Hi Folks who have knowledge about the Austin area - i need your advice/suggestion on helping us fix a spot for our first home! Here is out financial roll out: 1. Both me and my wife are on Work Visa. 2. Total TC - 281K (combined) 3. Wife works in Downtown, and she does not drive much, so looking for a place preferrable having good transportation. My office is located north of Austin 4. Important for us - need a school with good ISD (8+) 5. Budget 400K Based on the above parameters, the only place that fits as per my research is area around Cedar Park (close to lakeline station). However, we are contemplating if we should bump up the budget to another 50K. Another option is go up north to Leander. What do you guys have to suggest?
What @PpxT00 is true, Cedar Park is excellent for families and you have all shopping and entertainment/dining in there. Unless you want to hang out downtown you won't have to leave. I got my house while on work visa too. Closer to Austin (but still north of Austin) but I have no kids and we do spend some weekends downtown
Thanks for the input. Since we are on work visa as well, we are contemplating on how much money to put. My wife wants to stay in the range of 350-400 while i am Flexible to go upto 500, reason being that it can sell esaily as opposed to cheaper homes if something happened to our visa. What do you think?
Hard to tell but you are correct that it is something to consider in case the Visa is cancelled or you have to transfer (I am no longer on a visa but I was during the first 2 years of ownership so that was always a possibility). IMO you shouldn't have any issues selling a house in Cedar Park on the 400-500 range. It may sit on the market longer than Austin propper but still you will be able to sell it relatively quickly. Specially if you get one with good schools district
If looking from an investment stand point buy near the new apple campus. If you want good schools as well as live close to apple campus in your budget range, you could probably look at Avery ranch and Brushy creek. You might have to extend your budget close to 500k but its well worth it. Long term the appreciation is going to be good in these areas. As someone suggested, closer to leander metro rail is also a good option. ACC Campus and St Davids medical center being built up there
@OP where did you buy ? I am in a similar situation.
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Leander because of rail access to downtown Austin plus good schools. North Austin is in your price range. RR is in your price range but less transit access. Hutto has amazing schools and college dual credit but no transit. Pflugerville taxes are high but has transit and schools
Thank you so much for the reply! I will check out Hutto for sure. Both other than that, how is cedar park in general? Is it safe?
Generally yes but the middle schools have had some reports of challenges, and I personally hate traffic on hwy 183 :) shopping is excellent tho. Movie theaters, cedar Park center, all mean you don't Have to leave Cedar Park outside of work hours.