Thinking of Moving Back to Austin-Need Advice on Schools, Neighborhoods Etc.

Hi K.,
Brodie Heights is a DR Horton condo community is the jewel of SW Austin. I am not sure they have any units left for phase 1, but there is a phase 2 on the plan soon. Schools are great, you can get a nice 2 bedroom floor plan for about 170K. I paid 164K for mine in Dec. I am sure you have a real estate agent, if you need one, I have a great one. The condos are listed as Brodie Heights. It's at 9201 Brodie Lane - between William Cannon and Slaughter. Fantastic location, fantastic neighbors, great community.

I hate to discourage you, but it is going to be really hard to find a house in a good neighborhood for under $170,000. Our neighborhood is not great (the houses are just under $170) and I really don't care for the schools, which is why I transferred my son to a better school. Now that he is on track for our desired school he can easily continue his transfer to the middle and high schools his elementary feeds into. Also, his younger brother will have no problem getting a transfer.

If you go to greatschools.com you can find information on exemplary schools in the area you are desiring. Maybe you can rent an apartment in the area of the school you choose while you search for a house. You may have a better chance of staying in that school, even if you moved out of that particular school's area since your daughter was already established. Good luck!

Hi K.,
I always have come back to Austin also.
I live off Bee Cave and Cuernavaca which is an artsy, eclectic area for sure, that is why I moved out here. It feel like you are in the country but are actually only 8 about miles from downtown and Zilker Park and are right on Lake Austin so you get to have it all.
The homes range from cool and older and in the 150 range to new mini mansions and 6 million.....and in pockets there are trailer homes. Bill Ley is a wonderful realtor/lawyer who lives in the neighborhood and has the ability to send you all kinds of listings available. ###-###-#### ____@____.com or Dana Wood ###-###-#### ____@____.com school district is one of the best in the state...Eanes. Can be a bit uppity and has all the problems any affluent district has but the academics are fantastic.
Good luck in your searching and welcome back to Austin. S.

Dear K.,

I am a native Austinite and a realtor here in town. I know of some good pocket neighborhoods where we will be able to find a home in your price range. It won't be Hyde Park, but there are many areas where young families, single people and single parents are finding great places to live.

If you'd like to give me a call or send me your phone number I'd be happy to have a more detailed conversation about the realities of real estate in Austin. I'd need to know what you'd be happy with in terms of the condition of a home - how much work you are willing to put into it (if any!)

My kids are 10, 12 and 18 and I am a former school teacher. My husband is still a teacher, so ensuring that we'd find a location that is a good match for your daughter would be key in a search. I don't mind looking until we find the right place and I'm pretty fun to work with. I'd love to help you out.

H. Kight
Realm Real Estate Professionals
###-###-####
____@____.com

Welcome to Austin K.! I love it here. I too lived in an eclectic area 20 years ago I no longer can afford, down near Zilker Park. I do live in the suburbs now, South-Shady Hollow. I love it for the family style community it provides for my kids and the good schools. I am 10 minutes from down town, 20 minutes from Schlitterbaun and Greune--float trips and fun small town. The new airport is close. And, San Antonio is a quick 40 minute drive, which also is a fun day with the family. We had a great time with the neighborhood swim team this year and the neighborhood fourth of July parade. The kids did a Schlitterbaun trip and they had movie nights around the pool. One of our neighbors even hosts a monthly/by-weekly concert night in their huge backyard. Everyone throws in $ for the band, you bring your lawn chair, blanket, wine, and a picnic dinner. I can suggest a charter school in south Austin that goes to 8th grade and an affordable private school that goes through 12th if you wish to go more into the outskirts of downtown. South Congress is big (SoCo) now. I have a friend in real estate that would be a good contact if you need a contact. She's great. Let me know how it goes. Again, Welcome home!!! C. H

The area off Cuernavaca (off Bee Caves Road) is in the Eanes district. It has some affordable houses, and a pretty funky vibe with artsy people and some "old hippies". My kids went to Eanes schools and got an excellent education. You may have to search hard to find something in your price range. I just read the other emails. I saw the one from Heather Kight, and I would like to say she helped us buy our house, is in the process of helping us sell the old one (beyond your price range, alas)and is a great person who would be very helpful to you.

I'm actually in a similar situation with looking for a new house in the Austin Area. I'm in Round Rock now which is a pretty good area. I have been going by the district for the high schools. The high schools you'll want to be in district for are Pflugerville High School, Hendrickson High School (also in Pflugerville), McNiel High School (near parmer and mcniel rd), Cedar Park (so far I've heard nothing but good stuff about schools in Cedar park but can get pricey depending on the area you look), Round Rock high I think is also a good one. Austin schools I'm not real sure about unless you are in the areas of Westlake High School or Lakeway area. I have been doing a lot of research for these areas but not much for Austin schools.

Hi K.,
I live in Austin - and I love it too! Its a great place to live, its beautiful.
I hate to burst your bubble - Real estate has gone crazy here and it hasnt eased with the economic uncertainty. We bought 10 years ago and our house had gone up in value 175,000. Its scary. The house next door to us, under 1500 sq ft went for 300,000 a couple of months ago.
We dont even live in the "cooler" areas!!
If you want character, its going to cost you - those cute little houses start in the 400s. Condos are not much better.
Having said all that - I have a friend who is a real estate agent - Peter Dennison - ###-###-#### - his family has been in austin for generations - he know it backwards and forwards.
Schools - I work in the schools (and I was a middle school counselor for years) try to get into the following in AISD:
Murchison MS
Lamar MS
O'Henery MS
In Round rock, you cant go wrong with these schools:
Grisham MS
Canyon Vista MS
Deer Park MS
These 6 middle school feed into the best High schools in the area.
Good luck with your move!!!
T.

I lived in Lakeway and kids went to Lake Travis ISD, which was very good,but it is the burbs. I now live in Eanes ISD (Westlake HS)which is great. The Hyde Park, Tarrytown, Clarksville, Rosedale, and Allandale areas sounds like the old Austin location you want, but I don't feel Austin ISD has same programs/services except for pockets near Bowie HS, but it is south Austin. My advice is to get an agent who lives/works in the area you desire. Here are the names of two great realtors, who know what is happening in Austin, both are nice not snotty. Mary Lindenberg w/Keller Williams, Westlake office on Mopac/360 at ____@____.com and Ginny Stapleton w/Coldwell Banker on South IH35 at ____@____.com price can be found in a central ecletic area w/a good public school, but it may be a condo/townhouse instead of a house. Good Luck.