Good Neighborhoods in Austin for easy commute to Downtown (Round Rock: transplants, movie theaters)

[robertsacamano]

Circle C to downtown is not 30-35 minutes. As of January, 2015, it's a good idea to multiply by 4 any miles driven during rush hour (6:45-9:00). If you are trying to get from the heart of Circle C (just pick an intersection) to the heart of downtown (6th and Congress for example), that's about 12 miles. That is approximately a 48 minute commute. In good weather. From August through May. You might be able to do it in 3x mileage during late May through early August - 36 minutes.

If there's rain or a fender bender, then you can figure 5-6x mileage or 60-72 min. I lived there and did that exact commute every day. In Austin today, you can safely assume 4x mileage on any and every route during rush hour.

Once you get down to Meridian, you might be able to cut up Escarpment at 40 mph with lights or speed up to LaCrosse on 45/Mopac but those lights at LaCrosse and Slaughter will get you every time.

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by riaelise

He can't find anything in 78749, 78739, 78750, or 78717 at that price? I'm pretty certain that he will find a 3500+ sq ft home in 78717.

OP, large homes like that and really close to downtown are going to be expensive here too. Your best bet would be Circle C and some of the northern areas. I, too, want(ed) a large house and lot, so I was willing to move farther out. I live in the northern burbs and work downtown. It's not so bad since I take public transportation. YMMV, for some people, location is better. For others, home size is important. Then there's the middle ground...I don't want to live really far out since I work downtown, but I am willing to commute 40 minutes daily to get that ideal home that I want and a large yard and not sell off my internal organs. Since you specifically asked for suburban areas, Circle C on the south end and NW Austin might fit your criteria. You could also check out RR and Cedar Park -- trust me, neither are small towns any longer.

Actually, OP, I did suggest RR (round rock). I also mentioned that I work downtown. It's a 40 minute commute from door to door for me, but that's because I take public transportation. It's probably 45 minutes during peak rush hours. By no means are the suburban areas mass-transit friendly, and the mass transit doesn't even stop where I live (which is farther east), but it only takes me ten minutes to get to it and makes commuting far more tolerable. I am reluctant to move across the river because I would lose Metrorail and I don't want to give that up. I've been free of gridlock for five years and counting.

You seem really gung ho about Circle C and the South anyway.

[robertsacamano]

Btw, I left off nightly rush hour. Having worked in Round Rock and lived in South Austin, the nightly rush hour was from 3:45-6:45 every night. If you are coming south on Mopac and want to get from 2222 to the lake in less than 20 minutes (~5 miles), you had to pass the 2222 exit by 3:30.

[Raskolnikov]

Originally Posted by bayareatoaustin

Also another friend suggested Spicewood Springs. Which area is this? Is it affordable in my budget?

I am assuming nobody suggested Round rock, because of long commute to downtown?

Just wanted to introduce you to another factor about living in Austin - which is "mind set". There is a mindset that people have here, and you will gradually assume it also.

People don't drive huge distances in their free time to go all over the place. So find a place you like because your mindset will gradually adjust to this idea that if it's a 45 minute drive to go out to eat, you won't do it. (Unlike in Dallas or L.A. or Chicago or whatever.)

So nothing against Round Rock, but Austin and Round Rock are two separate worlds. If you move to Round Rock, you will not spend any quality time in Austin and vice versa. I've also lived other places. Trust me, it's not like living in a suburban city outside Chicago or a suburban city outside Dallas or L.A. or NYC, where you would still do things in the city on the weekends. It's hard to describe but once you move to Round Rock, you're there. And same with Austin. (I can already anticipate people who live in Round Rock correcting me on this, but it's my experience and I know people who live in both places.)

Also, another rule of thumb people don't tell you: If you live North of the river (the Colorado, which goes right across downtown), then you generally stay north of the river. If you move south of the river, you generally will stay south of the river -- I'm talking about your restaurants, entertainment, and "going out", family AND date nights with husband etc.

In other cities people will drive all over town for a restaurant or to try a new movie theater or whatever. But here, it's strange, people just stay very regional.

So pick a house and neighborhood you really love, and that has stuff right around it, that you also love.

[ImOnFiya]

Originally Posted by bayareatoaustin

Also another friend suggested Spicewood Springs. Which area is this? Is it affordable in my budget?

I am assuming nobody suggested Round rock, because of long commute to downtown?

My previous post has some neighborhoods near Spicewood Springs Rd. However, I would widen the search parameters from w to e (MoPac to FM 620) and n to s (Research Blvd. [183] to around FM 2222).

Originally Posted by ImOnFiya

Northwest Austin with good schools and most not far from shopping at the Arborteum and Domain would fit the bill. With some of these neighborhoods, the potential hillside views of NW/West Austin are to die for: North Cat Mountain, Cat Mountain, Mesa Oaks, Vista West, Palladio Point, Mesa Village, Adirondack, and Twin Mesa areas, for starters.

[robertsacamano]

I would agree with some exceptions. It really depends on how far you live from the river. When I lived in Travis Country and had no children, my wife and I were always north of the river on the weekend. But, we were only 5 miles from downtown.

When I moved further south to the Circle C area and had kids, we rarely went downtown for pleasure.

Now, Round Rock is a different animal. Going downtown for Round Rockers means going to The Domain.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by robertsacamano

When I moved further south to the Circle C area and had kids, we rarely went downtown for pleasure.

I think not going downtown had more to do with the latter than the former.

[Dynamoo]

Originally Posted by bayareatoaustin

We can spend up to 650k. We would like at least 4 bedrooms. I work close to Capitol building.

Barton Hills or Zilker

[Raskolnikov]

Originally Posted by scm53

I think not going downtown had more to do with the latter than the former.

We live in SW Austin (near Circle C) and go downtown all the time. But, generally not very far north. We go to Barton / Zilker area a lot also.

[AMJ27]

Originally Posted by Raskolnikov

We live in SW Austin (near Circle C) and go downtown all the time. But, generally not very far north. We go to Barton / Zilker area a lot also.

We do too, but we rarely go north of the capitol. I think that downtown is very accessible from SW Austin. When there is no traffic, it's a quick easy drive down mopac.

Going back to the commute time, my commute and my husband's from Circle C to downtown is on average 30-35 minutes. If weather is bad or there is a crash, of course it's longer. However, yesterday I was at work in 22 minutes. This is on the southern edge of downtown and we both leave between 8 and 8:30am. If you leave between 7-8am, it is longer.