$250K Starter Home (Dallas, Fort Worth, Mesquite: real estate, new home, employment)

[LauraLama]

My DH's baby bro wants to move to DFW. They have a $250K budget and two toddlers. They only want new construction. His wife is a SAHM for now and he is a teacher but looking for a career change so no predetermined work locations. They'll buy cash as she has inheritance money. Which towns would you recommend?

[MckinneyOwnr]

$250k for a new build? That's going to be harder than you think to find. I think McKinney has new developments in that range, but not many. Frisco might also, as well as the Colony and Little Elm.

Out of those choices, I'd pick McKinney, then Frisco.

[thenewtexan]

Dallas - Fort Worth is nearly 10,000 square miles. Without a work location, no one can really recommend any areas. I can tell you that at $250K FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION within an hour of Dallas or Forth would be difficult, but not impossible. Real estate in DFW has been rising an average of 15-20% per year.

[bencronin04]

I'm going to echo what the others have said. 250K for a "starter" home that is new construction is going to be nearly impossible to find in a decent area. There are some south of Dallas I believe, but at 250K for a new build, the quality is probably going to be awful....or in a terrible location. 5-7 years ago, this was doable in some of the northern suburbs.

[Rakin]

Listen to all the posters above. They are all spot on.

I just had a client go under contract to build a new home for $195k over in far North Ft Worth. Nice area and it would work well but would be a terrible commute to half of DFW / North Dallas areas.

He needs to know where he'll be working.

[TheOverdog]

What about Little Elm, and far north McKinney? I'm sure those homes are less than $250 brand new. I mean the advertising signs mostly say starting in the $190s. And Little Elm and far north McKinney are not 'terrible' areas, they just aren't centrally located.

[dallas89]

You may find new construction for that price range in the following areas: northern suburbs (Little Elm, McKinney, Savannah, Prosper), Northeast suburbs (Sachse, Murphy, Wylie), Eastern Suburbs (Mesquite, Forney), Southern Suburbs (Desoto, Cedar Hill, Red Oak, Glenn Heights, Lancaster).

As mentioned by others, a lot will depend on where the jobs will be located.

[#1soonerfan]

The problem with Little Elm is, unless you are lucky enough to secure employment in an adjacent town, the commute is going to be dreadful. I have a family member who does this and currently hates their life. One time I went up there to see them and ended up getting stuck on FM 423 at rush hour...dear God it was awful!

Don't know enough about North McKinney but it seems even more isolated that Little Elm. To the OP, I would figure out where their employment is first and work from there. And don't be married to the idea of buying a brand spanking new home.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by dallas89

You may find new construction for that price range in the following areas: northern suburbs (Little Elm, McKinney, Savannah, Prosper), Northeast suburbs (Sachse, Murphy, Wylie), Eastern Suburbs (Mesquite, Forney), Southern Suburbs (Desoto, Cedar Hill, Red Oak, Glenn Heights, Lancaster).

As mentioned by others, a lot will depend on where the jobs will be located.

This. And of course if they're looking forward a few years to when their toddlers will need elementary schools, very few suburbs on the above list have both cheap new construction AND strong schools.

[MckinneyOwnr]

Originally Posted by TheOverdog

What about Little Elm, and far north McKinney? I'm sure those homes are less than $250 brand new. I mean the advertising signs mostly say starting in the $190s. And Little Elm and far north McKinney are not 'terrible' areas, they just aren't centrally located.

I mentioned Little Elm, and McKinney. They both have a couple developments in that price range, but just barely. By the time you add any options at all, you're at the $250k mark.

Originally Posted by dallas89

You may find new construction for that price range in the following areas: northern suburbs (Little Elm, McKinney, Savannah, Prosper), Northeast suburbs (Sachse, Murphy, Wylie), Eastern Suburbs (Mesquite, Forney), Southern Suburbs (Desoto, Cedar Hill, Red Oak, Glenn Heights, Lancaster).

As mentioned by others, a lot will depend on where the jobs will be located.

The only development in Prosper that meets the budget would be Artesia, everything else starts well above their max budget. Same situation as McKinney... add just a few options, and they are priced out of Artesia too.

Originally Posted by #1soonerfan

The problem with Little Elm is, unless you are lucky enough to secure employment in an adjacent town, the commute is going to be dreadful. I have a family member who does this and currently hates their life. One time I went up there to see them and ended up getting stuck on FM 423 at rush hour...dear God it was awful!

Don't know enough about North McKinney but it seems even more isolated that Little Elm. To the OP, I would figure out where their employment is first and work from there. And don't be married to the idea of buying a brand spanking new home.

McKinney isn't more isolated than Little Elm, not by a long shot. A good portion of McKinney is located all along 121 from Custer to 75. It's easy to get to the Tollway, 121, 380, and 75 from most places in the city. Little Elm you're stuck using 423.

Based on budget and school concerns, the best choices would be McKinney or Frisco IMO.