Family and I (wife and two kids 3 yrs old and 1 yr old) will be moving to the area in about 3 months. Looking for some recommendations for realtors.

Also, anybody know of any great pre schools. Will be working on the north west side of temple, would like a short commute to work ( <30 min). In a neighborhood looking for pool, playground, maybe park near or in neighborhood. Any recommendations for areas? Thanks

I just bought a house and used Margaret Pleasant from Remax. She's a wonderful person and will work hard for you. What price range are you looking for?

Pool?

Not much of that but out Adams to the left as you head west is one option.

Windmill farms has a neighborhood pool.

Just guessing, but you must be moving from a suburb where HOA pools are common...

Just a suggestion, don't worry about the pool. Lots of decent subdivisions in north Temple historic district, brentwood in south temple, Wyndham Hills in south temple, far west temple on lake Belton, Morgan's point, Belton near BHS/Sparta/Loop 121, salado, little river...









[This message has been edited by Captain Pablo (edited 12/28/2012 9:13a).]

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would like a short commute to work ( <30 min

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Yep, dead giveaway. You're from the burbs.

In this area, if you live more than 10 minutes from work, it's by choice...

If you're working in the industrial district of NW Temple, there are places within Temple ISD, Troy ISD, Rogers ISD, and Belton ISD which are 5-10 minutes from work.

Little River or Salado, you're looking at 15 minutes.

Welcome to Shangri-La










[This message has been edited by Captain Pablo (edited 12/28/2012 9:08a).]

The Woodbridge Creek Neighborhood has a neighborhood pool and park located at the intersection of Whispering Oaks and Fall Creek Lane.

Additionally, The Peanut Gallery (one of the best preschools in the area) is around the corner, and one of the best elementary schools in TISD, Kennedy Powell, is just across Airport Road.

Best of luck with the move!

Look at the schools more than the commute.

katelynaggie05
posted 9:54a, 12/28/12



Look at the schools more than the commute.


Katelynaggie05, what is the best school district and schools? Based on what I have heard the order(best 1st) is belton, harker heights, temple.

Uh oh. Boy did you just open a can of worms. Duck.

BTW, Harker Heights is Killeen ISD

Depends on who you talk to. Don't know much about HH/Killeen except most teachers hate to work there so I'd say stay away. The consensus is Belton is "better" currently, but I've heard about good things happening in Temple recently. Drive around and look at them, and if you start looking in oe particular neighborhood, call and see if you can visit the campus briefly. My campus in Belton gets knocked for test scores, but considering we are 80% low income and make steady growth each year says more than a years worth of STAAR testing scores. In my opinion at least. Make sure you get good vibes. Your kids spend a lot of time there.

HB Shepard Reality over in Belton. He's an Aggie.

Not gonna say anything.

There's no point.

I give up....

I said I'd heard good things about Temple recently. I work for Belton, and don't have kids so of course that's what I hear

Temple has one of the best IB programs in the country, and I would say for HIGH achievers, honors students, Temple High probably has the best academics in the area. Top notch teachers. However, outside the high achievers, Temple's state test performance has been low in recent years.

Temple dominates in fine arts - drama is a State/National powerhouse, and will be as long as Tolleson is there. Choir, band, and orchestra at Temple is also tops in the area.

Athletics - in football, frankly, both Temple and Belton aren't very good. Neither made the playoffs this year (and all you have to do to make the playoffs is be in the top half). Other sports - who cares, right? This is Texas...

Belton Middle Schools are top notch. New buildings and more construction/campuses on the way. iPads for all students at some of them.

Don't know much about Belton High, but I can tell you they have siphoned off 500 or so students to the down town campus. Also, I believe the current BMS will soon be part of BHS, with two new middle schools in the works.

The bottom line about the two districts is simple - Temple ISD, a proud and accomplished District, is landlocked and has no room to grow. I hope the best, but I expect Temple iSD in 20 years will comprise what TISD comprises now, except 20 years older. there is no room in TISD for new housing to be occupied by young, professional people with kids. Not good. Waco ISD comes to mind.

Belton ISD on the other hand has virtually unlimited land, much of which is in the Temple City Limits, ironically. Enough, really, for 2 or 3 5A high schools within 10-20 years. Unlimited growth, for the time being, anyway.

There are some small Districts that are OK. Rogers is good, and its boundaries extend all the way to east Temple. Salado is Salado. Academy is OK. Many of your new subdivisions in south Temple out 5th street are Academy ISD (see landlocked comments above).

If you are a sort of starter home family, your child is very young to make high school your deciding factor. Get the best you can for now, and then in six or seven years, reevaluate. If you look at private options, Holy Trinity has a new high school on West Adams, and Central Texas Christian has a new total school between Belton and Temple. Both are very nice.

Unless Texas gets its state testing obsession under control, I would frankly look seriously at home school or private schooling. Unless you child is so gifted that they stay out of regular classes, sadly testing has had to become the driving force in regular ed, and much of it is boring, even to the teachers.

Both Temple and Belton are great schools.

The main difference you will see is that Temple has higher highs (IB and AP) and lower lows (demographics and more urban). Belton does well but is probably better for average to above average.

Not a knock on either school . It is what it is. Things are improving at TISD.

My daughter went to preschool at Immanuel Lutheran off of ave h in temple. We loved it. Very small and it seems they don't have a high teacher turn over.

[This message has been edited by mazzag (edited 12/31/2012 9:41a).]

Both of our kids went to ILC Day care as well. Great people in Miss Kimmy and Miss Mona. Would definitely recommend them for preschool care!

Awe, we luv Miss Mona and Miss Kimmy still asks my cousin about my daughter.

c-jags - had a great post there.

I'm a Midway High School Grad which means that by definition, I'm the most "up myself" of anybody in Central Texas.

I'd go with Belton. Something near Lake Belton would be awesome. Definitely part of my retirement plan.

Not sure what your price range is but D'Antoni's Crossing at the end of south 31st street has a neighborhood pool. Many of the Lakewood subdivisions share a pool and property taxes in those neighborhoods are taxed at the highest rate allowed in bell county. I'll ask around about one more neighborhood that's great for families.

Ok. Southern Draw is another good neighborhood and not too pricey. Small park and HB Sheppard sells for Ashford homes there. So does edc homes, owned by Brad Dusek, a former player. His daughter Ashley handles sells, she's really sweet. His son Kevin went to A&M too and builds the houses. I like their homes and floor plans. Kevin is easy to work with. If you have high expectations of a pool or park, lower them. Builders here don't see the value in those items like big city builders do.

I think that is because so many who want pools put them in their yards.

And even years ago, Temple was not a neighborhood park town. I missed that when we moved here in the late 70's.

There WERE private membership pools. We were Racket Club members, and my aunt belonged to a private pool where the Putt Putt golf used to be.

Many others joined the country club.

The go to pool for nearly everyone in the county was Riverside, at Belton when I was growing up.

[This message has been edited by 3rd Generation Ag (edited 1/3/2013 4:18a).]

[This message has been edited by 3rd Generation Ag (edited 1/3/2013 9:08a).]

Lions Park pool was the place to be back in the day. Actually started around the late 70's I believe, and was definitely the popular swimming pool in the 80s, for Temple kids anyway.

Swim Park was the pool next to Putter Golf.

The Swim Park pool is still there but it is filled with dirt and weeds. So probably isn't much fun...









[This message has been edited by Captain Pablo (edited 1/3/2013 8:48a).]

Riverside.

Just going to throw this out there since you mentioned the drive being less than 30. If you don't mind a 20 minute drive, you could live in Lorena ISD area. Great 3A school district for academics and sports, or Hewitt and Midway ISD, for a 25 minute drive. Midway has outstanding academics and athletics as well. Both Lorena and Midway have finished top 10 for consecutive years in the Lonestar Cup. There are quite a few places to choose from in both Lorena and Hewitt. Working in North Temple definitely opens up some options for you. We live in the Stoneridge subdivision in Hewitt, just a couple of minutes north of Lorena and it takes about 20 minutes to get to the loop in Temple.

When you say NW Temple do you mean towards industrial or out on 2305?

Interestingly about commutes...I took one of my son's friends home last night from Historic N Temple to Dawson's Ranch by BHS. 45 minute round trip. I had lights that were a bit off but I can't believe it took me that long to go there and back anywhere in this area. It's growing.

U could consider doing that but with I35 northbound construction coming soon I don't recommend it.

That sounds about right. I go to a Bible study out near the CAC and drive home through the industrial area to the loop, or take 35 to West Adams. Takes me about ten to 15 minutes one way. And it takes about ten minutes to get from my house to BHS.

We'll take 317 half the time we travel from Hewitt to Temple/Belton and get similar results to 35 if you are worried about upcoming construction. Depending on exactly where your job is it may even be beneficial to travel that route.

Wash,

Stop trying to steal Temple recruits.

Did I overlook where you will be working?

Temple/Belton is okay, if you have to live on the east side of the mighty centroplexus. But the real quality of life doesn't begin until you get past Coryell County heading west.

For those closer to Temple I always heard Little River/Academy or Rogers were the school districts of choice, especially if your kid is in the 4th grade and already dips snuff.

Btw Jan & 3GA yes, I'm still alive and living in Lampasas.

Lampasas would be over an hour commute - each way

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Temple/Belton is okay, if you have to live on the east side of the mighty centroplexus. But the real quality of life doesn't begin until you get past Brown County heading west.

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FIFY

Sounds like you guys would LOVE Lubbock!