Taylor Estates Ditmar and Manchaca (Austin, Spring: lease, crime, new home)

[KevinW]

Hello,

My wife and I moved to austin 4 months ago and will be looking to purchase a new home as soon as our lease is up. We are thinking about a new build since we can lock something in now and have something built just before our lease is up. We found this new subdivision (taylor estates) located on Ditmar east of manchaca. Does anyone know about this area? We have a nine month old and want a safe area. The neighborhood across the street seems fine (we drove through) but there is a trailer park right next door to these 180k+ house, then another community coming up that is going to be in the 200k+. Does anyone know about Taylor Estates or this area?

Kimball home fills half this neighborhood, then went out of business Gehan homes is now building there.

Thanks for your information!

[KevinW]

this is 78745 area if it matters

[ROY DUBOSE]

do take some time in reaching a decision -- not to fault your choice of "buying new" but there is a train of thought that it takes awhile to recoup your equity when a subdivision is new -- many of my clients prefer to get newer homes in established neighborhoods -- it helps protect (not to mention accurately quantify) an equity position --

[verybadgnome]

I live between william cannon and matthews a bit north of this development. Actually I do a weekly bike ride down south and usually breeze through to see what building is going on in this smaller development. The neighborhood is fine. You will see trailers throughout South Austin....even in "ritzy" places like Barton Springs Rd. A lot of the older homes around this development are on large lots, sort of between suburban and rural in feel.

I have no problem with this area except that I hear the public schools are not so good. Commuting should not be a problem if you work downtown. Crime is not a problem. My slight beef is that the homeplans are typical suburban Texas which means a "front loader," i.e. great utilization of horizontal space but awful proportions and laughable arcitectural detail.

Regarding Taylor Estates it looks like their homebuilding has slowed down quite a bit in the last 6-8 months. You may be able to get a deal. Also there is another new development just a bit farther south at Ralph Ablanedo, a bit north of South Park Meadows.