is much stronger, providing a better environment for our family.
And Finally, We’re Leaving For a Change in Perspective
I never imagined my family would be leaving Dallas. I rolled my eyes at friends who moved to family-friendly suburbs like Frisco, firmly believing that I would stay in Dallas forever. But the reality of the situation has changed my perspective. We need to prioritize our family’s well-being, and that means making the difficult decision to leave a city we once loved.
In Colleyville, we see an opportunity for a better quality of life. The schools are outstanding, the community is safe, and the financial burden is more manageable. It’s not an easy decision to leave Dallas, but it’s the right one for our family.
It’s time to embrace this new chapter and look forward to the benefits that come with living in Colleyville. Dallas will always hold a special place in our hearts, but for now, our future lies in the suburbs.
Michelle Lynne is the president of ML Interiors Group, an award-winning interior design firm. She is the founder and owner of Studio Works, a co-working space for creatives, and the co-founder of Sidemark, a sales and marketing software for interior designers. She also provides personal coaching for emerging interior designers who are ready to scale their businesses.
26 Comments
Thank you for a great article. Putting your family’s needs first is your top priority. I love Dallas also. Born here, lived here, and moved to a north suburb for the ISD. I hope you learn to love your new city. You are close enough to visit your favorite spots and find exciting new ones.
And I’m rolling my eyes to you. Just be honest you are going with more like minded people – white and conservative. Afraid of the homeless? Why don’t you volunteer at one of the many nonprofits that serve this community? High property taxes – stop living beyond your means.. Don’t like public schools? Private is an option but also is allowing your child to be in a diverse environment that are different from them. Also I am always looking for good interior designers, I will not be telling my clients about yours.
Dallas’s loss is Colleyville’s gain. Miss you on Caufield.
Randy Nolan
I lived in Colleyville for 10
years and hated it. Good luck!
Way to insult all those who love it here
We recently made the same decision and bought a beautiful new home in Nashville for the reasons you listed above!! So difficult to leave, but in the long run it is the best decision for our family as well. Our politicians should be ashamed of themselves for wasteful spending and take note that they are losing great people from their communities.
Michelle – Welcome to Colleyville! My family and I have lived here since July, 2001. We grew up in Hurst and moved to Colleyville for the schools. My girls attended Heritage Elementary, Heritage Middle and Heritage High School. While my older daughter loved her schools, my younger one did not. Two different personalities! I hope you find living in Colleyville more enjoyable than Dallas. There is so much offered in our area; so convenient! And if you must go to Dallas or Fort Worth, just jump on the freeway and you can be there in 20’ish minutes (depending on the time of day and traffic). Take care.
I moved to Dallas from Los Angeles in 2021, after living there for 25 years. I love Dallas, but I definitely can see the difference within these three years and I am hopeful Dallas officials can turn the city around for better. Best interest of your family is always a priority and I am confident you will love your new home and surroundings. Best of luck!
It will not and cannot change UNTIL Dallas citizens get more involved in local elections. We had an opportunity to oust many of these Council people last May, but the voter turn-out was absolutely abysmal. And now, we are are stuck with the SAME Council that an overwhelming majority says is on the wrong trajectory. There is even a recall campaign talked about regarding one. Where was everyone when it was time to vote last May? It is truly incredible to me. It is incredible to me that there are viable solutions to problems that nearly everyone–liberal and conservative can get on board with, but we have an inept and incompetent City Council that digs its heels in and refuses to do what is reasonable and sensible. So much so that the mayor said he couldn’t take anymore and changed party affiliation!
Katherine, Michelle is not insulting anyone. We all know the issues confronting us. She’s not wrong. It’s hard to have things pointed out we’d rather sweep under the rug but until we confront our problems and do something to solve them, we will continue to lose valuable residents and then valuable businesses. From my perspective, as a resident for decades, density is not our issue; infrastructure and amenities are our issues. I’m not leaving Dallas because it’s my home and my son is an adult now. I can say if I were at the beginning of parenthood, I’d also be having second thoughts. And if my property taxes price me out of my wonderful neighborhood, I may not have a choice. We have to give oxygen to these issues, and we are grateful to Michelle for doing so.
I couldn’t not disagree more with your assessment of Dallas ISD. The data on the district over the last decade has shown significant strides in outcomes for all students. Dallas ISD is now the most improved urban school district in the state of Texas. In addition, the district boasts several of the top public schools in the entire state – outperforming Colleyville, Highlight Park, Frisco, and every other suburb in the area. I have three children in the district at three different schools ranging from 3rd grade to 7th grade, and we’ve been blown away by our children’s experiences. But when we made the decision to send our kids to Dallas ISD, we were met with lots of skepticism based on decades of bad narratives based largely around issues related to race and class. Our experience and our kid’s academic outcomes have put made us confident in our decision to invest in Dallas ISD. I hope your experience in Colleyville is great for your daughter, but I’m confident that my daughters will receive a superior education in Dallas ISD.
Rob all of my grandchildren are in public schools!
I made the same choice two years ago, for much the same reasons. The deciding factor, though, was that none of the problems was getting any better and Dallas’s leadership–both on Marilla Street and at DISD–seem determined to make them worse. So with great regret, we sold a home that we loved (and that we had spent over a decade remodeling to suit our family perfectly) and started over in Waxahachie. It was an emotional decision, but it was the right one.
No attempts to put your kid in one of the many amazing specialty schools that DISD has? No attempts to hold city office and the mayor accountable for the insane housing prices, leading to increased homelessness?
Just an FYI, Colleyville schools made national news, and not for good reasons.
Babe, just say white flight.
Your Dallas home wasn’t zoned to DISD. The listing says so – RISD. So what is with the gratuitous DISD bashing? I realize this is a real estate blog and fact checking isn’t a thing, but come on. Just be truthful.
“Couldn’t not disagree”….LOL! A fine example of DISD.
People are different. Their needs are different, particularly when they are trying to raise young children. Regardless, everyone should put their egos and their pride in their city aside and realize this family’s reasoning for moving isn’t wrong. Many of us (myself certainly included) have bitched and complained about every single one of her reasons, so for us to read that and automatically clapback without actually critically thinking about them is absolutely nonsensical.
Yes, if any city leader reads this, they’d be wise to heed to the warnings and use it as a wake-up call. Those are the things we need to be focusing on! Put digital billboards, tax incentives for the corporations, frivolous spending on convention centers, and any number of other topics aside and focus on actual quality-of-life…
LOL that made me laugh out loud. I was thinking of it the entire time I was reading the article and comments. I was just waiting until I got to the bottom to say it.
My wife and I have lived in the Dallas County suburb of Garland for 25 years. We just recently decided to move out east to Rockwall County. But it’s mainly because of the safety issue and that more than 1/3 of the homes on our block have flipped to rentals. There is more noise and congestion than we have ever seen in the 1/4 century we have lived there. Homeless encampments are getting closer and individuals are roaming up and down the block. No kids, though. They are grown so just us. So we don’t worry about schools. Safety is our main concern so with that I agree with the author.
Please read the addition at the top of the page.
In other words…..”I’m moving to where there’s less people of color”
With all due respect, I would think about your daughter. She deserves better, more. She needs to be around more racial diversity and in a place that will love and support that and her; instead of a district that is know for separating by race. I urge to think of your daughter’s wellbeing, put her first. If you must move, move to a supportive environment for her. I say this with the utmost love to you all and coming from a place of a parent that knows all too well how truly important this is. Please educate yourself on the importance of this for her.
Definitely white flight… damaging to a child whom is not of the same race you flock too… please think of your child(ren) and the environment you are CHOOSING for them. Find something better.
RISD is closing schools but not changing the district’s boundaries. What a disingenuous thing to say – that’s never been part of the plan. It’s OK to admit that you just want to be around other white Republicans. I don’t feel much pity for someone who listed their home for $1.9 million.
Like the essay itself, the new Editor’s Note at the top of it is nonsense too. School districts do not forfeit their boundaries to neighboring districts nor are they annexed by neighboring districts. If this woman’s RISD nearby school was closed, RISD would have simply rezoned her area to ANOTHER Richardson school. Her area does not somehow become Dallas ISD.
How on earth did you let this essay run in the first place and THEN slap a false editor’s note on the top?
I agree % with this article. My family moved from Dallas 1 yr ago for the same exact reasons.