Family with 2 yr old, Moving from Montreal, possible job in 78727, advice on neighborhoods? (Dallas: apartment complexes)

[rebailey3]

Hi there!

This website/forum is a fabulous resource! I've really learned a lot about Austin. Thanks!

So my husband has a job interview with a company located in the 78727 area code(on the Riata Trace Parkway) and now the long distance search for housing begins.

Ideally, we'd like to be close to his work. 20-30 min commute or less would be ideal. But I'd also like to be in an area that I can still walk to good parks, etc. since I'm home full time with our 2 year old.

I've been a bit spoiled in the neighborhood we're in here; it's a nice residential(next door to the elite neighborhoods, which makes for a nice walk with the kiddo) but we're within walking distance to pharmacies, grocery store, parks, restaurants, hairdresser, etc. and public transport for anything outside of walking distance. We have a car, but we use it maybe once a week. We are currently paying $1265/month for 1100 sq feet or so with a driveway, 2 bed/1 bath/small office.

The posts I've found on the area are less than stellar, not bad, but just blah. And I'd like any suggestions you may have for a direction to look. I'm originally from Champaign, IL and he's from Dallas, so going back to a "driving culture" won't be a huge deal but if I can keep things in walking distance that's a plus.

Edited to add: Also, I'm hoping to go back for a master's degree at some point after we get settled, so if we can swing a fun neighborhood that's an easy commute to UT that'd be a definite plus!

Thanks in advance!

Rachel

[woodinvilleguy]

I work in 78727 and live in Cedar park and the communities in north austin and cedar park typically have nice amenity centers that usually have pools and playgrounds. If you look at the communty of ranch at brushy creek and near by communities there isa string of 5 parks connected by a nice trail. That is in zip code 78613

[dburatti]

Check out 78729 bounded by McNeil Road on the south, 183 to the west, Parmer Lane to the east, and Anderson Mill to the north. Close to McNeil either east or west are shopping centers with grocery stores, banks, liquor stores, and restaurants among other businesses. Plus, Rattan Creek Park has good facilities including a crushed granite trail, heated pool, tennis courts, etc.

D

[rebailey3]

Great! Thanks for your suggestions!! One thing that I've noticed that is completely foreign to me are the huge number of listings of large almost resort like apartment complexes. I'm starting to get this strange picture in my head of what the area is like...

I'm hoping it's just the websites I've been looking at, the way it appears to me at the moment is a bunch of these complexes next door to each other with the occasional grocery store in between. What about single family homes & neighborhoods? Maybe I need to find a different websites for rentals? Don't get me wrong- who doesn't want a newly built place, I've just lived in places that have had a little bit more character to them. Or maybe they were just old.

Rachel

[woodinvilleguy]

you really should visit the area first.

[rebailey3]

I'm really really hoping we'll not have to commit to anything long distance. But that's up in the air at the moment. I had so hoped we would have been able to go with my husband on the interview but it didn't work out with a sick little girl. Boo! But really, in the end we'll just be renting at first and the glory of that- if it's not what you like, you stick it out for a year and then move again, right?

Rachel