Moving to Dallas: Job around Galleria, where to live w/ $300k to $375k budget? (Plano: hotel, houses) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

GordonGecko · 10-22-2007, 10:36 PM

Finally,

Accepted a position with a co. in Dallas around Galleria area. Wife, infant and I will be moving from FL in 3 weeks and will stay for about 3 months at a hotel (co. expense) or until I find a place to buy.

Spent the last 2 weeks in Dallas and wife really liked the Colleyville/Southlake area. I ran the morning commute from COlleyville a few times and found it to be about 30 minutes in the morning and 40-45min in the afternoon rush hours...not bad compared to my current 45min + commute....

We need more suggestions on where to live with a budget not to exceed $375k for a single family home ~ between 2,800 sf and 3,200 sf with a pool. Hopefully in a safe area/nice neighborhood in a good ISD and with a commute not longer than 45min....

Any suggestions would truly be appreciated.

FarNorthDallas · 10-23-2007, 06:09 AM

I would look at a community that you get to the Galleria by NOT using LBJ Freeway (635). Somewhere you can get to the Galleria on surface roads or the tollroad. LBJ is a tough overcrowded 18 wheeler dominated freeway.

So looking north up the tollway I would consider Plano or Frisco. Using surface roads you can look at Far North Dallas, Plano, Richardson, Carrollton.

ChristieP · 10-23-2007, 06:41 AM

Also, 635/LBJ is scheduled to be totally rebuilt from the Tollway to I-35 within the next few years. You will NOT want to have to use it for a daily commute while it is all torn up and under construction!

nativeDallasite · 10-23-2007, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Also, 635/LBJ is scheduled to be totally rebuilt from the Tollway to I-35 within the next few years. You will NOT want to have to use it for a daily commute while it is all torn up and under construction!

Excellent point. I dread the 635 reconstruction though it's so necessary. I wish they'd do something about the bottleneck created by the high-five on the eastbound section of 635 west of Central. I get to plow through that every morning, yay!

I hope they make it so you can hop onto 635 westbound from Montfort...those lights at Noel and the Parkway are for the birds.

GordonGecko · 10-23-2007, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nativeDallasite

Excellent point. I dread the 635 reconstruction though it's so necessary. I wish they'd do something about the bottleneck created by the high-five on the eastbound section of 635 west of Central. I get to plow through that every morning, yay!

I hope they make it so you can hop onto 635 westbound from Montfort...those lights at Noel and the Parkway are for the birds.

My commute last week from Colleyville was not that bad....30 minutes in, 40 minutes out.....We are considering Plano, but the issue with the wife is that we have a lot of friends and some family around Colleyville/Southlake and Coppell and she does not want to drive that far to see them....

CTR36 · 10-23-2007, 09:10 PM

I used to work in Coppell. It seems like a nice place to live. Convenient to the airport etc. It didn't take me that long to drive from Coppell to the Galleria area. I don't know about the school district. You may want to consider it though.

intence · 10-24-2007, 10:11 AM

Southlake/Colleyville is nice, but as others mentioned, the commute may get tedious. You may be able to get a home in Addison, otherwise Plano is also nearby.

5stones · 10-24-2007, 10:20 AM

you won't find anything worth buying in Southlake for under 450k (we were just house looking and looked at both the houses under 400k They need a TON of work)

Colleyville (you'll pay an extra 50k for the colleyville name)we felt for 300-350k they were over priced and needed lots of work. Some nice houses for 360-375k, but since that was the upper end of our price range we decided to look in central Keller instead.(but my husband work is near ft worth not dallas)

I say... check out Coppell. Excellent schools and closer to the Dallas area. YOu will get more house for your money. but one thing we found is that Yards are small here!! and if they have a pool alot of time that takes up the entire backyard. But ofr around 350k you should do very well. My sister lives in Coppell and loves it.

I say...

nativeDallasite · 10-24-2007, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GordonGecko

My commute last week from Colleyville was not that bad....30 minutes in, 40 minutes out.....We are considering Plano, but the issue with the wife is that we have a lot of friends and some family around Colleyville/Southlake and Coppell and she does not want to drive that far to see them....

Well...if you live in Colleyville/Southlake you will get to do battle with some of Dallas's most congested freeways, including one that is soon to undergo a major construction project. I could not get from the Galleria all the way out to Colleyville in 40 minutes at rush hour...no way. The last time I went out that way, it took me an hour to reach Grapevine in rush hour traffic.

I'm guessing you'll be seeing your family and friends mainly on the weekends, when traffic is much lighter....so you need to weigh a potentially nightmarish commute against driving a little bit further on the weekends to see family/friends.

P.S. 5stones is right about your budget...Southlake is almost certainly out of your price range if you want a nice house, possibly Colleyville as well.

Lakewooder · 10-24-2007, 10:55 AM

I avoid LBJ at all costs -- even at 10 pm.