Hi fellow moms, and possible future neighbors! We currently live in the DFW area. My spouse will be taking on a new position in South Austin, so we are trying to learn about the surrounding areas. So far, I've been researching Buda and Kyle. Cedar Creek may be an option as well & I would like any advice, info you may like to share to help me in my search. First of all I have a 2 year old and an almost 12 year old. So my biggest concern right now is schools. My son is in his first year of middle school (6th grade)and I want to find out your opinions on the schools there. I have read some reviews online on some other area schools that basically say "if your not hispanic then expect to be bullied." We aren't hispanic so Im staying away from that one!.... Other than that I plan to stay home with our 2yr old and am wondering if there are any sort of activities, or places nearby that a stay at home mom can do with a 2 yr old.. (I've been working for quite some time, so not sure what Im gonna do with myself! :) Also, we are awaiting our current house to sell, so Im not exactely sure what our price range will be, but Im thinking somewhere around $130-140K.
Thanks you so much for any help!
greatschools.com
This helped a bit.
I have never lived in Texas so I can't help you with subdivisions.
Hello! I've lived in both San Marcos and Kyle, so this is what I know:
-San Marcos and Kyle have both grown very rapidly (Kyle more so than San Marcos), and neither was really built with growth in mind. That notwithstanding, traffic for the most part isn't that bad either place, but there's generally only one way to get from point A to point B, so if there's construction (or a wreck), be prepared to wait a bit.
-San Marcos is very much a college town, with real estate largely geared towards renters cohabiting. (Those renters are largely college students - remember that when looking at properties!) When I was looking to buy, the only San Marcos houses in my price range (which incidentally was similar to yours) were either serious fixer-uppers, or were in areas I clearly did not want to live. Perhaps I was just unlucky, but that was my experience.
-Kyle is comprised almost entirely of subdivisions (and all the trappings that includes), many of them 10 years old or less. Some have more amenities than others, but those generally come with higher HOA fees. However, many include swimming pools, parks/playgrounds, etc, so sometimes the higher fees are worth it. There are also many, many foreclosures around the Kyle area right now (thank you sub-prime mortgage era), so if you have the time and a bit of market savvy, you could find a really good deal on either a short sale or a foreclosure.
-Hays CISD (the school district in Kyle), from what I understand, has a lot of money at its disposal right now, which translates out to more benefits/options for its students. I think Buda is also in Hays CISD.
-My daughter is in middle school at Chapa (Hays CISD), and she isn't hispanic either. She's never complained of being bullied, and this is her 3rd year.
-San Marcos has a lot more in the way of entertainment (movies, restaurants, etc) than Kyle does at this point in time. However, as I mentioned, Kyle is growing very rapidly, so that could change. Also, San Marcos is less than a 10 minute drive from Kyle. If you are looking for things to do with the little one, I know that San Marcos has some sort of story hour at the library, and several MDO programs (mine was already in school when we moved here so I know less about the preschool stuff, but I have a friend that would have the skinny on that). There's also the river in San Marcos, which is free, and beautiful.
-Both towns do have hospitals, health care, etc. I work for one of them so my opinion on which is better is biased. :)
If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask me, but that's just a general overview. I know some about the surrounding areas as well, but those are the two I've actually lived in.
Hope this helps!
-M.
I am from Austin and I have family from the Buda/Kyle area and I am sort of on the fence about that particular area. IMHO it has just grown WAY too fast. It's definitely not what it was 15 or 20 years ago. I have friends in the Cedar Creek/Bastrop area and they all send their kids to private schools, although I have never asked why. I would also look into Dripping Springs or Wimberly if I were you. I would also check out schools in South Austin (Bowie HS area). I second the recommendation for making a trip down there and just find random people to talk to. People in that area are generally friendly and can give you some good pointers. Your husband could also try talking to some of his future coworkers. I would NEVER, EVER recommend commuting from North Austin/Round Rock/Pflugergille to South Austin. You will NEVER see your husband because he will be stuck in traffic most of the day. HTH!
We live north of Austin where there are lots of good schools. We hear good things about our areas of Round Rock, Pflugerville, Wells Branch, and even further north is Georgetown. Williamson county also has a reputation for being more conservative and tougher on crime. But the commute to south Austin would take 45 minutes to an hour(toll roads help somewhat). My husband says Kyle and Buda would definitely make sense for commuting and for your price range. His impression is that Dripping Springs might be a higher price range. There's also Wimberly, which is smaller, and San Marcos, which is further south, but we haven't heard anything about their schools or prices.
I am north of San Antonio and don't know Austin too well, but I will tell you that another option is Dripping Springs. It's a small town too. Not sure of the dynamics, but when I drive to Austin, I drive thru Dripping Springs.
Can you take a week/end and drive down here and check it out? I have a friend who grew up in Buda. That was 12 years ago. But she's white and her family still lives there. She talks about how great Buda is all the time. There's a Cabella's right thre in Buda. Call them, and say "This is kind of weird, but I want a real person's point of view..." and ask them about the 'nice' areas and the 'stay away' areas. If you get a nice person on the phone, they could give you lots of great answers. I guess you could call the chamber of commerce too, but they won't likely tell you "oh don't live East of 35" or "stay away from X zip code."
The best schools in the area are Eanes ISD, west of where he'll be working. All schools (6 elementary, 2 middle, Westlake High) are rated exemplary every year, although I believe one was one step down this year. Lake Travis ISD is also extremely highly rated. Houses are more expensive and taxes are higher as a result of this. We considered it worthwhile to buy in Eanes and lived there until the year after the second child graduated. We then moved to South Austin. The kids got amazing educations and we were able to sell the house at a much higher price than we payed for it even in a down economy. Prices are going to start higher in those 2 areas, so you might hook up with a good realtor. Both of those school districts have many great volunteer activities for parents. Good luck with your search.
As far as your son being bullied, make sure he knows that it is OK to stick up for himself and defend himself if needed. If he is being bullies report it to the school principal right away. Most schools have a zero tolerance policy for bullies. Most likely the rumors are worse than the truth.
No mater where you go there will always be those people who are bullies or nasty. Whether it's work, church or the neighborhood. Just go about your business and ignore them, they are not worth your time.
I'm not familiar with the area but here is a website that might be helpful. neighborhoodscout.com
