Relocating to Ft. Worth...soon! (Dallas, Fort Worth: to rent, high crime, house)

[Lunasa]

My family and I will be relocating from NC to Ft. Worth area at the end of March. We want the convenience of the big city without living inside the city, if that makes sense. My husband will be working as a contractor, so commute distance is not much of an issue since job sites always move, so we have a lot of flexibility for location. We currently live in a very high crime area, so we're definitely wanting to get away from that. We have 5 kids from baby-17, so activities for kids are important, and we homeschool, so educational opportunities and a homeschool presence would be nice. We want to rent at first while we learn the lay of the land, with an eye to buy in the nearish future. As such we don't want to live in a high rent area while we're saving money, but with a family of 7 understand that it may be difficult to get a 4+ bdrm house on any kind of budget. We have specifically looked at: Weatherford, Joshua, Mansfield, Burleson, Crowley, Cleburne, Keene, Alvaredo, and Midlothian. Any info on pros and cons of these towns would be much appreciated, as well as any suggestions for other towns in the area.
Helpful bonus details:
I would also love an area with a lot of green; I'm originally from W. Texas, Midland area, and would prefer greener scenery. We're very much an outdoor family, camping, fishing, swimming, hiking, etc. Doesn't have to be in our backyard, but within an hour or so to get to these areas would be great. We love museums, zoos, aquariums, and I'm a huge fan of nice architecture. I'm a crafter, so craft/beading stores in the area would be good bonus info, craft fairs, etc., and my husband loves frisbee golf. We're huge geeks, so game stores, maybe? I know we can find a lot of this kind of stuff in the city proper, just throwing in some background details.

My husband will be flying out mid-March to do some house hunting, so if we can narrow down his search pattern a little before he gets there, that would be great as he'll only have a week before he comes back home and we head west. Thanks!

[loves2read]

you can run a search on this forum for any of those towns and see threads about them
look for the icon "search forum" at the right edge before the columns start

[Lunasa]

Thanks so much! I've looked through several, but many of them seem to be several years old so not very current info...

[loves2read]

re the threads from search--
sometimes a thread might have started in one year but been added to over others--
I know I have seen threads with info about each of those towns (and others) in the past 12 months
look at a map and search for any town to see if there is mention/info
and really--around here--any info within two years is still likely fairly current

[bringamac92]

Originally Posted by Lunasa

My family and I will be relocating from NC to Ft. Worth area at the end of March. We want the convenience of the big city without living inside the city, if that makes sense. My husband will be working as a contractor, so commute distance is not much of an issue since job sites always move, so we have a lot of flexibility for location. We currently live in a very high crime area, so we're definitely wanting to get away from that. We have 5 kids from baby-17, so activities for kids are important, and we homeschool, so educational opportunities and a homeschool presence would be nice. We want to rent at first while we learn the lay of the land, with an eye to buy in the nearish future. As such we don't want to live in a high rent area while we're saving money, but with a family of 7 understand that it may be difficult to get a 4+ bdrm house on any kind of budget. We have specifically looked at: Weatherford, Joshua, Mansfield, Burleson, Crowley, Cleburne, Keene, Alvaredo, and Midlothian. Any info on pros and cons of these towns would be much appreciated, as well as any suggestions for other towns in the area.

Helpful bonus details:
I would also love an area with a lot of green; I'm originally from W. Texas, Midland area, and would prefer greener scenery. We're very much an outdoor family, camping, fishing, swimming, hiking, etc. Doesn't have to be in our backyard, but within an hour or so to get to these areas would be great. We love museums, zoos, aquariums, and I'm a huge fan of nice architecture. I'm a crafter, so craft/beading stores in the area would be good bonus info, craft fairs, etc., and my husband loves frisbee golf. We're huge geeks, so game stores, maybe? I know we can find a lot of this kind of stuff in the city proper, just throwing in some background details.

My husband will be flying out mid-March to do some house hunting, so if we can narrow down his search pattern a little before he gets there, that would be great as he'll only have a week before he comes back home and we head west. Thanks!

I've been to all of those "Towns" as I call them, except for Keene and Midlothian. But my expertise will probably be Weatherford or Western/Northwestern Tarrant County because I live in that area, and I frequent Weatherford (or used to for First Trade Days Flea Market). Weatherford is not close to city at all. Or depends what "close" is to you guys. It's roughly 30 miles depending on the specific location, West of Fort Worth which is about 30-35min drive into the city. The community has changed alot in the past 20 years, but it's no city life. It's small, country, and lots and lots of farmers/ranchers. Schools are better than the inner city, though it depends to what inner city school we are talking about also. But Weatherford and its small country ways could work for you guys, I would also look into Aledo, and Willow Park; they are between Fort Worth and Weatherford but they aren't as far out west.

Though when I read this sentence over "We want the convenience of the big city without living inside the city, if that makes sense" I am starting to think that anything outside of Loop 820 might be too far out for you guys, you could look into Rivers Oaks, White Settlement, Westworth Village, Benbrook, Lakeworth, and last but not least Lakeside. Those places fit your description and desires alot better than the towns you named.

Good luck and an early welcome!

[loves2read]

Since they homeschool, local ISDs aren't an issue
but I know that home school parents often like to team up with other home schoolers and do sports or other activities--
don't know what type of activities you might find in some of those locations

maybe there is website for texas home schooling that might offer some suggestions

[bringamac92]

Originally Posted by loves2read

Since they homeschool, local ISDs aren't an issue
but I know that home school parents often like to team up with other home schoolers and do sports or other activities--
don't know what type of activities you might find in some of those locations

maybe there is website for texas home schooling that might offer some suggestions

I can't believe I didn't read that. lol Yeah, don't know anything about homeschooling.

Still stand by my ideas as far as the suburbs I mentioned. But to each his own.

[txbasedgirl]

Here is some information that may be helpful. Just had some friends move to Burleson and they love it. The schools are good, much better than Crowley. They found very affordable housing in the area, too. Weatherford is a commute to anything. Alverado is a little further out but good schools and in the country. I'd also take a hard look at South Grand Prairie by Joe Pool Lake. Very affordable housing. Some in the Mansfield school district and some in the Grand Prairie district. Good luck to you and ask more questions if we can be of help!

[Lunasa]

Thank you all so much! I'm off to an appointment, but I'll be back a bit later to go over what you all have said. Can't wait to get to Texas!

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

Originally Posted by Lunasa

My family and I will be relocating from NC to Ft. Worth area at the end of March. We want the convenience of the big city without living inside the city, if that makes sense.

This is very difficult to find in DFW because we have a tremendous amount of urban sprawl. In my opinion, folks who don't need public schools can get the best value in the city, not outside it.

Originally Posted by Lunasa

We have 5 kids from baby-17, so activities for kids are important, and we homeschool, so educational opportunities and a homeschool presence would be nice.

Are you religious? The vast majority of homeschoolers here are evangelical Christians.

Originally Posted by Lunasa

We have specifically looked at: Weatherford, Joshua, Mansfield, Burleson, Crowley, Cleburne, Keene, Alvaredo, and Midlothian. Any info on pros and cons of these towns would be much appreciated, as well as any suggestions for other towns in the area.

I would not describe any of those places as having the convenience of the city. Most of those would fall under the category of "rural suburbia." Also, those locations would severely limit your husbands scope of realistic travel. Someone living in Weatherford probably can't accept jobs in Dallas. I would recommend the mid-cities, such as Euless, Bedford or Hurst for that purpose.

Originally Posted by Lunasa

I would also love an area with a lot of green; I'm originally from W. Texas, Midland area, and would prefer greener scenery. We're very much an outdoor family, camping, fishing, swimming, hiking, etc. Doesn't have to be in our backyard, but within an hour or so to get to these areas would be great.

This almost doesn't exist here. DFW has very few natural places. Being willing to drive an hour will help because you will almost certainly be going outside the city. By North Carolina standards, "green" doesn't exist in DFW.

Originally Posted by Lunasa

We love museums, zoos, aquariums, and I'm a huge fan of nice architecture. I'm a crafter, so craft/beading stores in the area would be good bonus info, craft fairs, etc., and my husband loves frisbee golf. We're huge geeks, so game stores, maybe? I know we can find a lot of this kind of stuff in the city proper, just throwing in some background details.

Since you homeschool and won't be using public schools, I would suggest looking in Fort Worth proper. You can find all of these things there.