What are the good areas and bad areas to live around town? (Houston: real estate, apartments) - Austin - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

SoupDeJour · 08-01-2006, 11:28 AM

Hi there,
I'm coming soon see the beyootiful city of Austin to see if if its for me and have been checking out houses online - for an out of towner all I know to go by is this board and the listed crime index for zip - but are there any hints from locals as to where I could look first?
(did visit the Hill Country once and really loved it, but that was as close as I could have time to visit then, didn't make it to Austin!)

PS..don't have children, so schools aren't a factor and am on a budget so looking for either smaller single/townhouse/condos under 100k in safer areas -thanks a bunch!

AustinTraveler · 08-01-2006, 12:57 PM

Hey! It's hard to recommend an area without knowing more about you. The big thing is where will you be working?? Commuting here is no fun and it would be best if you live close to work. That being said, you will be hard pressed to find much in Austin under $100K. Also, keep in mind that your property taxes will be about $2,500 a year.

Personally, I would try to live in Austin as opposed to the outlying areas (Round Rock, Pflugerville, Kyle, etc). One place that comes to mind is the area west of Mopac (a highway aka 1) around Far West and 2222. If you look on a map you'll see where I'm talking about. There are TONS of apartments and townhomes in that area and I'm sure a few in your price range. It's close to everything and safe. Try 78731 as a zip code in your searches.

Also, another good area is Allandale, Rosedale, and surrounding neighborhoods. These are just east of Mopac close to 2222. There are some condos on Hancock called Ventana I think. Not sure of the price range. Also, there are condos on Steck. The area is east of Mopac but west of Burnet (rhymes with durnit!). This area's zip codes are 78756 and 78757.

One thing I would stay away from is buying a place right by the University unless you enjoy the frat lifestyle! Also, the area east of I-35 is considered undesirable but be aware that it is undergoing rejuvenation (right word??) so you might find a good deal there. Lots more crime there though.

Hope this helps. If you let me know more about what you are interested in, I may be able to help more. Austin is a great place to live but I would suggest you hurry up and get here cause housing prices are climbing every day, especially near downtown.

RSTX · 08-01-2006, 01:00 PM

My only recommendation is try to live close to your job. Austin experienced enormous growth in the early 90's and the transportation system could not handle it. San Antonio, D/FW and Houston are all bigger but they have grown at managable rates and have been able to build roads to accommodate traffic. Austin grew so fast that there was no time to build. As such, it can be a bear to drive in.

I've never lived there, but Temple is only 45 miles north, so I've visited and driven around town some. It is a fun town, mostly due to the college no doubt, and has lots of history and entertainment. I can't say which area of town is better or worse. Downtown area is experiencing a lot of growth with some luxury highrise apts. going up near the lake. It appears that the east-ish side is older, probably somewhat cheaper, but may have more problems with crime. Perhaps a local can chime in here.

The best thing to do is visit and see for yourself. There are lots, and I mean lots, of suburbs that have been built just outside of Austin. If you can get a job in a surrounding community like Pfluegerville, Round Rock, Kyle, Buda or even Dripping Springs, Taylor and/or Hutto that might be worth looking into.

Best of luck.

Rick

RSTX · 08-01-2006, 01:02 PM

He-he, AustinTraveler and I were posting about the same time.

SoupDeJour · 08-02-2006, 12:06 PM

Nothing like great advice from the locals, appreciate it much! I will be visiting this week and taking a look! PS..thanks for the comments about commutes - forgot to say my job for the time being is out of state and will be telecommuting or traveling there most of the time, so hopefully some flexibility for now there.
thanks a bunch-

neddy · 08-02-2006, 12:16 PM

My aunt had about the same price range and she went with a single family home even though she is divorced and kids are all grown. Bought in Grand Oaks off of Slaughter zero move in at the time3 bed/2.5 bath off of slaughter and manchea I believe. (south Austin) Loves the neighborhood and all the people that are there.

FreezeHomeInspections · 08-13-2006, 10:22 PM

Hi, Soup!
Austin indeed is a very beautiful city!! Been northwest of Austin (Williamson County) since '81, and don't wanna move...at least very far.
From what I hear from realtors and home-buyers, home in Austin proper are quite overpriced. There are a lot of good areas w/in 20-25 miles or so that many find quite attractive, and you get a lot more home for your buck.
(Cedar Park, Leander, Georgetown, Pflugerville, Round Rock and others.)

If/when you find a home you're seriously interested in, I'd be glad to enlighten you about some of the uniquenesses of real estate transactions in Texas, particularly about home inspections.
mod cut (advertising)

Quote:

Hi there,
I'm coming soon see the beyootiful city of Austin to see if if its for me and have been checking out houses online - for an out of towner all I know to go by is this board and the listed crime index for zip - but are there any hints from locals as to where I could look first?
(did visit the Hill Country once and really loved it, but that was as close as I could have time to visit then, didn't make it to Austin!)

PS..don't have children, so schools aren't a factor and am on a budget so looking for either smaller single/townhouse/condos under 100k in safer areas -thanks a bunch!

camron98 · 11-02-2009, 05:33 PM

Austin Traveler...Can you tell me why you said live in Austin rather than an area like Round Rock? I am looking to relocate my family from Georgia to Texas..thanks

shankaupas · 11-02-2009, 07:35 PM

Camron,
I'm guessing he was suggesting Austin vs the outer areas because of the commute. I live in Round Rock and the commute is not really that bad. My Husband commutes to Northwest Austin and it takes about 20 minutes each way to travel about 12 miles. You will definitely get more for your money though in the suburbs. And there are alot of housing options from the low end to the very high end in the suburbs surrounding Austin.

datx · 11-03-2009, 04:17 AM

When you say "bad" areas, are you interested in crime? A good resource is krimelabb.com

Depends on how you define "good". I define good as an activated streetscape that is walkable and filled with other people. Of course safety is important, but Austin is a generally safe city. I live downtown (78701) and love it. EZ access to highways, Lady Bird Lake, the Warehouse District, Whole Foods, etc.

Lot's of people still believe that East Austin (78702) is a bad place to be. This is a legacy belief that is increasingly wrong. It's vibrant, diverse, creative, and pedestrian.