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We are looking at buying a home in the near future and have targeted Avery Ranch as our key area. The rail will take my wife and I to and from work, so the distance from "Central Austin" will not be a huge deal to us.
The schools seem to be good in that area, thus the home values should hold their own in the future.
We also like some of the surrounding neighborhoods like Davis Spring and Oak Brook. Does anyone have their two cents to throw in about the areas I have mentioned? Is there a specific reason to choose an Avery Ranch subdivision over Davis Spring or Oak Brook?
We are looking for 3x2 with an office or a 4 bedroom, good schools, reasonable commute to downtown Austin, and a home that is not a fixer upper, is there another neighborhood that we should also consider for a house <= $300k?
Avery Ranch is huge; but it is divided (more or less) into neighborhoods. While it's close to 4000 homes, those folks have 5 amenities centers from which to choose. It's not like you'll see everyone each time you go to the pool, in other words. Depending on the address, AR covers part of RRISD and LeanderISD, so a one block difference in location could mean a different school district. It's not a huge deal, quality-wise, because the schools attended in either district are highly regarded.
I suppose there are fixers in AR; but the oldest section is just now 10 years old...plenty of new construction under way as I type. The west neighborhoods of AR are super convenient to the train station and 183.
The AR HOA is not super-restrictive; but they do stay on top of landscaping and 'improvement' issues. We're nearing the 5 year mark since arriving in '08 and are very happy here.
Plenty of specifics available if you have particular questions. I'm sure some of the other AR 'ranchers' could chime in.
The builders there (Pulte, Streetman) are in the upper 200s to mid 300s. Once the Neenah extension is completed (in a year or two?), that neighborhood will be a straight shoot over to the rail station west of Parmer Lane.
Even though my wife & I (we live in the Meadows of Brushy Creek) are empty nesters we think this is a great area, especially for raising kids.
The builders there (Pulte, Streetman) are in the upper 200s to mid 300s. Once the Neenah extension is completed (in a year or two?), that neighborhood will be a straight shoot over to the rail station west of Parmer Lane.
Even though my wife & I (we live in the Meadows of Brushy Creek) are empty nesters we think this is a great area, especially for raising kids.
Neighbor ScoPro is correct in that Pearson Place is located 'in' Avery Ranch; but it will not fall under the Avery Ranch HOA or have access to Avery Ranch amenities. This is a likely source of confusion for those folks looking at Avery Ranch on either side and across from Pearson Place and indeed the developer is using signage consistent with the Avery 'look'. Same developer(kinda sorta) as Avery Ranch; but Pearson Place is not actually part of AR.
There's plenty of new construction on the west end of AR. The main road through Northwood at Avery will actually feed into the Lakeline train station parking lot. That Northwood development is also NOT part of Avery Ranch per se; but there are new neighborhoods within Avery Ranch along the western Blvd before 183.
Avery Ranch is within the city of Austin boundaries. Some really nice neighborhoods like ScoPros's just to the east of Avery Ranch are Brushy Creek MUD/ Fern Bluff/ unincorporated 'Round Rock'. Oak Brook is right on the border. I see some of the addresses are listed as Austin, 78717; but I'm pretty sure it falls into the Fern Bluff MUD or other since they have Round Rock Recycling as their trash company(not City of Austin utilities). Until the Neenah road extension is completed, those neighborhoods wouldn't provide the fastest access to the Lakeline Station. Dealing with the Parmer/Avery Ranch intersection at rush hour can be frustrating.
With almost 600 homes, Davis Spring isn't tiny. However, they have the one pool and tennis court while Avery Ranch has 4(soon to be 5) pools and 5 tennis courts. AR also has the highly rated AR Golf Club, a daily fee course with memberships available. Just generally, Davis Spring is about 10 years older than Avery, with homes ranging from 11-20 years of age. The Davis Spring folks are impacted by the stadium traffic more than much of AR; but it's not a constant concern.
In really round numbers, you could guestimate the per square foot cost for the area to be +- $110; so you could get the size house you need for your proposed budget. The Davis Spring and Oak Brook homes would be a bit older, but only by 5-10 years in most cases. To maximize the convenience of the train station, I might eliminate Oak Brook and stay closer to/west of Parmer.
Have fun! Houses are moving quickly in our Brookside area of Avery Ranch, that's for sure!
Thanks for the info. Yes, Brookside is very nice. We drove through it the other day. Parkside is also very attractive. We haven't looked at the neighborhoods on the West side of parmer. I have noticed that they seem to be in a lower price point. Are there any pros/cons that you can think of for the west of parmer neighborhoods? I notice that they are Leander ISD as opposed to RRISD.
Thanks for the info. Yes, Brookside is very nice. We drove through it the other day. Parkside is also very attractive. We haven't looked at the neighborhoods on the West side of parmer. I have noticed that they seem to be in a lower price point. Are there any pros/cons that you can think of for the west of parmer neighborhoods? I notice that they are Leander ISD as opposed to RRISD.
The line between RRISD and LISD is our street! In fact, it depends on where along our street as to which side goes where! I've not heard of a nickel's worth of difference except that Vista Ridge HS is a gorgeous newer campus with its own stadium vs the older Round Rock HS and McNeil HS campuses. The two elementary school campuses off AR Blvd near us are new since we moved here in '08. The dividing line isn't strictly east vs west, as the Morningside neighborhood south of AR Blvd is RRISD while the rest of Brookside and Champions to the north are Leander ISD. Clear as mud, eh?
The cons of living west of Parmer are somewhat balanced by the pros(especially access to the train station for you or proximity to 183 for drivers headed into town). The biggest con would be the sound of the train moving through the neighborhood. You might know it's the itty-bitty commuter train by day, freight traffic at night. Sure hasn't stopped hundreds of folks from buying in those neighborhoods!(not to mention the new development(s) between AR Blvd and Lakeline Blvd VERY close to the tracks).
The average home price is lower on the west side, in part because of the proliferation of condos and 'casitas'. I think the per-sq-foot price average is darned close between the east and west areas. True, there aren't a lot of the 4,000 sq ft homes on the west side, so the price points are a bit lower than you would see in Brookside, Parkside, Champions, Creekside to the east. BUT, don't forget the proximity to the rail station and 183! Not having to deal with crossing Parmer during rush hour is a definite PLUS! I believe DR Horton is the only builder in a couple of the west side neighborhoods, so the emphasis is on keeping the cost down in those newest areas. I don't see this as a negative...not everybody wants to pay for 4000 sq ft on the golf course! The Morningside neighborhood to the east of Parmer has more homes priced in line with those of comparable size on the west(BUT, they have the largest amenities center in 'their' neighborhood...AND the tennis courts ).
The line between RRISD and LISD is our street! In fact, it depends on where along our street as to which side goes where! I've not heard of a nickel's worth of difference except that Vista Ridge HS is a gorgeous newer campus with its own stadium vs the older Round Rock HS and McNeil HS campuses. The two elementary school campuses off AR Blvd near us are new since we moved here in '08. The dividing line isn't strictly east vs west, as the Morningside neighborhood south of AR Blvd is RRISD while the rest of Brookside and Champions to the north are Leander ISD. Clear as mud, eh?
The cons of living west of Parmer are somewhat balanced by the pros(especially access to the train station for you or proximity to 183 for drivers headed into town). The biggest con would be the sound of the train moving through the neighborhood. You might know it's the itty-bitty commuter train by day, freight traffic at night. Sure hasn't stopped hundreds of folks from buying in those neighborhoods!(not to mention the new development(s) between AR Blvd and Lakeline Blvd VERY close to the tracks).
The average home price is lower on the west side, in part because of the proliferation of condos and 'casitas'. I think the per-sq-foot price average is darned close between the east and west areas. True, there aren't a lot of the 4,000 sq ft homes on the west side, so the price points are a bit lower than you would see in Brookside, Parkside, Champions, Creekside to the east. BUT, don't forget the proximity to the rail station and 183! Not having to deal with crossing Parmer during rush hour is a definite PLUS! I believe DR Horton is the only builder in a couple of the west side neighborhoods, so the emphasis is on keeping the cost down in those newest areas. I don't see this as a negative...not everybody wants to pay for 4000 sq ft on the golf course! The Morningside neighborhood to the east of Parmer has more homes priced in line with those of comparable size on the west(BUT, they have the largest amenities center in 'their' neighborhood...AND the tennis courts ).
Yeah, we looked at Morningside and liked much of that neighborhood as well. We did see the amenity center and it was impressive. The noise from the train is something that we did not consider. We will have to look into the west side some more. We are definitely not looking for 4k sq ft.
Can you see values in Davis Spring keeping to up with the rest of the Avery Ranch neighborhoods in the future? The think the extension of Neenah was mentioned before. Could that be a bad thing for Davis Spring residents?
Yeah, we looked at Morningside and liked much of that neighborhood as well. We did see the amenity center and it was impressive. The noise from the train is something that we did not consider. We will have to look into the west side some more. We are definitely not looking for 4k sq ft.
Can you see values in Davis Spring keeping to up with the rest of the Avery Ranch neighborhoods in the future? The think the extension of Neenah was mentioned before. Could that be a bad thing for Davis Spring residents?
We do some pet-visiting on the west side and most of the homes are closer to the size(and price) we 'should' have bought(only two humans and a Scottie, but DW wanted room for huge antiques and visitors and I wanted a third garage bay). Except that homes are moving quickly(it seems), you should be able to find 2500-3000 sq ft in your price range. Pluses would be trees that shade the house(a BIG plus) and a lot that backs to 'green space' rather than a neighbor. Not a whole bunch of big back yards, so a little cushion is good, I reckon.
It will be interesting to see how Davis Spring 'ages'. Naturally, you'll find more shiny 'brass' fixtures, Corian and windows that may need replacing(not necessarily all, of course) and appliances/systems that are getting a little long in the tooth. This could be an opportunity to update to your tastes or possibly a way to keep the costs down(as long as the teenage appliances and mechanicals are operating OK). We could have found a home in there except for that 'three car garage' limitation. It remains to be seen how the Neenah extension will affect the area. No doubt, many folks will find it convenient while many others will find it a nuisance. I'm not thinking it will be a major cut-through; but will be heavily used during school pick-up and drop-off. BTW, that Mariah Cove house is interesting . I may ride my bike over there tomorrow.
We moved to Austin in the fall of 2011 and found this forum to be a wonderful asset when house-hunting.
After a search around Austin, we ended up in Avery Ranch. It has a wonderful community feel, sidewalks, parks, pools, tennis courts, and restaurants within walking distance. And, hopefully more restaurant choices soon!
Be careful when searching if you want to be in LISD vs RRISD. They dividing areas can be a little odd sometimes. I like the LISD schools we are currently districted to; I know nothing of the RRISD schools in the area. I pretty sure either choice is a good one.
Ultimately, we made the choice to move to this area due to the proximity to everything we needed and couldn't be happier with our decision.
We do some pet-visiting on the west side and most of the homes are closer to the size(and price) we 'should' have bought(only two humans and a Scottie, but DW wanted room for huge antiques and visitors and I wanted a third garage bay). Except that homes are moving quickly(it seems), you should be able to find 2500-3000 sq ft in your price range. Pluses would be trees that shade the house(a BIG plus) and a lot that backs to 'green space' rather than a neighbor. Not a whole bunch of big back yards, so a little cushion is good, I reckon.
It will be interesting to see how Davis Spring 'ages'. Naturally, you'll find more shiny 'brass' fixtures, Corian and windows that may need replacing(not necessarily all, of course) and appliances/systems that are getting a little long in the tooth. This could be an opportunity to update to your tastes or possibly a way to keep the costs down(as long as the teenage appliances and mechanicals are operating OK). We could have found a home in there except for that 'three car garage' limitation. It remains to be seen how the Neenah extension will affect the area. No doubt, many folks will find it convenient while many others will find it a nuisance. I'm not thinking it will be a major cut-through; but will be heavily used during school pick-up and drop-off. BTW, that Mariah Cove house is interesting . I may ride my bike over there tomorrow.
Thank you very much for all of the info. We are looking forward to a house to our liking popping up.
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