TERAVISTA MOVE? Worried about schools there... (Austin, Round Rock: how much, houses, neighborhoods)

[elisab]

Hi there. We are moving to Austin from Western Canada and are, most likely, buying in Teravista (we have seen the area on 2 separate trips). Seems safe and the area offers affordable homes and great amenities. We have two young children, one going into grade 4 and the other too young for school. After researching online, Teravista Elementary seems to be a decent school but Hopewell MS and the HS do not get very good ratings. We are in the process of purchasing a home and do not want to make a mistake... Any advice about the schools or that area would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
PS- We debated buying in Cedar Park (more hills and a bit nicer to look at) but the prices were higher and to find all three levels of schools exemplary is difficult.

[mark311]

So I hadn't been to the Teravista website in a while, so I decided to take a look. We had considered buying in Teravista about 4 years ago. I found the below paragraph about the schools.

"Teravistaâ„¢ residents in Round Rock attend the onsite Teravista Elementary School, Hopewell Middle School and Stony Point High School, all part of Round Rock ISD while families in the Georgetown portion of Teravista attend Carver Elementary School and Pickett Elementary School, Tippit Middle School, and Georgetown High School - all part of Georgetown ISD."


Yes, Stony Point High School is the least desirable school in the area. Exemplary High Schools are hard to come by so that's not the issue. There are more social issues there as well that have been reported (fights, etc.) However, you still have 10 years and things could change during that time (Improvement, new high school, ,etc.)

Personally, I found it more disturbing that Centex homes are being built in Teravista now. I don't think that they were building in there 4 years ago. I wouldn't want a Centex home and I wouldn't buy into a neighborhood where Centex homes were still being built and sold. Sorry to be so negative, but there are many options within 5 miles of Teravista in almost every direction that are much better in my opinion.

[robino2001]

As I've said in here before, yes, Stony Point is the lower rated of the RRISD high schools - why...? because it pulls from the lowest financial areas of the district and has a greater number of minorities in the district, and therefore does not test as well as the others (though many are being rezoned). Would I have a problem with sending my children there when they're that age as the school is now - absolutely not. We've purchased in their zone and are looking to purchase again and those areas are either zoned for Stony or Cedar Ridge... and the school will not sway us one way or the other. As long as we're in RRISD, we're happy.

Test scores do not necessarily tell you everything - they tend to tell you how much the parents are involved in my opinion... you can get from a school for your child what you want to help put into it.

[Dr.Mom]

Originally Posted by robino2001

As I've said in here before, yes, Stony Point is the lower rated of the RRISD high schools - why...? because it pulls from the lowest financial areas of the district and has a greater number of minorities in the district, and therefore does not test as well as the others (though many are being rezoned). Would I have a problem with sending my children there when they're that age as the school is now - absolutely not. We've purchased in their zone and are looking to purchase again and those areas are either zoned for Stony or Cedar Ridge... and the school will not sway us one way or the other. As long as we're in RRISD, we're happy.

Test scores do not necessarily tell you everything - they tend to tell you how much the parents are involved in my opinion... you can get from a school for your child what you want to help put into it.

While I agree with you that kids get out of school what they put into it, not all people feel the same. Therefore, resale of a home in a lower rated school zone will be more difficult and you'll probably end up with less for the home. If you realize this going in and pay less originally for the home, that's fine but it is a consideration before purchasing a home.

[jobert]

Originally Posted by Dr.Mom

While I agree with you that kids get out of school what they put into it, not all people feel the same. Therefore, resale of a home in a lower rated school zone will be more difficult and you'll probably end up with less for the home. If you realize this going in and pay less originally for the home, that's fine but it is a consideration before purchasing a home.

First off - Why would someone pay for a 'good school' when they aren't getting one? Secondly, we don't have the wide socioeconomic chasm between homebuyers that we once had pre-2008 because we lack the financial tools to segregate ourselves as we had before.

Recent years had more people trying to squeeze into 350K+ neighborhoods that should have been in 250K neighborhoods in the first place. Now we have the bulk of people shifting to the 200-250K range, and these people come from all walks of life now. I think the stark contrasts between different parts of town are starting to blend now, as 300K+ housing market is dead, bringing those neighborhoods towards the median, and those parts of town now have to face a new reality of havign to share homebuyers with areas of town (many with newer housing) that had once been "less desirable" but are now becoming close relatives to one another. Those who can't afford the 350K houses they thought they could afford are now moving to the 250K neighborhoods, and bring the students with them that made the 350K neighborhoods justify the price because they had 'good schools' - oh sweet irony.

The biggest factor I would worry about is proximity of amenities. Those attract the higher-end homebuyer who brings the 'good students' needed for 'good schools'. There is a outlet type development a mile there, so resale should hold up relatively well. It won't ever be a silk-stocking district, but it won't turn into ghetto. If you want a better appreciation on your investment, I would look south of downtown for 3 reasons: 1. The proximity of new housing (within 9 mile of downtown Austin) 2. existing and upcoming major development. 3. rapidly improving schools (3 of the 4 "recognized' High School campuses in Austin are south of town). The property values in this part of the Austin metro has outperformed most every other area in Austin over the last 3 years, and will most likely continue to do so.

Anyhow, welcome to Austin.

[kasiem]

Across I-35 on the other side of Teravista is a subdivision called Sendero Springs. About the same price as Teravista, but all three schools are exemplary- cactus ranch elementary, walsh trails middle school, and round rock high school.

[mark311]

Originally Posted by kasiem

Across I-35 on the other side of Teravista is a subdivision called Sendero Springs. About the same price as Teravista, but all three schools are exemplary- cactus ranch elementary, walsh trails middle school, and round rock high school.

While that might have been true a few years ago, it isn't today. There are resale homes available in Teravista for $169K and according to the Teravista website, it appears that Centex is selling starter type homes for a base price of $156K. Sendero Springs has basically held its value, while I would be worried about Teravista personally. I wouldn't be surprised if the schools are contributing to this trend.

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by elisab

Hi there. We are moving to Austin from Western Canada

Welcome to the US.

and are, most likely, buying in Teravista (we have seen the area on 2 separate trips).

You've visited Austin twice w/o reasearching schools??

Seems safe

What does this mean?

and the area offers affordable homes and great amenities.

What does affordable mean (to you)?

Lots of neighborhoods in Austin offer cool amenities.

We have two young children, one going into grade 4 and the other too young for school. After researching online, Teravista Elementary seems to be a decent school but Hopewell MS and the HS do not get very good ratings. We are in the process of purchasing a home

What does "in the process" mean??

and do not want to make a mistake... Any advice about the schools or that area would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
PS- We debated buying in Cedar Park (more hills and a bit nicer to look at) but the prices were higher and to find all three levels of schools exemplary is difficult.

Where in Cedar Park?? (feeds into lots of different schools in two different districts)

Where will you work?

[jobert]

Originally Posted by mark311

While that might have been true a few years ago, it isn't today. There are resale homes available in Teravista for $169K and according to the Teravista website, it appears that Centex is selling starter type homes for a base price of $156K.

Wow, new construction priced below existing resale - ouch.

Welcome to the exurbs.

[mark311]

Originally Posted by jobert

Wow, new construction priced below existing resale - ouch.

Welcome to the exurbs.

Yes, of course those of us that have seen or experienced the lower quality of homes built by Centex or KB would opt for the better quality resale home. But, it can't be good for a cheap builder like Centex to start building in a neighborhood with a bunch of existing better quality built homes.