Leander, Georgetown, Pflugerville or Hutto (Austin, Cedar Park: real estate, houses, purchase)

[SubeeDoobee]

We will be moving back to the Austin area in a few months and are planning to purchase a home ($200K). I lived in Cedar Park a few years ago and know that a lot has changed since I have been gone. Can anyone give pros/cons on the following cities: Leander, Georgetown, Pflugerville or Hutto. I will be commuting to downtown Austin and understand that will be a gruesome commute with all the traffic.

[Austin97]

I would try to go south, slightly closer in for the same price. Possibly east instead like manor, elgin and del valle. Do you need good schools/

[Jimmyp25]

Good luck finding a house for 200k.. Our neighbors daughter has been looking for over a year for that price and just recently gave up ...when we lived in round rock , we hated our sons school and we had to force our son to go to school . Since we moved to cedar park , our son loves his school .. I would go for Leander or cedar park if I were you though. I think the commute is a tad bit easier because of no I-35 .

[SubeeDoobee]

Originally Posted by Austin97

I would try to go south, slightly closer in for the same price. Possibly east instead like manor, elgin and del valle. Do you need good schools/

yes. Good schools are important.

[SubeeDoobee]

Originally Posted by Jimmyp25

Good luck finding a house for 200k.. Our neighbors daughter has been looking for over a year for that price and just recently gave up ...when we lived in round rock , we hated our sons school and we had to force our son to go to school . Since we moved to cedar park , our son loves his school .. I would go for Leander or cedar park if I were you though. I think the commute is a tad bit easier because of no I-35 .

I know with my price range it will be tough. Will probably have to settle for less square footage than I would like (1600 - 1900 sqft). I have seen houses in the $200k range in Leander but I am sure they sell quick with multiple offers.

[Hyena]

Where at downtown? Is the rail a possibility?

That would open up a park/ride scenario for Leander that would ease the commute. While it might take just as long, at least the majority of it will be kicked back with a book or something.

Schools on that side are going to be more consistent than pflugerville. I'd rule Hutto out altogether - that's just too damn far.

[SubeeDoobee]

14th and Lavaca. I believe the closest rail stop is at the convention center which is a good bit from my workplace. I am considering Hutto because of 130. Does 130 help with the commute at all? Also, if Hutto does not have a great school system I will probably rule that area out but I wanted to research Hutto more before I ruled it out.

[Hyena]

Hutto schools aren't bad at all, but that commute would be a killer - and expensive. Heck, the money spent on tolls alone would probably bump your purchasing power.

130 won't do a ton, you'd be able to go the 130/290 route, then slog through the quagmire into DT.

[SubeeDoobee]

Gotcha. Thanks for your input.

[TexasHorseLady]

Not to be discouraging, but all of the towns you've listed are having multiple offer situations - Hutto and Pflugerville are nothing BUT multiple offers in your price range (I've had a couple of clients recently looking for the same thing in the same price range, and by multiple offers I mean 11, 15, 40 offers on one house). Of course, who knows what it will be in a few months, real estate being the fickle lady that she is, but that's something to keep in mind.