Need Help Selecting a Town (Austin, Round Rock: lease, HOA, lawyer)

[pgsulins]

]Hi Everyone,

My wife and I are looking to re-locate to the Austin area (just like everyone else) and of course have some questions. Our questions mainly pertain to selecting the correct town in which to move.

We will be starting a home based business, where customers would mainly come to us for the service that we will be offering. Therefore we are looking for a few things.

1. Affordable land - Less than $220,000 - Ideally we are looking for a small home (1600+ sq ft), at least 3 acres, and it has to be the type of property that allows horses.

2. Need to be within a 20 mile drive of as many people as possible. I realize we could find our dream house in the middle of no where, but we need people!

3. Need to be within a 20 mile drive of as many "wealthy" people as possible. Not wealthy as in "I never have to work a day in my life", but people with disposable income.

Georgetown has been in our heads, mainly due to its proximity to Round Rock and the affordable land. But, what other areas, in any direction, would work for the criteria I have laid out?


If there are any other factors that would could mention (such as traffic), please point that out.

Thank you all so much for any help you can provide, we are driving ourselves crazy.

Paul

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by pgsulins

]Hi Everyone,

My wife and I are looking to re-locate to the Austin area (just like everyone else) and of course have some questions. Our questions mainly pertain to selecting the correct town in which to move.

We will be starting a home based business, where customers would mainly come to us for the service that we will be offering. Therefore we are looking for a few things.

1. Affordable land - Less than $220,000 - Ideally we are looking for a small home (1600+ sq ft), at least 3 acres, and it has to be the type of property that allows horses.

2. Need to be within a 20 mile drive of as many people as possible. I realize we could find our dream house in the middle of no where, but we need people!

3. Need to be within a 20 mile drive of as many "wealthy" people as possible. Not wealthy as in "I never have to work a day in my life", but people with disposable income.

Georgetown has been in our heads, mainly due to its proximity to Round Rock and the affordable land. But, what other areas, in any direction, would work for the criteria I have laid out?


If there are any other factors that would could mention (such as traffic), please point that out.

Thank you all so much for any help you can provide, we are driving ourselves crazy.

Paul

Cedar park/leander out west on 1431 is also nice. Does your 220K price tag include the house or just the land?

[pgsulins]

Thanks for the advice, yes the $220 includes the home too. Are Cedar Park and Leander densly populated, or are they just within driving distance from other populated areas?

So far all of our research has been done online, I will be coming out to Austin this week to check it out first hand, but I greatly value the opinions of those who currently reside there.

[mimimomx3]

I think you should be careful about zoning and/or homeowner association rules about running a business from your home.

[pgsulins]

Zoing is a major issue. As we narrow our search to a few properties in a few areas, we are going to pass them on to a lawyer that handles these types of things. Definately a GREAT point, thanks.

[southaustingal]

I'm not sure you can get close enough to people with money on that kind of property for that money. Perhaps if it's a mobile home. I'm assuming you'd need shelter for the horses, too.

In the Dripping Springs area, it's hard to find that kind of property for less than $300K.

[Trainwreck20]

For that price, you will have to drive to find both density and higher disposable income. Georgetown is a very good place to look, it probably does have the highest average income for the property values...lots of commuting high tech workers, a university, and some old money (via Tx Crushed Stone and G'twon RR, among others). However, all the density will be to the south, very littel N, E, or W.

Buda or Kyle are a possibilities, as well, or maybe Bastrop. Not as much local money, but within distance of south Austin money and possible some in San Marcos/NB area. This area may densify faster than the G'twon area.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by pgsulins

]Hi Everyone,

My wife and I are looking to re-locate to the Austin area (just like everyone else) and of course have some questions. Our questions mainly pertain to selecting the correct town in which to move.

We will be starting a home based business, where customers would mainly come to us for the service that we will be offering. Therefore we are looking for a few things.

1. Affordable land - Less than $220,000 - Ideally we are looking for a small home (1600+ sq ft), at least 3 acres, and it has to be the type of property that allows horses.

2. Need to be within a 20 mile drive of as many people as possible. I realize we could find our dream house in the middle of no where, but we need people!

3. Need to be within a 20 mile drive of as many "wealthy" people as possible. Not wealthy as in "I never have to work a day in my life", but people with disposable income.

Georgetown has been in our heads, mainly due to its proximity to Round Rock and the affordable land. But, what other areas, in any direction, would work for the criteria I have laid out?


If there are any other factors that would could mention (such as traffic), please point that out.

Thank you all so much for any help you can provide, we are driving ourselves crazy.

Paul

Did a quick search Moderator cut: realtor site and it came up with a just a few that meet your criteria. There is one in leander for example that is south of 1431 for 225K that has 5.4 acres and 2400 sq ft.

There are a couple more in del valle and a couple in kyle/buda.

[TX-Griff]

Without being more specific re: WHAT your home-based business is, and if NW Austin is your preference, you'll likely want to look in the Leander-Liberty Hill areas to avoid restrictive covenants preventing undue "traffic." There's still land/homes that aren't attached to a subdivision in these areas.

Georgetown would work, too... but be really, really careful about their zoning laws, too. They get pretty picky pretty quickly.

Of course, it all depends on how MANY customers you'd expect to see on a day-to-day basis and what service you're offering... a customer or two every day or two and a service that doesn't make undue noise/trash might well be allowed, whereas a welding shop or a warehouse operation wouldn't.

I have friends right off CR-175 (on the "other" side of 1431 from Sam Bass Rd., in Cedar Park) who own horses and lease space in their horse barn to other horse owners... they're in a "horsey" sorta subdivision that ensures there's enough land so one neighbor's livestock doesn't bother another's.

TX-Griff

[FoxClover]

May I suggest visiting Sundance Ranch in the Liberty Hill area. We have a HOA but a re quite casual about businesses unless you are planning the type of traffic caused by a taxi stand . Liberty Hill Sundance Ranch POA - sundanceranch.org