I've really enjoyed reading some of the previous postings from people wanting to relocate to the DFW area and learned so much.

I'm starting this as a new post because our criteria is quite different than other
postings as we are active retirees with no children living at home nor a commute to work needed. Our criteria is as follows:

1. Maximum Home price of $600,000 (less if possible)
2. Must be ON a golf course (private preferred)
3. Master bedroom downstairs if 2 story (actually prefer single story)
4. Must be on a lot/neighborhood with some mature trees


We do not need a huge home, something around 2500-3000 sq. ft. would be fine. We want to be within 30 minutes of DFW airport if possible as we travel. We do not need a brand new home but would like a home with high ceilings. A lot size of at least 10,000 sq. ft. (or more) would be preferred to insure a sense of some privacy in the back yard. Schools district is important only for the purpose of resale value.

Are we being realistic? Can you suggest areas to begin our search? Would we be better off to buy a lot and build our own home?

I think your budget may be a little too low to get on a private golf course. There are some gorgeous public ones in the Dallas area.

You will get a better deal if you buy an existing home. Sales on these are down lately, and there are many motivated sellers on the market. This becomes especially important since you want mature trees.

I agree your budget may be low for the golf course. Try looking in Trophy Club in Tarrant County. There are lots of homes there on the golf course.

Try McKinney. The commute to DFW Airport is a bit longer than 30 minutes. It takes us about 45 minutes. But Stonebridge Ranch fits your criteria. You can check it out here: http://www.stonebridgeranch.com/

Robson Ranch. A bit north of Ft. Worth. 3o minutes from DFW. Multiple private golf courses and other amenities. New development (so mature trees might not be there). Well within your price range.

You can look into Lakewood, just a few miles East of downtown Dallas. There're plenty of 500K+ houses next to the Lakewood Country Club (which has a golf course). Lakewood is an "older" suburb, one of the few areas with old trees.

I was going to suggest the neighborhood my boss lives in... in Southlake.
But when checking to see if it fits the criteria, I determined it costs WAY more than I realized.
You still may be interested. Check out this house. The second one in the list is right down the street from my boss.
http://www.bobvila.com/RealEstate/Zip/76092.html
I WANT A RAISE

Look on Realtor.com and search under Plano, TX especially zip 75093 or Frisco, TX. Check off your criteria on the second page and you'll find plenty of golf course homes especially resales in Plano for less than $600,000. There are excellent schools for resale value and a quick ride to DFW airport via the George Bush Tollway. The Willow Bend area or Prestonwood Golf Course, both in Plano would suit your criteria perfectly. Happy hunting!

Thank you very much. So Plano has lots of trees? It's hard to tell from the photos. Southland looks nice too but way our of my price range. I'll have to find out more about Lakewood too.

We're also consider a beautiful town outside of Houston where we may get more for the money than Dallas.

Only East Plano has mature trees. The areas Mollie mentioned do not.

Be careful about Lakewood. it IS a gorgeous area, but check out the crime rate in the area, as well as property taxes. Also, remember that most of the homes in the area are older, as in built in the 1940's, except for the recently built tear-downs.

Well...I searched the streets around Lakewood Country Club; nothing for sale. So I got out my Mapsco of Dallas. There is a listing of golf courses:
Bent Tree Country Club
Dallas Country Club
Lakewood Country Club
Preston Trail Golf Course
Prestonwood Country Club
Royal Oaks Country Club
Stevens Park Golf Course
The Northwood Club

All of these are actually in Dallas, so you may be able to find something more established with trees.

Also look at the Ebby Halliday site to search:

http://www.ebby.com/properties/properties.shtml

There's a box to check "next to golf course".

The area of Willow Bend in West Plano is broken up into several neighborhoods, Willow Bend Country, Willow Bend Estates, Old Shepherd Place, Willow Bend Lakes, and more. The Country Club is Gleneagles. This neighborhood is about 20 years old with some newer homes and has mature trees. Frisco on the other hand is a newer booming community and has much to do in the way of infastructure, so I'm sure their tax rate will increase.

Plano is a well run city with more reasonable taxes than many others. You will have a homestead allowance on both city and school taxes and if you're over 65 you'll received another deduction on your property taxes. Not all cities have this so you might want to check into that as well when house hunting. I live in the area so know of what I speak. Happy hunting!

Great information Mollie. We would qualify for the 65 year old exemption so I'd love to hear more. How are property taxes determined in Dallas area...a percentage of the sales price as in CA or ??

traveller333...My TA lives in Carrollton, but is in Lewisville ISD.His house is "appraised" at $150K.Last years tax bill was a tad under $4K, with taxes to Denton County(county of residence) of $2,750, Dallas County of $950 (Dallas county provides certain necessary services) and about $250 to a Denton County "reclamation project".Not sure who is in charge of setting the rates.But most of Denton County appraisals were adjusted downward last year.Not sure about that either.

Just about every county in Texas offers the Homestead Exemption. Seniors get an additional break, but it helps everyone! You file for it at the County Tax Office on the first January 1 that you own your home. (So if you buy your home on January 2, you have to wait a whole year to file!)

As Beachboi said, taxes in Texas are determined by the "assessed value" of your property according to the County Tax Assessor. The value is based on your property's square footage and recent sale prices in your neighborhood. Most of the counties in the DFW area show the property taxes on the Internet, as it is public information.

Admittedly, Collin County has fairly low property taxes because they do not have a county hospital to support. (They send all of their indigent patients to Dallas County's hospital, so Dallas has HIGH property tax rates!)

ChristieP.....Thanks for the info.What I do not get, is why do people living in Denton County have to pay taxes to Dallas County?Someone treid to explain that it was because Dallas Cty provided utility, fire, emrgency services, something like that.Does that make sense?Thanks in advance.

Most school districts offer the Homestead Exemption but not all the cities offer an extra exemption. Also, the over 65 exemption must be applied for within one year and the Jan 1st date doesn't apply to that exemption. It does apply to the regular Homestead Exemption however.
Here's a link for the tax rates in Collin County where Plano is located.
http://www.collincad.org/taxrates_an...005taxrate.php

Beachboi, I've never owned property in Denton County, so I'm not sure on that one? Does it have something to do with the hospital tax?

CP...Dont know but I'll see him tonight and I'll ask....But like so much else, does it matter?!?!....It's a tax bill thats gotta get paid, I was just curious.......