STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

MissMee · Kate Spade

Texans in DFW

txgal · BCBG

I voted for Southlake because it hasn't gotten crazy and over grown like Plano and Frisco are. At least not yet. Both Plano and Frisco are nice places, but I've heard that the Southlake schools are great and you still have a relatively small town feel even though you are part of a huge Metroplex. Grapevine/Colleyville are also nice.

shopgirl82 · Chanel

i don't know a lot about Texas, but my bf's aunt and uncle live in Richardson and it's soo charming. they live by a country club. there's a ton of kids in the neighborhood. that's just my 2 cents.

Lilykind · Hermes

My Texas knowledge is at best anecdotal (sp?), but here's what I know.

I have a friend who lives in Frisco, but she's 22 and single, so I wouldn't know about schools or raising kids. She likes it there though, although IMO it's kinda far from Dallas proper.

A dormmate of mine grew up in Rowlett and while it's nice, it seems like it's supposed to be really chichi.

blink · Coach

I live in the Frisco area. It's nice, if you like the suburbs, this is where you want to be because there are quick and easy routes to Dallas. It's still growing and it's projected to grow bigger than Plano (because it's a bigger city limits...) did 15 years ago. Plano is still very nice, there's some icky areas in the East, but the area along Preston Road is wealthy and Plano is obviously closer to Dallas.

Southlake is beautiful too, but it too will grow, not much different from Frisco except that currently, Southlakers are able to enjoy some newness and exclusivity, but it's only temporary. Both are nice places to live, lots of shopping up North (you don't need to go to Dallas anymore for upscale shopping) available in both cities, Southlake is a little "hotter" right now.

However, my husband and I YEARN to move back to Dallas city limits, but the house we built in 2000 hasn't appreciated enough to justify moving just yet. We really like the Lakewood neighborhood.

Check on www.dmagazine.com or www.guidelive.com for some good DFW info.

alb · Marc Jacobs

I am from Ft Worth and have lived there for years (but I live out of state now). I'm not a huge fan of suburbs at all, and would not voluntarily live in one, with the exception of Southlake. It is the only suburb in which I could picture my husband and I living. It does not have a suburban feel at all, it's very charming and has it's own personality. There are some amazing houses there too, with lots of character at reasonable prices (my inlaws looked at houses there). My second choice, if I had to choose would be Frisco (for the shopping).

ETA--If I remember correctly, Grapevine is nice as well. I'd look into to those cities (Southlake, GRapevine and Frisco).

-- Edited by alb at 17:52, 2005-06-14

MissMee · Kate Spade

I've been checking out some school info, and it seems like the 2 tops school districts are Carroll (Southlake) and Highland Park. I believe Wylie was pretty good, too, as was Grapevine. That's my biggest criteria, but I also want to feel safe and be able to let my kids play outside like they do here. I lived in Arlington before I moved to MA, and I loved it; but I'm not sure it's that great anymore since all the building in South Arlington began.

laken1 · Hermes

If you were not aware, Arlington just approved the new Cowboys stadium - I don't think it's scheduled to move until 2009, but that will be here before you know it.

I also live near Frisco & the growth here is incredible. To be honest I don't know much about a lot of the areas because I just moved here a year ago. We are looking to move in about a year so I just started looking too, so I don't know know much about a lot of the areas except that I can't afford to be there. According to the relocation guide that I have, median house in Highland Park is $1 million & Southlake is $447,000 - both WAY out of my price range. But of course that is median, so obviously there are cheaper houses there......

Check out this site too http://www.dallas-living.com/
They have an offer for a free relocation package. I love this magazine I picked up when I moved here called destination DFW: The Ultimate Relocation Guide. If I come across a new one, I'd be happy to pick it up & mail it to you - I got it from Blockbuster & I am there about 3 times a week!!!

It's so fun here - the shopping and restaurants are ridiculous & you don't have to go to Dallas proper to shop. And I personally love the suburbs - not as much traffic, close to everything we could possibly want to do / see / etc - I guess it's just personal preference.

honey · Gucci

i lived in arlington for 7 years, and it's a good place. excellent schools (i learned the fundamentals there and still use a lot of the things i was taught in elementary school.) it's been awhile but north arlington is usually considered the better area (lived there for about 5 years and went to elementary and jr. high school there). we lived in south arlington too and it wasn't bad at all. though when i lived there they were just beginning to develop it. our house was next to a huge vacant lot, but it was a very idealistic suburban experience. i knew all the neighborhood kids, and we all played together. also arlington is pretty centrally located so you're right in the middle of dallas & fw, though depending on where in dallas your husband works the commmute might be far.

HeatherLynn · Gucci

I am not from there but from OKC and went to OU so many of my friends are from the area and I often visit that area. My opinion is the same as what has been posted before in this order:

Southlake (great schools, close to everything you would ever want to do, not too big yet)

Plano (great shopping and schools-- starting to get very crowded though)

Frisco (very similar to plano but slightly smaller)

Grapevine (nice but I prefer the others for some reason)

Someone mentioned Highland Park. One of my friends lives there. His parents bought a house and he went to SMU and lived there all through college and now his parents live there so we still visit often. It is a VERY nice neighborhood with great schools. Shopping is great and great restaurants close by. This is a very expensive area and very crowded (streets and house wise- very few with backyards). This area seems to be more for the exec crowd without young children.

Goodluck!!! If you have any more specific questions I can try to help!

MissMee · Kate Spade

laken1 wrote:

If you were not aware, Arlington just approved the new Cowboys stadium - ...... Check out this site too http://www.dallas-living.com/ They have an offer for a free relocation package. I love this magazine I picked up when I moved here called destination DFW: The Ultimate Relocation Guide.

I didn't know that! Where in the world will they possibly fit it??????

I used to teach at Sherrod in N. Arl and Morton in Mid Arl. I know North is better, and I loved it up there by River Legacy (which was fairly new when I left).

Thanks for all the info so far. My hubby wants to avoid a "large" town (which I think all of DFW is), but I'm more interested in the neighborhood aesthetics and demographics. I really like it here where we are now (other than winter), and we just moved here in Feb) BUT my whole family is in TX (Breckenridge) and my older son's dad lives in Rowlett. So that would be a huge relief to no have to send him to TX every summer.

Oh, I'm so torn!!!!!

honey · Gucci

MissMee wrote:

I used to teach at Sherrod in N. Arl and Morton in Mid Arl. I know North is better, and I loved it up there by River Legacy (which was fairly new when I left). Thanks for all the info so far. My hubby wants to avoid a "large" town (which I think all of DFW is), but I'm more interested in the neighborhood aesthetics and demographics. I really like it here where we are now (other than winter), and we just moved here in Feb) BUT my whole family is in TX (Breckenridge) and my older son's dad lives in Rowlett. So that would be a huge relief to no have to send him to TX every summer. Oh, I'm so torn!!!!!

i went to school there when i lived in arlington.