Your Expert Guide

Northaven Park: Where the Disney Streets cast their magic on residents

Realtor Libby Hamer

Agent Libby Hamer.

Photo courtesy of Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty

There are so many great places to live in Dallas that it helps to have an expert on your side. The Neighborhood Guide presented by Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty gives you insider access from the agents who live and work there, providing in-the-know info about your possible new community.

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Perhaps the most well-known part of Northaven Park is its southeast section, aptly known as the Disney Streets. There, midcentury modern and traditional-style homes line streets with names like Snow White Drive, Cinderella Lane, Pinocchio Drive, and Wonderland Trail.

The neighborhood certainly worked its magic on real estate agent Libby Hamer, who moved there in 2020 from nearby Midway Hollow.

"My husband and I have had our eye on Northaven Park since our daughter, Brooke, was born. Once our second child, Caleb, was born, we couldn't wait to move to the neighborhood. We fell in love with the green space: the parks, the playgrounds, the trail, and the creek."

Hamer also praises the area's convenient location, which offers easy access to private schools, I-635, and the Tollway. "You can get to almost anywhere in Dallas, and even Frisco and Plano, within 25 minutes," she says.

The voluntary neighborhood association, Northaven Park Neighborhood Association, hosts a wide variety of events throughout the year that bring people of all interests and backgrounds together.

"Yes, many neighborhoods have happy, smiling neighbors walking about, but the people here are so engaging," Hamer says. "A quick hello can turn into neighbors standing on the greenbelt by the creek chatting for an hour. It's a neighborhood that people keep coming back to. I've met so many people who grew up in the neighborhood, went to Harry C. Withers Elementary School (the public elementary located in the center of the neighborhood), and came back here either to raise their own families or as empty nesters."

Hamer offered up a few of her personal favorites about life in Northaven Park. Here's her guide to the area:

Where to eat & drink
In addition to popular Dallas chains Village Burger Bar and Meso Maya, Hamer recommends Republic Texas Tavern, Howdy Homemade Ice Cream, Ziziki's, Ku Sushi & Japanese Cuisine, Franki's Pizza & Pasta, Ginger Thai Cuisine, and Cindi's NY Deli & Restaurant.

Where to play
The neighborhood's namesake, Northaven Park, obviously makes the list for outdoorsy fun. "Northaven Park is always bustling with activity," Hamer says. "It offers two tennis courts, a basketball court, two softball fields, sports fields (used for lacrosse and soccer practices), and a huge, shady area by Joe's Creek on the west side of the park that has a playground and picnic tables. Residents love to feed the turtles and fish in the creek."

Other recreation options include the Semones Family YMCA, the Northaven Trail, and We Rock the Spectrum indoor playground.

Galleria Dallas is nearby for more shopping and dining, as are the shops and restaurants at Preston Road and Forest Lane and Preston Road and Royal Lane.

Where to live
Northaven Park is known for large, beautiful lots — the average lot size in the neighborhood is just over a third of an acre. These generous lots offer plenty of privacy and spacious backyards that are perfect for children, dogs, pools, and entertaining.

"You'll find many ranch-style homes that were built in the 1960s and early '70s that average 2,500 to 3,000 square feet with three to four bedrooms," Hamer says. "However, we're also seeing a lot of new-builds and extensive renovations around the neighborhood."

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Libby Hamer lives, works, and plays in Northaven Park. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email lhamer@briggsfreeman.com, or call 817-875-6506.

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living single

Dallas lands among 10 most affordable U.S. metros for living alone

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In DFW, renters can afford to live solo.

Not everyone is cut out for living with roommates, but finding an affordable place to live alone can be tricky. Luckily, Dallas-Fort Worth sits among the top 10 most affordable U.S. metros for living by yourself, according to a new report.

Analysts at Apartments.com discovered North Texas renters spend the seventh lowest share of their monthly income on single-bedroom rent out of the 50 biggest metros in the U.S.

The study used a 30 percent "common budgeting guideline" to calculate the share of median renter household income spent on one-bedroom asking rents across the 50 largest U.S. metros, and determined renters can only afford to live alone in 24 of the 50 metros without crossing the 30 percent threshold.

The median annual income of a DFW renter household is $63,172, and the findings show the typical asking rent for a one-bedroom apartment comes out to $1,348 per month. The study determined single renters spend 25.6 percent of their monthly income on rent based on the budgeting suggestion.

Texas' favorable rental market also extends outside of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex: Austin surprised as the No. 1 most affordable metro for living alone, and San Antonio appeared among the top 10.

Austin renters spend the smallest share of their income on single-bedroom apartment rent, at 23.1 percent. That's based on a median renter household income of $70,008 and a $1,348 monthly one-bedroom asking rent price.

Dwindling rent prices and the prevalence of major tech employers are also attracting new renters, and the city has an 11.6 percent apartment vacancy rate.

"The average rent in Austin has decreased year over year, and construction of new housing increased by 30 percent over the past decade," the report's author wrote. "Tax incentives in Texas draw large tech corporations, like Google and Apple, to the Austin area, which has increased average wages, added more jobs to the local economy, and attracted renters in the process."

San Antonio ranked right above DFW in sixth place nationwide with solo renters spending 25.4 percent of their monthly income on single-bedroom rent, coincidentally the same share as single renters living in Raleigh, North Carolina and Salt Lake City, Utah.

This is the income and one-bedroom rent data in San Antonio:

$51,029 – median renter household income
$1,082 – one-bedroom monthly asking rent

A separate Apartments.com survey found 39 percent of U.S. adults would never feel comfortable living with a roommate, and 16 percent of renters would rather pay more in rent to live alone than consider living with a roommate.

"Factors contributing to lower rents may include recent high levels of construction, rising vacancy rates as renter demand catches up to supply, and fewer regulations, such as flexible zoning and lower development costs compared to other parts of the country," the report said. "Living alone has become a non-negotiable for many renters, and some renters are willing to make tradeoffs to afford this lifestyle."

The top 10 most affordable U.S. metros for living alone are:

No. 1 – Austin
No. 2 – Oklahoma City
No. 3 – Phoenix
No. 4 – Raleigh, North Carolina
No. 5 – Salt Lake City, Utah
No. 6 – San Antonio
No. 7 – Dallas-Fort Worth
No. 8 – Denver
No. 9 – Portland, Oregon
No. 10 – Columbus, Ohio

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