Top Five Neighborhoods to Build a House in Austin

Austin is the fastest-growing city in the United States, according to Forbes Magazine. People are moving to the Austin area from all across the country.

You don’t have to be in Austin for long to see why. No matter your style of life, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for in Austin — hiking, biking, swimming, paddle-boarding, live music, shopping and just living, all at your fingertips.

The fast growth of Austin has fueled a building boom, as well. Every time you turn around, new neighborhoods are popping up all over the Austin Metro area and suburbs. New homebuilders are creating some of the best, beautiful home designs and are bringing them into Austin. With those designs come advancements in technology, including smart homes, tankless water heaters, water-saving plumbing fixtures and low-E glass to save energy and money.

So where are the top five areas to build a home in the Austin Metro area? We bring you our top five:

Serenada in Georgetown

Located just north of Austin, Georgetown is one of the fastest-growing areas anywhere; it was ranked the 151st best place to live in Texas by Niche, an online survey of neighborhoods across the country. It also ranked high in best places to raise a family in Texas (62) and the best public schools (67).

Some of the biggest, best homebuilders are active in Serenada, including KB Home, Perry Homes, Ashton Woods Homes and Del Webb, just to name a few. The median new home price in the area is $248,000, making it not only a gorgeous area to live, but also one of the most affordable.

Brushy Creek in Round Rock

Round Rock is another fast-growing suburb of Austin, located north of the city. Ranked as the 13th best place to live in Texas, Round Rock boasts the No. 10 spot in best places to raise a family in Texas and best suburb to raise a family. What makes Brushy Creek, in particular, so attractive to new-home buyers?

With major employers, such as Dell, choosing Round Rock as their world headquarters, and proximity to downtown Austin, the commute to work is relatively easy, especially because public transportation is available to both. The low crime rates and family-friendly parks, hiking and biking trails and lush green spaces are especially attractive.

Ashton Woods, Brohn Homes, and Pulte Homes are all active in the Brushy Creek, building beautiful, state-of-the-art homes, at a median home value of $239,500.

Hudson Bend on Lake Travis

Located on the beautiful Lake Travis, just west of downtown Austin, Hudson Bend is a homeowner’s dream. Boating, swimming and family recreation are all steps away from your front door. The rolling hills and lake views are just a few of the beauties in store for those living in Hudson Bend. Add to that the fact that it ranks as the ninth best public schools in Texas and has very low crime rates and Hudson Bend is easily one of the best areas in Austin in which to build a home.

The median home values are higher in Hudson Bend than in either Serenada or Brushy Creek, at $336,600, but the quality of life in Hudson Bend is worth the higher home value.

Builders such as Pulte Homes, Brohn Homes and several custom builders have called Hudson Bend “home,” and there are plenty of smaller communities popping up in the area, if you like living on the lake and having a more rural feel to your life.

Shady Hollow in South Austin

Shady Hollow, located just south of downtown, is an elegant mixture of older homes and new. Even though both I-35 and Mopac are close by, bringing you into downtown in short order, Shady Hollow still retains the suburban feel, with walking and biking trails, older trees, family-friendly outdoor areas and a strong community.

Not only is the commute relatively short, shopping, restaurants and other services are a stone’s throw away, giving you the best of both worlds. Three of Austin’s top-rated schools are located within Shady Hollow. The area also boasts two pools open to all residents of the area and three well-maintained parks. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is less than three miles from the entrance of Shady Hollow.

Median home values are around just under $300,000, with values rising as newer communities are added to the area.

Manchaca 

Manchaca, pronounced “Man-shack,” is the sister area of Shady Hollow. Close to downtown, with the entrances to Mopac and I-35 nearby, Manchaca has a rustic, rural feel, with all the advantages of living in Austin. Manchaca is rated the No. 1 suburb to build a home in Texas and the No. 3 best suburb for Millenials in Texas.

New-home construction prices begin in the high $200,000s, from homebuilders such as Meritage Homes, KB Homes, MileStone and Pacesetter Homes.

Manchaca is home to the Liberal Arts & Sciences Academy, the No. 1 best public high school in Texas. It is one of Austin’s magnet school, drawing academically advanced students from both public and private middle schools in Austin. Admission is competitive and based on test scores, teacher recommendations and prior accomplishments.

Austin’s growth has been fueled by so many factors, not the least of which is the availability of new homes throughout the Austin Metro area. The wide variety of new-home builders, landscapes, neighborhoods and amenities makes choosing where to build your new home a challenge, but rest assured, Austin is the place to be, especially in these five neighborhoods.