Moving from CA -- need recommendations! (Austin, Spring: houses, condo, rent)

[cb71407]

First off, I just want to say how great this forum is and how much I've learned just browsing through the postings! It's very informative. Thank you!!

My husband-to-be and I are among the throngs moving from Southern California and are very excited for our move to the Austin area...We are moving at the end of July. I will be working at Texas State in San Marcos and he will be commuting out of the Austin International Airport. We will be first-time home buyers but have decided to rent for 6 months or so as we explore different areas and get our bearings. Ideally, we would like to be somewhere in betwen the airport and San Marcos so neither of us has a horrible commute (although we're used to long commutes). He would be more likely to commute a longer distance because his will not be a daily commute. We are interested in renting a house or condo if possible and we are open to master-planned communities or small towns. We would like to pay under 1200 (if possible) and would like to live in very close proximity to running/walking trails. Any recommendations/thoughts on neigborhoods, towns, web sites that we might check out would be much appreciated. TIA

[austin-steve]

Sounds like you need to rent a home in Buda. I would recommend staying west of IH35. You'll find homes there to meet your needs unless you're super picky. They've also just opened a truly awsome new YMCA in Buda.

The drive to San Marcos will be 15 minutes and your drive to the airport will be about 30 minutes.

Steve

[love roses]

I love how everyone tells people to move to the west of 35. Ya'll can have all the sprawl over there

[love roses]

By the way, I was just being silly above, noone bite my head off...

[bameans]

I visited Austin last month and absolutely loved it!! I only had an opportunity to visit downtown and Steiner Ranch. Is there a reason that alot of people recommend staying west of 35? I would like to go back and look on the east side as well.

[austin-steve]

Is there a reason that alot of people recommend staying west of 35?

Topography is different. IH35 runs right along a geographic shelf that separates the farmland and clay soils of the eastern side from the more hilly and rock (and scenic) areas of the western side.

East of IH35 in Buda has more starter homes and the schools aren't as good.

Steve

[cb71407]

Thank you very much for these suggestions -- we have been seeing houses we like (though for sale not rent) in Wimberley and Dripping Springs. How might these commutes be from San Marcos or the airport?

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by cb71407

Thank you very much for these suggestions -- we have been seeing houses we like (though for sale not rent) in Wimberley and Dripping Springs. How might these commutes be from San Marcos or the airport?

Add 30 minutes.

[achtungpv]

If you live in Buda, he can drive through Creedmoor and then up 183 briefly to the airport. It is a very easy drive and he'll miss all the traffic on I-35. 15 minutes to SM.

Dripping to the airport would be an hour or more to the airport. it's 45-60 minutes normally to San Marcos because you have drive RM12 the whole way and it's slow going. It would take over an hour from Wimberley to the airport and 15-20 minutes to SM depending on where you're at.

[Daisey31]

Originally Posted by achtungpv

Dripping to the airport would be an hour or more to the airport.

Really? When I was there is seemed a lot shorter. More like 35 minutes. The only reason I rmember is because I went from the airport right to Dripping to see my model home.