After more than a decade in Dallas, Cindy and Jeff Gilliland looked for a new single-story house in Denton, Texas. Jonathan Zizzo for The New York Times

When Cindy and Jeff Gilliland were raising their two sons in the Mid-Cities area between Dallas and Fort Worth, they longed for that proverbial village that it takes to raise children.

“Having family in the same town as us would have been a game changer,” said Mr. Gilliland, 69. “My folks only lived 35 minutes away from us at the time, but it was just far enough to be a pain in the neck.” (Ms. Gilliland’s parents lived in Connecticut.)

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The couple managed without the dream village, and when their sons became adults, they moved to the bustle of Dallas. They loved it.

Ten years later, in the summer of 2024, their eldest son called and asked his parents to move to Denton, a satellite city 40 miles north. Scott Gilliland, 38, and his wife, Raegan, 41, had been assigned as co-lead pastors at the First United Methodist Church of Denton, and had three children under the age of 10. They wanted the village that Mr. and Mrs. Gilliland never had.

“We wanted to help,” said Ms. Gilliland, 65.

But it was a different playing field this time. Since 2020, as Dallas has sprawled outward, Denton County’s population has exploded, surpassing 1 million residents in 2023.

“It’s positioned where I-35 splits between Dallas and Fort Worth, which, depending on traffic, are both about 45 minutes away,” said their agent, Susan Cooksey of Century 21. “There’s a lot of activity, which means there’s a lot of employment,” she continued, noting that prices “shot up” in 2022 before receding as interest rates rose.

Last year, Ms. Cooksey took the couple to see several homes in the Denton area. They wanted a single-level house close to their grandchildren’s home, with at least three bedrooms and either a pool or a lot big enough to put one in. They had about $600,000 to spend. “Pools are a grandkid magnet,” said Ms. Gilliland.

Ms. Cooksey found a few houses that met most of that criteria in the Southridge neighborhood, known for its distinctive spiral street pattern and ranch homes. “It’s a really unique-looking Texas neighborhood,” said Mr. Gilliland. “Not a whole lot of homes go on the market there.”

Among their options:

No. 1

Updated Four-Bedroom With Big Yard

Jonathan Zizzo for The New York Times

This updated four-bedroom, three-bath home from 1975 sat on a 0.35-acre lot that was large enough to add a pool. The 2,656-square-foot house featured terracotta floors, vaulted ceilings and a brick fireplace in the living room. The renovated eat-in kitchen had an island and a separate peninsula with a built-in cooktop. Much of the midcentury wood paneling had been painted over by the sellers. Out back, there was a covered pergola with a built-in grill, a shed and an attached two-car garage. The house was a few blocks from the grandchildren and steps away from a huge park. The asking price was $515,000, with annual taxes of about $7,850.

Stag Residential

No. 2

Midcentury Details on a Large Lot

Jonathan Zizzo for The New York Times

A few blocks away, this four-bedroom, 3.5-bath brick home sat on a 0.42-acre corner lot. Built in 1964, the 2,839-square-foot house had some original details, including built-in glass-front cabinets, a brick fireplace and hearth, wood paneling, and wood-beam ceilings in the dated eat-in kitchen. Recent updates included new carpeting in the bedrooms and a new HVAC system. A stylish brick-floored family room had glass doors leading out to a covered patio, an attached two-car garage and a wraparound driveway that took up a lot of space, leaving little room for a pool. The price was $565,000, with annual taxes of about $6,037.

Century 21

No. 3

Fixer-Upper With a Pool

Jonathan Zizzo for The New York Times

This three-bedroom, 4.5-bath home from 1972 was the closest to their grandchildren’s home. The 3,246-square-foot house had a floorplan centered around an outdoor courtyard fountain, which was accessed from the living area, garden room and primary bedroom. The kitchen had been updated, and the living room featured floors in travertine stone and a vaulted ceiling. The property, on 0.34 acres, came with an in-ground pool and a treehouse in the backyard — but it also had significant foundation and plumbing issues that would be costly to address. It was being sold off-market by its owners for $575,000, with annual taxes of about $10,000.

Find out what happened next by answering these two questions:

Which Would You Choose?

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Updated Four-Bedroom With Big Yard

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Midcentury Details on a Large Lot

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Fixer-Upper With a Pool

Which Did They Buy?

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Updated Four-Bedroom With Big Yard

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Midcentury Details on a Large Lot

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Fixer-Upper With a Pool