Moving to Waco -- Woodway area (Houston, Austin: neighborhood, moved, about)

[jluke65780]

Originally Posted by jpbpds

Hi, I'm the original poster to this thread, wondering about moving from Austin to Woodway back in May, and I'm happy to report the move is complete and I am enjoying Woodway and Waco very much. First of all, let me say the traffic here is SOOOOO much better than in Austin. I like the compactness of Waco -- if you need to go to Home Depot, there's one and that's plenty. We have a great home-grown Texas grocery, HEB, very close to my home. My kids attend Midway ISD. (One is a 2nd grader at Woodway Elementary and one is a 6th grader at the intermediate school.) The schools are great and the kids have settled into them. And yes, there are trees!!!! Lots of trees here in Woodway and the squirrels have taken the place over. Woodway is surprisingly hilly. As far as heat, well, this is Texas, and it tends to be hot and humid in the summer. But the other half of the year is gorgeous.

As a former Austinite and a liberal, I was afraid that folks in Waco/Woodway would be too conversative but I have found them to be friendly and respectful of different views.

Waco has a wonderful zoo, Cameron Park is nice and the old suspension bridge and Brazos River downtown are very pretty. I like to think Austin was like this when my folks moved there in the 60s.

Its really good to finally here people actually talking positive about Waco for once on this forum. Happy to hear you like it!

[TXTwizter]

Originally Posted by jpbpds

I like to think Austin was like this when my folks moved there in the 60s.

I keep hearing that Waco is like Austin was 30-40 years ago, I just hope if Waco eventually does grow like Austin that the city leaders do a little better planning and not have it become some clusterfu<K.

[billiefan2000]

Originally Posted by jluke65780

Its really good to finally here people actually talking positive about Waco for once on this forum. Happy to hear you like it!

I would never talk trash about Waco or woodway cause I have family who live in woodway

and trashing waco metro area would be like trashing my family

[billiefan2000]

BTW:


Radio Stations in Woodway, Texas.


lists what radio stations you can hear in Woodway area of waco (I dont know if it 100 percent accurate but radio-locator is a trusted website)

[daggyr]

I noticed that Badger Ranch was mentioned in this thread. I started a custom home buying process in Badger Ranch with the marketing team and the builder. I did not have a great experience. There was little transparency about how choices related to costs. And the price tag, after months of investing in customization decisions, was much higher than we were initially led to believe our decisions would lead us to. It is a very good area. You might consider buying existing home, as prices are dropping in this and many other higher end areas.

[scorpted]

Originally Posted by jpbpds

Hi, I'm the original poster to this thread, wondering about moving from Austin to Woodway back in May, and I'm happy to report the move is complete and I am enjoying Woodway and Waco very much. First of all, let me say the traffic here is SOOOOO much better than in Austin. I like the compactness of Waco -- if you need to go to Home Depot, there's one and that's plenty. We have a great home-grown Texas grocery, HEB, very close to my home. My kids attend Midway ISD. (One is a 2nd grader at Woodway Elementary and one is a 6th grader at the intermediate school.) The schools are great and the kids have settled into them. And yes, there are trees!!!! Lots of trees here in Woodway and the squirrels have taken the place over. Woodway is surprisingly hilly. As far as heat, well, this is Texas, and it tends to be hot and humid in the summer. But the other half of the year is gorgeous.

As a former Austinite and a liberal, I was afraid that folks in Waco/Woodway would be too conversative but I have found them to be friendly and respectful of different views.

Waco has a wonderful zoo, Cameron Park is nice and the old suspension bridge and Brazos River downtown are very pretty. I like to think Austin was like this when my folks moved there in the 60s.

Thanks so much for the info, as I find myself in a similar situation. My husband and I currently reside in Round Rock and my husband commutes every third day to Waco for work. We are planning on moving soon- and trying to decide whether to stay here or move to Waco. I hate to see him do that drive, as I know I would not like it. He is afraid I won't like Waco and is leaving the decision ultimately up to me You addressed my concern about the schools ( though we have awhile, as our daughter is only 1) and the people. But what about the neighborhoods? I really enjoy taking our daughter to the playscapes and the pool in our neigborhood often. Badger Ranch and Twin Rivers are out of our price range while I am staying home, and I am unsure about the other neigborhoods. I did see a house in Lake Forest that seemed decent and are in midway isd. I do like the neighborhood amenities here and the family friendly atmosphere, which will be hard to leave. Any thoughts on neighborhoods and/or clubs to join? I know I'd be ecstatic about the traffic situation, content with a close by HEB and reasonable shopping choices. I also know our property taxes would be much less which is also a consideration. I guess I just want to make sure there are things relatively close by to do with a toddler since I stay at home with her and entertainment is important. Thanks so much for your input!

Wendy

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by scorpted

Thanks so much for the info, as I find myself in a similar situation. My husband and I currently reside in Round Rock and my husband commutes every third day to Waco for work. We are planning on moving soon- and trying to decide whether to stay here or move to Waco. I hate to see him do that drive, as I know I would not like it. He is afraid I won't like Waco and is leaving the decision ultimately up to me You addressed my concern about the schools ( though we have awhile, as our daughter is only 1) and the people. But what about the neighborhoods? I really enjoy taking our daughter to the playscapes and the pool in our neigborhood often. Badger Ranch and Twin Rivers are out of our price range while I am staying home, and I am unsure about the other neigborhoods. I did see a house in Lake Forest that seemed decent and are in midway isd. I do like the neighborhood amenities here and the family friendly atmosphere, which will be hard to leave. Any thoughts on neighborhoods and/or clubs to join? I know I'd be ecstatic about the traffic situation, content with a close by HEB and reasonable shopping choices. I also know our property taxes would be much less which is also a consideration. I guess I just want to make sure there are things relatively close by to do with a toddler since I stay at home with her and entertainment is important. Thanks so much for your input!

Wendy

Wendy:

I have 3 daughters ages 2, 6, and 10 and so we have discovered most of the possible play areas in Waco. There are a lot of them. If you want to live in a kid friendly area of Midway ISD then your choices are pretty simple:

1. Old Woodway. This is the older part of Woodway that lies on the north side of US-84. There are some very pretty older neighborhoods here. It gets pricey the closer you get to the lake, and especially those houses that are on bluffs overlooking the lake with a view. But there are many more modest houses and good options within walking distance of either Woodway or South Bosque elementary schools which both have very nice play areas (but aren't open for community use except weekends and evenings. There are 3 other parks in Woodway with play areas as well. Search realtor.com for zip 76712. This area will be the most centrally located to shopping and schools. The neighborhoods are kid-friendly but as the area is a bit older there tends to be a bit less kids than in the new subdivisions which seem to be all families.

2. Out 84. There are a lot of newer subdivisions further out 84 that are not part of Woodway proper but have Woodway or McGregor addresses. Badger Ranch, Twin Rivers, Riverside, and Hidden Valley are the most upscale. Sunwest, Harris Creek, Stone Creek Ranch, and others are out there that are more middle priced. They all feed into South Bosque Elementary and Midway schools except for Riverside which feeds to Spiegleville Elementary and Midway schools. Personally I don't see the point of living out in one of those further out subdivisions as you have further to drive for everything and don't really get anything more than you get in Woodway proper except perhaps newer housing stock if that is important. Search 76712 and 76657 for houses out 85. Hidden Valley and Stone Creek Ranch pop up as 76657 (McGregor) addresses.

3. Hewitt: Many of the more modestly priced subdivisions are in the Hewitt area which covers most of the area south of 84 all the way to I-35 (once you cross I-35 you are in Robinson which is a different ISD. There is a lot of new subdivisions in the Hewitt area that are quite nice and less expensive than the upscale master planned communities like Badger Ranch and Twin Rivers. A lot of young families chose these subdivisions to get newer houses for a good price. They are packed with young kids. Search 76643 for Hewitt houses. Spring Valley is perhaps the biggest area of new subdivisions but there are many others that I don't know the names of. This area is growing so fast that Midway ISD is building a new elementary school down there called Castleman Creek Elementary that will be opening in the fall of 2009.

If you have a budget, your choice is basically going to come down to choosing an older house (circa 1980s-1990s) in old Woodway with lots of trees and a more convenient central location close to HEB and shopping, or a new house in one of the newer subdivisions in Hewitt that will be further away from everything and will have less trees.

Oh, if you want a community pool your choices are Twin Rivers, Badger Ranch, and Riverside which are all upscale. There might be a couple more I don't know about. But if you live in Old Woodway you are very close to the Waco Family YMCA which has 2 indoor pools and 1 outdoor waterpark style pool. A family membership is $60/mo. They have a good daycare to drop your kid while you work out and it is a totally modern gym with all you could want. Most Woodway folk who don't have their own pools go there.

If you want to widen your search beyond Midway ISD then the next logical choice would be China Spring ISD. Search zip 76633 for China Spring. Smaller school district but similar in demographics to Midway. If your husband works in the north end of Waco then China Spring might make sense as it is a reasonable commute into north Waco via China Spring Highway. If your husband works in south Waco or the Midway area then stick with Midway ISD for your housing search as China Spring will make no sense.

[scorpted]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

Wendy:

I have 3 daughters ages 2, 6, and 10 and so we have discovered most of the possible play areas in Waco. There are a lot of them. If you want to live in a kid friendly area of Midway ISD then your choices are pretty simple:

1. Old Woodway. This is the older part of Woodway that lies on the north side of US-84. There are some very pretty older neighborhoods here. It gets pricey the closer you get to the lake, and especially those houses that are on bluffs overlooking the lake with a view. But there are many more modest houses and good options within walking distance of either Woodway or South Bosque elementary schools which both have very nice play areas (but aren't open for community use except weekends and evenings. There are 3 other parks in Woodway with play areas as well. Search realtor.com for zip 76712. This area will be the most centrally located to shopping and schools. The neighborhoods are kid-friendly but as the area is a bit older there tends to be a bit less kids than in the new subdivisions which seem to be all families.

2. Out 84. There are a lot of newer subdivisions further out 84 that are not part of Woodway proper but have Woodway or McGregor addresses. Badger Ranch, Twin Rivers, Riverside, and Hidden Valley are the most upscale. Sunwest, Harris Creek, Stone Creek Ranch, and others are out there that are more middle priced. They all feed into South Bosque Elementary and Midway schools except for Riverside which feeds to Spiegleville Elementary and Midway schools. Personally I don't see the point of living out in one of those further out subdivisions as you have further to drive for everything and don't really get anything more than you get in Woodway proper except perhaps newer housing stock if that is important. Search 76712 and 76657 for houses out 85. Hidden Valley and Stone Creek Ranch pop up as 76657 (McGregor) addresses.

3. Hewitt: Many of the more modestly priced subdivisions are in the Hewitt area which covers most of the area south of 84 all the way to I-35 (once you cross I-35 you are in Robinson which is a different ISD. There is a lot of new subdivisions in the Hewitt area that are quite nice and less expensive than the upscale master planned communities like Badger Ranch and Twin Rivers. A lot of young families chose these subdivisions to get newer houses for a good price. They are packed with young kids. Search 76643 for Hewitt houses. Spring Valley is perhaps the biggest area of new subdivisions but there are many others that I don't know the names of. This area is growing so fast that Midway ISD is building a new elementary school down there called Castleman Creek Elementary that will be opening in the fall of 2009.

If you have a budget, your choice is basically going to come down to choosing an older house (circa 1980s-1990s) in old Woodway with lots of trees and a more convenient central location close to HEB and shopping, or a new house in one of the newer subdivisions in Hewitt that will be further away from everything and will have less trees.

Oh, if you want a community pool your choices are Twin Rivers, Badger Ranch, and Riverside which are all upscale. There might be a couple more I don't know about. But if you live in Old Woodway you are very close to the Waco Family YMCA which has 2 indoor pools and 1 outdoor waterpark style pool. A family membership is $60/mo. They have a good daycare to drop your kid while you work out and it is a totally modern gym with all you could want. Most Woodway folk who don't have their own pools go there.

If you want to widen your search beyond Midway ISD then the next logical choice would be China Spring ISD. Search zip 76633 for China Spring. Smaller school district but similar in demographics to Midway. If your husband works in the north end of Waco then China Spring might make sense as it is a reasonable commute into north Waco via China Spring Highway. If your husband works in south Waco or the Midway area then stick with Midway ISD for your housing search as China Spring will make no sense.

Thank you so much for all of the thoughtful input! We will be going to drive around on Friday and we will be using your info as a guide :-)

[Stone1]

This is a long way off by some respects so many things can change, The wife and I are looking at places to relocate to in 4-5 years with the Waco area being one of the top two places. We have been to the Waco area and in Texas several times and both like it a lot. Since we are from Wisconsin the land of high taxes, Texas seems reasonable, what would be the lowest property tax areas around Waco. We would want nice areas to live in but are middle class income people, Lorena and Robinson seemed to have nice newer homes. We have three kids who will all be out of college but may relocate to the area if we do, so schools would not matter to us but they may matter to our children or grandchildren. This is an early post but we have been looking at possibly buying land or a lot while prices and interest are down.

[texasdiver]

In Texas your property taxes will be broken down as follows

School district (bulk of taxes in all jurisdictions)
City (you avoid these by moving to unincorporated rural areas)
County (roads and community college)
Farm to market roads.

Basically in the Waco area you're going to moderately high property taxes if you live in any of the actual cities and a bit lower taxes if you live in an unincorporated area. Anything within the City of Waco will probably be the highest. But things balance out to some extent. Utilities are lower within Waco than in rural areas so you get some back.

Stone1. If I were in your position and looking for property in the greater Waco area *AND* I was not concerned about commuting to a specific job, then I would most definitely buy in the China Spring area. My wife and I moved into Woodway to be closer to jobs (she's a doctor who has a lot of night calls at the hospital and I didn't like her driving the dark rural roads at night). But I spent a lot of time exploring the area by car and bike while I was playing stay-home-dad for the first 3 years we lived her and I have probably seen every possible place in McLennan County. The prettiest land near Waco is in China Spring. Search 76633 to see what homes are available out there. That is where I would go if I was looking to buy land. There are also some nice subdivisions in the Crawford area that are really Waco suburbs but are just across the line into the Crawford ISD. Search 76638 for homes in that area.

You don't say whether you are looking for more rural land or close into town. Honestly if I didn't have 3 small kids in local schools and was not commuting every morning I know exactly where I'd want to own property. I'd want property on the end of Higgenbotham Lane on the north side of the Bosque River. The houses back there are on 10-20 acre lots with rolling pastures in front and woods behind that drop down to the river. Most of the people living out there have horses. It's some of the most scenic rural land I've seen in the area that isn't too far from Waco. I'm talking about right here (the map link is to a Bed and Breakfast called the Back Porch on the street I'm talking about):

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&cl...,0.172348&z=13