Non "cookie cutter" communities on lot w/trees.. (Houston: neighborhood, purchase)

[HappyTexan]

Try Taylor..a bit more east but with Texas 130 the travel time is not that bad.

Taylor TX - Official Website

[verybadgnome]

I don't know about Taylor unless they really want to be removed from the goings-on in Austin. Interesting though that you need a certificate in order to purchase mixed drinks in restaurants there. Perhaps a holdover from Prohibition?

I can't help you with the lot size but as for the trees if you look at any of the older (30+ years) developments you should fine established trees as long as the oak wilt didn't get them. Very few of the new developments preserve any of the trees on the lots, but just as many of these areas only had shrub-type growth anyway........I do agree with you as to some of the new subdivision going in really do looking hideous. The combination of a bloated wannabe McMansion with few architectural details on a tiny lot with a tiny sapling supported by a couple of cables. Hey no one has ever gone broke underestimating the taste of the American public.......

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

Hey no one has ever gone broke underestimating the taste of the American public.......[/quote]

verybadgnome! There you go...blaming the americans again!

[jobert]

Originally Posted by rogramjet

I would suggest immediately east of I35, south of the Mueller Development and north of Manor Road. The areas are called French Place, Cherrywood, and Delwood II. Beautiful older homes, lots of mature trees, and some are on very large lots (maybe not quite an acre). I just bought a restored home built in the 40's on a 10,000 sq. ft. lot for under $300K. And I'm single digit minutes from downtown and UT. Best neighborhoods in Austin for the money, location, scenery, and charm in my opinion.

I concur. Newcomers to the forum asking for large lots are repeatedly told to move 40 miles north of town to places like Georgetown and Round Rock. I don't understand the facination with Dallas-like (city of 4 million)commutes some enjoy in this town (city of 1 million). I recommend getting in on the near east side while you can still get acrage for relatively inexpensive prices. You'll be happy you did 5-10 years from now.

[love roses]

I don't know about Taylor unless they really want to be removed from the goings-on in Austin. Interesting though that you need a certificate in order to purchase mixed drinks in restaurants there. Perhaps a holdover from Prohibition?


That's not true.

[love roses]

Originally Posted by jobert

I concur. Newcomers to the forum asking for large lots are repeatedly told to move 40 miles north of town to places like Georgetown and Round Rock. I don't understand the facination with Dallas-like (city of 4 million)commutes some enjoy in this town (city of 1 million). I recommend getting in on the near east side while you can still get acrage for relatively inexpensive prices. You'll be happy you did 5-10 years from now.

I'd agree with that too, and I live NE. But, when we were in Denver, we did see that happen. People said, "NOOO, Don't move to that neighborhood (Park Hill) and there were some other areas around downtown that people tried to steer others away from. A few years later suddenly those areas skyrocketed and were in hot demand. We were surprised at how quickly it happened.

[TexasHorseLady]

I don't recommend the near east side (French Place, Cherrywood, etc.) if someone is looking for an acre or more because, in my experience, there are precious few available in that size there. For example, of the 21 houses currently on the MLS in Delwood, French Place, and Cherrywood, none have a lot of half an acre or larger, and 2 have lots that are between a quarter and a third of an acre.

French Place has been "desirable" for quite some time, by the way - it was heading that way when we lived in Delwood and Cherrwood, which was when our 36 year old son was between the ages of two and five. Lovely, lovely neighborhood - just not with acre or larger lots as a rule.

[jobert]

Originally Posted by love roses

I'd agree with that too, and I live NE. But, when we were in Denver, we did see that happen. People said, "NOOO, Don't move to that neighborhood (Park Hill) and there were some other areas around downtown that people tried to steer others away from. A few years later suddenly those areas skyrocketed and were in hot demand. We were surprised at how quickly it happened.

to elaborate: The city of Austin is 10 miles wide (east/west) and 50 miles long (north/south) as so it can hug as much hill country as possible, I suppose. Moving to the very northern tip of the metro area (40 miles) to find affordable housing makes no sense to me, and it's not even the "good" side of town like it is in Dallas - it's 40 miles of the same thing you get when you move to within 10 miles south of austin.

[TexasHorseLady]

Where are you measuring your 50 miles long from? Are you including all of the towns that AREN'T AUSTIN (Round Rock, Georgetown, Buda, Manchaca, etc.) in that 50 miles?

[Nor Cal Wahine]

My husband and I moved to a tiny area in 78736 called Westview Estates last year and we love it here. It's just off 290 and Circle Drive out in Southwest Austin and the houses are all four-sides native stone ranch-style on minimum one-acre lots zoned R.R. The houses were all built in the late 70's and early 80's and most lots are between 1.15 and 2 acres. It's very thickly wooded and private, with a lot of deer and other wildlife. It's five minutes from there to Oak Hill and my commute to downtown each day is 35 minutes with traffic, 20 without. No sidewalks, no street lights.