Forest Oaks? (Houston, Austin, Cedar Park: apartment, HOA, crime)

[collin16]

Hi, we just arrived here from Houston. My husband started his job and we are in corporate housing. 2 kids, 2 adults and a cat in an apartment are not a good thing
We found a house on antelope ridge, in Forest Oaks. We are leaving our house in houston, and hated how everyone parked on the streets and you ended up playing mario kart to get home. We noticed there were cars on the street here. Is it random or all the time? Plus, will we hear the train all the time? The road is far enough we didn't hear it, but saw there was a train. Is it a very kid friendly neighborhood? We also found a house in buttercup creek, but it was a bit more... We really like the one in forest oaks
Thanks!

[CptnRn]

Took me a while to find that, Forest Oaks, Cedar Park, TX. I don't know a lot about that area as I live almost 30 miles south of there, but it is generally considered a good place for families to live. Yes it is very common for people to park their cars on the street in Austin and the area. Even though our HOA has a rule prohibiting it, it is difficult to enforce as APD says it is perfectly legal.

I hope your husband works in the area as he will not enjoy the commute into downtown Austin during rush hour, unless it is convenient for him to ride the train.

[10scoachrick]

Good news and bad news. Antelope Ridge is a bit of a main road and is wider than many of the other streets in Forest Oaks. As such, even with cars parked on both sides there are two clear lanes for traffic. The 'Gargle Maps' shot I pulled up shows vehicles all over the place; but there appears to be something going on at the school...festival perhaps? The houses along there are set back enough that cars parked in the driveways don't 'hang out' over the sidewalk, thank goodness. I don't think Antelope Ridge would be a bad street for parking(unless the 'festivals' go on daily ).

You will surely hear the rumble of the trains(commuter by day, freight by night), but I can't imagine they need to sound their horns along there(odd crossing at BMC Drive). If 183A is a main artery for you, that location is golden. Instant access to the Brushy Creek Trail, also. Depending on your commute needs, Buttercup Creek is a bit more 'buried', with more neighborhood traffic to deal with on the way in or out(depending on the actual house location, of course). Lots of small playgrounds/parks in that neighborhood.

Can you give the location of hubby's workplace? Could make a difference.

[collin16]

He's doing the drive right now from out apt, and it's not bad. He will be at 6300 Bee Cave rd. He doesn't mind the drive, as we are coming here from Houston, and he communted nearly 1 1/2 hours with all of our horrible traffic.
Our kids are 10 and 13, so they know better than a small child about playing in the street. We had trains a few miles from us back home, and they blew their horns, and you could hear them 3 miles away. So i guess if they don't blow the horns it wouldn't be bad?
I just want somewhere the kids can have friends, and is safe. The crime was getting bad in the suburbs near Houston.. Your news is alot less scary than ours!

[10scoachrick]

Well, it's "only" 20 miles or so. As long as 183 and 360 are running smoothly, it's not the worst commute in Austin. The transition to/from 183 to 360 and reverse look a little like fire drills, so it's not all smooth sailing. Depending on the time of day, the stretch of 183 between Duval and points south can be slow and go.

Depending on your price range, the western neighborhoods of Avery Ranch might work for you. There's even some new construction as well as homes only 1-2 years old(oldest section is 10 years). Schools are good and Avery has multiple amenities centers with pools and play areas. Easy access to 183 for Hubby's commute.

[jd411]

We live in Silver Oak, which is the same HOA as Forest Oak.

We really like the area. I have never heard the train once and our home is on South Gadwall towards the front of the development.

The car parking on street thing doesnt really seem enforced, but on any given day or night I really dont notice many cars parked on the street.

Avery Ranch and Ranch at Brushy Creek are some other nearby developments with some great options as well.

Tough to go wrong with many of the developments in this area. Good schools, lots of price options, family oriented, many parks and for me, super easy access to 183 for my commute.

Sent from my PantechP9070 using Tapatalk 2

[collin16]

Thank you all for your help and replies! We went and saw the house and absolutely love it. The house is zoned to schools I was looking for too. So I think we will go for it. Thank you again for the honest opinions!