Middle/Upper-Middle Class Suburbs of Austin, TX (Spring, Lakeway: middle-class, renting)

[MovingAgain8657]

Hello, everyone. I'm new to this and new to Austin, TX as well.

Turns out we have to move in a month and still no clue where to live. I am looking for some area outside of downtown, Austin where it's middle-class TO upper-middle class where homes are about $400K.

Good school district for elementary to high school.
Quiet and safe but not too uppidy.
10-20 min commute from E Ben White Blvd(71) & I-35
Homes for 400K

I don't want to live too close to Austin or have to drive through it to go home from work.
Night life isn't important but I don't want to live in the middle of nowhere either.

Does anyone here know what town that would be? I'd appreciate your opinions.

Much thanks in advance.

[centralaustinite]

Going to be a little tough getting a home in that price range that feels "middle to upper class" so I'm reading more master planned and not a circa 1950 ranch in 78745 that now goes for $400K and is within 10-20 minutes of BenWhite/I35.

SW Austin is where you want to look, Travis Country, Circle C, Village of Western Oaks, will likely be a very competitive market in that price range. Could also possibly get something new in Buda or Kyle (straight south on 35).

Get a good realtor, also consider renting for a while before buying to make sure that what you want is really what you want.

[ashbeeigh]

10-20 from that location at rush hour will get you to the next exit. Nothing is 10-20 minutes in Austin in traffic. My 1.47 mile drive to work, without getting on the highway (but crossing under 35) can take 15 minutes if I hit traffic at 7am or a bit after 5pm.

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Going to be a little tough getting a home in that price range that feels "middle to upper class"

I'm kinda confused by that statement. A home that's $400k and up, especially in the suburban cities, will most certainly feel "middle to upper class". Even now, a $400k house is an expensive house. We're not talking about SoCal here, folks.

OP, maybe Dripping Springs? Lakeway? I'm from the northern suburbs so I don't know offhand the distance from those cities to your work location.

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Going to be a little tough getting a home in that price range that feels "middle to upper class" so I'm reading more master planned and not a circa 1950 ranch in 78745 that now goes for $400K and is within 10-20 minutes of BenWhite/I35.

SW Austin is where you want to look, Travis Country, Circle C, Village of Western Oaks, will likely be a very competitive market in that price range. Could also possibly get something new in Buda or Kyle (straight south on 35).

Get a good realtor, also consider renting for a while before buying to make sure that what you want is really what you want.

Your best bet will be SW Austin - probably pushes the 20 minutes, but it really isn't too bad to get from SW Austin to that location. There are some closer places, but schools ratings will go down. $400k will get you a passable (to smaller) house in Villages of Western Oaks and surrounding neighborhoods.

This sold for a bit below listed price (not sure exactly what final price):
https://www.trulia.com/property/3056...ustin-TX-78749

This one just went on the market a couple days ago:
https://www.trulia.com/property/3216...ustin-TX-78749

Drive is listed by google maps as 16-28 minutes during rush hour, which seems about accurate.

Those two houses are Mills > Gorzycki > Bowie, which are well rated schools. Also walking distance to the elementary school, grocery, and Escarpment Village (commercial stores).

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by riaelise

I'm kinda confused by that statement. A home that's $400k and up, especially in the suburban cities, will most certainly feel "middle to upper class". Even now, a $400k house is an expensive house. We're not talking about SoCal here, folks.

OP, maybe Dripping Springs? Lakeway? I'm from the northern suburbs so I don't know offhand the distance from those cities to your work location.

I was referring to homes fairly close to the intersection OP works at that are in the $400K price range but which are 1950 era 3/1s and look it. They are priced that high because of the underlying land value but many folks -- including my brother from out of state -- see a dumpy 60 year old ranch house and won't touch it. I was assuming that the OP doesn't want that either.

He can get a $400K house in Dripping Springs but it will take looonger in the am/pm to get to 35/71 than 20 minutes! Personally, I think OP should expand the commute parameters to 30-40 minutes, at least.

[James1457]

Onion Creek would fit. Golf course community, but watch out for homes in the 500 year flood plain. Same advice for anywhere else in Austin, really. It's about 10 minutes from your work location, and the elementary school is rated 10/10. The MS and HS are west of the I-35, and are not stellar, but OC is east of the highway, and will be getting it's own MS and HS with the Goodnight development.

[Mrs.JT]

Originally Posted by riaelise

I'm kinda confused by that statement. A home that's $400k and up, especially in the suburban cities, will most certainly feel "middle to upper class". Even now, a $400k house is an expensive house. We're not talking about SoCal here, folks.

OP, maybe Dripping Springs? Lakeway? I'm from the northern suburbs so I don't know offhand the distance from those cities to your work location.

True. And unless the OP edited the title, it says middle to "upper-middle,' so, basically, still middle class. Circle C and other southwest neighborhoods definitely qualify as middle/upper-middle.

[jonclegg]

I'll agree on SW Austin. I also don't think you will feed "middle upper class" at that price anywhere that close to central Austin. 1980s homes in solidly middle-class Austin that went for 250k 7 years ago go for 400k now. Same middle-class people live there now, just with a lot more value (and property tax) on their home.

Go out to dripping springs and some master planned stuff feels more upscale if that's what you are looking for.

[m1a1mg]

There is no way in the world the trip from DS takes 10-20 minutes.