Need advice on Austin areas (Houston, Round Rock: gated, house, crime)

[Armadillo]

Hi, I live in the Piney Woods Region of Texas, in a small conservative town called Conroe. My wife and I love Austin and its "weirdness." We are Elementary teachers and were looking at some of the different school districts in Region 13.

Here are the schools we're interested in:

Austin ISD

Round Rock ISD

Del Valle ISD

Lake Travis ISD

Bastrop ISD:

We would like to buy a house and live in Austin, but I am used to big treed lots/land, so that is why I am considering Bastrop. Is this town conservative or are they as open as Austin?

Also, Austin ISD seems to have a high turnover rate. Is it a problematic school district?

Thanks for your help,
Joseph

[edge_gordon]

Lived in Bastrop Co for 6-7 years, but no kids.. the Austin vibe "leaks" out and many iconoclasts (including myself for a while) seek refuge there.

It's a nice extension, ecozonologically speaking, of East TX. My dad is from the Neches river valley and I know it well. No dogwoods in TX, but lots of pines.

Not sure what the culture is up to these days.
Defer to people who are there.

Edge

[love roses]

I think Bastrop should be fine, and it will feel similar to Conroe as far as the trees/topography are concerned. I live in Hutto, but go to or through Bastrop quite a bit. The schools aren't the BEST in the area, but are good/acceptable. I think in some cases, better than some AISD schools. My little sister lived in Conroe for a while when she was going to college.

[Plazamazda]

Originally Posted by love roses

I think Bastrop should be fine, and it will feel similar to Conroe as far as the trees/topography are concerned. I live in Hutto, but go to or through Bastrop quite a bit. The schools aren't the BEST in the area, but are good/acceptable. I think in some cases, better than some AISD schools. My little sister lived in Conroe for a while when she was going to college.

Bastrop ISD surpasses most Austin ISD schools.(not all of course)

[jenkirk]

Bastrop is starting to grow by leaps and bounds. There are some great areas. You would also be a very short drive from many school districts. Since you are so close, I would suggest visiting. You can get alot of house in Bastrop for the money. Pricing is closer to the pricing of homes in Conroe.

You do have some of the "East" of Austin stigma, but I think that is changing as more and more Houston retirees are moving to Bastrop. It is also becoming a big young family area.

[love roses]

I think the "East of Austin" stigma thing should forever be delegated to the trash heap of history! Things have changed and it's very nearly irrelevent, except in topography terms.

[llkltk]

Originally Posted by love roses

I think the "East of Austin" stigma thing should forever be delegated to the trash heap of history! Things have changed and it's very nearly irrelevent, except in topography terms.

Okay, so maybe you should go walk in French Place late at night by yourself. That area is still drug/crime infested. I would never live East. I think that Mueller people will be disappointed when they see what feeds into their schools, shops, etc. Yuck, I'd never buy East of 35.

[car957]

I can take you for a drive and show you some less than desirable neighborhoods West of IH-35 as well as some North and South of the River.

I also agree that the East Austin stigma should be considered to be horse crap. I have a number of friends in East Austin and they have cool homes, nice neighbors and an easy commute downtown. East Austin has a great deal of history and does not deserve the stigma that some folks apply to it.

[HappyTexan]

I think you are confusing East Austin with "east of I35". There's plenty of nice neighborhoods and cities east of I35.

[love roses]

HappyTexan is right. East of 35 is a huge area. I've also been to East Austin, several times. Like car957 says. I could find you some places west of 35 that are less than desirable as well. I lived that personally in Denver. I lived in a place that was only slightly being gentrified, and was historically the wrong side of town. At the time we left, almost every other home there was being flipped, new business had come to town, and the Stapleton development improved the area a lot. Home prices were also increasing. It could happen with Meuller too. I've gone to businesses in East Austin and never had a problem. I just can't agree that West of 35 is a utopian bubble with no problems and total perfection, no matter how much money is there.