Thoughts on Lago Vista? (Houston, Austin: short sale, foreclosure, condo)

[lagovista]

I will first say that I'm a REALTOR and I would like to think I'm not bias but to be honest I love living hear. I would like to dispell all the negativity. Lago Vista does have Award Winning Schools very high continuing education ratios some of the highest in Texas. Very low student to teacher ratios.

YES, there is a grocery store (brand new), ACE Hardware, and there is a decent size strip mall that is close to completion that will host many restaurants and new stores. There are quite a few developments in the works that will suit primary residents, weekend homes, and retirement communities. They are straighting out 1431 to allow easier, safer access.

YES, Austin is 45 minutes away but unless your working dowtown Austin I dont see it to be a problem. Saying that there is also the new Toll Road and the Light Rail, which will be up and running in the near future.


The city boasts 3 golf courses and 1 in Point Venture.

Yes there is $125 ANNUAL POA fee, well that allows you access to over 10 PRIVATE (GATED) parks almost 5 boat ramps and lots of recreational activities. You will not find a better deal around. This city was primarily a duplicate of Lakeway.

You cant find lakeside communities and a great small town atmosphere anywhere around. Living on or near a lake is such a greater quality of life in my opinion. There are retires and young couples middle age demographics I know b/c I've sold to them all!

Well I dont think that was to much of a rant but Lago Vista and the surrounding communitites offer so much more than other cities and are at reasonable prices historically speaking (temporarily) and I have yet to find any faults!

Read Some Blogs in google, type in (activerain lago vista)

Scott Hutchinson, Lago Vista REALTOR

[IC_deLight]

Some think that a POA fee is like a ticket for admission. However, that POA fee means that there is also an unlimited liability and perpetual liens on the property of anyone who purchases in such a place.

[LuvNLakeLivN]

Whoa! Lago Vista is a hidden gem and frankly, the above misinformed posts are some of the first ever negative comments I've heard about the north shore of Lake Travis. The old, tired South Austin vs. North Austin mentality is rearing its' head. Put it to rest and check out Lago Vista for yourself. Call a local real estate agency, the chamber of commerce or tourist bureau. The lovely thing about the former "retirement" community, is that some really great properties are emerging onto the market as the retirees of the 70's and 80's are moving on to assisted living centers, etc., and if you are savvy enough (or your RE agent is), you can end up with a fantastic property that hasn't been on the market ever. Yes, we have lots of new construction going on too, but there is so much land out here, the houses are not being built 10 feet from each other. You can keep your flat, former cow pasture, subdivisions in Buda or Kyle. I prefer Lake Living, Texas style.

[newtolago]

My husband, two young children & I moved to Lago almost a year ago (although, we still feel like newcomers!) We moved here after living in central Austin within walking distance to Barton Springs, Zilker Park, a handful of restaurants & bars, etc., etc. The reason we chose Lago is because it was very familiar. My grandparents, then parents retired out here & I had been coming out here all my life. Back in the day, my siblings & I were some of a small group of grandkids that came out here for summers. Other than that, it was mostly retired folks & weekenders.

When looking for houses last year, we found Lago Vista to have a lot of bang for your buck-- low POA fees, beautiful scenery, no cookie-cutter houses, golf courses, small town feel, safe environment for our kids, & of course, the lake! We had heard that it was no longer considered a "retirement community" & that the demographics had changed.

Having been here a year, I'm finding it a very lonely little place! I've never had problems making friends in the past & have a pretty outgoing & friendly personality, but there's something strange about this place. I know I'm not crazy, because I've asked some of the few friendly people I've met about this phenomena & many of them agree. Since I have small children, I decided to try out this playgroup that everyone seems to know about & that advertises in the local paper. I found most of the people there to be extremely closed off & unfriendly to newcomers (after talking to a few of the other oustiders I met there-- since nobody else made an effort to talk to us-- we wondered why they advertise their group in the paper if they, obviously, do not welcome newcomers.) After sticking it out a few more times, for the sake of my kids, I gave up on this group & decided to make friends elsewhere. After all, my kid was in preschool & played youth sports, so maybe I would meet people there. After running into these same moms time & time again at games & school activities, I began to wonder if a chip had been implanted in their brain or if maybe, their prescriptions were all wrong... Each & every time I "met" one of them, they acted like this was the first time they'd ever seen me. Even though I knew their names & their kid's names & ages, they acted as though I didn't see them every day while picking up my kid from school & that they hadn't just carried on a twenty minute conversation with me the day before on the school field trip. Bizarre!

Of course, this is not everone in Lago. Most of the store clerks & general public are friendly, it's just hard to make more than an acquaintance. People seem to have this kind of "locals only" attitude that only shows in their disdane for newcomers. I wish their were more pride in the actual city. It has so much potential to be a charming, little lake community, but is riddled with unsightly, half-constructed houses that nobody seems to care about, abandoned businesses, & just has an all around outdated, unkempt look. There are a few places that are well-kept & trying to modernize, but it's unfortunate that there's not more of that. Maybe that's coming...

Anyway, long rant, but had to get that out (this is the first forum I've even seen about Lago, so sorry to unload!) I know you don't have kids, so the "Stepford Wives" shouldn't be a problem for you, but just FYI, a little bit about the general attitude out here. Best of luck with your home search!! As an artist & having to commute to SA, you might check out Wimberly or New Braunfels.

[shane79]

Maybe you dont have kid and dont care about commute, but most people do, if resale matters to you then it is better to take those into consideration.
Lago Vista has beautiful scenery but everything else measurable are not that great.
just my 2 c.

[Raskolnikov]

You should look at The Hollows. It's an awesome neighborhood right before you get to Lago Vista. (After Jonestown). The fact that the grocery store is there has changed everything in my opinion and made Lago much more palatable a place to live. Also they've developed tons of stuff in Cedar Park which is just 10 minutes away. (MOvie theater, Target)

[machoman]

"The Hollows" is very nice. But Cen-Tex (the developement company with holdings nationwide) sold it off after finishing just about half of it. The new developer specializes in buying properties that fold (i guess that says all there is to say about "The Hollows" with the current state of the economy, maybe the future will be brighter). Cedar Park is pushing toward the Jonestown area but it is not just a 10 minute drive, esp the new Target/Movies.
Jonestown/Lago Vista sales have really fallen off and that area does not appear to be a good investment presently. Developements out in that area seem to just change hands between developers. A new developer buys one, re-names it, and before long some other developer has bought it, and renamed it, all without a single house having been built. Lago Vista must be some kind of "flip that house" for developers. "Flip that Developement" anyone?

[Breezerboat]

I am involve highly in the Leander ISD. I think LagoVerteran is probably one of those cancerous people in a school board meeting. Negativity breeds more negativity. My wife teaches in the elementary school and I work over in Leander ISD. We are probably going to send our kid to the elementary and bring him back for middle and high school (LISD). Don't quote me on this, but I think the elemtary has been exemplary in the past.

My inlaws live out there. It's a great little community. But only if you don't mind the drive into town. If my wife and I weren't such restaurant junkies, we would live out there.

[texastwister]

Has anyone heard of a potential sale of Lago Vista golf course to the city of Austin? Or of developer Bruce gilman? Looking for specific information on the golf course in Lago Vista. Possible renovation of the club house? Development of adjacent golf courses, etc.

[Guydog21]

I am very happy to hear the different perspectives. I like that someone is saying unpleasant things as well as the good comments. It takes all kinds, right?