Best Starter Home Neighborhoods in Dallas Metro (Plano, Garland: hardwood floors, apartments)

[EarthyPalette]

I've been renting in Dallas for nearly two years and am ready to buy a starter home in the range of $100,000-$125,000. Where are the best starter home neighborhoods in the Dallas metro???

I'm open to really any area within a 40-minute commute of Dallas, but reasonably close to a DART rail/bus station is a must. I'm single, no kids. I want a property that is in a nice, clean neighborhood that will gain value over the years. I'm willing and able to fix-up and update. Character (hardwoods, etc.) is preferred but not necessary. I will consider newer too.

I love Lakewood and Lake Highlands, but the houses seem to be way out of my range. I've found some beautiful, character-filled homes near the Dallas Athletic Club, but the other side of the street (or in some cases, a few houses down) has many abandoned homes.

Your advice is appreciated!

[cj6]

Earthy,

I have been searching this forum for a couple of weeks and there seems to be serious lack of responses to those seeking advice for entry level housing. Perhaps if you offered up a few more specifics on what amenities you are looking for in a house, neighborhood, community, how long you plan on living there, it might provoke a higher response rate. Also, you indicated that a forty minute commute was doable, but you needed access to DART Rail/Bus. You may wish to indicate 40 minutes to/from what area. “Dallas” covers an incredibly large area, but DART, sadly, does not. Also, are you open to condo/townhouse/patio style homes?

I don't know if I can offer much help as I am even newer to the area than you are. I have been house hunting for about four months and I have not yet found what I am looking for in terms of neighborhood/community dynamics inclusive of this price range either, but I will gladly pass along any neighborhood 'finds' I come across.

I, too, like the architectural features found in older neighborhoods and I am no stranger to renovation projects. If you do choose to go that route, make sure you buy a house with solid "bones" and leave enough room in your budget for any repairs/renovations that need to be done. Also, if you haven’t yet been warned, the soil in various areas in and around Dallas can be very shifty and it can create incredible foundation problems for anything slab built.

I looked at several homes near the Dallas Athletic Club a few months back (along with several other neighborhoods inside the 75228 zip code range). Most of the homes in that area are pier and beam construction, and most have carports or garages as well as reasonable sized yards. I also like that there are several parks throughout the area. But, I did not find much in the way of nearby grocers and other typical market place amenities (perhaps I chose the wrong streets to look for them on?) As you noted, there are high numbers of houses on the market in that area, many of which are foreclosed properties. If the tax records are any indication, the housing does not seem to have appreciated in the last many years, but neither do they appear to have dropped. Perhaps someone native to the area knows why the neighborhoods within this zip code are experiencing this current state of flux. Perhaps someone would kindly offer up a bit of insight as to whether investors are diving into the area turning the neighborhoods into yet another overcrowded, under kempt rental district, or if the flippers and developers are beginning to eye the lower land prices in the area which might spark re-development projects. I would assume the schools in this are not the best, but are they the worst? And if they aren’t doing very well, is the community getting involved in solving the problems? Any chance someone reading this has links or contact information for neighborhood associations in the area? Or suggestions for other areas for Earthy to consider and research?

[Lakewooder]

Earthy you might check out Mount Auburn which is adjacent to Hollywood Heights in the Lakewood area. The streets closest to Hollywood would be best.

It's a definite risk to buy there but the trends look good. Besides Hollywood, it is bordered by Tenison Highlands Golf Course, Samuell-Grand Park (Shakespeare Festival), I-30 and Randall Park, where the new Tenison Trail / East Dallas Veloway will soon start construction. The trail runs from White Rock Lake through Lakewood Country Club to Downtown Dallas.

The homes in Mount Auburn are Craftsman Bungalows and will need work. It is served by Mount Auburn Elementary which has been ranked exemplary and named to the Texas Monthly "Best Schools in Texas" list. Also it is near the famous, beautiful and historic (Dallas Landmark and Texas markers, National Trust recognized) Woodrow Wilson High. The new Junius Heights Historic District is just beyond.

Be warned there are some higher crime areas as you get closer to I-30. Also, the neighborhood has no protection so could go teardown (we hear rumors of that all the time). Search zip code 75223.

[Lakewooder]

More on Tenison Trail / East Dallas Veloway:

Lakewood-Now.net - Dallas Texas - online community newspaper (http://lakewood-now.net/view/article/1318 - broken link)

[EarthyPalette]

cj6 and Lakewooder - Thanks for your insight.

More specifically, I work downtown, so the 40-minute commute would be to/from downtown. I am open to condo/townhouse/duplexes but would, of course, prefer a house in a quiet, well-kept neighborhood with trees! I plan on living there 3-5 years probably.

Does anyone have insight on the 75023 and 75074 areas of Plano (west of Alma, streets such as Seabrook, Shenandoah)?

I, too, have found a lack of resources on starter home neighborhoods in the Dallas area. Perhaps I will try posting to inquire about specific neighborhoods and zip codes.

[momof2dfw]

Look also around the Firewheel area of Northeast Garland. The Valley Creek area is a starter home area (it was for us ). The zipcode is 75040. It is really close to the Firewheel mall and EASY access to Hwy 190 along w/ several options for DART close by.

If you would not mind much older homes w/ lots of trees then I'd look in Richardson at the Richardson Heights area.

[Lakewooder]

If you are open to condos try zip 75206 - there's an area bisected by E. University bounded by Greenville Ave, Lover's Lane, Skillman and the future Katy Trail Expansion/DART line. Very near 3 DART stations and SMU runs a free to anybody bus through there everyday. Mostly 1960s buildings which have been converted but now some of the apartments are being torn down and redeveloped. Most are very well built and some have dens with hardwood floors and real brick fireplaces.

You can walk to Central Market!