SMU 2010! Forum

[Billy Batts]

I saw these two ads on the dallas paper's site that looked interesting - Highland Park area:

http://shopping.dallasnews.com/class/Cl ... and%20Park

yeah i was wondering about the whole "guest house" thing... alot of houses in the area have like a guest or pool house, so I wonder if they often rent out to students

my parents have a pool house and live like 5 mins away from the school, but i just can't go backkk

Bonnie, are you a product of Highland Park ISD?

[bonnieblue]

no I went to a certain all-girls school in the area though haha

[jgrin]

no I went to a certain all-girls school in the area though haha

Ursuline or Hockaday? I went to Jesuit

[Billy Batts]

no I went to a certain all-girls school in the area though haha

I once saw a movie on Cinemax about an all-girls school. It looked like a fun place.

[kalvano]

no I went to a certain all-girls school in the area though haha

Ursuline or Hockaday? I went to Jesuit

YES!

Another private school brat.

[fixer]

Renting a "guest house" in Highland Park or University Park is a good option if you can find it but it may not be "legal". Like someone mentioned earlier there are rules regarding unrelated cohabitation. In the Park Cities these rules may also relate to guest quarters. There might be an exception for full time employee's of the family or something lilke that but I don't remember what the exact rule is.

I have lived in the area my entire life and I am in the real estate business.

Don't try to live in Dallas without a car, and don't expect to rely on public transportation.

The Village is a reasonable option for anyone new to Dallas and attending SMU. Uptown is certainly a nice option if you can afford it. Other areas to check out are Lower Greenville/"M" Streets area. These neighborhoods have some smaller apartment buildings and duplexes/triplexes mixed in with the single family homes in the area. There are some good deals to be found.

Anyone coming to Dallas only for a couple of days and interested in learning about apartments should use a locator. They can give you lots of information in a short period of time and they work on commission so it won't cost you anything. Just be sure that if they do indeed show you a place you end up renting, inform the management or owner of the locator's involvement. Locators will have the most to offer concerning larger apartment communities like Post or Jefferson.

[bonnieblue]

no I went to a certain all-girls school in the area though haha

Ursuline or Hockaday? I went to Jesuit

Ursuline

[SpencerPratt]

no I went to a certain all-girls school in the area though haha

Ursuline or Hockaday? I went to Jesuit

Ursuline

Hell yeah for Catholic (Jesuit) high schools!

[keg411]

They wrote me back. Waiting for the official copy of my new LSAT to complete my file. <3 SMU.

[DavidB]

Here are the Highland Park zoning ordinances. No one is going to haul you away in handcuffs for renting a room from a homeowner.

--LinkRemoved--

These ordinances about non-related people cohabiting or renting an outbuilding are basically to prevent people from turning their homes into transient hotels, flophouses, frat houses, day labor camps, etc.

[fixer]

Here are the Highland Park zoning ordinances. No one is going to haul you away in handcuffs for renting a room from a homeowner.

--LinkRemoved--

These ordinances about non-related people cohabiting or renting an outbuilding are basically to prevent people from turning their homes into transient hotels, flophouses, frat houses, day labor camps, etc.

No. They are very serious about it. I am not saying anyone is going to be taken away in handcuffs, but ther rules are enforced. Many homeowners would rather keep good relations with the "town" rather than test the intent of the laws. They do enforce the cohabitation (at least in University Park and I can only expect in Highland Park) with exorbident fines and penalties. I have personal experience with this.

Keep in mind that Highland Park and University Park are autonomous cities within the city of Dallas. They maintain their own courts, police, fire, and school district. Living there is more like a small town than living in a big city.

[jgrin]

no I went to a certain all-girls school in the area though haha

Ursuline or Hockaday? I went to Jesuit

Ursuline

What class? I was in 06

[Billy Batts]

Here are the Highland Park zoning ordinances. No one is going to haul you away in handcuffs for renting a room from a homeowner.

--LinkRemoved--

These ordinances about non-related people cohabiting or renting an outbuilding are basically to prevent people from turning their homes into transient hotels, flophouses, frat houses, day labor camps, etc.

No. They are very serious about it. I am not saying anyone is going to be taken away in handcuffs, but ther rules are enforced. Many homeowners would rather keep good relations with the "town" rather than test the intent of the laws. They do enforce the cohabitation (at least in University Park and I can only expect in Highland Park) with exorbident fines and penalties. I have personal experience with this.

Keep in mind that Highland Park and University Park are autonomous cities within the city of Dallas. They maintain their own courts, police, fire, and school district. Living there is more like a small town than living in a big city.

So they would have a problem with people living as roommates in University Park? That seems unreasonable.

[kalvano]

You can rent out a guest house in Highland Park, people do it all the time.

You can also rent a house with another, unrelated person.

You can have a roommate.

What you can't have is 10 people living in a 3-bedroom house that aren't related at all.

[Billy Batts]

You can rent out a guest house in Highland Park, people do it all the time.

You can also rent a house with another, unrelated person.

You can have a roommate.

What you can't have is 10 people living in a 3-bedroom house that aren't related at all.

So no polygamist compounds?

[fathergoose]

You can rent out a guest house in Highland Park, people do it all the time.

You can also rent a house with another, unrelated person.

You can have a roommate.

What you can't have is 10 people living in a 3-bedroom house that aren't related at all.

So no polygamous compounds?

Bummer.

[Billy Batts]

I bet they'll be tossing those Sumners invitations in the mail tomorrow.

[fathergoose]

I bet they'll be tossing those Sumners invitations in the mail tomorrow.

I hope so! How many go out? (hopefully just enough to include me)

[Billy Batts]

I bet they'll be tossing those Sumners invitations in the mail tomorrow.

I hope so! How many go out? (hopefully just enough to include me)

Two - one for me; one for you.

[fathergoose]

I bet they'll be tossing those Sumners invitations in the mail tomorrow.

I hope so! How many go out? (hopefully just enough to include me)

Two - one for me; one for you.

deal

[kalvano]

You can rent out a guest house in Highland Park, people do it all the time.

You can also rent a house with another, unrelated person.

You can have a roommate.

What you can't have is 10 people living in a 3-bedroom house that aren't related at all.

So no polygamist compounds?

Only if you're a prophet.

[FunkyJD]

You can rent out a guest house in Highland Park, people do it all the time.

You can also rent a house with another, unrelated person.

You can have a roommate.

What you can't have is 10 people living in a 3-bedroom house that aren't related at all.

So no polygamist compounds?

Only if you're a prophet.

[fixer]

You can rent out a guest house in Highland Park, people do it all the time.

You can also rent a house with another, unrelated person.

You can have a roommate.

What you can't have is 10 people living in a 3-bedroom house that aren't related at all.

Yes, people do it all the time. Many of them just ignore any ordinance to the contrary. The rules regarding unrelated residents concern 3 unrelated residents. Of course having a roommate is ok.

[blackeyeddog]

Regarding the ordinances, it's mostly University Park, not Highland Park, which enforces the ordinance. Homeowners got together in 2008 to complain about what they considered 'brothel-style housing'. And yes, they do strictly enforce it. Regardless of whether you have a lease, if you're reported you will be evicted. No one is going to arrest you, but I can't imagine it would be fun to have to look for new housing in the middle of the semester.

[UTL_plz]

Sounds like we already have our first law-related hypothetical.

Is just a single roomate enough to violate the city's ordinance?