Local ATX Living!: April 2010

Open House - Preserve at Stone Oak - 3210 Arroyo Bluff Ln. Round Rock, TX 78681

Are you looking for the perfect home in Round Rock?  Come visit our open house tomorrow in the Preserve at Stone Oak.  This is a great community located off Hwy 1431 in Round Rock.  Stone Oak offers great amenities for the entire family including including a junior Olympic pool, kiddie pool and clubhouse.  It has several playscapes and parks for the family to enjoy.  The community also has over thirty acres of green belts with caves to explore!

3210 Arroyo Bluff is currently the lowest price home in the Preserve at Stone Oak.  It has a great floor plan that that you're sure to love.  The living room is oversized with laminate wood floors, which allows for flexibility in its layout.  There's nothing worse than a small living space that can only be designed one way.  The kitchen is open the living room, and it quite spacious as well with a large dining space.  It has tile floors, a center island with a breakfast bar, large pantry closet, and lots of cabinet space.  Each of the three bedrooms has laminate floors including the master.  The master suite has a separate shower, garden tub, and walk in closet.  The secondary bedrooms are nice sized with large closets.

The home will be open Saturday from 1 to 3 pm.  It's great home at a great price.  If your in the Preserve at Stone Oak neighborhood, it's worth the time to come for a look.  Those looking to take advantage of the tax credits should hurry by.  It was under contract once, but the buyers got cold feet!  Be sure not to miss this great opportunity.  I look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

Check out the Virtual Tour!

Barton Hills Neighborhood - Eclectic Central Austin Community - Austin, TX 78704

As a follow up to last week's post a great south central Austin community, I wanted to describe a very popular 78704 neighborhood - Barton Hills.  It is a unique community found in Central Austin west of South Lamar Boulevard between Barton Springs Road to Ben White (Hwy 71/290).  The first thing that comes to mind when discussing Barton Hills is the lush green landscapes.  Drive any of the rolling hilled streets and you'll notice the large, mature streets through the neighborhood.  Owners take a lot of pride in the curb appeal of their homes.  You'll be surprised as you drive up a hill to be met with a clearing in the trees and see a breath-taking view of downtown Austin. 

The access to green spaces, parks and trails is nearly limitless.  Barton Hills is wedged between the Barton Creek Greenbelt and Zilker Park.  There are loads of trails that lead to these local hot spots.  During the spring and summer, Austinites flock to these locations to get a taste of the great outdoors.  Perhaps the best spot to spend a hot summer afternoon is Barton Springs Pool, literally right down the street in Zilker Park.  For those who want to enjoy a jog around Lady Bird Lake, they can access one of the many nearby entrances in the neighborhood.  The trail encircles the lake and provides over 10 miles of trails, and it filled with people year round.  Green thumbs enjoy afternoons at Umlauf Sculpture Gardens and the Zilker Botanical Garden.

The second great features of Barton Hills are diverse home styles throughout the community.  This is where the eclectic nature of the area really comes out.  Most of the traditional homes are small bungalows, colonials, and ranch-style.  However, much of the Austin funky taste are seen in newer, more modern and contemporary styles.  Some residents have remodeled or torn down older structures to create a more updated feel.  It's not uncommon to see a hip bungalow next door to a small modern condominium.  Accompanied with the rich landscape, it really makes this neighborhood one of a kind.

The prices on homes for sale certainly reflect the popularity and great location of Barton Hills.  Most start out in the low $300's and rise well into the half a million to over a million range.  Most homes tie in with great schools like Barton Hills and Zilker Elementary, Fullmore and O. Henry Middle, and Austin High School.  The location cannot be underestimated.  Few neighborhoods in Austin offer the great access to parks and recreation while being minutes for the downtown area.    If you like to learn more about Barton Hills, and homes for sale in the neighborhood, I would be happy to discuss it with you.  I encourage anyone looking for an area loaded with amenities and unique qualities to consider this area.  Drive through one sunny afternoon and you'll understand what I mean.

Battle Bend Springs - South Central Austin Community  - Austin, TX 78745   

Battle Bend Springs is a subtle community located in the heart of south central Austin.  Located snuggly between Ben White (Hwy 71) and Stassney just east of South Congress, most passers-by never even realize that it's there.  My business partners recently listed a home for sale in the community, and I myself didn't know much about it until then.  What I've come to find is a delightful, tight-knit community in the heart of Austin.  It's funny that such a neat area can go relatively unnoticed.  Driving through the neighborhood this time of the year, you'll see plenty of homes with bluebonnets in full bloom!

I get the impression that many of the residents of Battle Bend Springs would like nothing more than to keep it a "secret".  Taking a quick glance at the market stats, there are currently only 4 homes for sale in the community, and only 7 have sold in the last year.  Logic tells me that 1) homes for sale don't come up too often, and 2) residents who do live here have done so for a long time.  The owners' of the home we listed for sale spoke highly of the Battle Bend Springs home owners' association.  It's a voluntary group that holds neighborhood functions often in Battle Bend Park (right off South Congress).  The community HOA is having an Easter egg hunt this Saturday for all the children in the neighbohood!  As you can imagine, it's no surprise that there is a great sense of community here; take  drive through and I bet you will see neighbors taking afternoon walks and others working in their yards and gardens. 

Most of the homes in the area were built in the 1970's.  A majority are one story homes ranging from 1200 square foot to 1600 or more.  Another great feature of the area is the large established oak trees.  They line the streets, and anyone who has spent time in this area knows nothing provides better shade in the spring and summer than a tall oak.  Over the last years (March 2009-2010) the homes for sale have range from the $180's to $230's.  When you consider the location of Battle Bend Springs, these homes present a great opportunity to live near downtown without paying downtown prices.  A straight shot down South Congress and you're in the heart of the business district in less than ten minutes.  Most homes in the popular 78704 area (just north of Ben White) start in the $230's and shoot up well in the $300 range and higher.  Just food for thought...

If you're looking for a home in the area, I encourage you to take a stroll through this great neighborhood.  I'd be happy to provide you with a free updated market report about homes for sale.  All you have to do is send me an email or give me a call!