Better schools:Circle C, Lakeway, Steiner Ranch or Great Hills (Austin: low income, transfer)

[AMJ27]

When we moved here five years ago, I had compiled a list of neighbors that seemed to be family friendly, good schools, etc. that I wanted to check out. I had the same areas as you on my list, but as soon as I realized how far out Steiner and Lakeway were, I quickly took them off.

I'm not sure where pricing is now for Great Hills, but when we were looking, it seemed like comparable homes in Great Hills were about $100,000 more than Circle C. We ended up in Circle C because it was closer to my husband's job at the time, but I really like Great Hills a lot. It is very accessible to downtown and there is a lot in that area. I don't have first hand commuting experience from downtown to Great Hills, but it does seem like those who commute north have a bit rougher of a commute (for now).

As for schools, I can tell you first hand that we have had a great experience with our elementary school in AISD (Clayton). Everyone that I know whose kids go to Kiker love that school as well. Mills is the elementary school to the north of Circle C where kids from Legend Oaks and Villages of Western Oaks attend and people seem to say good things about it. It is getting a new principal this year who is the former assistant principal at Clayton and she is wonderful. Llkltk used to live in Meridian (which is across 45 from Circle C) so her kids probably went to Baldwin. I've heard less enthusiasm about that school (it is newer), but I think that it is still suppose to be very good.

[Aquitaine]

Originally Posted by AMJ27

When we moved here five years ago, I had compiled a list of neighbors that seemed to be family friendly, good schools, etc. that I wanted to check out. I had the same areas as you on my list, but as soon as I realized how far out Steiner and Lakeway were, I quickly took them off.

I'm not sure where pricing is now for Great Hills, but when we were looking, it seemed like comparable homes in Great Hills were about $100,000 more than Circle C. We ended up in Circle C because it was closer to my husband's job at the time, but I really like Great Hills a lot. It is very accessible to downtown and there is a lot in that area. I don't have first hand commuting experience from downtown to Great Hills, but it does seem like those who commute north have a bit rougher of a commute (for now).
.

We had exactly the same real estate experience (minus the school bit, since no kids). We loved Cat Mountain and Great Hills and that was our first choice. We put in an offer on one place that was about 30 years old and needed a medium amount of work and lost it (in 2012). The same amount of money got us new construction in Circle C.

I think they're both great neighborhoods. Great Hills and that whole NW area has some nice elevation and more mature trees. Circle C has more green space and your dollar goes further. So it depends on your budget and taste, really - I don't think you can go wrong with either.

[pwcfan]

WOW........great answers ALL !!! Thank you VERY MUCH !!
Daughter is moving with husband and kids from BeanTown.
My wife and I(grand parents) are moving and retiring from So Cal. We all want to live in same area together so we can help with the little ones while they work.
Daughter and husband there now looking at houses and such........They are monitoring this thread.
Thank you all very much !!!

[sojourner77]

Originally Posted by Raskolnikov

Curious comment.. Do you mean the Circle C schools are bad?

Some people just don't like AISD, no matter how good the schools are. A lot of times it's a philosophical or political difference. A good friend of ours taught at Bowie HS, and ended up moving to DS after she had her first kid. She didn't want to put her kid in AISD, even though they lived in Shady Hollow with a great school track.

[tuesday2]

Originally Posted by Austin97

Great hills has the golf course and great hills park right in the middle. It also has bull creek park, st eds, forest ridge and balcones canyonland preserve land adjoining.

great hills is closer to the domain which has the main high end shopping in town.

OP didnt mention shopping or green space though, just proximity to downtown and elem schools. Great hills feeds into Hill or laurel mountain (RRISD) plus magellan is quite close.

Kathy Caraway is a great elem. in RRISD that is also in Great Hills, has a great park next to it with tennis courts and also walking distance to Great Hills Park from that neighborhood. Both Laurel Mountain and Caraway feed into Canyon Vista Middle School and Westwood HS.

That neighborhood near Great Hills CC is split: AISD - Hill/Davis and RRISD - Caraway/Laurel Mountain

There are even a few streets where you can pick which district you want to be in. Or it used to be that way when we lived there a couple of years ago.

[llkltk]

Originally Posted by AMJ27

When we moved here five years ago, I had compiled a list of neighbors that seemed to be family friendly, good schools, etc. that I wanted to check out. I had the same areas as you on my list, but as soon as I realized how far out Steiner and Lakeway were, I quickly took them off.

I'm not sure where pricing is now for Great Hills, but when we were looking, it seemed like comparable homes in Great Hills were about $100,000 more than Circle C. We ended up in Circle C because it was closer to my husband's job at the time, but I really like Great Hills a lot. It is very accessible to downtown and there is a lot in that area. I don't have first hand commuting experience from downtown to Great Hills, but it does seem like those who commute north have a bit rougher of a commute (for now).

As for schools, I can tell you first hand that we have had a great experience with our elementary school in AISD (Clayton). Everyone that I know whose kids go to Kiker love that school as well. Mills is the elementary school to the north of Circle C where kids from Legend Oaks and Villages of Western Oaks attend and people seem to say good things about it. It is getting a new principal this year who is the former assistant principal at Clayton and she is wonderful. Llkltk used to live in Meridian (which is across 45 from Circle C) so her kids probably went to Baldwin. I've heard less enthusiasm about that school (it is newer), but I think that it is still suppose to be very good.

Thanks for stalking me to know that. But you don't know where my kids went to school.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by scm53

Great Hills park - 59 acres. Bull Creek park - 48 acres. Circle C Metropolitan park - 545 acres. Plus Grey Rock golf course, which is now a municipal course and doesn't require a membership to play.

upper and lower bull creek are 477 acres
st eds is 80
forest ridge/jester is right around 500

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by llkltk

Thanks for stalking me to know that. But you don't know where my kids went to school.

LOL, stalking you? Not so long ago, that was all you posted about, it was what you would consider 'common knowledge' if you were a member on this forum .

And, yes, they said probably went to school there and did not claim to actually know....

[scm53]

Originally Posted by Austin97

upper and lower bull creek are 477 acres
st eds is 80
forest ridge/jester is right around 500

Silly me -- I thought the issue was green space actually in Great Hills or Circle C. That you can access right out your door, not drive in your car to get to.

You want to play that game, Barton Creek Greenbelt is about as long a drive from Circle C as St Edwards is to Great Hills. I'm not that silly.

[AMJ27]

Originally Posted by llkltk

Thanks for stalking me to know that. But you don't know where my kids went to school.

Well, I'm very sorry, but we've probably both commented on dozens of SW Austin threads over the years, so I know you lived in Meridian (just as you know that I live in Circle C) and the AISD elementary school that Meridian feeds in to is Baldwin. If you don't want "stalkers," don't post on a public thread.

Hope that you are happier now that you are our of AISD, but I guess I'm a "stalker" for knowing that since you've only mentioned that numerous times!