remodel in Crestview v. move to suburbs? (Austin, Round Rock: rental, HOA)

[cviewmom]

Hi - new here, I've been searching and finding lots of good info. I know no one can really answer my question for me, just looking for input and considerations I may have missed...

We currently live in a tiny house (2/1) in Crestview. We love the neighborhood, our neighbors, the parks, the location. But we now have toddler twins. Our tiny house is feeling way too small.

We are torn between moving farther out (probably SW) or adding on. DH works downtown (6th) and I am a SAHM. He doesn't want a long commute. I want to be near parks and trees (and good schools, main concern being safety, not test scores). Our budget is $300K.

He likes Travis Country (the older section). I like the greenbelt and the topography, but wonder about the schools (I just don't know much about them) and if there are many families with young kids. I also wonder if it makes sense to get an older, smallish house (since that is our current problem, although TC is bigger and newer than our house!)

The other thought is Circle C/Legend Oaks area. It seems nice, my only worry is transitioning from our laid back no HOA neighborhood. I may be way off - just my impression. (I don't mean to offend anyone, it just has a different feel than my currrent area) Neither of us has ever lived in South Austin.

Am I missing any areas that fit the bill? Should we just stay put and add on? Any suggestions? Thanks!

[atlanta hope]

We've gone through the same process you have -- we've considered getting a small intown place and adding on so we could enjoy the intown life with our toddler. We currently have a house we added on to and it was such a pain and we're still working on it. Considering a) small, old house that needs work with high taxes to b) larger, more relaxing newer house that needs little to no work with lower taxes, we're picking b.

Part of the reason we like Austin is the "Keep it Weird" aspect -- and we were afraid the burbs wouldn't be our funky style. We're hoping that there are more weird parents out in the burbs that will befriend us and we won't miss out on not being intown as much.

It looks like Shady Hollow is our number one pick so far. We like some of the older houses on bigger lots with trees. The schools are really good too. Also Villages at Western Oaks has some interesting houses but I haven't been there in person yet. We'll be checking it out in a few weeks when we come down to look at houses.

[llkltk]

Crestview is a great area, if you can add more square footage, I'd go for it. I did just move to Meridian in SW Austin and it's not cookie cutter down here at all. All of the shopping I do is in the Central Market Westgate area which still has that hippie vibe. Plus, it's beautiful down here and there are lots of kids. The schools down here are very good. I think that you will be okay either way. It really doesn't feel suburban down here, I was worried about that too but it is still a part of Austin and feels very cool especially since there are so many outdoor activities and mountain bikers are everywhere. It is way different from the northern suburbs.

[achtungpv]

If you own the house with a lot of equity and can afford to double dip on living expenses, I'd move to a rental and find someone that will move your existing house off the property at their cost. There are plenty out there that do it...or have Habitat come and tear it down and take a tax write off. Then I'd find a nice floor plan and build new right there. The Crestview lots are generally bigger than you'll see in most new subdivisions.

of course it won't work if you just bought the property unless you don't mind paying essentially 2 mortgages for 1 house but is all about location, location, location isn't it?

[Raskolnikov]

I'd look in the Villages of Western Oaks, also in Western Oaks. Go down Mopac, exit Wiliam Cannon, and go right. Drive down William Cannon and then after the Panera Bread, start looking to your right (south). There are some great houses in there with a lot of character on large lots with HUGE oak trees.

Try turning on Beckett road and drive south on Beckett all the way to Circle C. On the left and right there are houses. Actually the northern most part of Western Oaks/ Villages of Western Oaks has the most old trees and the bigger lots, but the houses are early 1980s. Some are custom, though, and have interesting floor plans, detached garages, etc. I think the area is only going to go up in value and, more and more, is seeming like it's close into town. Right now I would say it's under-valued.

Then around Davis street, between Beckett and- further west - Escarpment, the Villages of Western Oaks becomes the NEW sections of the Villages of Western Oaks. These houses were built in the 1990s and 2000s. They have extremely modern floor plans, nice lots, but not as many giant trees. (Many of the trees were planted in the 1980s or 1990s so they aren't as spread out and tall-- but in another 10 years they will be.)

The schools in these neighborhoods, for the northern section, are Patton, Small and Austin High. All good schools. When you get south around Convict Hill/ Davis you get into Mills, then Small, then Bowie. Mills is considered exemplary.

Then there is Circle C which is also good but you already seemed familiar with that. Having said all that, I think Crestview is a better location, but I'm not as sure about the schools.

Also I agree that Travis Country didn't seem to have as many kids and families. It does have them, but it also has older boomer types without kids. Western oaks/ villages of Western Oaks and Circle C, and Meridian have a ton of kids.

of course there's also stuff east of Mopac like Shady Hollow which are awesome too.

[cviewmom]

Thanks for all of the suggestions! It is such a tough decision. We've been in Crestview for several years, so it is hard to imagine anywhere else, but with kids my priorities are changing...


Wrt Western Oaks - from what I can tell there is not a community pool (other than the one at the Dick Nichols park) - is that correct? Are there neighborhood parks and playgrounds in Western Oaks?

Thanks!

[Raskolnikov]

Originally Posted by cviewmom

Thanks for all of the suggestions! It is such a tough decision. We've been in Crestview for several years, so it is hard to imagine anywhere else, but with kids my priorities are changing...


Wrt Western Oaks - from what I can tell there is not a community pool (other than the one at the Dick Nichols park) - is that correct? Are there neighborhood parks and playgrounds in Western Oaks?

Thanks!

There are many neighborhood parks playgrounds and trails in Western Oaks. First off there's the park buried within Western Oaks, to the east of Beckett. This is in the area of the large lots/ old trees/ 1980's ranch style houses. It's got a lot of character. There's tennis courts, a nice park for kids, and a swimming pool. It's deep within the neighborhood so it's never very crowded. Then, there's Dick Nichols which is a very large park and has a pool, and a 1 mile loop hiking trail (paved). Perfect for pushing strollers or riding bikes on. There's also a large playground there, bathrooms, picnic areas, and a covered area for parties. Also right across Beckett from Dick Nichols there are hiking trails (unpaved) that wind through trees, in between sections of the neighborhood. This is a great trail system, also it's never very crowded. Then there are several other smaller parks off Escarpment.

Finally - if you go a little further south on Escarpment to Slaughter there's Circle C Metropolitan Park which is huge, has hiking trails, soccer fields, and giant fields. I'd say when you are outside it, you wouldn't really know it's there but once inside it, it almost feels as large as Zilker Park.

There's not a private swimming pool (like Circle C) but Dick Nichols pool is actually great.

[mimimomx3]

You're right when you say that only you can make that decision. I can't imagine living anywhere but in town, even if I have to compromise on the three car garage, the walk in closet and so on. I basically hate to drive. I would add on, but that's just me.

[cviewmom]

Raskolnikov - thanks for all of the park information - just what I needed to know! It sounds nice.

mimimomx3 - I understand what you are saying. We love living in town. But it isn't really about needing the three car garage. We currently have about 900 sqft, no garage, and 2 incredibly small closets (no pantry, no hall/linen closets, no toy storage). That makes life with small children complicated. Adding on means either trying to live here with two small children during a long construction process or spending the time and money cramped in a rental (with two toddlers). We can't afford to completely gut it and start over, so we won't be able to make many changes to the existing space.

From past threads it sounds like the commute from Travis Country or the Circle C area is not as bad as that from say Cedar Park or Round Rock, which is why we are considering SW. But if the commute would be as bad as from the north suburbs, then, no, we probably won't leave. So that is why I posted - just to ask about commute times, neighborhood options, and to see if there were things we weren't thinking about that an outsider might mention. We have been debating this for so long!

[orngkat]

Our children are in college now, but several years ago we did the exact opposite of you. We moved from Oak Hill to Allandale. Our daughter attended Patton and Covington while we were in Oak Hill and I was under-impressed but that was then. She then elected to go to the magnet school which was in far NE Austin so we were on the opposite end of town. When we lived SW, it seemed like I was always driving to get anywhere-always fighting traffic and that can only have gotten worse. Finally, I said enough and we moved into a 2-1 in town for my daughter's last years of high school. We added another half bath and living area-went from 1000 sf to 1600. I LOVE being located central and would not trade it for anything after having experienced both. I rarely even get on Mopac anymore since I can find everything I need close by. There is something to be said for staying in your neighborhood for the long term. Americans are always thinking there is something better ie the grass is always greener somewhere else. With the rail coming, your dh can take that downtown. I would add on and stay especially cause you say you love where you are. And also remember, our parents and grandparents got by just fine in small houses.