We need a neighborhood! (Austin, Yoakum: condos, houses, neighborhoods)

[citygirls]

Any help in picking an area to live in Austin or nearby would be appreciated! My husband is working in SMALL town (Yoakum) we love Austin but only visited once. Liked Hyde Park alot. Love old houses, funky restaurants need good schools. We are coming from MI with great schools and activities for kids. Lived in NY and love being able to walk and bike.

[AustinTraveler]

I'm confused...will your husband still be working in Yoakum?

[citygirls]

Yes, my husband will commute temporarily. He's hoping to open an office either in Austin or nearby.

[AustinTraveler]

Okay, a lot is going to depend on your price range. All the neat neighborhoods close to downtown are very expensive.

Here are some good ones:

Tarrytown
Rosedale
Brykerwood
Pemberton

These are all a little north of downtown and except for Tarrytown, all are just east of Mopac (aka Loop 1). Tarrytown is just west of Mopac.

There are so many others but I find these to be very family friendly, easy walking and biking, and easy access to cool stores, restaurants, etc.

[austin-steve]

Love old houses, funky restaurants need good schools.

These are mutually exclusive in Austin. The best schools are in areas that are anything but funky and cool. The funky, cool areas with good restaurants have terrible public schools.

It also depends on the age of your kids. There are a few well liked elementary schools in areas that are close enough in to be called central. They may not have the highest average test scores, but many parents look at other factors. McCallum High School is well regarded by many. (It has an Arts Academy alongside the regular highschool ciriculum).

But if your definition of "good" is the Exemplary rated elementary schools, you'll have to go into suburban areas further out, and eat in strip mall restaurants except for your jaunts into Austin.

Steve

[traceyr13]

Ditto to what Steve said - we had the same disappointment moving here. Our top priority was excellent schools for our 3 kids, but we wanted the funky, cool downtown Austin. I think there are excellent public elementary schools in the VERY expensive areas of downtown (Tarrytown and Hyde Park, maybe?) but that was above our price range. You can get very strong schools in suburbia (either north or south) - oh, the crimp that kids put in our lifestyle!

[gigi927]

Originally Posted by traceyr13

oh, the crimp that kids put in our lifestyle!

Agreed As soon as we are empty nesters, we are buying a condo in some downtown of some city and we'll try to rediscover our youth, stay up past 1o p.m. and never have to go to Chuck E. Cheese again.

[traceyr13]

We say the exact same thing!!! Oh, how I pine for one of those new condos downtown. I can't tell you how often we say that as soon as our youngest flies the nest, we're putting the house in the 'burbs on the market and moving within walking distance of Whole Foods, Book People, etc. 15 years and counting...

[gigi927]

We'll meet you downtown for drinks...mark your calendars 15 years from now (I've got a 4 and 2 year old, so I'm right on that same timeline!)

[jwb123]

But if your definition of "good" is the Exemplary rated elementary schools, you'll have to go into suburban areas further out, and eat in strip mall restaurants except for your jaunts into Austin.

Totally agree.

UNLESS you have a million + to spend on a home and can send your kids to private school.

From what I hear, even if you do live in a "good" school district within Austin, you have to be really careful because while it may be a "good" elementary, it might not feed into an equally good middle, and high school...

Live in the suburbs. Commute in for culture. Kids leave the house. Parents pick up their previously hip life, now as retirees.

It can happen