Gabriel's Overlook? (Austin, Georgetown, Leander: real estate market, house prices, neighborhoods)

[curtisc83]

I come to these forums to look around for info from time to time. I am considering buying a house in a gated community called Gabriel's Overlook in Georgetown, TX. Anyone know anything about it? Good, Bad, somewhere in the middle?

[10scoachrick]

I won't be much help; but, I did notice many of the links that popped up were from 2005-2007. The world is a very different place, now. Takes a bit of 'doing' to get current info on the listings.

IF you want that sort of 'seclusion' with 1-2 acre lots and being 12-15 minutes away from 'stuff', I think it's an attractive area. DW and I drove through the Cimarron Hills CC a couple of years ago and wondered who would choose to live 'out there'. Gabriel's Overlook is just across the highway with lower prices(to be expected), but I've got to think the economy since '08 has put a damper on both neighborhoods. I could be wrong and there may be some 'bargains' out there.

Not what you'd call lush from a vegetation standpoint, but there are quite a few trees in clusters...just want to make sure some are shading the house!

Maybe I've been surrounded by 'stuff' and 'sprawl' too long to appreciate that sort of relative isolation. Having Hwy 29 as the only 'escape route' could prove confining, also. Easy enough to jump in the car to go somewhere, but I'd go a little stir-crazy, I reckon .

Just ramblin'...might run out there today and take a fresh look(our ONE day under 90 degrees for the next few months ).

[TexasHorseLady]

Depends on what you mean by "stuff". Wolfe Ranch is right down the road, at I35 and 29. Not walking distance, granted, but if you want acre lots, you're not likely to find big box stores and lots of shops, restaurants, etc., within walking distance, but a ten minute drive now and again shouldn't be too onerous.

[curtisc83]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

I won't be much help; but, I did notice many of the links that popped up were from 2005-2007. The world is a very different place, now. Takes a bit of 'doing' to get current info on the listings.

IF you want that sort of 'seclusion' with 1-2 acre lots and being 12-15 minutes away from 'stuff', I think it's an attractive area. DW and I drove through the Cimarron Hills CC a couple of years ago and wondered who would choose to live 'out there'. Gabriel's Overlook is just across the highway with lower prices(to be expected), but I've got to think the economy since '08 has put a damper on both neighborhoods. I could be wrong and there may be some 'bargains' out there.

Not what you'd call lush from a vegetation standpoint, but there are quite a few trees in clusters...just want to make sure some are shading the house!

Maybe I've been surrounded by 'stuff' and 'sprawl' too long to appreciate that sort of relative isolation. Having Hwy 29 as the only 'escape route' could prove confining, also. Easy enough to jump in the car to go somewhere, but I'd go a little stir-crazy, I reckon .

Just ramblin'...might run out there today and take a fresh look(our ONE day under 90 degrees for the next few months ).

I prefer to keep to myself but have the ability to go do things in a short drive. The Austin real estate market is not like the rest of the US for sure. I have bid on 3 different houses that were new listings and they were already gone. The good houses go fast. Once a seller had me in a bidding war but I gracefully bowed out.

The Gabriel's Overlook house prices start out in the mid to high 300k range and easily go up to the 700k range. So its not or at least to me its not anything I would consider a low price.

One thing I found interesting is the property tax in Gabriel's Overlook is 1.8%. That's a very attractive aspect to wanting to buy out there for sure. Georgetown proper is in the 2's and Austin Metro can range anywhere from the 2's to 3's.

Any more info or opinions about this area would be awesome. That's not to say the opinions expressed aren't helping because they did.

[curtisc83]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Depends on what you mean by "stuff". Wolfe Ranch is right down the road, at I35 and 29. Not walking distance, granted, but if you want acre lots, you're not likely to find big box stores and lots of shops, restaurants, etc., within walking distance, but a ten minute drive now and again shouldn't be too onerous.

Seems great to me....LOL. The Wife actually like's to drive and I usually get around on my motorcycle so any trip is uber fast.

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Depends on what you mean by "stuff". Wolfe Ranch is right down the road, at I35 and 29. Not walking distance, granted, but if you want acre lots, you're not likely to find big box stores and lots of shops, restaurants, etc., within walking distance, but a ten minute drive now and again shouldn't be too onerous.

I'm certainly not one of those folks who must have a coffee shop, indie book store and excellent small restaurant within walking distance ; however, I would like a quick response time from EMS and PO-lice and not have to drive 10 minutes on a 65mph highway before seeing a bit of 'stuff'. Like I said, maybe I've been surrounded by sprawl and stuff for too long! . For a vacation spot, I'd love it 'out there'...for daily activities, it would just feel a tiny bit isolated, that's all. No big boxes needed within a few miles, but a drug store, etc would be nice.

There's a lot to like about the area, I reckon; but I'd go a little nuts not being able to hop on my bicycle and take off without having to risk my life on 29(and I ride on Parmer, so I understand FAST traffic...but not like some of the crazy trucks I've seen on 29 headed toward G-town).

I reckon I'm comparing it to our mountain house that requires a fifteen minute drive to see any sort of retail or services. Makes running out for a carton of milk a bit of an event. Not good or bad...just different, I reckon.

[TexasHorseLady]

Hey, I live in the country outside of Jarrell, on a ranch, and the two occasions I've had to call emergency services (ambulance once, pasture fire next door heading our way the other), the response time was as fast as I've received in the city. This was before the new fire station was put in, too.

You do learn (one hopes) to plan ahead a little bit as far as every day supplies are concerned.

Heck, when we lived five minutes from downtown Austin and could walk to grocery store, restaurant, bookstore, drugstore, and such, I still had to drive my daughter to her private school some 20 minutes away in Oak Hill. Maybe it's being Texan and just flat used to distances and driving ever since I got my driver's license (and before, when I was a passenger), though.

There's a drug store right across 29 from Wolfe Ranch, and another block gets you to an HEB, or you can head down D.B. Woods to the upscale HEB on Williams Drive in about the same distance/time.

[curtisc83]

Its funny how people that live in Austin proper view anything a tad out there...LOL. The other day my Wife was at the Whole Foods. She was checking out and was making small talk with the cashier. Somehow it came up she (my Wife) was looking for house up toward G-town. And the cashier was surprised at someone that can live SOOOO far away. My wife was a tad taken back and said its just 15-20 mins away. If I had everything at a arms length I think I might feel the same way but its not that bad.....LOL

[neddy]

I drove past it yesterday and they are doing some type of work at the front of it. As someone that is living off of a highway (Summerlyn and highway is 183, before they divided the highway 2 lanes north on one side 2 going south now with about a football field of emtpy land inbetween) It was like 29 is at G.Overlook. It was scary making a left turn into Summerlyn. Sort of like get onto an aircraft carrier, hitting the brakes but being ready with the gas in case someone going 65 or 70 did not see you had stopped. At the time looking for a clear spot to turn..it was hairy. I am glad I did not have an teens that were starting to drive befor they spilt out the highway here. I love the neighborhood and its very close to things. If it was Leander ISD I would not mind living there at all but LISD only goes to Escalera Ranch. Just my two cents..

[curtisc83]

Originally Posted by neddy

I drove past it yesterday and they are doing some type of work at the front of it. As someone that is living off of a highway (Summerlyn and highway is 183, before they divided the highway 2 lanes north on one side 2 going south now with about a football field of emtpy land inbetween) It was like 29 is at G.Overlook. It was scary making a left turn into Summerlyn. Sort of like get onto an aircraft carrier, hitting the brakes but being ready with the gas in case someone going 65 or 70 did not see you had stopped. At the time looking for a clear spot to turn..it was hairy. I am glad I did not have an teens that were starting to drive befor they spilt out the highway here. I love the neighborhood and its very close to things. If it was Leander ISD I would not mind living there at all but LISD only goes to Escalera Ranch. Just my two cents..

So are you saying you consider turning into G.Overlook to be a hazard? Is LISD crappy or something?