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Does anyone know about this area in Taylor? County Road 414 Taylor, TX 76574 We're looking at relocating and found a home in this area, but we are clueless to this part of TX. Also, what is the weather like year round? Is there alot of sunny days? Is there a good fishing/boating lake nearby?
Anyone know race demographics? I feel more comfortable being around a more predominant causcian community.
Also, we are considering small towns within 30 - 60 miles of Austin, any suggestions? We'd like to go back to small town living, where people are friendly and care about their neighbors, if that even exists anymore....We'd like to be within 30 - 60 minute drive into Austin. We are in Vegas now, love the weather but the people are not friendly.
Granger Lake is just minutes up the road. Lake Georgetown (you might want to consider Georgetown, as well) is about half an hour away. The big lakes (Travis, Austin, Buchanan - hmm, you might want to consider Burnet, as well, it would likely fit your specs thusfar) are further away.
Weather is typical Texas weather. Hot in summer, mild in winter, usually (though it's about 30 right now and we had teeny tiny snow flurries last night - nothing stuck, you could barely see it, but we're all claiming it's snow anyway!). 11 month growing season (don't try to grow anything in August).
Thanks! We want to live somewhere that if we want to build a greenhouse or metal bldg, we could....not sure how strict the HOA's are if we go with a subdivision. Looking for at least 3 bedrooms/2 baths, preferably 2,000 or more square ft. One story or two story that has master down. Low crime area, as well as far away from gangland territory as possible. Would like a conservative area. We would like some acreage if possible, yard big enough for greenhouse and metal bldg. Considering price ranges up to $155K, is it possible to find what we're looking for in that price range?
How is the humidity in TX? I am not fond of alot of humidity, we were in Dallas last summer and the humidity was high. Being in a dry climate has spoiled me.
I will most likely hopefully be working, (telecommute would be great) My past career is in Executive/Personal Assistant for EVP's, Presidents and CEO's. Would love to find a Personal Assistant position for a busy executive. I don't like a long commute, max 45 minutes one way and even that is more than I prefer : ) however we want to be out in the country at least 20 - 60 miles from Austin.
Are you a Realtor? If so, is there a way for me to contact you?
How is the humidity in TX? I am not fond of alot of humidity, we were in Dallas last summer and the humidity was high. Being in a dry climate has spoiled me.
Yeah, we spent the last 11 years in Phoenix and agree with the dry climate statement. However, Austin is NOT dry; it is a very humid climate in the summer with dew points up in the high 60's and 70's.
Going to take some acclimation on our part when we get there this summer!!!
Taylor isn't predominately White. You're going to see plenty of minority faces there. I don't know, something about desiring to live next to mostly White neighborhood, followed up by all sorts of warm fuzzy things like being "neighborly" and "friendly" kind of irks me. Maybe it's because I am a minority who is neighborly, friendly, and doesn't fit into any preconceived stereotypes. My Hispanic neighbor is the same way. I guess it is incomprehensible to me to live in an "mostly" anything type of neighborhood. The aloof neighbors on our block happen to be White.
Your commute to Austin will be at *least* 45 minutes, if not more. It's pretty far out. I live at a crossroads of several cities - Hutto, Round Rock, and Pflugerville, and it takes us 35-40 minutes to Austin during rush hour traffic. We negate this by spending a lot of time in the Round Rock area when we are not working.
You should be able to find several nice options that aren't crowded, but closer in. They won't probably be in 95% White neighborhoods, however.
Thanks! We want to live somewhere that if we want to build a greenhouse or metal bldg, we could....not sure how strict the HOA's are if we go with a subdivision. Looking for at least 3 bedrooms/2 baths, preferably 2,000 or more square ft. One story or two story that has master down. Low crime area, as well as far away from gangland territory as possible. Would like a conservative area. We would like some acreage if possible, yard big enough for greenhouse and metal bldg. Considering price ranges up to $155K, is it possible to find what we're looking for in that price range?
How is the humidity in TX? I am not fond of alot of humidity, we were in Dallas last summer and the humidity was high. Being in a dry climate has spoiled me.
I will most likely hopefully be working, (telecommute would be great) My past career is in Executive/Personal Assistant for EVP's, Presidents and CEO's. Would love to find a Personal Assistant position for a busy executive. I don't like a long commute, max 45 minutes one way and even that is more than I prefer : ) however we want to be out in the country at least 20 - 60 miles from Austin.
Are you a Realtor? If so, is there a way for me to contact you?
Also, at 155K, I don't think you're going to meet all of your requirements. 155K is kind of starter home price even out in the suburbs, and you'd be living in either an older neighborhood (which is great, but don't expect any large tracts of land) or a subdivision. You'd probably have to move way out in the Hinterland somewhere to get all of that at that price, and then you'd sacrifice quite a bit in exchange.
Also, gang activity is pretty darn pervasive, even in the "country". Also, out in rural places, you'd have to deal with meth activity. I came from a big, "unfriendly" city (I say this in quotes because having been born and raised there, everything was fine to me) - New York - so I can understand where you're coming from - trying to flee to something warm, fuzzy, and slower paced. However, you need to keep a realistic view of things. Our neighborhood, as far as stats go, is considered low crime, but I definitely won't be deluded into thinking things don't exist. Just like that, the government can build a halfway house adjacent to your property or a jail.
So you're recommending Hutto, Round Rock, and Pflugerville areas? I apologize for "irking" you for my preference of predominantly caucasian. I am minority as well, half African American/half white. So I know it sounds crazy for the preference, however it's due to my past experience. It's was a very bad experience, I won't go into the details.
I just want a nice neighborhood where people care about one another, where your neighbors are friendly and will talk to their neighbor and even watch out for each other, (regardless of race). For instance, say Mr. or Mrs Jones always sits on her font porch every evening and when one drives by, they know he/she will be sitting outside....then all of a sudden, he/she isn't there for one day, then another. Is there anybody nowadays that will take the time to stop and make sure everything is OK? Maybe what I'm asking for is not realistic.....I just know that growing up in a small town where people cared about each other and would take the time to get to know the neighbors, is what I want to get back to. I live in a city now where your neighbors ignores you, people aren't friendly, even after I've gone out of my way to knock on their door, inroduce myself and try to be a friend....however it's like I was more of a bother.
I hadn't even thought about drug activity.....and from what I think your saying the gangs are pretty much every where? In the cities/towns you mentioned, what is the gang, drug and crime activity like?
We could spend up to $750K (prefer to live simply)on a home but have been looking at foreclosures and had found some for uner $160K with at least 1/2 acre....however we just don't know he safe areas and the areas to stay away from.
So you're recommending Hutto, Round Rock, and Pflugerville areas? I apologize for "irking" you for my preference of predominantly caucasian. I am minority as well, half African American/half white. So I know it sounds crazy for the preference, however it's due to my past experience. It's was a very bad experience, I won't go into the details.
I just want a nice neighborhood where people care about one another, where your neighbors are friendly and will talk to their neighbor and even watch out for each other, (regardless of race). For instance, say Mr. or Mrs Jones always sits on her font porch every evening and when one drives by, they know he/she will be sitting outside....then all of a sudden, he/she isn't there for one day, then another. Is there anybody nowadays that will take the time to stop and make sure everything is OK? Maybe what I'm asking for is not realistic.....I just know that growing up in a small town where people cared about each other and would take the time to get to know the neighbors, is what I want to get back to. I live in a city now where your neighbors ignores you, people aren't friendly, even after I've gone out of my way to knock on their door, inroduce myself and try to be a friend....however it's like I was more of a bother.
I hadn't even thought about drug activity.....and from what I think your saying the gangs are pretty much every where? In the cities/towns you mentioned, what is the gang, drug and crime activity like?
We could spend up to $750K (prefer to live simply)on a home but have been looking at foreclosures and had found some for uner $160K with at least 1/2 acre....however we just don't know he safe areas and the areas to stay away from.
I appreciate all your advice.
Thanks!
Reality check.......I lived, as a "caucasian", in a predominantly black neighborhood for 15 years in another city before I moved here, and had the kindest neighbors ever, including Austin now. It was a middle-class inner-ring suburb just south of Chicago. I went golfing with several regularly, watched Sonya's girls next door grow up, exchanged Christmas presents with several annually, Randall next door snowblowed our sidewalk every snowfall, and I saved the life of Mr. Stokes, who collapsed from a heart attack on his lawn one day(he's still around)....and no vandalism whatsoever besides one Holloween egging, and I had the kids come back and wash the windows with buckets, per the parents finding out about it....
The all-white area I spent my childhood in was a mean-spirited little nightmare...stoner kids all over, our garage was broken into, the side of the house was spray-painted with F***, baby carriage lit on fire, front seat the same when the window was open....etc.........
So, we are talking class, not race.....race is not class. And if you presume your OWN race is "declasse", and something to avoid, jeez, that's pretty sad....and if you just made up the "fact" that you are mixed to save face, even sadder....
Sorry for the late response, was at our son's for Christmas! Yes, I'm a Realtor, and you can contact any of the Realtors (or anyone else, for that matter) on City-Data by clicking on their name to the top left of any of their posts and then clicking on "Send a Direct Message to" and a window will open for you to contact them.
What you're looking for should be available. Taylor is a possibility, in the right neighborhoods. If you buy in a subdivision, you'll need to look closely at the CCR's BEFORE putting in an offer to see if they will allow your building, and the lots are likely to be smaller. I have a friend who lives in Hutto and her commute is about 40 minutes to the part of Austin she's commuting to. Of course, she doesn't take the "cattle call" roads - since she's lived here as long as I have (40 years or so), she knows to take the road less taken.
Jarrell is a possibility for you, as well. Small - very small - but growing (new subdivisions, mostly), but the older houses all have half acre lots and you can build what you want, mostly. (Incorporated a few years ago so rules are going in, but not all of the houses are in the "city limits" - odd to say for a town of some 1200 people, but there it is and the rules only apply to those that are. Georgetown is just 15 minutes down the road - Salado not quite that far in the other direction - and you have access to the shopping and restaurants and such there (though 4 restaurants have opened in Jarrell in the past year). North Austin (183/Burnet) area is 45 minutes away - I know because we live in the country outside of Jarrell and my husband made that commute for 13 years before retiring recently.
Liberty Hill is another option, as is Leander. Both also a commute, but no more than Taylor, just in a different direction, and both might offer what you're looking for in your price range.
I'm pretty floored that realtors are responding to the opening post....we used to avoid buyers that prefaced requests such as "looking for a all-white community" on several counts...one, they could be undercover "checkers" working for HUD, looking for particular responses to such queries(steering). Secondly, you can get in a heap of trouble if the person decides to raise a fuss, complaining that you steered them to the wrong place.
In my 10 years of full-time work as a real estate agent, I would never offer up areas myself to a reply per "we want an all white community". I, per the realtor board of ethics, and, being leary of losing my license, would let the buyers offer the areas they want themselves, after they drive the area themselves.
Per a settlement by the Dept of Justice earlier this year regarding the same:
WASHINGTON —RE/MAX East-West, a real estate firm in Elmhurst, Ill., and one of its former real estate agents, John DeJohn, have agreed to pay $120,000 to settle allegations that they illegally steered prospective homebuyers toward and away from certain neighborhoods based on race and national origin, the Justice Department announced today. The consent decree was signed on Feb. 17, 2009, by U.S. District Judge Ruben Castillo.
The lawsuit originated from a complaint filed by the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Testing conducted by NFHA of RE/MAX East-West in 2004 and 2005 revealed that DeJohn had steered an Hispanic tester toward homes in predominantly African-American or Hispanic neighborhoods, but had encouraged a similarly situated white tester to look at listings in predominantly white neighborhoods. Both testers had contacted DeJohn about the same advertised listing. According to the complaint, DeJohn also told the white tester that, "I don’t care if you are a bigot. If we go to an area and you don’t like it, just let me know. I can’t be a bigot but you can be one," or words to that effect. After an investigation, HUD found reasonable cause to believe that unlawful discrimination had occurred and referred the matter to the Justice Department, which filed a lawsuit in the Northern District of Illinois on July 18, 2008.
"Unlawful steering by real estate agents frustrates the rights of people to make fully informed housing choices and perpetuates segregated housing patterns," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Loretta King of the Civil Rights Division. "We appreciate the efforts of NFHA and of investigators at HUD who have helped shine a light on this problem. We will continue to vigorously pursue such discrimination."
Again, absolutely shocked that realtors are actually replying to this OP...
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