HPISD Familiar Realtors, Questions (Dallas, West: rentals, big home, neighborhoods)

[NTXPerson]

Originally Posted by fort.worth.native

Thanks for your input. I'd update it and prefer to be in something more along the lines of :https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...-15774?view=qv.

Yes I have children. Probably not a rabbit hole I want to jump in, but regardless of how much money we have my children will be raised modestly as far as material possessions. I want to live in a nice house (honestly because that's what makes me happy and I spend most of my time in it) and have my kids in nice schools. People will have more, and people will have less. THta's awful what happened to your friend, I've read on here that there are plenty of down to earth people in UP but of course I'm sure there are people like what you described.

Fair enough and I agree with your outlook. There have been multiple people concerned about those issues in the past, so I wanted to point that just in case of course knowing every situation for families are different.

[fort.worth.native]

More questions... so in theory would being anywhere in HP/UP be desirable and have that community/family feel I'm wanting as long as I'm not close to the tollway or in Dallas county? I'm trying to list out my requirements but I want to make sure I end up somewhere where the kids all play in the front yards and it's very community centered. Maybe that's everywhere? I also want to be in an updated older home like that cute tudor for $1.5M or less. And within 4 blocks of our elementary without crossing a major road. Too many requirements?!? Ha!

[fort.worth.native]

JTC - I'm looking closer at that HP house and you're right, what a wonderful location that close to the elementary school and that close to Highland Park Village. I'd take this area in a heartbeat too. Thank you!

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by NTXPerson

That’s wonderful to hear!

I’m not saying your friend wasn’t bullied. Plenty of bullying now & then, just usually more to do with it than parent’s wealth. Some of the most popular kids from my era were the kids of the Bradfield head janitor (who lived in tbe tiny little house on Bradfield’s campus that just got torn down to build the new school.)

[JTC Mom]

So...the “kids playing in the front yard” happens in many many blocks, but can be a little hit or miss depending on the kids that live on that block. At your price point you will likely be on a block with young families so a good chance there will be lots of kids out front.

Four blocks to elementary is a pretty tight parameter, but not unrealistic. Your desire not to cross a busy road is understandable. The area you like just north of UP is a good one to keep an eye on. Also Consider whether you’re open to 4500 blocks That serve Bradfield (some UP, some HP). These are great blocks and will have some options but you would have to cross lomo alto to walk to school. It’s Not nearly as bad as preston or Hillcrest, but it is a little busy. HP did just (last month) add a stop sign at Southern and Lomo Alto, which helps for the streets south of Mockingbird.

Also would you consider the 4100 blocks of Caruth, Greenbrier, Southwestern? These are within 4 blocks of Hyer and have tons of kids, but you have to cross Preston. There is a crossing guard there on school days, so that helps.

I don’t really know the streets right around Boone, but I’m sure they would be good too. I would just personally not want to be in the city of Dallas. But you will get more for your money if you are willing to cross that line!

Good luck!

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by fort.worth.native

More questions... so in theory would being anywhere in HP/UP be desirable and have that community/family feel I'm wanting as long as I'm not close to the tollway or in Dallas county? I'm trying to list out my requirements but I want to make sure I end up somewhere where the kids all play in the front yards and it's very community centered. Maybe that's everywhere? I also want to be in an updated older home like that cute tudor for $1.5M or less. And within 4 blocks of our elementary without crossing a major road. Too many requirements?!? Ha!

Honestly - at current prices - $1.5M is not a range where you can be super picky on your exact location. Being 4 blocks from an elementary school would be great but may not be realistic requirement. Kids can bike or walk everywhere. So just pick the house you love the best! It’s a densely populated area, it would be extraordinary to end up on a block with $1.5M range houses and not have a ton of kids there. The blocks closest to the tollroad are crawling with kids.

Also - all of the Park Cities is in Dallas County, I assume you were asking about the city of Dallas blocks? They have tons of kids too. 2/3 of the houses within 4 blocks of Boone will be in city of Dallas. Only the first block East of Hillcrest is in UP. The big negative there is that the city portion of your property taxes will be higher than if you were in city of UP. But the ISD is the biggest portion of property taxes and obviously that would still be HPISD. The big plus is a little more house for your money and generally wider lots than west of Preston.

[JTC Mom]

The other downside to being in Dallas vs UP/HP is city services. It’s not a huge deal most of the time but On the rare occasion you may have to interact with the police or other city services, being in the park cities is WAY better than being in Dallas. The response time is unbelievably fast and they are very service oriented.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by JTC Mom

The other downside to being in Dallas vs UP/HP is city services. It’s not a huge deal most of the time but On the rare occasion you may have to interact with the police or other city services, being in the park cities is WAY better than being in Dallas. The response time is unbelievably fast and they are very service oriented.

Very true.

[Taub201]

We first lived three houses from Preston. It was okay for playing outside, but I'd go to four or more houses in when considering 50 foot lots. Like was mentioned earlier, consider the block or two west of Preston close to the crossing guard on Greenbrier.

There are more kids in the 50' lots of Amherst, Stanford and Purdue. Look along all of the roads between the Tollway and 75.

My kids made great friends on the block of the first house and now that they're teens their friends are all over the district.

[DallasMom698]

I have heard that between Preston and Hillcrest is more desirable, but I wouldn't give it much weight. I'm not clear on what that even means. I think between Preston and Hillcrest has more (i.e., a greater number of) desirable houses, simply because outside of that there are a lot of areas that are either really close to the high school or to SMU or to 75 or to the Tollway or various other things that people don't like being right next to. But it doesn't actually make any difference; I'm not sure who's making it "more desirable" given that we all go to the same schools.

I also haven't heard much from my kids about any bullying over money. I suspect bullying over everything happens everywhere in some cases, but I do not think there is a ubiquitous (or even common) pro-mansion view everywhere.

I'd rather be a full block off of Hillcrest or Preston but think that's a matter of preference. I'd rather be in the southeast corner down between Mockingbird, Hillcrest, and 75, which I think is quiet and pleasant, than on the first block off Hillcrest or Preston in the middle. but again, all personal preference. But some of the areas east of Hillcrest seem to me more friendly to kids running around, just because there's so much cut through between Hillcrest and Preston that a lot of those streets are busy (especially the ones that cut through), which is not so true of the stuff east of Hillcrest.

I've never studied the per square footage numbers, but I do suspect there may be some increase in houses south of Lovers that you wouldn't experience up near Boone just because the commute times are much better for uptown/downtown. It always seems like north of Lovers has more newer yet affordable (relatively) houses, while south of Lovers is more likely to either be small, very old, or very expensive.

Anyway, my bottom line is I would not artificially limit your search to between Preston and Hillcrest.