Family Neighborhood $500-$700k w/ decent commute to North Austin (Round Rock: for sale, house)

[TexasHorseLady]

Walkability along with everything else is going to be tricky. I'd say TeraVista but the parts that are closest to having that aren't going to have the very best rated schools. Forest Creek in Round Rock is a possibility, and oddly enough, Berry Creek in Georgetown might be close to having everything you want, including a half hour or less commute to that intersection. Not walkable to everything, but a very short drive to grocery, shopping, parks, etc., with a golf course right smack dab in the middle of it all.

[Hyena]

Originally Posted by Hoffy99

Ok, thanks. I'll take a look at that Great Hills.

Would Steiner Ranch to MoPac/Howard be an awful commute?

Yes. Very - it would also hit VERY few of your points.

Steiner Would have 4 courses nearby. UT Golf Club $$$$$, Twin Creeks and River Place, mostly private ($$$) and Falconhead public, but meh and $$.

Oh, and it would be an hour at least.

The cost of membership at pretty much any course in Austin is extremely reasonable, or just figure on daily rate play and the GolfNow app. I've done the math, if you play 4X per month or less, just stick with GolfNow and play all over the place, and there are a ton of options on the north side (Star/Avery/Teravista/Twin Creeks/Georgetown, just to name a few good ones)

Using 1/4 acre as a lot minimum, you'll probably find your best options in 78717, 78750 and 78759 ZIPs (at least based on inventory right now)

50 and 59 will give a better commute, should you end up downtown

[mesmer]

I would definitely look at the area around the Balcones Country Club. If you pick the right house, he could take Spicewood Springs, which turns into McNeil, which turns into Howard. It should be a low stress commute - no highways. We used to know some people that way who had somewhat flat land and a view, but I'd bet those houses are hard to snag.

That's your first lesson about the Austin area, by the way. Just because a road has one name, don't assume it won't change halfway through. Corollary - just because a road has one name, don't assume it doesn't also have 1-3 other names it goes by as well.

[mesmer]

Originally Posted by Hoffy99

We are looking for 3000+ sq ft

How is the commute from Northwest Hills to downtown in case I found a job there? Or is it better to focus my job search on the Northwest area as well?

Fact you should consider: One of the main commuter train stations to downtown is at... Mopac and Howard. I can't tell you what to do with this info, but it's one of those factors you should know about.

[mesmer]

Originally Posted by Hoffy99

I'm not sure re: public or private courses. Here in Chicago private memberships can be upward of 100k so we never considered them. If they are much less in Austin maybe it's something we would look into bit I'm more of s community pool vs country club kind of person.

Quick googling led to this: Austin Golf Course Homes - View Courses and Communities - Golf Homes Real Estate Search Engine for Central Texas Golf New Homes

It looks like as of 2009 in Austin the typical membership is $300-500 per month. Initiation can vary quite a lot more but the link includes ballpark figures for those.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by Hoffy99

Ok, thanks. I'll take a look at that Great Hills.

Would Steiner Ranch to MoPac/Howard be an awful commute?

yes completely ridiculous.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by Hoffy99

We are looking for 3000+ sq ft

How is the commute from Northwest Hills to downtown in case I found a job there? Or is it better to focus my job search on the Northwest area as well?

northwest hills to downtown is going to be one of the best commutes. Probably 30 minutes max during rush hour. about 10 minutes with no traffic.

Great hills adds another 10 minutes.

If you can live with a smaller house in the 2500-2800 range (still 4br, but less square ft) then northwest hills is doable.

some of great hills feeds into AISD and the schools are some of the best AISD schools (hill, murchison, anderson)

Some of great hills feeds into laurel mountain, canyon vista, westwood which is possibly the best school chain in the area.

[tickledpink]

I'd possibly add Twin Creeks, which is in southwest Cedar Park, to your list. I lived there with my parents several years ago before I finished college. It's in Leander ISD which is a very good school district. You're looking at a 30min commute to Round Rock, but half that if you are willing to take the toll road.

There are grocery stores, parks, coffee shops less than 2 miles away.

[Austin-HomeGirl]

You might also want to look at Avery Ranch. Good schools, reasonable commute to Howard/Mopac . Most of Austin is low on the walkability score but there are coffee shops etc. in the area. There are several neighborhoods in Avery Ranch with varying sized yards, sq ft and views

[Hoffy99]

Thank you all for your great feedback! This is going to make our house hunting trip much more productive.