Another Move to Austin -- Maybe

[mimimomx3]

Just FYI, Town Lake is open only to rowers, not to boats or swimmers. That may or may not be important to you.

[hoffdano]

Lake Travis is a desirable lake because of its beauty and water quality. It is a deep lake - easily over 100 ft in the river channel with the lake at typical levels.

It has several personalities - the summer weekend lake, relatively crowded with watercraft of all sizes - and the weekday or off season lake which is peaceful and beautiful. It is a good fishing lake for at least three types of bass and other fish.

As said already the lake's purpose is flood control - which means the level can vary significantly from year to year or month to month. I have seen the lake rise 23 ft. in one weekend and 9 ft. in one day. During drought periods it can drop 1-2 ft. per week. All docks on LT are anchored with cables so the docks can move in or out as the lake rises and falls. You will either handle this yourself or hire a dock maintenance company to handle it. Lakefront living carries a hassle factor that is too much for some people. But for others - it is living in a beautiful setting where you are affected by nature regularly.

Lakefront property on Lake Travis varies widely in quality and desirability. Most important is the depth of the water in front of the property. A nice lot on a cove may not have any water during a drought. A cliff-style lot can be spectacular but access to the water may require a tram or elevator. It is very important to know where a particular lot is buildable or not because of flood possibilities. You should also know that many, perhaps most, Lake Travis waterfront homes have a septic system. The septic systems sometimes are regulated by LCRA, sometimes by Travis County.

Lake Austin is often considered more desirable - mostly because it is closer to town and the lake is constant level. But it is generally much more expensive and the lake itself can be difficult to enjoy at times because it is narrow and the water is consistently cold.

BTW - when you see mention of lake levels for Lake Travis - they are talking about feet above sea level. "Full" is considered 681 feet. The highest on record is 711 ft. The spillway at Mansfield dam is 715 ft. This summer Lake Travis reached a 30+ year low of 629 ft. It is currently 654+ ft.

[shankaupas]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

Lake Austin is often considered more desirable - mostly because it is closer to town and the lake is constant level. But it is generally much more expensive and the lake itself can be difficult to enjoy at times because it is narrow and the water is consistently cold.

Just wanted to point at for the OP that the reason Lake Austin is so much colder is because the water flowing into Lake Austin is coming from the bottom of Lake Travis. The closer you get to Mansfield Dam, the colder the water gets.

[kimneil]

Thanks for the input. I’ve found all comments to be helpful. A bit more about my needs (which are still being developed). This will be my second home, and the intent is to use it for four or five months during the winter. Condo ownership probably makes more sense. Prefer a non-urban setting but within reasonable distance to city center (let’s say maximum of 45 minutes). Water views and water access are important; lakefront property isn’t an absolute requirement. Schools not important.

Your comments are appreciated.

[shankaupas]

Check out the 1) The Hollows in Lago Vista on Lake Travis, 2) Red Bird Condos in Lago Vista on Lake Travis, 3) The Waters at Horseshoe Bay Condos on Lake LBJ. I think these might be what you are looking for. If not, there are multiple condos around Lake Travis. I don't see much of anything on Lake Austin.

I have toured the property at the Hollows and was very very impressed.