Convenience vs commute (Austin, Spring, Sparks: renting, condo, new home)

[schubesandiego]

Bit of a dilemma - our kids will be in private school for the next 5-7 years off of Far West Blvd & Mopac - we love the outskirts, topography and new homes, however we are not loving the commute. Any suggestions on commute times?? We've been to the steiners, belterras, avery ranches, etc...
If the commute time is difficult up to 4 x's a day (dropping kids off and picking up) I'd love to get some suggestions on the surrounding areas of the school (far west blvd & mopac)? Looking for nice communities, with appreciation and worth investing to fix it up - assuming it's a resell home Not sure what is out there. Been to two different older communities that were nice but older homes from the '70s - Spicewood Springs & 183 as well as Braker Lane between Metric & Lamar..
Ideally less than $350,000!!!

[Trainwreck20]

Hmmm....my guess would be St. Theresa's, but there are a couple of private schools in that area .

Anyway, there are several neighborhoods right around the MoPac/FW area that will be very good apreciating properties (imho). I have a co-worker who sent their kids to St. Theresa's and lived in a condo nearby for 13 (?) years. The condo has appreciated nicely over that period of time (mostly in the recent years) and they are now moving out to Jester Estates and renting the condo out.

A little further away, look at the Balcones woods and Angus Valley area. You will probably get a little more house for your money there. How big a house are you looking for? Most of the houses anywhere very close will be older, but there are some houses in the great hills area are newer (and, of course, more expensive).

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by schubesandiego

Bit of a dilemma - our kids will be in private school for the next 5-7 years off of Far West Blvd & Mopac - we love the outskirts, topography and new homes, however we are not loving the commute. Any suggestions on commute times?? We've been to the steiners, belterras, avery ranches, etc...
If the commute time is difficult up to 4 x's a day (dropping kids off and picking up) I'd love to get some suggestions on the surrounding areas of the school (far west blvd & mopac)? Looking for nice communities, with appreciation and worth investing to fix it up - assuming it's a resell home Not sure what is out there. Been to two different older communities that were nice but older homes from the '70s - Spicewood Springs & 183 as well as Braker Lane between Metric & Lamar..
Ideally less than $350,000!!!

I'd say the optimal location for you would be Westover Hills -- and you might still be able to find something under 350K. Pretty rare, though, and who knows for how long? It's basically the area N of Spicewood Springs, W of Mopac and East of 360. Definitely worth fixing up a place there, if you can get a deal for something that needs remodeling. You could take your kids to school without getting on any highway -- just take Mesa Drive to Far West. The other areas around it, Northwest Hills, Highland Hills, Cat Mountain, Lakewood, etc (and even Great Hills on the other side of 360) are probably all over 350K.

If you don't mind a little older area, Allandale would also be very close (just E of Mopac, N of 2222) and would probably require no driving on any highway to drop off at Far West (just maybe a little bit of the Mopac access road). There are places there (smaller) for under $350K, also worth fixing up.

Other than those, the next best things would require a bit of a highway commute... Balcones Woods, Oak Forest, Northern part of Great Hills, Angus Valley, etc.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by schubesandiego

Bit of a dilemma - our kids will be in private school for the next 5-7 years off of Far West Blvd & Mopac - we love the outskirts, topography and new homes, however we are not loving the commute. Any suggestions on commute times?? We've been to the steiners, belterras, avery ranches, etc...
If the commute time is difficult up to 4 x's a day (dropping kids off and picking up) I'd love to get some suggestions on the surrounding areas of the school (far west blvd & mopac)? Looking for nice communities, with appreciation and worth investing to fix it up - assuming it's a resell home Not sure what is out there. Been to two different older communities that were nice but older homes from the '70s - Spicewood Springs & 183 as well as Braker Lane between Metric & Lamar..
Ideally less than $350,000!!!

I live close to that area, but Moderator cut: realtor site I see that there are a number of houses under 350K south of 183 at each of the exits past 360. Those are older neighborhoods but they are well located. They arent quite in great hills though, but the location is effectively the same.

Closer in, east of mopac by northcross mall there are quite a number of smaller houses under 350K. On a $/sq ft basis they are pretty pricey (~200/sq ft) but I think this is an area that is very nicely close in so will go up in value.

[mimimomx3]

Closer in, east of mopac by northcross mall there are quite a number of smaller houses under 350K. On a $/sq ft basis they are pretty pricey (~200/sq ft) but I think this is an area that is very nicely close in so will go up in value.

There is a hotly contested Walmart going into that area soon- don't know if that matters to you, but there is alot of controversy about it. There are several activists (neighborhood and not) who are suing the city over it. Some say that Walmart will bring down the value of that neighborhood. Austinist: Northcross Mall Renovation Idea Sparks Outrage Among Local Residents

[fil]

Can you afford a little more?

In the area you're looking, check Treebend Drive in 78750...it's a sweet neighborhood. The bad commute is between McNeil and N.Capital of Texas and it's not a big deal, then smooth sailing.

In your price range, there a some nice places on Cassia and Yaupon. Go for a drive or use homecity and map 1-3 miles in that area.

Balcones was too old for us and too 1970's.