Tell me a little more about Circle C Ranch....

[austin-steve]

It also appears that the housing prices are a little more attractive in SW.

What areas are you comparing prices with? A home in SW (Circle C, VAWO, Legend Oaks) identical to the same home north or nw will typically cost $30K to $50K more. Same home, same builder. That's what draws people to Cedar Park, Leander, Round Rock. Same home, cheaper price, good schools, and if you work north, shorter commute.

Another way to ask these compatibility questions would be to say,
"I'm fairly normal, so are my kids and husband, we like nice people, good schools, good clean grocery stores, nearby restaurants, parks and easy access to major transportation arteries. Assuming we can handle a 45 minute commute, is there any reason we wouldn't like Circle C?"

To that, the answer would simply be "no".

Is there a section of Circle C to avoid? Yes, the small gated enclaves where your HOA fee is through the roof (because of private streets). I wouldn't buy a house in one of those sections because the higher HOA fee provides no real value. Other than that, there is no area to avoid, and I would add Legend Oaks and Western Oaks (in Mills attendance zone) to your search.

Good luck,

Steve

[AustinGuy]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

Is there a section of Circle C to avoid? Yes, the small gated enclaves where your HOA fee is through the roof (because of private streets). I wouldn't buy a house in one of those sections because the higher HOA fee provides no real value.

I looked at one of those enclaves a few years ago that was being built, and the higher HOA fees covered all yard maintenance (mowing, weeding, mulching) of front yards so in theory that partially offset the higher fees. Of course, if the fees are drastically higher, it won't make up the difference

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by AustinGuy

I looked at one of those enclaves a few years ago that was being built, and the higher HOA fees covered all yard maintenance (mowing, weeding, mulching) of front yards so in theory that partially offset the higher fees. Of course, if the fees are drastically higher, it won't make up the difference

I know in one section at least, the mowing only covers your front yard. A lot of good that does. In fact, it's safe to call it "stupid".

I really feel sorry for people who bought in those sections. They were either poorly advised or just didn't know what they were doing. Eventually, once the newness wears off (which it just about has), the prices will normalize such that you pay less for the house to balance out the total cost of ownership.

Of course, for some reason, some people place a higher value on gated sections. To me they're worthless in Austin TX as anyone can easily follow anyone else through at any time, and they are open a good deal of the time.

FYI - the private road is a result of developers wanting to avoid city road requirements, such as curb widths, sidewalk requirements, etc. Instead, they make the road private and can thus arrange the platting in a more profitable way, but home owners get stuck with that overhead forever.

Steve

[SimBoo]

Dear Austin Steve:

Are there any great Austin neighborhoods without HOA's? We had really ugly experiences in Arizona, and I remain convinced that there is very little value for the homeowner in an HOA, just $$$ for management companies, lawyers, etc.

[TexasHorseLady]

There are plenty of neighborhoods without HOAs in Austin. Closer in, mostly, and sometimes more expensive (though not always), and frequently older, more established neighborhoods, but great ones, nonetheless (no cars up on blocks in the yard, lawns mowed, amazing, isn't it?). What are you looking for in particular in a neighborhood beyond that?

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by SimBoo

Dear Austin Steve:

Are there any great Austin neighborhoods without HOA's? We had really ugly experiences in Arizona, and I remain convinced that there is very little value for the homeowner in an HOA, just $$$ for management companies, lawyers, etc.

There have been numerous threads beating that topic to death already. Just search a bit.

Circle C would not be what it is today, it would not be as beautiful, it's home values would not be as high as they are today, were it not for an effective HOA enforcing the rules over the past 20+ years.

Go drive through Beckett Meadows if you want a neighborhood with no HOA in the same general area. It's not a disaster, and I like the neighborhood, but you can definitely tell that there is no formal enforcement in place.

A home owner in Circle C would have spent about $4K on HOA dues over the past 10 years. I'd say the value retention has exceeded that amount, so I disagree with those who say it's a waste of money.

Steve