Need some help from Austin people...

[Wise Doubter]

I`ve posted something like this before, but now the time draws nearer.

I am coming from LA, California(can not take it anymore!) and moving to Austin sometime this summer. I`ve heard that I would probably want to choose an area south of the river. My question(s) is this this.

Where south? What are some good areas/zip codes to choose from ? I know I can`t afford 78704. I`ve seen some of the houses there. I need something at or < 100k. Slightly above.

What do you all think of Buda area ? How is the area close to the airport/ McKinney falls.

I am mainly concerned about undesirables as neighbors. Is there any type of gang problems in Austin?

East or West of the I35 ?

Some of the areas I`ve looked at from www.austinhomesearch.com

Buda / Mustang Ridge / Manchaca / San Leana / Bluff Springs etc, etc, etc. I know that it all looks good on paper, but you can`t tell until you get there.

I plan on renting an Apt until I find an area I like. I would like to stay within 20 miles south of the Bats.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you in Advance.

:loveya:

[acmejack]

1. Welcome to Austin!

A lot depends on where you plan to work. Austin is a sprawling city and a nightmarish commute, so that should be a major consideration in where you locate. We can narrow it down to some good areas for you based on your willingness to commute/pollute.

[Wise Doubter]

6. I do A/C so I could get a job pretty much anywhere.

Traffic?? Ha - I laugh at your traffic. I am coming from L.A. , nuff said.

[Lithos]

2. Simple rule of thumb

$100K is not going to buy you much house here. You didn't mention what size you are looking for, nor what type of lot. We're in the middle of a housing bubble. There are some houses which are small (< 1000 sq. ft), old and needing a lot of work which are selling for $150K or more just because they are close to downtown (Travis Heights). (People are generally razing them and putting zero-lot line houses).

East of 35 is not generally as desireable as west. The more varied (hilly/rugged) the elevation, the closer it is to a body of water, and the closer it is to downtown, the more you will pay. Prime real estate is the area overlooking Town Lake from Mopac to Lake Travis. The general lay of the land is that it rises up into the hill country when west of I35. The bodies of water are the various rivers and the lake system. So, if you are price constrained, then you are looking at what is called the buffalo prairie. Odds are from what you are describing already, you are looking at Buda south and slightly to the East up to and including San Marcos. There is an area of cheaper housing to the East of San Marcos which isn't too bad, but it's fairly Republican. Round Rock has some places too. Downside is that Austin's traffic grid is based on a handful of roads (290, 71, I35, 183, Mopac, 360, 620) which get easily clogged during rush hour.

The best zip code is indeed 78704 but part of the major allure is that it is not only progressive in outlook and extremely gorgeous (hilly, wooded), it is extremely close to the best parts of Austin which are the Barton Creek greenbelt, Zilker Park, Town Lake, and the corridor running from the Lamar street bridge up to the University area and includes the major cultural and business areas of downtown. However, if you don't mind living N. of the river, you might look in the area just north of UT as well as the area north of Terrytown (78703) up to around 183. Truthfully, there are pockets of nice areas scattered here and there, so there are some pretty significant exceptions to things. About all I can say is to find a good real estate agent and drive around. I would suggest too that you find out what activities you like doing and find something reasonably close to that. (Hike & Bike trails, access to the Hill Country, downtown, etc.).

L-

[Wise Doubter]

7. Thanks

[muse]

10. so strange

I grew up in 78704. In a 2000 square foot house on top of a hill across from the baseball fields adjacent to Zilker Park. Just a ranch style house. Nothing special. No telling how much that house would go for now. Believe me, we did not a whole lot for it. When my parents sold it about 10 years ago or so, it was surprising what it went for, but I'm sure the selling price on it now would be just astronomical.

[NoPasaran]

3. The Buda/Kyle area is growing very fast

As working people are being priced out of the Austin central areas, they are moving out to the newer suburbs in Hays County. They are convenient to the aiport and McKinney Falls.

[Wise Doubter]

5. How is the area by the airport and McKinney Falls ?

I don`t want to be too close, yet not too far away.

[LightTheMatch]

9. awful.

Very industrial, loud, poor road access...

[PDittie]

4. sonia will be in shortly to

give you the best advice. She's traveling and will be OOT into next week, but probably isn't divorced from online access. She lives on the south side and can provide the skinny.

[LightTheMatch]

8. 78745

I live in 78745, just south of Ben White (290) and between Manchaca and 1st Street. The houses in this area can vary quite a bit, but there are MANY for sale in the 98,000-120,000 range - you just have to look. Most of the neighborhoods in this zip code are either blue-collar or semi-suburban style. I have a 3/2 built in the 1970's and it was $115,000 bought just a couple of years ago.

[Longhorn]

11. You're talking my husband's old stomping grounds.

He's a '73 Crockett grad and lived off of S. Congress. However, his friends were all over 78745 from Congress to Manchaca. After we were married, we lived on Fair Oaks and a couple of years later, on St. Albans. Older homes, nice big trees and now it's considered close in! Convenient to both Mopac and IH-35, or Lamar, S. First, or Congress for those who like to avoid the highways. And beginning this fall, also convenient to the new ACC campus on Stassney at Manchaca (where the old Skaggs Alpha Beta used to be.)

It's really the heart of South Austin, as far as I'm concerned, since 78704 is getting so expensive and trendy.

[acmejack]

12. My Father bought a house at the intersection of Winding Trail

and Jones Road in 1970 on a double lot for $23K. That is over by Westgate Mall, of course I am a Del Valle grad and we laughed at people who lived out where I live now on Bee Caves Rd.

on edit: My sister was in the class of 73, he probably knows her...

[fudge stripe cookays]

17. How's the crime there nowadays?

My friend's sister lived near Stassney/Manchaca for several years, and had to replace her TV FIVE times! Every time she replaced it she would be broken into again.

I hope it's improved somewhat. This was about '89-'90.

[Dora]

25. Yes, this post has good advice.

We were lucky enough to move into 78704 in 2002 for under $150K, but we wouldn't be able to do that today. As it is, our home is now too small for us (It's a 1200 sf 2/1 1958 ranch). If we were willing to sell and move right now I would look in this very neighborhood.

It's my observation that this neighborhood has good bus routes, it's close to shopping (grocery and malls), and there are an abundance of movie theatres near by.

I wouldn't recommend Kyle/Buda because of the commute. The time you spend stuck in traffic and the money you spend on gas would NOT be worth the money you save on a home.

[Fleshdancer]

13. Just out of curiosity, what is your best case scenario?

Of course safety is an issue everyone has but what else are you looking for? While the area south of Austin is great, there are many other wonderful areas around town too and I would hate for you to limit yourself before coming down here. Do you need to worry about school districts at all? Do you prefer rural, suburban or urban life? Do you have any preferences on commute time?

[Wise Doubter]

14. My best case scenario would be...

3or4/2 br on at least 1/2 acre. Preferably on the west side of I35 ( I`m told. I know nothing of the area.) I look at google satellite images of a certain addresses, but it`s not the same as being there.

No more than 20 miles south of the Capital.

I would be receptive to a newer manufactured home, such as a palm harbor, mostly because I would like a larger lot size. I am curious about the manufactured divisions. I am somewhat price restrictive due to an injury(have been out of work) but I am now back at able to work status. I have 15 years A/C installation exp so I could probably get a job easily.


I would like to get on a new home construction project. Anyone know of any companies ?


Thanks for your interest.

edit: School are important as I currently have a child who is a freshman.

[fudge stripe cookays]

18. Honestly, WD...

you have to think about where you're moving.

In my opinion, buying a manufactured home in Texas (ie Tornado Alley) is asking for trouble.

I'd far rather be renting in a solid dwelling with a foundation than buying a mobile or manufactured home. I've been a Texan for the last 36 years, and don't say this lightly!

Welcome to the neighborhood. I'm from Austin originally, but live near Dallas now. Hopefully Austin's real estate bubble will burst just a little to make it affordable for the little guy again, but it's changed a lot since I left.

I wouldn't completely discount the area just to the east of I-35 from about 290 south to about 29th street or thereabouts. It used to be very crime-ridden and iffy, but in the last decade, those folks who couldn't afford the gentrified bit to the west of I-35 began moving to the east side of the highway, and it's enjoyed a bit of a rennaissance, especially since the old Robert Mueller airport closed and moved out to Bergstrom.

Good luck!
fsc

[jobycom]

20. Tornados are very rare in Austin, especially south

I can't remember any tornado touchdowns on trailers or houses in the main Austin area. The last bad outbreak of tornados was when the Cat 5 hit Jarrell a decade ago, and that's an hour north of Austin. There were several large tornados that followed that system and hit out towards Cedar Park and far northwest Austin, around Lakeline Mall, then moved on into the hill country past Lake Travis.

There are a lot of mobile homes out here, and I just don't hear of them getting hit by tornados. We have warnings now and then, but they are always north of Austin, with a few sightings around Bastrop and Elgin (Both decent places to live if you want to get out of town into a reasonable price district, though both are on the climb now). Very few touchdowns, though. I can't recall hearing of any in the past decade.

Flash floods are a greater danger. We are in a drought, so they have been bad in the past few years, but back in the early nineties, and a couple of times since then, there have been some sudden doozies.

I wouldn't worry much about a trailer down south.

Here's a quick link: http://austin.about.com/od/tornado/

"Although Central Texas gets its share of tornadoes and during severe weather we come under a Tornado Watch many times, Austin itself is rarely the site of tornado touch-downs. However, severe weather warnings should be taken seriously at all times. Learn what to do in the event of tornado watches and warnings and how to stay safe before, during, and after a tornado hits in your area."

[NoPasaran]

22. I remember a couple of tornadoes

The same day as the Jarrell storm, one plowed through the Albertson's in Cedar Park, and later that day a storm killed somebody in the Hill Country. And during Hurricane Albert there was the tornado that hit Mueller Airport and then cruised down 45th Street. And it seems to me that a few years ago a tornado narrowly missed a trailer park out on Onion Creek. But it's true, floods are the real danger. In fact, I don't think you're really an Austinite until you've lived through a flood.

[fudge stripe cookays]

23. Global warming has changed things then.

I can remember plenty of tornadoes bopping through town when I was little.

But definitely, May rains suck the bulb.

[bluestateguy]

15. I live south of the river

And it's fine. Housing is more affordable down here, and I've never been a crime victim, save for my laundry basket getting stolen from the laundry room once. There are parts of East Austin you might want to avoid. I am not aware of any gang problems here. Much of South Austin is gentrifying. A lot of UT students and high tech workers live down here.

[Wise Doubter]

16. Sounds great.

Any east area specifically ? (cross streets)

I am seriously looking at anywhere from the 290 to s. Buda. Are you familiar with this particular area(s)

Info appreciated

[bluestateguy]

19. reply

Buda is very nice. If you move near Riverside, be cautious. There are some nice places and some iffy places. Just be cautious, that does not mean that all of Riverside is bad.

[jobycom]

21. Guess that would depend on your definition of "undesirable."

Austin has no gang issue or crime issue like we hear about in LA (You have to decide how much that issue in LA is exagerated :) ). Some areas have worse crime than others, of course, and that crime rate tends to center on level of income. Your biggest problem is that you are looking in a price range that is considered lower income for Austin housing, so if you want to be crime free, you'll have to move a little out of town.

The areas most often labeled as "bad areas" are in the area east of I-35 between Hwy 71 on the south and Hwy 290 on the north (Hwy 290 can be confusing--it runs from Houston to just north of Austin until it hits I-35, then it become I-35 south until south of Austin, where it become 290 West, for a little ways running together with Hwy 71. So I'm talking about the part of 290 on the north that runs eastward towards Houston). Also, 183 on the east side is the edge of that area.

I don't really agree with that label of "bad area," though, since it seems to be based more on race than crime or drugs or whatever. There are some bad areas in there, and some good, especially south the old airport (east of the old airport is one of the scariest). And there are some areas just to the northeast of Hwy 183, around Lamar, that have some bad incidents, though mostly around the apartments. Also, some of the areas white folk might be afraid of on the east are actually some of the more fun parts of Austin, without a lot of crime--especially just east of downtown.

Once you get out of Austin to the south or north you run into very conservative, sometimes redneck and racist areas. Kyle and Buda, for instance, though both of those areas are growing so fast it's hard to say what they'll be like in five years. Round Rock and Georgetown are both traditional "White Flight" areas, so if politics is part of your concern about "undesirables," choose those areas carefully.

About traffic--yeah, it's much worse in LA, and Houston, and Dallas, and New Orleans, and most cities I've been too. They are also working on some big projects that will make it better, mostly to the north, so I wouldn't avoid any areas because of traffic if you are thinking long term. Traffic from the cities to the north and the far northwest (out Hwy 183 past 620) are annoying, but not compared to LA.

Some areas you might check out--east of 183 towards Manor (a town name, said MAY-ner) and Decker Lake there are some relaxed housing and trailer areas where you might get the land you are talking about for the right price, and not be very far from the center of town. If you don't mind moving further out, you could look at Elgin (with a hard 'g--'east, along 290, past Manor). I used to live there and loved it--you can hear coyotes and still get to town in about forty minutes. Bastrop is a nice town, too, and the area along Hwy 71 towards it has some nice property. All the fun stuff is west of Austin, with the hills and views and creeks, but it's getting pricey. You might get lucky, though, if you get off the beaten path.

I live in northwest Austin, and there are some areas somewhat affordable around the McNeil and 183 area. I like northwest, because it is easy access to everything, and is also self-contained as far as shopping and dining and such go. It votes more conservative than the rest of Austin, but not too bad. There are some stunning parks. Also, north Lamar around Parmer Lane, and then Decker Lane just east of 35.

Another way to search is on WWW.REALTOR.COM. If you follow the link to "Map Search," then click on Texas, then Austin (it's right in the middle of the map ;) ), you can click on four areas, then highlight certain zip codes (while seeing them on the map), and enter price ranges and rooms and such. For instance, I just clicked on the area north of the river and got all the MLS listings for all houses under 125K (there were 200) in all zip codes. It has addresses so you can see where the are, and pictures and school info.

One last source: www.auschron.com/ It's the local free entertainment and politics mag, but has good classified listings.

Welcome to Austin!

[Wise Doubter]

27. Reply

"Austin has no gang issue or crime issue like we hear about in LA (You have to decide how much that issue in LA is exagerated )."

- I live about 15 miles east of the L.A. City Hall( mostly all businesses/commercial) http://maps.yahoo.com/dd_result?newaddr=200+N+Spring+St&taddr=&csz=Los+Angeles%2C+CA+90012-4801&country=us&tcsz=91780&tcountry=us&oerr=3011

Area directly East(Boyle Heights/Hazard(quite fitting)/ and the areas south is of high hispanic(legal and illegal) housing.This area is where a lot of the Hispanic gangs operate.

Farther south(Compton/Inglewood/ Mostly east of the 710 is were the black gangs operate(Crips/Bloods)

Going East(towards where I live)- Alhambra/ Monterey Park is mostly all Asian. Not too familiar with their gang activity, but I know they are here AND quite violent.

Where I live, there are no gangs and it is very nice, but El Monte, especially S. El monte has a high Hispanic population(again, legal AND Illegal ) I grew up in the North part of El monte during 70s and 80s and never had a problem. We used to say that El Monte cops were so layed back. Of course that was only on the North side. El Monte has Flores - one of the biggest Mexican gangs.

The areas north along the route (Pasadena,etc) are mostly $$$, but do have some gang activities. West of L.A. too.


Exxagerated ? You decide. There are definately places you wouldn`t want to be at night ! and some in the daylight too :rofl:


TRAFFIC: I like the fact that Austin`s rush hour is just that - an hour.(that`s what I experienced) Here freeway traffic is very bad the closer you get to downtown and west of. and south of.


I think I`ll just rent an apt until I can get around town and see what it is like in the inner parts. When I was there I didn`t get too far off the I35. I know that I didn`t like the east area off Runberg. The farthest west that I went was Guitar Center. traffic seemed bad right there ??


Thanks for everyone`s help.I can`t wait to get there. :-)

[martymar64]

28. As another former Angelino living in Austin

The crime problem is nothing like L.A.'s. The worst slums that I've seen in Austin don't even compare to Compton or Pacoima or even Venice or Hollywood.
Traffic sucks here, without a doubt, but if you've been stuck on the 405 where it intersects the Ventura Fwy during rush hour (or a SIG Alert),then Austin traffic is a breeze.
I live north of the old airport off of 51st /Manor, and its not that bad as people say. I'd compare it to say, North Hollywood or Torrance. I personally feel that many white people are turned off to the East side because of the larger proportions of people of color. I've actually heard that from people here (Austin, not DU)
The best thing about Austin over L.A. . . . almost no helicopters and I've yet to hear a gunshot at night. Food is cheaper here than in L.A., but they stick you with mmore sales taxes (no income tax).
However, I still prefer the California style of Mexican cuisine over Tex-Mex (way too heavy on the cheddar cheese and not enough cilantro, if at all). And I do miss the beach and the Venice Boardwalk.
Where is Harry Perry when you need him?

[jobycom]

29. Having moved from a beach region to Austin, I can sympathize.

I grew up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and miss the beach, too. I wind up at Lakes Buchanan or Travis or Canyon Lake as often as possible. On a windy day from the right angles Lake Buchanan can almost look like a real beach, as long as you don't look too far across it. :-)

You're right about East Austin, and that was the point of my post above. Most of it is not bad at all, and many of the complaints are from people who simply equate non-white with undesirable. I had a friend who lived on Montopolis and swore she heard gunshots once a week, and there is some graffiti and broken-up buildings in that area, but it's nothing like the pictures I've seen of LA. Austin's a little bitty town in comparison.

[ceile]

24. I live in 78704....

and you're right-it is very expensive. But I've lived here for years (I went to St. Edward's Univ.), so I'm hesitant to move anywhere north of here except for 78751. Numbered streets starting around 49th west of I35 are very cute and still somewhat reasonable (I think. I haven't looked in that area in a few years). My SO and I are looking for places in Manchaca. I saw an ad the other day for 2100 sqft 4br house for $129,000 on some land. By that I mean, you'd really have hurl a stone to hit your neighbor.
THe post above about 78745 is very true. It's a great area. My friends bought in there for $135K in 2001, and the houses in their immediate area are still under $185K.
I've also lived on the East side and please avoid the areas of East Oltorf and East Riverside and all streets that connect them (Burton, Wickersham, Pleasantvalley, etc) they run parallel off of I35. I live off of West Oltorf and really like the area. What a difference I35 makes.
Good Luck and Welcome!!!!

[Melissa G]

26. I live in 45 and own business property in 04

There is less crime in the 45 zip... IMHO. Had a lot stolen in the 04 place. I suggest you not buy the mobile home for so many reasons...
45 has houses in your price range last i checked. As for schools, you can always stand in line and get your kids in a different school. We did. There are also the magnet programs which is what we are likely doing. Small, Covington And Bailey are good middle schools. Austin High, Bowie and LBJ are good High schools. We are likely going to LBJ with our kids. I love looking at houses and am good at real estate. you can PM me if you want.
mg