Need advice on areas to live in Austin (Round Rock, Kyle: real estate, apartment)

[aprilmln]

My husband and I have are 30 and have a 5yr old and one on the way. We love South Austin culture but we want to move somewhere we can raise our kids safely. We can live anywhere between Kyle and Round Rock. We want an area where our kids will be in a good school and rent houses are affordable. We also want an area that is nice and safe. We live on Oltorf and at my son's school most of the students and parents dont speak english. We would love to live near lake travis but can't afford it. Any advice??

[Jennibc]

It would be useful if you could put down a number for rent. The term affordable means different things to different people.

[TheyCallMeDerek]

If you picture Austin in the center of a map, as you go outward real estate gets more affordable. Kyle and Buda are affordable but every city/town has it's funky parts. Jennibc is right, different people have different ideas on certain terms and what they mean to them. Where do you work? That might hold some weight when making a decision about moving.

[CptnRn]

Take a look at all of the Oak Hill area, Westcreek, as well as the small neighborhoods on the North side of 290/71 near there, and West Oak Hill around Scenic Brook Drive, good schools & shopping, good access to downtown, good access to Lake Travis and the hill country, low crime activity. Also look at the areas around and south of Covington Middle School. Between Brodie Lane and South Loop 1.

[TexasHorseLady]

It would, indeed, be useful, when making suggestions, to know what you mean by "affordable".

As for good schools, that varies widely by the individual child - a school that's great for one can be abysmal for another, and vice versa - so you'll have to make that call yourself. Do you already have any particular schools in mind? That might be a starting point, since it's clearly important to you. You can check the ratings, but then you might want to check out Great Schools for parental feedback, and once you've narrowed the list down, visit the schools themselves.

[Mrs.JT]

Do you specifically want to rent a house, or will you consider an apartment?