Torn between Pflugerville & RoundRock (Austin, Round Rock: homes, buying, school district)

[ToddATX]

Originally Posted by movingtoaustin_27

I'm going to piggyback on this post because we are considering Cedar Park and Round Rock right now. I left Pflugerville out because it seemed like more of a bedroom community - not as many restaurants, amenities, things to do, etc. I am going to be a stay at home mom and it seems like Round Rock & Cedar Park have more going on. Schools and taxes aren't an issue for us right now because we will be renting.

Was my assumption correct or should I give Pflugerville another look?

None of any of the cities have much of any real entertainment. There are local bars/pubs in all of the above. Cedar Park does have the Cedar Park Center where the Texas Stars (minor league hockey) play and some concerts come. Pflugerville has a water-park, and is also going to have a massive hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars investment into new restaurants and shopping over the next couple of years around 130 and Dessau area. Otherwise all three are nothing really different. Lots of strip-center, big box chain stores and restaurants. All have parks. Pflugerville has a "lake" (though it's kind of laughable to call it a lake) where they host events (big fourth of July bash, etc).

There isn't much to separate any of them. They are all generic suburbs. Personally anything really unique and awesome in this area comes from Travis county/Austin, and so I would rather be as close to that as possible myself. Round Rock does have the best schools of the three if that matters to you, but Pflugerville and Cedar Park are not bad school districts either.

For most families it would be best to choose based on: location, cost and availability of a home that meets your needs/desires; and commute time to your work/office.

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

All homes? I guess when you left, the others thought there was no reason to stay!

LOL, you got me! What a difference omitting one word makes

Originally Posted by movingtoaustin_27

Okay, now I am looking, haha! What are Springbrook and Highland Park like? We have been looking at Cedar Park Town Center, Teravista and Forest Oaks.

I'd take Highland Park over Springbrook. It is a direct clone of Cedar Park Town Center. Frankly, all of the areas are nice. Maybe CPTC is a bit closer to amenities, both other than that, whatever is close to hubby's job and offers you the best rental rate. There is no "better" city and I've been to all three, and have resided in two of them.

Originally Posted by ToddATX

None of any of the cities have much of any real entertainment. There are local bars/pubs in all of the above. Cedar Park does have the Cedar Park Center where the Texas Stars (minor league hockey) play and some concerts come. Pflugerville has a water-park, and is also going to have a massive hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars investment into new restaurants and shopping over the next couple of years around 130 and Dessau area. Otherwise all three are nothing really different. Lots of strip-center, big box chain stores and restaurants. All have parks. Pflugerville has a "lake" (though it's kind of laughable to call it a lake) where they host events (big fourth of July bash, etc).

There isn't much to separate any of them. They are all generic suburbs. Personally anything really unique and awesome in this area comes from Travis county/Austin, and so I would rather be as close to that as possible myself. Round Rock does have the best schools of the three if that matters to you, but Pflugerville and Cedar Park are not bad school districts either.

For most families it would be best to choose based on: location, cost and availability of a home that meets your needs/desires; and commute time to your work/office.

Gotta disagree a little bit with some of your post. While they are all pretty similar, there are distinctions. Each city has its own local flair...it's not all one big continuous strip of shopping malls, roads, and soccer fields. Open up the Community Impact newspaper and there are many local events, including live music. Deutschen Fest is an awesome fun festival. Downtown Pflugerville and Round Rock host several live shows on the weekends. Resident life doesn't revolve around Walmart and Starbucks and soccer tourneys. There are also many local restaurants too and unique ethnic restaurants (i.e. Taste of Ethiopia, Chucho's interior Mexican food, several Indian restaurants). It really does depend on a) how old you are - if you are a single, 20 something, then yes, you'll probably define "fun" in a different way and b) do you have kids or not. All three cities really cater to people in my demographic - families with kids and possibly retirees. For me as a mother of two kids, there is no shortage of fun things to do that doesn't involve driving in to Austin. There are many people who live in all three cities who also spend their recreational time in either of those cities. They are not "generic suburbs"...they are individual Texas cities with their own identities and topography. BTW Pflugerville is in Travis County. Cedar Park schools (Leander ISD) is rated higher than RRISD, FWIW. Sorry dude to pick apart your post, as I know what you're trying to say -- none of them are "better" than the other -- but having lived in the area for as long as I have and actually enjoying it, I can't say they're generic. Also being next to Austin isn't the most important thing unless you work in central or downtown Austin.

[SloSmoked]

Originally Posted by ToddATX

None of any of the cities have much of any real entertainment. There are local bars/pubs in all of the above. Cedar Park does have the Cedar Park Center where the Texas Stars (minor league hockey) play and some concerts come. Pflugerville has a water-park, and is also going to have a massive hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars investment into new restaurants and shopping over the next couple of years around 130 and Dessau area. Otherwise all three are nothing really different. Lots of strip-center, big box chain stores and restaurants. All have parks. Pflugerville has a "lake" (though it's kind of laughable to call it a lake) where they host events (big fourth of July bash, etc).

There isn't much to separate any of them. They are all generic suburbs. Personally anything really unique and awesome in this area comes from Travis county/Austin, and so I would rather be as close to that as possible myself. Round Rock does have the best schools of the three if that matters to you, but Pflugerville and Cedar Park are not bad school districts either.

For most families it would be best to choose based on: location, cost and availability of a home that meets your needs/desires; and commute time to your work/office.

Should have guessed by the "ATX".

[ToddATX]

I am a father of three and a grandfather of one, so I too am in your demographic, although we probably have different desires and tastes in events. I have lived in both Round Rock and Pflugerville and both worked extensively in Cedar Park, and am friends with the mayor of it. To me there isn't much to distinguish between the three. Taken overall I would say that Cedar Park is a little more "rural" feeling, but otherwise there isn't much to distinguish the three in my eyes. Yes they each have a unique event or three. But there is nothing in any of them that would keep me personally amused on a regular basis. Austin is where it is at for entertainment and outdoors activities to me.

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by ToddATX

I am a father of three and a grandfather of one, so I too am in your demographic, although we probably have different desires and tastes in events. I have lived in both Round Rock and Pflugerville and both worked extensively in Cedar Park, and am friends with the mayor of it. To me there isn't much to distinguish between the three. Taken overall I would say that Cedar Park is a little more "rural" feeling, but otherwise there isn't much to distinguish the three in my eyes. Yes they each have a unique event or three. But there is nothing in any of them that would keep me personally amused on a regular basis. Austin is where it is at for entertainment and outdoors activities to me.

Oh, well! What can I say. To each his/her own. I find PLENTY to do just about every weekend and it doesn't involve a strip mall or a big box store and I don't drive into Austin. Austin is where it's at for work and maybe the Domain. That's about it.

[ToddATX]

... and the Greenbelt, and Lady Bird Lake, and museums, and much better music venues and performances, and better selection and variety of quality restaurants, and better pubs, better and more options for dancing, better (i.e. the only) art-house theaters, better libraries ... on and on ...

[riaelise]

again, each his/her own. I can find good local eats not far from my front door. I'm no gourmand and don't purport to be. A lot of the Austin originals have cloned themselves in Round Rock, Fwiw. I don't particularly care for some of them, but they're there nonetheless. I'm happy with our local library. I'm not into art house theaters, and even if I were, I'd prefer New York City's art house scene. But I'm biased since I am a New Yorker and Greenwich Village/East Village used to be my backyard. My tastes are varied and while I'm not a big outdoorsy person, I appreciate the outdoor recreational activities in my backyard. Greenbelts are everywhere..heck, my entire neighborhood is one big green area with tons of heritage oaks and there's Brushy Creek. Austin is great, I love it when I feel like I want to "go into town" but there's a lot to do outside of Austin.

Listen, my point was that even though all three of the cities are suburbs and are similar in many ways, they're not generic. At least to me. YMMV. If it was so important for me to live in Austin, I would have. Price be damned...I'd just deal with it, if that was important to me.

[AustinDude360]

There isn't much to separate between RR & CP...but comparing PVille to these two PVille is a notch down because in general the schools are not as strong and PVille gets a bad rap for being "diverse." Take it for what you think that means, but there is the general comment I have heard from native Austin folk around here. In both East RR and PVille you will likely deal with expansive clay soil. Cedar Park is mostly rock.

Unfortunately when it comes to real estate prices, stigma and stereotypes affect the market. You have to throw away your PR hat so you can invest wisely.

Personally, CP is the top of the three with West Round Rock second.

[10scoachrick]

I give a vote to both Cedar Park and Pf-ville for each having an indoor gun range. Extra credit to Cedar Park for having one that is sparkly clean, HEPA-filtered and AIR-CONDITIONED

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by AustinDude360

There isn't much to separate between RR & CP...but comparing PVille to these two PVille is a notch down because in general the schools are not as strong and PVille gets a bad rap for being "diverse." Take it for what you think that means, but there is the general comment I have heard from native Austin folk around here. In both East RR and PVille you will likely deal with expansive clay soil. Cedar Park is mostly rock.

Unfortunately when it comes to real estate prices, stigma and stereotypes affect the market. You have to throw away your PR hat so you can invest wisely.

Personally, CP is the top of the three with West Round Rock second.

Considering I (and my family) are persons of color that mentality sickens me. Basically, the Whiter a place is, the better? Having more than single digit minorities = a notch down? Never mind that dollars and cents wise, there are many people who are above average income wise (such as myself) who reside in both Pflugerville and East RR and the household incomes of all three cities aren't that far apart.

It'd be nice if people didn't inject race into things, but that would be considered "PC". As an investment, I never lost money on a house, including the Pflugerville home. Also, zip code 78660 average home price is rising each and every year so obviously it's a pretty strong market.