Farmer Branch/Carrollton TX - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Trakehner · #1 05-13-2008, 10:09 AM

What can you tell me about Farmer Branch and Carrollton Texas? I heard the little NPR episode about how these two towns are cracking down on illegals and not renting apts or homes to them? Are these pleasant places to live?

Trakehner · #2 05-13-2008, 10:42 AM

oh ,the mayor of farmer branch mentioned the four corners, can anyone tell me what that area is? sounds posh?

G-Benz · #3 05-13-2008, 10:44 AM

I don't live there, but I've been there for a few of my daughter's soccer games hosted in those areas.

From what I have seen, it's an average community in terms of housing...low-to-upper middle class. Seems to be nice enough.

I have noticed a large presence of Hispanics in the area, but it's no different than any other moderate to large metro areas in D/FW.

Other than that, I can't comment on whether there is any more of a problem with illegals in Farmer's Branch and Carrolton than perhaps, Dallas. Maybe those mucipalities are choosing to do something about it?

jcyuhn · #4 05-13-2008, 12:03 PM

Both are middle-of-the-road suburbs of Dallas. I think G-Benz got it just right - both span the range of middle class. FB has been in the national news a couple of times lately. The most well known is the attempt to deny illegal immigrants access to housing by fining landlords that cannot prove their tenants are in the U.S. legally. (Currently tied up in court.) The other item was regarding a threat to jail an 80 year old widow over a minor code infraction.

They had an mayoral election this past Saturday (May 10th). Not sure if the current administration was retained. The challenger ran on a slate of throwing out this type of government. Not sure who won.

Unless the prior administration got thrown out on their ear, I would heartily recommend against moving to FB. It seems to be run like a giant homeowners association. You know, the type of place where a few busybodies want to control every minor detail. Tax revenues are spent fighting whether city ordnances are constitutional rather than on schools, infrastructure, or law enforcement. Does not appeal to me.

Carrollton isn't in the news much, for better or worse.

- JimY

edit: Not sure what is meant by the "four corners." The only one I know of is out west where four states meet.

Palangi · #5 05-13-2008, 08:25 PM

I lived in Carrollton about 25 years ago. It was nice at the time. I don't know if maybe it has deteriorated a bit during those years. It is building to the north, so the newer sections are across the county line in Denton County. (That makes dealing with county government easier, because you don't have to go to downtown Dallas). Farmers Branch is older than Carrollton. Not sure if there are any newer sections of FB.

One word of caution about the area in general. There is an area running sort of northeast from DFW airport where the soil is extremely unstable. (Goes right through Carrollton). It is a clay soil (called Texas gumbo) which greatly expands and contracts according to the level of moisture. You can sit in the house at night and actually watch the walls move.

I would recommend against buying a house in those areas due to the high probability of foundation problems.

Emmerich · #6 05-13-2008, 11:42 PM

If you can see the walls move thats called an earthquake.....

Carrollton has good schools. They send non-English speakers to English class right off the bat and not in with the general student body, dragging down all classes to the level of the ones who can't understand English. Good for teachers, good for students, good plan all around. Other districts mix them up and its a mess.

I think FB might be part of Carrollton ISD.

jcyuhn · #7 05-14-2008, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emmerich

I think FB might be part of Carrollton ISD.

Yes, it is. Wikipedia has articles on FB, Carrollton, and the school district.

I might ask why not Plano? I think it's a much better run municipality than either Carrollton or FB. Only problem is the west end of Plano is rather tony and high priced; would have to move futher east to get housing prices in line with FB and Carrollton.

- JimY

Jim B. · #8 05-14-2008, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trakehner

What can you tell me about Farmer Branch and Carrollton Texas? I heard the little NPR episode about how these two towns are cracking down on illegals and not renting apts or homes to them? Are these pleasant places to live?

That might depend on whether you are an illegal alien or not.....

Medmech · #9 05-14-2008, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trakehner

What can you tell me about Farmer Branch and Carrollton Texas? I heard the little NPR episode about how these two towns are cracking down on illegals and not renting apts or homes to them? Are these pleasant places to live?

Why are you asking?

alabbasi · #10 05-14-2008, 08:57 AM

I just moved to Carrollton last Nov. I love where I live, it seems to be the only part of the metroplex with hills.

Like any areas, there are some nice parts and some not so nice parts. On a whole, it's clean and pleasant and I feel a lot safer then I did when I lived in Addison / Dallas district.

Accessibility wise, it's pretty good. GB turnpike can get you across the north part of town quickly and I35 is a hop skip and a jump away. I did find that a lot of the houses that I looked at had some foundation issues in this area.

AdvisorGuy · #11 05-14-2008, 04:13 PM

Been here 7 months and a few people I asked said Carrollton isn't a bad place. First I heard about the "Texas Gumbo" tho...

alabbasi · #12 05-14-2008, 04:18 PM

I didn't realize there are so many members in Carrollton, there is one fellow down the road from me who has a couple of C Classes and a 240D. I keep meaning to stop by but i'm normally with my dogs and they are lunatics.

Botnst · #13 05-14-2008, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alabbasi

I didn't realize there are so many members in Carrollton, there is one fellow down the road from me who has a couple of C Classes and a 240D. I keep meaning to stop by but i'm normally with my dogs and they are lunatics.

That being the case, they really must be members.

G-Benz · #14 05-15-2008, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdvisorGuy

Been here 7 months and a few people I asked said Carrollton isn't a bad place. First I heard about the "Texas Gumbo" tho...

Actually, the clay content in the soil down here typically wreaks havoc on structures not anchored in bedrock or anything stable under all of that clay. Most home builders don't bother to spend the additional $$$ to do more than just lay down a slab, so unless you practice a steady "foundation moisture program", you will see issues crop up in your home from time to time.

But the area just northwest of Dallas seems to be most severe. To get an idea of the movement, take a drive on 635W just past where it intersects I-35, and enjoy the roller coaster ride on an interstate highway that was originally level!!

Trakehner · #15 05-15-2008, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G-Benz

Actually, the clay content in the soil down here typically wreaks havoc on structures not anchored in bedrock or anything stable under all of that clay. Most home builders don't bother to spend the additional $$$ to do more than just lay down a slab, so unless you practice a steady "foundation moisture program", you will see issues crop up in your home from time to time.

But the area just northwest of Dallas seems to be most severe. To get an idea of the movement, take a drive on 635W just past where it intersects I-35, and enjoy the roller coaster ride on an interstate highway that was originally level!!

When we went to Dallas the airport shuttle seemed to drop suddenly like a roller coaster ride and we saw this big dip in the road, that was in a town called Irvine, the town with that big horse sculpture in front of an office building. Anyway the driver apologized because people got scared but it was because of bad soil.