We're seriously considering moving there to get closer to UT, where my wife works. We are currently in Cedar Park, and the drive time is a killer. Are the schools really the best in the Austin area? or is it just the high school? Anything else stand out about the area or is it overrated? Definitely more expensive than other areas we've looked at. What's a good part of the area to consider for a home? New or older home with updates--we haven't decided yet. Thanks.
Tell me about Westlake
- Thread starter D_Wreck11
- Start date
The Three I's
25+ Posts
I see white people!
The Eanes Schools are great. I didn't attend any other Austin-area schools but I can't imagine any being better.
Since your wife works at UT, I would recommend living in one of the neighborhoods right off Mo-Pac such as Rollingwood or around Barton Creek Mall. You're in Eanes but you're only a 5-minute drive from downtown and 15 from the University. You don't get as much house for your money as you would if you bought a house in Barton Creek West or Senna Hills but those are another 15-20 minutes down Bee Caves.
Feel free to PM me with any other questions as I don't head over to this board very often.
Since your wife works at UT, I would recommend living in one of the neighborhoods right off Mo-Pac such as Rollingwood or around Barton Creek Mall. You're in Eanes but you're only a 5-minute drive from downtown and 15 from the University. You don't get as much house for your money as you would if you bought a house in Barton Creek West or Senna Hills but those are another 15-20 minutes down Bee Caves.
Feel free to PM me with any other questions as I don't head over to this board very often.
History lesson:
Eanes ISD only had an elementary school back in the 60's. The Eanes kids went to O'Henry and Austin High, and they wanted to join Austin ISD. Well, the 2 districts finally put it to a vote. Problem was Austin ISD was just hit with court ordered desegregation and Eanes voted not to join Austin ISD. Westlake High opened in 68 I think and the rest is history.
Eanes ISD only had an elementary school back in the 60's. The Eanes kids went to O'Henry and Austin High, and they wanted to join Austin ISD. Well, the 2 districts finally put it to a vote. Problem was Austin ISD was just hit with court ordered desegregation and Eanes voted not to join Austin ISD. Westlake High opened in 68 I think and the rest is history.
Sock Monkey
25+ Posts
I currently live in Westlake - the Treemont neighborhood and absolutely love it. Perfect proximity to everything, neighbors how know your name and watch your pets while you're away, great schools. But being in real estate, I actually chose the area for personal investment reasons. If you look up historical date, in an economic downturn, WL has the quickest recovery of any other neighborhood. It also has tremendous appreciation value. My neighborhood went up approximately 6% last year alone compared to flat rates in most other areas of Central Texas last year and the years prior to that. Average time on the market in my neighborhood is less than 7 days.
That being said, good luck finding a home you like out here. There are zero homes for resale in my neighborhood. Yup, none. I had an agent searching daily for months on any listing that would come up and if we liked any, we went that morning to go look. My current home prior to purchase was on the market two days before getting 4 contracts (all mid-week). I was second in line and made a full-price back-up and happened to get it. It was totally worth it.
That being said, good luck finding a home you like out here. There are zero homes for resale in my neighborhood. Yup, none. I had an agent searching daily for months on any listing that would come up and if we liked any, we went that morning to go look. My current home prior to purchase was on the market two days before getting 4 contracts (all mid-week). I was second in line and made a full-price back-up and happened to get it. It was totally worth it.
Doperbo
25+ Posts
I just moved to Lost Creek and I like it a lot. We were able to get a great view of the hill country and still have a yard and plenty of room. I work downtown and it's a 15-20 minute commute during rush hour, which is nice. Off hours its closer to 10. There are only a few open lots left, it was mostly developed in the eighties, so the trees are mature and it feels like a real neighborhood, not a generic builder develpment kind of sprawl. There's a little park in the center of the neighborhood which we liked a lot also since we have a toddler and another larger park with trails on one end of the neighborhood.
I see for sale signs and open houses here all the time. If you're for looking for a nice neighborhood feel in Westlake you should check it out.
I see for sale signs and open houses here all the time. If you're for looking for a nice neighborhood feel in Westlake you should check it out.
Sock Monkey
25+ Posts
The two homes listed in Treemont are those new Federick Harris homes in the condo/townhouse division. Gorgeous. I personally know the salesguy, so if you like the townhouse thing, let me know, and I'll help you. As far as the real Treemont area (single family) zero, zilch. I'll definitely let you know what comes up. My next door neighbor on Loveland may be getting ready to list his home. It might be pricey but it's a lovely Victorian.
natethehorn
100+ Posts
Riding the bus is part of the school experience. Let the kids do it, they'll be fine.
Mizzou said it all pretty well. He and I are class graduates( hey bennett, camp here) and are pretty well versed in the Westlake ropes.
Housing and real estate, he pretty much nailed it. There's Old Westlake and there's New Westlake, but then there's kind of In-Between-But-Still-Awesome Westlake. As mentioned, the Barton Creek Mall district area extending from Mo-pac and Rollingwood, all the way to Bee Caves rd at 360, predominantly Old 'Slake. You're going to find the aforementioned upper-middle/upper class families living in upper-middle class homes, yet many of them holding upper-class property values. I'm not 100% privy to the current real estate market in and around Rollingwood and such, but the proximity to downtown, family-oriented, comfortable neighborhood snuggled next to the retail community, and location to elementary and middle schools make it highly desireable for settle-down families. Many however, have established residency there back in the '70s and '80's and are not always looking to move, plus the dated homes for the most part and older neighborhood style may not be akin to some's intrest in more modern extravagence.
If that happens to be the ticket and you're willing to trade a small amount of proximity to DT, in exchange for hill country and Lake Austin views and surroundings, heading a short ways up Loop 360 (Capt of TX Hwy) to part of the New Westlake sector will find you several 15-20 year developed subdivisions, most notiblely Davenport Ranch, which happens to extend into the overlaps of the Westlake Highlands(old term) on the back side of the actual Westlake retail community surrouding the high school. Out here in Davenport, where my parents currently reside, you find the upper-class suburban homes and contemporary/family living communities nestled among the rolling hill country peaks on the west banks of Lake Austin. Westlake Drive defines the area as it loops around from its intersection and 360 just south of the 360 bridge, and curves its way down along the banks of the lake, accessing all of the upper echelon lake-side communities and condominiums, new and old, as well as passage to some of the most extravagent and coveted properties and homes in Austin. The Summit at Westlake Drive community along the way between West Rim and the intersection at The High Road claims the highest and most scenic views of downtown Austin, accented by some truly monsterous 20,000+ sq-ft king-of the-hill castles, completing in my estimation, the most desirable place to live in Austin, hands down (no matter what Cat Mountain has to say).
As you can see, I'm fairly pro on this area of town, mainly because of the outstanding combination of downtown proximity and yet scenic, relaxed seclusion, wrapped in an inviting and communal atmosphere of nice families. It is in this extension of traditional, conservative old, to Beverly Hills-relaxed and extravagent new, that Davenport Ranch meets in the middle to form 'Inbetween Westlake" at maybe the best overall choice for the appointments. Similiarly in concept but different in characteristics also is the land extending outside of Lost Creek and Barton Creek out along Bee Caves Rd to near Hw 71. More wide-open, ranch and Lakeline-style land but very upper-class communities developing as a more rural alternative to in town communities. Still though, the proximity to the school district and downtown are hardly considered unreasonable given the settings avaliable.
Since I pretty much should get college credit for that real estate brochure I just busted out and I dont have a ton of useful information on what exactly is available for purchase in the name of home buyers in these areas, I'll just let Westlake's academic and athletic prestige speak for themselves in overall competence in case there were any doubts in those areas. Most notably, Westlake was again recognized as a U.S. Weekly Top 100 High School in the nation, falling from 37th overall I believe to 74th or so this last year, not to mentioned being named the Best Overall Prepatory Physics department in the World (yes, World) by the College Board. Anyone whom has ever taken a Physics course at Westlake can certainly attest to its preparation. 93% of AP Physics students at Westlake taking the AP exam recieved at least a 3 or higher. Impressive no matter who you are.
Hard to top that. I'll just leave it there for now. Let us know if you have any other questions concerning all that is the Pride of the Hills.
Housing and real estate, he pretty much nailed it. There's Old Westlake and there's New Westlake, but then there's kind of In-Between-But-Still-Awesome Westlake. As mentioned, the Barton Creek Mall district area extending from Mo-pac and Rollingwood, all the way to Bee Caves rd at 360, predominantly Old 'Slake. You're going to find the aforementioned upper-middle/upper class families living in upper-middle class homes, yet many of them holding upper-class property values. I'm not 100% privy to the current real estate market in and around Rollingwood and such, but the proximity to downtown, family-oriented, comfortable neighborhood snuggled next to the retail community, and location to elementary and middle schools make it highly desireable for settle-down families. Many however, have established residency there back in the '70s and '80's and are not always looking to move, plus the dated homes for the most part and older neighborhood style may not be akin to some's intrest in more modern extravagence.
If that happens to be the ticket and you're willing to trade a small amount of proximity to DT, in exchange for hill country and Lake Austin views and surroundings, heading a short ways up Loop 360 (Capt of TX Hwy) to part of the New Westlake sector will find you several 15-20 year developed subdivisions, most notiblely Davenport Ranch, which happens to extend into the overlaps of the Westlake Highlands(old term) on the back side of the actual Westlake retail community surrouding the high school. Out here in Davenport, where my parents currently reside, you find the upper-class suburban homes and contemporary/family living communities nestled among the rolling hill country peaks on the west banks of Lake Austin. Westlake Drive defines the area as it loops around from its intersection and 360 just south of the 360 bridge, and curves its way down along the banks of the lake, accessing all of the upper echelon lake-side communities and condominiums, new and old, as well as passage to some of the most extravagent and coveted properties and homes in Austin. The Summit at Westlake Drive community along the way between West Rim and the intersection at The High Road claims the highest and most scenic views of downtown Austin, accented by some truly monsterous 20,000+ sq-ft king-of the-hill castles, completing in my estimation, the most desirable place to live in Austin, hands down (no matter what Cat Mountain has to say).
As you can see, I'm fairly pro on this area of town, mainly because of the outstanding combination of downtown proximity and yet scenic, relaxed seclusion, wrapped in an inviting and communal atmosphere of nice families. It is in this extension of traditional, conservative old, to Beverly Hills-relaxed and extravagent new, that Davenport Ranch meets in the middle to form 'Inbetween Westlake" at maybe the best overall choice for the appointments. Similiarly in concept but different in characteristics also is the land extending outside of Lost Creek and Barton Creek out along Bee Caves Rd to near Hw 71. More wide-open, ranch and Lakeline-style land but very upper-class communities developing as a more rural alternative to in town communities. Still though, the proximity to the school district and downtown are hardly considered unreasonable given the settings avaliable.
Since I pretty much should get college credit for that real estate brochure I just busted out and I dont have a ton of useful information on what exactly is available for purchase in the name of home buyers in these areas, I'll just let Westlake's academic and athletic prestige speak for themselves in overall competence in case there were any doubts in those areas. Most notably, Westlake was again recognized as a U.S. Weekly Top 100 High School in the nation, falling from 37th overall I believe to 74th or so this last year, not to mentioned being named the Best Overall Prepatory Physics department in the World (yes, World) by the College Board. Anyone whom has ever taken a Physics course at Westlake can certainly attest to its preparation. 93% of AP Physics students at Westlake taking the AP exam recieved at least a 3 or higher. Impressive no matter who you are.
Hard to top that. I'll just leave it there for now. Let us know if you have any other questions concerning all that is the Pride of the Hills.
Thanks everyone for the info! We had a deal fall through on a Davenport home, and bid on a house in Woods of Westlake Heights, but lost out. We're still looking. Trying to decided between building off Cuernavaca, or buying a relatively new house in Lost Creek, or a really old house and fixing it up in Rollingwood. Way too many choices to decide, but I think we're leaning toward Lost Creek.
Weekly Prediction Contest
* Predict HORNS-AGGIES *
Sat, Nov 30 • 6:30 PM on ABC
Prediction Results Threads
