Cedar Park/Round Rock/Pflugerville need suggestions please... (Austin: neighborhood, living)

[HappyTexan]

Originally Posted by love roses

I've been through just about every neighborhood in Round Rock and never gone through a gang and drug infested neighborhood. I came here from Park Hill and also Houston, and I've seen drug infested and gang infested neighborhoods. Round Rock has nothing nearly approaching either, at least in what my experience of "bad" neighborhood is. You could probably find drugs in any neighborhood in Austin, and not all of them are considered bad.

I said pockets. There is no area that I know of in RR that is gang and drug infested like you describe.

[jwb123]

Uhhh yeah... I think I would trust crime stats and police blotter information over that of a teenagers version of "word on the street"! I certainly wouldn't be posting it as fact to someone seeking relocation....

[HappyTexan]

I'm sorry to tell you guys but no city or town is utopia.

Ignore my post then and rely on your police stats.

[Grailmaiden]

Any feedback on Old Settlers Park Palm Valley?

[newrrmom]

I almost bought a home right in Old Settlers area and #1 reason I changed my mind was the school. I got feedback, that changed my mind quickly.
Some beg to differ, but just down the way on the 79 & Sunrise is a not so nice area, I would not let my children walk around alone there, I will put it that way.
I lived in a apartment in that area by HEB plus and the feel at the apartments was not was what I was looking for in life, to put it nicely. There was lots of problems in aparments, I did not feel comfortable after the first few days, when I took my kids to play ground when I first moved in, I never went back and those were 5-7 yrs. old playing, with not so good social skills to put it nicely.
There are many apartments in that area, so you will get some with a real transient type lifestyle. And most homes are rentals, which you will notice when you drive around area, the lack of care in some areas.
I know the prices look good, but there is a reason usually for this.
I would say rent first so you know it is the right place for you, SO glad I did.
GOOD LUCK!!!

[love roses]

When I think of "bad" neighborhood, I think of falling down homes, graffitti, groups of minority boys and men hanging out on the sidewalks, very little business around, burgler bars, no pride of ownership (little to no grass in the yards, chain link fences, pit bull or meaner looking dog chained up somewhere).

I drove through the neighborhood newrrmom is talking about, and I don't see that type of look. I'm NOT saying that the renters there aren't troublemakers because I know they can be, I'm just talking aesthetics here. The apartments are practically new and I guess in about 5 more years we'll see how bad it is, but my MIL lived near the beltway and 59 in Houston for a long time, and those apartments out there are what I think of when I think of "bad". Shootings every day, drug deals going on smack out in the open, people loitering everywhere even in the streets in front of the places, lowriders driving up and down, hip hop music booming everywhere, apartments with busted out windows and clotheslines strung up on the patios. I haven't seen or heard quite this level of trouble anywhere in Round Rock, even in the low income housing area near downtown.

I think "bad" is subjective, or based on personal experience most definitely. I see more of this type of thing in some areas close to the airport, some places just West of 35, and a little of it East near downtown Austin. Braker Lane area is another one that I get the "bad" feel of. Some parts of Oltorf, etc....

[newrrmom]

Once again just trying to help OP, so they don't end up in a neighborhood that she is not looking for. The apartments I lived at looked fine, (they were not the new ones), but what was inside was different!
I still believe that sunrise and 79 area, would not be a place most want to live with small children. So I am going to offer imput when needed to help another mom when possible.
ONCE again OP good luck!

[springbean]

Originally Posted by newrrmom

Once again just trying to help OP, so they don't end up in a neighborhood that she is not looking for. The apartments I lived at looked fine, (they were not the new ones), but what was inside was different!
I still believe that sunrise and 79 area, would not be a place most want to live with small children. So I am going to offer imput when needed to help another mom when possible.
ONCE again OP good luck!

I agree. I wouldn't live there with our without small kids. No, it's not the "ghetto" but it certainly isn't nice either.

[PfinallyInAustin]

Originally Posted by love roses

When I think of "bad" neighborhood, I think of falling down homes, graffitti, groups of minority boys and men hanging out on the sidewalks...

Why is it only when groups of "minority boys and men" hanging out that the neighborhood is bad? I must say, I take huge offense to that. Personally, if I see any group of people loitering, no matter their race, I get nervous. It's not only minorities like myself who get into trouble when they are bored and have nothing to do. I really encourage you to rethink your thought process on that. It doesn't matter if it's minorities or majorities, boys or girls. Loitering is bad... period! Please do not perpetuate this type of thinking here.

[love roses]

I actually thought about that after I wrote it, and didn't really mean it like they are the only people who ever loitered in the street or whatever, and I'm not a redneck rascist either (that was my dad;my mom spent lots of time countering it ) But, anyone familiar with the neighborhood I'm describing knows what I mean. I guess I should have noted that I only meant that particular neighborhood, not meant to mean in general that white people aren't ever loiterers (sp?) either.

And I never said anyone was wrong about the people living somewhere, just talking aesthetics. And, purely by Texas numbers (not U.S), as a white girl, I'm now a minority in Texas.

Sorry this went so off topic