Stores and restaurants in Leander (Austin, Cedar Park: real estate market, apartments, rent)

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by andrewtodd3

I think if we end up going downtown for a nightout we'll end up just staying in a hotel. 50 minutes on a metro seems hard work when you're going out.

Does no one have any opinions on Rocky Creek, Highpointe and Reunion Ranch?

Do before you have kids! Hiring a babysitter for overnight get extremely pricey (or just impossible). Good luck.

For me, Austin falls away past the intersection of 183/360, those big master-planned communities are all just myth to me.

[TexasHorseLady]

There are options for dining that are a shortish drive from Crystal Falls (short by Texas standards, anyway - but I've been known to drive to Houston and back for a day of lunch and shopping). Georgetown has The Hollow, Ruby K's, Wildfire, Gumbos, Monument Cafe (with the Monument Market right behind it), and more. Round Rock has Jack Allen's Kitchen, French Quarter Grille, and others. As someone said, Dahlia Cafe in Liberty Hill is absolutely worth a visit (though not so much for breakfast - dinner, though, and lunch have been wonderful on my visits).

[ImOnFiya]

To be honest at a price point of $500k, I'd buy in central Austin and call it a day!

I'd hate for you to move to the suburbs only to move into the central city because you feel so disconnected. I noticed your earlier post about trying to grow up. However, one of the first things you learn being an adult is who you are, but I think most important, who you are not.

I believe you are struggling to reconcile this move. You can have a perfectly good custom or resale home in central for $500k with more than enough room for the kids. You are no good as a spouse or a parent if you are dying spiritually in a suburban wasteland. Your spouse should have known who they were marrying. So, with that said, I'd only have price as a qualification and find a home that works for you - and your family!

[A-Tex]

Originally Posted by RoadWarrior12

But yes, both of the schools mentioned above are definitely on the mediocre side.

That's mighty charitable of you.

[RoadWarrior12]

Originally Posted by A-Tex

That's mighty charitable of you.

I've seen some schools that would make those look like a land of opportunity.

[mamacatnv]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

There are options for dining that are a shortish drive from Crystal Falls (short by Texas standards, anyway - but I've been known to drive to Houston and back for a day of lunch and shopping). Georgetown has The Hollow, Ruby K's, Wildfire, Gumbos, Monument Cafe (with the Monument Market right behind it), and more. Round Rock has Jack Allen's Kitchen, French Quarter Grille, and others. As someone said, Dahlia Cafe in Liberty Hill is absolutely worth a visit (though not so much for breakfast - dinner, though, and lunch have been wonderful on my visits).

Ohhhh thanks for the restaurant links the Monument Café just moved up our list, we love to go out for breakfast!

I've only been to Dahlias for breakfast once and we enjoyed it moreso than most of the breakfast places we have tried in the area. We have been for dinner twice and I agree that their dinner is outstanding, reasonably priced good old fashioned comfort food.

[centralaustinite]

Regarding the schools, Pillow ES is exemplary and has been for a long long time. And at the moment anyway, AISD's transfer policy is very liberal, I know several families who got great, fully re-done houses with big yards in Allandale Estates for well under the OP's price point, they have transferred their kids in Lamar for MS, now a highly desirable school, and then they expect to use AISDs magnet or Academy options for high school.

If you are in AISD, you have a lot of options besides whatever school you are tracked to.

[10scoachrick]

None of this central chatter addresses the OP's request in his second post:

"Moving from San Diego we really want to live somewhere a bit hilly"

[andrewtodd3]

I think I may have misrepresented my feelings about the move. I fine with the fact that our lives will completely change when we have children and are very excited at the thought of buying a new home in Austin. Every person I grew up has traded in nightclubs for golf.

Downtown Austin is no cheaper than San Diego downtown. The housing 15 miles out is not much cheaper than it is 15 miles in from the San Diego coast. Austin appeals because we can get a that we've always dreamed of if we accept that we won't be surrounded by bars and restaurants. If we can't get that house then we really need to question whether leaving San Diego is the best idea.

We definitely wouldn't be happy living in an unsocial community but from what I have read on here there are lots of new communities where the people are extremely friendly and there are lots of things to do. I already had concerns about whether Crystal Falls could offer that before I started this thread and certainly do now. The people that love it seem to have older children whereas we'd just be starting a family.

I really do appreciate all of the feed back. It's left we with so much to think about.

[mamacatnv]

Originally Posted by andrewtodd3

I think I may have misrepresented my feelings about the move. I fine with the fact that our lives will completely change when we have children and are very excited at the thought of buying a new home in Austin. Every person I grew up has traded in nightclubs for golf.

Downtown Austin is no cheaper than San Diego downtown. The housing 15 miles out is not much cheaper than it is 15 miles in from the San Diego coast. Austin appeals because we can get a that we've always dreamed of if we accept that we won't be surrounded by bars and restaurants. If we can't get that house then we really need to question whether leaving San Diego is the best idea.

We definitely wouldn't be happy living in an unsocial community but from what I have read on here there are lots of new communities where the people are extremely friendly and there are lots of things to do. I already had concerns about whether Crystal Falls could offer that before I started this thread and certainly do now. The people that love it seem to have older children whereas we'd just be starting a family.

I really do appreciate all of the feed back. It's left we with so much to think about.

The best advice I would give you is: You need to come see it, feel it and check it out for yourself. Since your budget is high and you seem to have a lot of options and flexibility, I'd rent something for a few months, get the lay of the land before you plop down some serious cash in an unknown geographical area.

When we first moved here, we were out in the hill country near where I work. We had never been and didn't have the time to scope things out, we just came. Thank Goodness we leased and did not buy. We spent our first year here looking around, getting a feel etc. We decided Leander/Cedar Park was our best fit and we have no regrets but you really do need to "feel" the area. We learned country living was not for us and at the same time we had no desire to be in the center of the city.