Neighborhoods to consider? (Austin, Spring, Cedar Park: apartments, HOA fees, condos)

[AMJ27]

As I mentioned in another thread, we are coming for a visit in the next couple of weeks. I am putting together a list of neighborhoods that I want to check out while we are there.

My husband is interviewing next week at a company located in SW Austin and has another interview in a couple of weeks at a company in NW Austin, so I'm looking at both areas of the city. Our budget is 400-450k. I'd love to find something that we love less than 400k, but we would also be willing to go a little higher (no more than 500k) for the right house. I would like a minimum of 3000 sq. feet, 4 br, good schools (we have a 5 and 2 year old). I am warming up to the idea of AISD in the SW since they seem to have good ratings and the Murchinson-Anderson area in the NW. However, in the NW, I seem to be focused on the RRISD that feeds into Westwood HS.

My husband and I are pretty liberal, but live in pretty conservative suburbia right now. We are used to coexisting with our conservative neighbors, but an area with a liberal lean would be nice (but not necessary). I know from my thread a couple of weeks ago that there aren't a lot of neighborhoods that are walkable to shopping, etc., but a neighborhood with sidewalks and parks would be another plus. I'd also love to be near a decent gym (Lifetime or 24 Hour Fitness).

With all that...here is my list so far:

Great Hills
Canyon Creek
Avery Ranch
Steiner Ranch
River Place
Twin Lakes
Red Oaks
Circle C Ranch
Heights at Loma Vista
Villages at Western Oaks
Legend Oaks
The Park at Spicewood Springs
Anderson Mill Estates
Spicewood Hills

[Jennibc]

My husband works NW but we chose to live SW because the houses are more affordable closer to the city. He does a commute from Circle C to North Research and it takes about 25 minutes if he leaves at 7 AM - he's an early riser so that's great for him.

You can get a house in Circle C for anywhere from 300K all the way up to 450K depending on the house's age, condition, amenities, and where in the development it is situated. We are libertarian leaning and find that our neighbors in closest proximity are a mixture of democrats, republicans, and independents.

We are close enough into town that we utilize town lake's (aka Lady Bird Lake) trail every weekend. We also get to regularly attend festivals downtown because it's only a fifteen minute drive in on the weekends and other times when there is no traffic.

It takes about six minutes to get to lifetime fitness from my house and eight minutes to get to 24 hour fitness. Believe it or not I timed both rides because if I gym isn't within 10 minutes of home, I'll never use it.

My eight year old is always playing with neighborhood kids out in the culdesac down the street. Lots of young kids here, as he is one of the older children in our neighborhood. There are many neighborhoods within Circle C that have this kind of cohesiveness among the neighborhood children. We have regular "happy hours" out in our driveways. But then I've heard from others living in different sections that they hardly know their neighbors so it's really a luck of the draw.

We like the topography of SW too. Rolling hills and very pretty.

I hope this helps. If you have any further questions, please feel free to DM me.

[rpowell]

I would recommend based on the amount of square feet that you want for that price to concentrate on SW Austin. Circle C, Legend Oaks, and Village at Western Oaks are all good neighborhoods. Circle C has great bike and jogging paths. There are also a couple of nice gyms in southwest Austin as well as good shopping.

[FalconheadWest]

If he's going to possibly be working SW, I don't see any neighborhoods on the West side like Lake Pointe, Falconhead, Falconhead West, or even Barton Creek West and Senna Hills. Those last two are rather pricey, but you can still find a few every so often in the $400's.

[shankaupas]

Your list covers some great neighborhoods both northwest and southwest in AISD, RRISD, and LISD. You can definitely get into a very nice home for under 400K. For example, in Red Oaks in Cedar Park in the LISD, you can get a 3 year old 4 bd 3000+ sq ft home from the mid 200s up to the low 300s.

You will also want to pay attention to the tax rates and HOA dues. For example, the tax rate in Steiner Ranch is 2.7% whereas in Circle C it is 2.2%.

[atxcio]

If he's working SW, why aren't you looking at Eanes ISD / Westlake? There are some areas where homes are in the 400-500k, or even less.

[dce_irish]

I work for a homebuilder in Red Oaks, and we have built homes out here up to the mid-$500's, but are currently building in more of the low-300 to low-400 range. Am about to start a spec home that is 3226 sqft., 4 beds, 3 baths, study, children's retreat, covered back porch, on a corner lot (over 1/4 acre), with nice features (tile, wood, carpet, granite, stainless appliances, etc.) that will be listed at about $343k (also have a 3000 sqft. home, but it's only 3 beds & study, for $315k).
BTW, I don't know if your into the outdoors or not, but one great feature of Red Oaks is being right next door to a future 106 acre park that Cedar Park is creating - hike & bike trails (that link to the Brushy Creek Trail System) and a lake - will be a great addition.

[AMJ27]

Originally Posted by atxcio

If he's working SW, why aren't you looking at Eanes ISD / Westlake? There are some areas where homes are in the 400-500k, or even less.

Basically, I have eliminated Eanes because I realize that we would be at the bottom of the economic scale in this area. If Eanes was the only good school district in the area, I would be happy to make that sacrifice. However, I think our entire family would be much happier in a nice house that we can afford in a really good school district rather than an older house that may or may not need work in "the best" school district. I am especially concerned for when my kids get older because they probably wouldn't have the material privileges that perhaps other kids that they go to school with would. I could be completely off on my assumptions and , but I think that we would be happier elsewhere.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by AMJ27

Basically, I have eliminated Eanes because I realize that we would be at the bottom of the economic scale in this area. If Eanes was the only good school district in the area, I would be happy to make that sacrifice. However, I think our entire family would be much happier in a nice house that we can afford in a really good school district rather than an older house that may or may not need work in "the best" school district. I am especially concerned for when my kids get older because they probably wouldn't have the material privileges that perhaps other kids that they go to school with would. I could be completely off on my assumptions and , but I think that we would be happier elsewhere.

No, I think you hit the nail on the head. We made the same decision because we spent the prior eight years struggling to live in a neighborhood that we couldn't really afford in a house that needed a lot of work. It was very stressful.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by AMJ27

Basically, I have eliminated Eanes because I realize that we would be at the bottom of the economic scale in this area. If Eanes was the only good school district in the area, I would be happy to make that sacrifice. However, I think our entire family would be much happier in a nice house that we can afford in a really good school district rather than an older house that may or may not need work in "the best" school district. I am especially concerned for when my kids get older because they probably wouldn't have the material privileges that perhaps other kids that they go to school with would. I could be completely off on my assumptions and , but I think that we would be happier elsewhere.

I can understand that, and I've definitely heard it before. But you still might want to check it out while you are here -- you really wouldn't be at the bottom of the economic scale. Westlake is a much more established area than some of the master-planned communities you are looking at, and because of that there is some diversity of income... there are apartments, condos, and duplexes in all price ranges. Drive down Bee Caves road between Mopac and 360, you'll see that Westlake isn't this mystical uber-rich gated community. There are places with regular homes, regular families. Older homes, but they have their charm. It's not all Rob Roy and river-front lots. Also, keep in mind that in the newer master planned areas, you will have HOA fees and higher taxes that will definitely increase how much you are paying per month. Westlake has tax rates as low as 1.88%, and lots of areas with no mandatory HOA (like Lost Creek -- only a $60 per YEAR voluntary neighborhood association).

As far as your current choices, I'd definitely test the commute to SW Austin from some of those NW neighborhoods. It can be difficult, especially if you are looking in places as NW as Cedar Park.