Is it possible to be near Austin for about $250k? (Pflugerville: for sale, houses)

[Robb44]

Hi.. My wife and I would ideally like to live close to the city, but not in all the traffic. Here is what we are looking for:

- a property with a max of about $250k
- some elbow room (maybe up to 1/2 acre lot)
- we DO NOT MIND driving into Austin from 15 to 20 minutes outside the city in any direction
- somewhere family friendly
- a community that is not isolated, but not in the hustle-bustle of the city

Coming from the west coast, where lot sizes can be 0.2 acres, and smaller, we really want some space on the next place we live. It does not matter where around Austin this will be, as the quality of the place is higher importance than the traffic at this point in our lives. Can you help us with some suggestions? Thanks

[TexasHorseLady]

It's possible - the hardest part is going to be the 15 to 20 minutes. But a quick MLS search using the basic criteria you gave turns up houses currently for sale in Hutto, Manchaca, Pflugerville, Buda, Manor, Spicewood, and a couple of other communities for $250,000 or less with from 1/2 to 2-1/2 acres. Now, most of these are not going to be 15-20 minutes from downtown Austin - that's not going to happen. But you can find something that far from Austin in any direction, it looks like. This is a search for a basic 3-2 with no other requirements than price and doing a circle map search. Spicewood would probably be the most isolated of these.

[ScoPro]

Most of the new developments in that price range in the 'burbs around Austin seem to consist of 6,000 sq.ft. lots, some smaller, some larger. A few of the older neighborhoods closer in can have large 1/2 acre lots, but that will probably double the asking price, as a guess.
THL is spot on about the travel time.

[ericsami]

By the City I assume you mean the City Center (Downtown Austin).

if so no 15-20 minutes is not likely to get a sizable lot with 250K.

now by 15-20 minutes I assumed you meant rush-hour traffic.

if so you should look into southwest austin still that still have some undeveloped room.

That Brings SouthWest Parkway, Part of OakHill. also Slaughter lane from Brodie Lane to Manchaca There are some large lots of available.

[Tralfaz]

Just east of Del Valle on 71 may be a place to look (Garfield/Wyldwood), though if you go just over the county line to Bastrop Co. your taxes should be rather lower.

[Dog_Gone]

Originally Posted by Tralfaz

Just east of Del Valle on 71 may be a place to look (Garfield/Wyldwood), though if you go just over the county line to Bastrop Co. your taxes should be rather lower.

Taxes are not any less expensive in Bastrop Co.

[riaelise]

Pflugerville. However, if your definition of "Austin" is downtown, it will take 40-45 minutes. If your definition of Austin is merely the Austin city limits and North Austin, then all of the suburban cities aren't very far at all.

I don't really go into Austin all that much and if I do, I am in North Austin (Lakeline) area.

[tfresca]

Originally Posted by riaelise

Pflugerville. However, if your definition of "Austin" is downtown, it will take 40-45 minutes. If your definition of Austin is merely the Austin city limits and North Austin, then all of the suburban cities aren't very far at all.

I don't really go into Austin all that much and if I do, I am in North Austin (Lakeline) area.

Forty-five minutes under optimal conditions. The window for optimal conditions is getting smaller and smaller these days. I've seen I35 be a parking lot at 3:30 p.m. You have enough cash you can get a nice place but you will have to commute and be ready to buy almost sight unseen. There appears to be little room to negotiate here anymore.

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by tfresca

Forty-five minutes under optimal conditions. The window for optimal conditions is getting smaller and smaller these days. I've seen I35 be a parking lot at 3:30 p.m. You have enough cash you can get a nice place but you will have to commute and be ready to buy almost sight unseen. There appears to be little room to negotiate here anymore.

If you take 685/Cameron Rd., it is still about 45 minutes, give or take. Traffic has increased but this route still is relatively painless, barring wrecks, of course.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by Robb44

Hi.. My wife and I would ideally like to live close to the city, but not in all the traffic. Here is what we are looking for:

- a property with a max of about $250k
- some elbow room (maybe up to 1/2 acre lot)
- we DO NOT MIND driving into Austin from 15 to 20 minutes outside the city in any direction
- somewhere family friendly
- a community that is not isolated, but not in the hustle-bustle of the city

Coming from the west coast, where lot sizes can be 0.2 acres, and smaller, we really want some space on the next place we live. It does not matter where around Austin this will be, as the quality of the place is higher importance than the traffic at this point in our lives. Can you help us with some suggestions? Thanks

if you go east/southeast of austin then definitely.

There are always 10-20 acre ranchettes for 150k (no house). not too long ago (maybe 6-7 years i think) I bought 20 acres 6 miles from downtown for 100K.

I still watch from time to time and see deals pop up. Right now there isnt much, but there are maybe 6-7 properties in del valle and decker lake that are roughly 12 miles from downtown in the 3-4 acre range with a house for under 250. Use redfin.com to find properties using a map. Then use google maps to see the drive time to downtown.