Moving to Austin Please help!! (Round Rock, Pflugerville: sale, for rent, how much)

[bosque196240]

Working for the "Government" and moving to Austin in the next few months will be working at Bergstrom Airport. It will be myself, my 13 year old and my 90 year old dad. As I am in the process of a separation from my wife money is going to be tight for us. I am hoping that someone can help me out with some information about good safe areas that are within reason for price. I would be looking at either buying or renting, depending on a pending house sale where I am at now and how much I have available to me and of course I want to scope out the area to find the "best" place to buy. We would need 3 bedrooms 2 to 3 baths and preferably near a bus line or other public transit for my dad. Probably looking at around 200K and/or 800-1000 p.m. for rent. My biggest concern is for the safety and happiness of my son and my dad and I hope that somone can give me info on some good areas to look at. I would really appreciate it.

[Trainwreck20]

I am guessing your son is about to start HS, so I am guessing that you would like a 'good' HS. Depending on your son's adaptability, most HSs can do a decent job, but given your circumstatnce I would look for one of the better rated ones. If you are going to be living south (nearest to the airport), then I would try to find something in the Bowie HS area (west of the airport, but a quick drive down Ben White/hwy 71), but that may be difficult at $200k. Buda (just south of Austin, west of the interstate) may be a little less pricey, and the Hays Consolidated HS is not bad at all. Bastrop is another option to the south, but I am not so sure about the HS. I suspect it has been improving over the past few years, but it historically has not been considered that strong. I would avoid the Del Valle HS, again based on its' historical reputation.

You could also live north in the Hutto/Pflugerville/Round Rock area. The schools are generally very good in this area, and the housing prices reasonable, but you would probably end up driving down the toll road everyday to work. That is probably easy, but the cost may add up (between gas and tolls).

Bus lines (basically, the only public transportation) are sparser the further out you go. SW Austin will be quicker/easier relative to buses, but again, more expensive. Not sure there is much of anything in Buda or Bastrop, not sure. RR/PV/Hutto will have at least one route that should get you connected to the network, but the ride may be long. South Austin (around Brodie, south of Wm Cannon, north of Slaughter) has some affordable houses and easy bus access, but the HS is Crockett. Crockett has been one of the schools to avoid for years.

[bosque196240]

Thanks so much for the information. I can use all of the help I can get.

[Miaiam]

Hi, my family lived in Austin for a while and used public transportation all the time, it is VERY GOOD. Buses follow a schedule, mostly on time, very organized, very cheap, definitely a plus in Austin. You can go almost everywhere by bus. As for safety, I understand some areas are being revitalized, but I would choose the west of I-35, where I often felt safer and more comfortable. Hope this helps!

[love roses]

West of 35 near downtown Austin. East of 35 most everywhere else is perfectly fine and safe.

[Raskolnikov]

I'd look at the neighborhoods around Brodie and Slaughter, and south of that. Getting to the airport only takes about 20-23 minutes with decent traffic. I would NOT look at south east Austin or really anything east. Like a previous poster said, you want your son to go to Bowie H.S., not the other ones in the south east part of town.