Austin Area Suburbs / Communities - Help!! (Dallas, Round Rock: for sale, HOA, houses)

[docrondc]

We are considering relocating to Autin area. Could anyone please give me an idea of some areas to consider?
We are looking for an area that is:
Green, Hilly, Lots of trees, close proximity to outdoor activities (hiking, biking, etc.), fairly new, safe, great schools, child friendly, chrildrens activities (some new developments have play areas, water parks, etc..which would be great)priced between $200 - $300K with 3+ bedrooms and 1900-2400 sq. ft.
Also, up to 30-40 minutes (non rush hour) from downtown Austin.
I know this is a lot to ask??
Thanks,
Ron

[texastea]

Its not really a lot to ask. There are several neighborhoods that fit the discription. I can name a few that I'm familiar with and I'm sure the south Austin crowd will have some ideas, too.

I'd check into neighborhoods around Brushy Creek Park off of Parmer Lane (Avery Ranch, The Ranch at Brushy Creek, and maybe Forest Oaks). It has a small lake for fishing and canoeing, hike and bike trails, and a little water park for kids.

Westside Preserve at Buttercup has a nice pool/park and is in your price range I think, but the hiking/biking is mostly nice sidewalks along Lakeline Blvd...its walking distance to shopping and Starbucks Deer Creek Ranch is nice, too, with jogging/biking along Anderson Mill Blvd. And a little further out Lakeline Blvd, Crystal Falls is beautiful and hilly.

Some neighborhoods along East Whitestone/1431 are nice but not sure about the water park as part of the neighborhood pool: Mayfield Ranch and Vista Oaks. Williamson County Regional Park is right next door and the county and cooporating cities are supposed to be building a regional trail system in the area.

All of these areas are more or less 30 minutes from downtown (non rush hour). We are in Leander and with the new tollway can drive to our friends in south Austin (Ben White) in 30 minutes.

[Melissa78703]

What you're describing sounds more like Georgetown, San Marcos, or Salado, all of which are a 30-40 minute drive outside of Austin. But, if you're going to be living that far out of town, why bother with Austin? The reason I say this is that once you get in the suburbs, you loose all flavor of Austin. If you want to live in a suburb, it really doesn't matter where you live, be it in Texas or anywhere in the U.S. I'd pick your priorities - if you want good schools, find the suburbs with the good schools, then go from there.

[love roses]

I tend to disagree that the flavor of Austin is lost 30-40 miles. O.K, maybe 40, but 20-30 miles? Naw, not so much. You just don't have 6th street running through your front yard, but you're not so far out that if you want to go downtown it's not impossible. All the areas Texastea mentions are very nice and not so far away that you feel like you live in Dallas.

[texasgirl1]

Not too much to ask for!

You should also look into Twin Creeks in Cedar Park. The neighborhood backs up to the Balcones Canyonland Preserve, is 5 min from Lake Travis, the neighborhood has 2 parks, a water park, golf course, and walking trails throughout. Feeds into an exemplary elem. school. The HOA and club host tons of childrens events throughout the year. Time to downtown in non rush hour is 25 minutes.

There are a few homes for sale between 265K-299K. One has 2600 sq ft, 4 bed, a view of the preserve from the back and is right under 300K.

Lots of areas in Cedar Park are going to have lots of kids in them, therefore, lots of childrens activities.

[atxcio]

Not a lot to ask.

The area you are describing is NW, W, and SW Austin. There are hilly, treed areas in Cedar Park & Leander, also down south.

Better yet, if you don't mind one of the older houses in the neighborhood, you can find plenty of listings < 300K in the Steiner Ranch and Circle C subdivisions (NW and SW Austin.) That would be your best bet, IMO... if you can stand not having the newest house (though not old, either) you'd at least be in neighborhoods where the new construction is much more expensive. You'd have access to the same amenities, schools, etc.

[Rae']

I second Texastea's recommended areas for what you are looking for and in that price range.
I sell in Forest Oaks and Westside Preserve, so let me know if there is something in particular you would like more info on!

[TexasHorseLAdyl]

I likewise disagree that you lose the Austin flavor on the outskirts. Austin has always (well, as long as I've been in the area, almost 40 years) extended its influence out - and "out" is further now than it used to be.

Salado is more like an hour out (we live outside of Jarrell now and it's about 45 minutes to 183/Burnet Road area, Salado is about 10 minutes past us), Georgetown fits, Buda's growing fast and may have some of those amenities now, Lockhart's a possibility. Apache Shores (out by Lakeway) is another. Cedar Park is another good option.

[llkltk]

Try Meridian in SW Austin. The 55s would work for you. They are priced 260-310. It's by the Veloway and it is scenic. The schools are some of the best in Austin. I think you would be happier there, closer proximity to the city and it still is Austin. Cedar Park and Round Rock are a totally different feel. If you live there, it's like living in the suburbs of Dallas.

[elmstreetschool]

I lived in Georgetown and it was 30 minutes, tops to Austin. However I never went into town without being aware of rush hour (about 6:30-8:30am going in, and 4-6pm coming back). I agree about Round Rock and Cedar Park, charmless suburban sprawl. But Georgetown west of I-35 is that way too.

The traffic knot always seemed to center in Round Rock. After you pass that, the drive wasn't usually bad. I suppose that must reflect where most people are moving/working.