To find a good neighborhood you have to do a lot of research and analysis to compare between different neighborhoods and narrow down to one. I collaborated again with Indus Ladies to come up with a list of best neighborhood in Austin to buy a house. These are the factors I considered to come up with this list:
1)Affordability
2)School district
3)Proximity to freeway
4)Proximity to tech companies
5)Ameneties
6)Indian population
7)Proximity to shopping malls and Indian stores
Austin is a great city to live in. These days it is being called mini “Bay Area” with people moving in from Western and Eastern states of the US.
The main reasons why more people are moving are, there are many tech companies, good schools, a great place to raise a family, no state tax and one more important reason is “AFFORDABLE HOUSE PRICES”.
People move to a city in the thought of settling down there and buying a house there. Austin has many communities that are affordable with good schools and a good Indian population. This article will focus on such communities.
1. Avery Ranch:
This neighborhood is called “mini India” in Round Rock area. The houses in this community range from 300K-600K. There are old and new homes available in this neighborhood. There are some new constructions ongoing. It has easy access to these freeways 45, 183, 620 and I35 which makes it easier to get to Austin Downtown and other tech companies like Dell, 3M, Emerson, Freescale, Samsung, IBM and National Instruments.
Lakeline Mall and Round Rock Premium outlet mall are very close to this neighborhood. There is a Costco nearby. There is also a Gandhi bazar Indian Grocery close by. There are other grocery stores like HEB, Walmart very close to Lakeline mall. The whole neighborhood has 5 amenity centers. Cedar Park Baba temple and Sri Venkateswara temple is very nearby.
Check this website Avery Ranch HOA to know more about the amenities and HOA (Home Owners Association) of this community. They have a Tennis club, a golf course and a summer league swim team. In this community houses are assigned to schools in Round Rock ISD and Leander ISD. So, please be careful which part of Avery Ranch you are buying.
RRISD schools:
Patsy Sommer Elementary
Cedar Valley Middle
Westwood High
Leander ISD
Rutledge Elementary
Henry Middle School
McNeil High school
2. Ranch @ Brushy Creek:
This neighborhood is to the north of Avery Ranch. This falls under Cedar Park area. The house prices range from upper 300k to upper 600K. There are old as well as new homes in this neighborhood. The average price is around 340K. This neighborhood has a good Indian population.
The amenities include a huge swimming pool, park trails, basketball, volleyball courts, and children’s plays cape. This neighborhood has easy access to FM 1431, 183 and I35 freeways which makes it closer to companies like Samsung, Freescale, Apple Inc., PayPal and Sun Microsystems. The property tax rate is 2.6%.
There is a Costco near FM 1431 and other super markets like Target, HEB, Lowe’s, and Home Depot. Lake line Mall and Round Rock Mall are the closest malls. Check this website for more information on Ranch @ Brushy Creek HOA. Cedar Park Baba Temple and Venkateswara temple are very close to this neighborhood. Gandhi bazar is the closest Indian grocery store. This neighborhood houses also have schools assigned in Round Rock and Leander ISD.
RRISD
Patsy Sommer Elementary
Walsh Ranch Middle
Round Rock High
Leander ISD
Ronald Reagan Elementary
Florence Stiles Middle
Vista Ridge High
3. Spicewood Springs:
This neighborhood has very good schools and also a sizeable Indian population. This neighborhood expands from North Mopac up to Highway 183. The houses range from upper 400K to upper 600K. Not many new homes found around this neighborhood. There are a lot of neighborhood parks that add more beauty to the community.
The Domain and Arboretum outdoor malls are nearby. The major communities here are Balcones Summit, Mesa Forest and Northwest Hills. All these three communities have a HOA and offer different amenities. The companies that are close by are Apple Inc, National Instruments, IBM, Google, Qualcomm, and Flex Electronics, 3M.
Other grocery stores like HEB, Walmart are also in the neighborhood. Gandhi Bazar is the closest Indian store. The neighborhood houses have schools assigned in Round Rock ISD.
RRISD
Kathy Caraway Elementary
Canyon Vista Middle
Westwood High
4. Great Hills:
This neighborhood is in the North West Austin as well. Has a very good Indian population living here. This neighborhood has easy access to freeway 360N and US Highway 183. This is an old neighborhood with more trees. The average home price in this neighborhood ranges from 400K to 900K. Arboretum shopping center and Domain Mall are nearby.
Great Hills Country club offers swimming, tennis and golf. It is a private club in this neighborhood. This neighborhood is just next to the Arboretum area, which contains a lot of shops and restaurants like Whole Foods, REI, PF Changs, 360 Primo Coffee shop etc. Qualcomm, Google, Oracle, National Instruments are the companies close by. To find out more about HOA check this website Austin great Hills HOA. Schools in this neighborhood are assigned to RRISD and AISD.
AISD
Hill elementary
Murchison Middle
Anderson Hill High
RRISD
Laurel Mountain Elementary
Canyon Vista
Westwood High
5. Senna Hills:
This neighborhood has the newest houses that have schools that feed into Eanes ISD. There is a very good Indian population in this area. House prices range from 460K to 780K. The median price is 665K. The have $80 as HOA fees. This neighborhood comprises of Bee cave road between Loop 360 and Highway 71. Apple Inc. and Texas instruments are the tech companies near this area. Man Pasand and Gandhi Bazar are the nearest Indian grocery stores. There is a Trader Joe’s, HEB and other shopping centers nearby. New homes are available. Barton Creek Mall is the closest mall. To know more about HOA check this website Senna Hills HOA. Property tax rate is 2.41%. The schools assigned are
Eanes ISD
Barton Creek Elementary
West Ridge Middle
Westlake High
6. Steiner Ranch Neighborhood:
This well-planned, beautiful community is by the lake. The Indian population in this neighborhood is high. There are houses ranging from 250K to 3 million dollars. All houses in this neighborhood feed into Leander school ISD, with excellent schools. There are new constructions available in this community.
Check this website to know more about the community Steiner Ranch community. The HOA fee is $650 /year that covers the maintenance playgrounds (around 12), pools (3) common areas, other activities and trash pick-up. The property tax rate is around 2.8%.
UT Golf club is nearby. Many grocery stores like HEB, Target, Home Depot, Randall’s are close by. Arboretum, Domain and Galleria Mall are close by. This community is near Mopac and FM 2222 that makes it closer to Austin Downtown. Dell Inc. Freescale and 3M are the nearby tech companies. Schools assigned to this community are:
Leander ISD
Steiner Ranch/Laura Welch Bush/River Ridge Elementary
Canyon Ridge Middle School
Vandegrift High School
7. Circle C Neighborhood:
This neighborhood in South Austin has a lot of Indians. House prices range from 260K to 750K. There are new homes being built in this community. This neighborhood feeds into excellent schools in Austin ISD.
This neighborhood is near freeway 290 and Mopac. Tech companies AMD and Free scale, Altera, Intel and Cirrus Logic are nearer to this community. Barton Creek Mall and Galleria Mall are the closest malls.
There is a HOA check this website Circle C to know more about this community. There is a Circle C community center, a pool, sand volley ball court and multiple HOA maintained parks. There is also a Circle C child development center (daycare for kids) within this community.
HEB and other eat out places are very much inside the community. Indian grocery stores Man Pasand and Gandhi Bazar are close by. Austin Hindu Temple Is not very far. The schools assigned to this community are
AISD
Clayton/Kiker/Baldwin Elementary
Gorzycki Middle School
Bowie High School
8. Lake Travis Neighborhood:
This neighborhood is along the Highway 71 and RR 620 and FM 2222. Tech companies like Apple Inc., 3M, Intel, Qualcomm, Google, Texas Instruments and AMD are commutable. There are many new houses being built here. There is a sizeable Indian population in this community. The houses feed into excellent schools in Lake Travis ISD. The price range of houses in this community is 300K to 2 million.
Hill Country Galleria Mall is the closest mall. Lake Travis home owners enjoy many amenities including the scenic Lake Travis hike and bike trails and countless water sports and recreation. There is a HEB, Randall’s and many eat out places near this neighborhood. The schools that are assigned to Lake Travis neighborhood are:
Lake Travis ISD:
Bee cave Elementary/Serene Hills Elementary/Lake Travis Elementary
Lake Travis Middle
Lake Travis High
9. Oak Hill Neighborhood:
All communities on 290 W beyond the “Y” of 290W and 71W intersection come under this neighborhood. There are new houses being built in this area. House prices range from 350K to 700K.
All communities have a HOA. Some communities have a pool and a children’s landscape but some have only a pool. There are many Indians in this area. The nearest tech companies are Freescale, Intel, AMD, Cirrus Logic, ARM, and Altera. HEB, Randall’s, Costco, Home Depot, Lowes and all shopping complexes on Brodie lane and William Cannon is very close by. Man Pasand and Gandhi Bazar are the nearby grocery stores.
This community houses feed into AISD :
Oak Hill Elementary/Baldwin Elementary
Small Middle/ Gorzycki Middle School
Bowie High School
10. Dripping Springs Neighborhood:
This neighborhood is in south west of Austin. This comes under Hays County. If you really want a hill country living this is the place to go. There are quite a number of Indians in this community. Many new homes are being constructed here. House prices range from 300K to over 1 million. These homes feed into very good schools in Dripping Spring ISD.
There is a HEB, Home Depot, Costco and other shopping complexes near this neighborhood. Belterra is the biggest community in this neighborhood. Companies like AMD, Intel, Free Scale, Altera, ARM, and Cirrus Logic are commutable. Hill Country Galleria Mall is the closest mall. Man Pasand and Gandhi Bazar are closest Indian store.
All communities have HOA and they have parks, trails, creeks and meadows that you can explore around. The schools assigned are:
Dripping Springs ISD:
Dripping Springs/Rooster springs Elementary
Dripping springs Middle
Dripping Spring High
Hope that gives you a broad overview of the neighborhoods in Austin that you can consider if you want a big Indian community to go with it. Apart from this, there are always new neighborhoods like Behren’s Ranch, Teravista that are growing. The list can never be complete. If I had missed anything, please share in the community.
I did a lot of research to come up with this article. Hope this article benefits most of you and good luck with the search .Hope you all find your dream home. Please give your inputs or any additional neighborhoods that I have missed and also share this with your friends who are in the process of buying a house.