If you were buying property in Austin

R

Ramathorn

1,000+ Posts
alright, I think everyone knows my situation, just had a kid, relatively poor for now, but I would rather bite the bullet and buy a home rather than pay rent.

The thing is, anything in my ''budget'' in Austin is pretty much a tiny condo, really tiny.

So, the question is, tiny condo in Austin or decent house in Pflugerville. What would you do? Keep in mind, I've got a kid now, so I'm not a party guy anymore.
 
I would probably buy a little condo in the Enfield/Tarrytown area. However, if you are planning on another kid in the next 2-3 years, maybe a house would be better. I've seen plenty of 2/2 condos available in the low 100s in that area. It's safe and close to town...
 
I'd consider buying near the old airport. The price has already started the run up, but it will be considered central austin in no time and that area is getting a quick makeover by investors and homeowners alike. $225K would get you a decent sized starter home that isn't in the suburbs. It wouldn't come without risk (older home, counting on additional appreciation, you'd need to move before your children are school aged, etc.), but it wouldn't be as stagnant as Pville or other suburbs. If $225K is too high, then consider South of Ben White. I haven't paid attention there, but I expect prices to begin climbing soon as the prices continue to rise north of Ben White.

I think the point is, get as close to central as you can, that's how you're going to be able to move up in the local real estate economy without having to pay out of pocket excessively more each time you move. If that won't work for you, Pville is certainly an option, but buy with the idea that you could live there for quite some time.

At least, that's how I'd approach it.
 
Three friends have lived in P'ville, all saw their new neighborhoods go to **** in the last three years, all have moved -- two to Cedar Park, one to Round Rock. All are MUCH happier.

Suburbia is affordable, safe, and still less than 20 minutes to downtown. I'm not just a salesman, I'm a member.
 
Move to south of Ben White. Prices are still low, but I can't imagine them staying that way forever. $225K will get you almost 3000 sq ft in my nieghborhood.
 
Move to some place you can afford and have the space you want. It is absolutely silly to try to live in Austin proper if you do not have the money right now. Buy something affordable in the burbs and if you have money left over every month, save for the time you can afford to live in town..
 
Not sure what your budget is, but for $160ish you could get a decent, though small, 3 bedroom house in the Mesa Park subdivision, which is just south of Duval, east of 183 and west of Mopac (basically, behind Bone Daddy's). If you're willing to take on a fixer upper, you can get one even cheaper. For non-"central city", you can't beat the location for its access to Mopac and/or 183, and the AISD schools you feed to are great for AISD (Davis, Murchison, and Anderson). We lived there for 12 years and just recently upgraded across the street to Great Hills, but not a day goes by where I don't wonder if we should have held on to the house in Mesa Park. I did OK but I really think in the next 2-4 years that area is going to soar.

fyi, the Balcones Woods subdivision is essentially the same neighborhood but the houses in BW generally run $50- 100K higher than MP.

Anyway, I'd do that a lot quicker than I'd do Pflugerville.
 
I live in "east" Austin which if you look on a map is truly central Austin. The racial divide that was 35 misleads. You can find something to fix up some and be close to everything. As the train stations, development at the old Airport and business continue to flood in you will see appreciation and nicer things nearby. There are so many great affordable restaurants and a true sense of community with real neighbors. This is something most in the cookie cutter suburbs don't really have, a pulse. Not all but most.

My neighbors are wonderful as is our neighborhood association. My pharmacist knows me by name as does the butcher shop. I walk down the street and people wave (or flip me off, lol). I have a community.

But if you have a problem living amongst "minorities" this is not the place for you. I have people ask me sometimes if there are still lots of blacks and mexicans in my area. I walk away and end the conversation right there hoping they never move to my area. Vidor is a good spot for them.
 
There's also a decent residential area just east of Travis Heights and I 35. Reasonable prices and very close in. The schools though might be a drawback.
 
I liive in the area between Mopac and Burnet, Steck and 183. There are plenty of small 3 bedroom houses under 200K$. In fact, I grabbed a flyer from a house on Rockwood, 3/1.5 1100 sq. ft., decent shape, $169K. I guess you could call the area North Allendale? It's close to all the fun stuff on Burnet, and easy access to Mopac.
 
Yeppers, I live just south of Anderson Ln between Burnet and Lamar. House across the street sold last month. At 1050 sq. ft. it fetched a negoiated price of $158,200. BTW a 3/1/1.
 
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