Questions about CircleC/Steiner Ranch/Avery Ranch (Austin, Bowie: HOA fees, houses)

[Prius732]

Are the property tax rates the same in all areas of Austin?

What about Water rates?

We are looking to spend under $300,000,safety and schools are top priority.A neighborhood with amenities close to Whole Foods,The new Trader Joes and Central Market would be great.We prefer a house under 2300 square feet.So far CircleC/Steiner Ranch/Avery Ranch seem like the best fit.

Are there any other neighborhoods we should consider?

[scm53]

Dude, something's gonna have to give. The closest to any of the amenities you want is Circle C. Avery and Steiner are at least 15 mi., or more away.

But unless you are in CCR North, north of Slaughter, you are not going to get in under $300K. There is nothing wrong - just the oldest part and doesn't stay on the market long. I'd also look in the areas just n. of there - Legend Oaks, Village of Western Oaks.

Probably will be tough getting into Steiner at that price point. Avery will have more selection, but it is the furthest out. All of them have great schools. Water is the lowest in Steiner, most expensive in CCR. Made up by the fact in CCR you are on Pedernales Electric and escape the social engineering in Austin Energy's rates.

[Prius732]

Originally Posted by scm53

Dude, something's gonna have to give. The closest to any of the amenities you want is Circle C. Avery and Steiner are at least 15 mi., or more away.

But unless you are in CCR North, north of Slaughter, you are not going to get in under $300K. There is nothing wrong - just the oldest part and doesn't stay on the market long. I'd also look in the areas just n. of there - Legend Oaks, Village of Western Oaks.

Probably will be tough getting into Steiner at that price point. Avery will have more selection, but it is the furthest out. All of them have great schools. Water is the lowest in Steiner, most expensive in CCR. Made up by the fact in CCR you are on Pedernales Electric and escape the social engineering in Austin Energy's rates.

Thank you for the info....

We really like the location of the CircleC area.What is the difference between Western Oaks and Circle C? How do the amenities differ and the HOA fees? Are the property tax rates the same in each?

[Trainwreck20]

Made up by the fact in CCR you are on Pedernales Electric

??? I don't know any part of CC that is not on AE, but maybe I am wrong? I thought AE provided service to all areas in the City limits of Austin?

Anyway, the closest area to CC is Villages of Western Oaks, which is north of Slaughter, South of Davis, ad between Mopac and Escarpment (http://community.associawebsites.com...cwDefault.aspx). Western Oaks is a little further north than VOWO and generally bounded by Mopac/Wm Cannon/Becket/Convict Hill (Neighborhood - Western Oaks POA) and Legend Oaks is west of Escarpment/Convict Hill (Legend Oaks). CC North is due west of VOWO.

VOWO probably has the lowest HOA dues (around $225/yr) but offers no real homeowner amenities (notably, no pool); however, the City of Austin pool at Dick Nichols park is free. WO and LO both have pools and other amenities, but you would have to research what the HOA dues are. CC is, I believe, the highest HOA dues but offers quite nice pools/facilities.

You can get specific tax rates from the Travis County Assessment District web site (Travis Central Appraisal District), but they should be very, very similar if not identical, since they are all in Travis County, AISD, and the COA.

As far as differences, I guess VOWO is the newest but also the smallest (on average). The largest houses that I am aware of in VOWO are around 2,400 sf and 1,900 to 2,000 seems to be much more common. Most of the homes were built in the 1999 -2001 time frame by Weekly or Newmark, which built solid, if not spectacular, houses. CCN homes are larger with somewhat nicer original finish, although now that we are 10-15 years down the road, some of the VOWO homes have been nicely upgraded. WO and LO are older (similar to CC homes) and have a much more mature tree canopy, which is quite noticeable when driving through, although many of the homes will be quite dated (again, there will also be some nicely upgraded ones, as well). As far as access to downtown, the differences are incremental - WO is definitely the fastest to downtown and CC the longest, with LO and VOWO somewhere just behind WO and ahead of CCN. Again, the differences are minor, but there IS a difference between CC and WO, for sure.

The major shopping/retail in the area is centered around a few areas - Escarpment Village at Escarpment/Slaughter (CC, CCN, and VOWO definitely trend to here) and the stores along Wm Cannon, from 290 all the way over to MoPac, are the two major 'local' strips, with Sunset VAlley being the box store mecca. One minor advantage (for me) VOWO/CCN has over CC is the easy access to Escarpment Village - if you like to walk/bike, it is VERY easy to access this area from VOWO, a little more difficult for CC.

As for schools, I would not split hairs - the local elementary schools are all above the average and both middle schools have good reputations. WO does have a significant area that tracks to Austin HS and some people dislike (while others prefer) that. Bowie is definitely closer, though. If you have young kids (or none yet ), there may be a new HS that assumes part of the SW Austin load and redivides all the existing tracks.

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

??? I don't know any part of CC that is not on AE, but maybe I am wrong? I thought AE provided service to all areas in the City limits of Austin?

.

That would be too simple...Avery Ranch is 'served' by PEC...no AE available here.

[Trainwreck20]

http://www.austinenergy.com/customer...iceAreaMap.pdf

That map makes it clear as mud :P

[tildahat]

Beckett Meadows is also in the same area, with a walking trail that connects up both to the library and Dick Nichols park and the new South Mopac Flyer, as well as the east west William Cannon route. No HOA, which is a plus or minus depending on your preferences. Houses about 20 years old. Patton-Small-Austin High AISD track.

It and stuff north of convict hill allow you to walk or bike to the Costco/Whole Foods/Kerbey Lane/Torchy's/24 Hour fitness complex.

But it doesn't have the "impress the Joneses" name of the other places you mention. Speaking of names, Circle C is infamous with some older Austinites because of a bitter battle about building there over the aquifer. Just something to know.

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

??? I don't know any part of CC that is not on AE, but maybe I am wrong? I thought AE provided service to all areas in the City limits of Austin?

The section in CC North, off slaughter close to 1826 behind the middle school that I still don't know how to spell is serviced by PEC. City of Austin handles water/sewer/trash though. The Wildflower section may be PEC as well, but I don't remember for sure. Most of CC proper is City of Austin electric though.

Steve

[scm53]

Originally Posted by tildahat

But it doesn't have the "impress the Joneses" name of the other places you mention. Speaking of names, Circle C is infamous with some older Austinites because of a bitter battle about building there over the aquifer. Just something to know.

Or something to recognize as rank hypocrisy and not care about. Just something to know.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

Most of CC proper is City of Austin electric though.

I don't think "most" is. Here's the PEC service map. Where the dividing line is, I'm not sure, but I think it may be as far up as Slaughter. I know my friends in CC North are on PEC, as is Park West. Ken Risgbee, who has lived there since almost the beginning ran for the PEC board last year - which would presume he lives in the service area.