Round Rock

At the northern tip of Round Rock is Teravista. This master-planned community built in 2001 gives residents access to tons of quality schools, shopping and outdoor amenities. Craftsman-esque single-family homes have striking facades of brick and limestone, with columns and archways framing their entrances. “The developers did a great job with these houses; they’re really built to last,” says Tanya Kerr, an experienced realtor with Keller Williams Realty. “The whole neighborhood is well-maintained by the HOA, and people take good care of their properties.” The median cost of a home in Teravista is $446,095, significantly lower than last year. Generally, prices range from $350,000 to $690,000. Miles of greenery are filled with facilities that encourage an active lifestyle. Neighbors gather at Teravista Resident’s Clubhouse for a dip in the pool or a game of tennis. Fields, playgrounds and fitness centers are peppered throughout the community, connected by miles of landscaped trails. The centerpiece of the neighborhood is Teravista Golf Club, an 18-hole public golf course that winds through the subdivision. It was named a Beginner Friendly Course by the National Golf Course Owners Association and is home to the Magnolia Performance Golf Academy, which offers lessons for juniors and adults. The western border of Teravista is chock full of shopping complexes. University Oaks Shopping Center, among other major retailers, includes an Ikea for all furniture and home needs. Round Rock Premium Outlets is a sprawling open-air mall with 120 stores and restaurants, such as local franchise Santiago’s Tex-Mex and Cantina. Casual streetwear brands like Converse and Adidas sit next to luxury retailers like Coach and Swarovski. According to Niche, education is one of Round Rock’s strongest suits, and the Teravista area is no exception. Teravista Elementary Leadership Academy for kindergarten through fifth grade, Hopewell Middle School for sixth through eighth, and Stony Point High for ninth through twelfth all rank an A-minus or higher. A huge emphasis on college and career readiness is described as preparing students for the 21st century. Another option praised by Teravista parents is the K-12 Gateway College Preparatory School. As the name might suggest, the primary goal of this open-enrollment charter school is to prepare students for postsecondary education through a rigorous and rewarding curriculum. While its sidewalks and trail network make Teravista itself comfortably walkable, residents depend on cars to get around the surrounding area. The neighborhood is about 25 miles north of Austin. The trip down Route 35 takes 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic.

As the city of Round Rock has grown, location has become increasingly important in the real estate market. Many buyers here are looking for quiet residential streets and great schools, all without sacrificing convenience. And many of those buyers are finding that elusive combination in the Round Rock West neighborhood, which is rapidly becoming one of the city’s most desirable areas. “A lot of families are leaving Austin and moving to the area because it’s so much more affordable,” says Round Rock-based Realtor Michelle Mohr, who has been representing transactions in the city for over a decade. “Round Rock West is ideally located because it’s close to downtown and close to the interstate, but it’s still a quiet community.” Residents of Round Rock West are less than 2 miles from downtown Round Rock and all the commercial offerings of that destination. That means it’s easy to start the day at the iconic Round Rock Donuts with a cup of coffee and a pastry – for the truly hungry, they even offer a two-pound “Texas-size” doughnut – or dine of Texas barbecue at Liberty BBQ topped up with a serving of their homemade funnel cake fries. H-E-B is less than 3 miles away for residents’ grocery needs, and Walmart Supercenter is just over 3 miles away for any other home necessities. When they need a little intensive retail therapy, residents of Round Rock West can head down I-35 a few miles to Crossing Point Shopping Center, where they’ll find retailers including Marshall’s, Old Navy and Barnes & Noble, among others. The convenience afforded by the neighborhood’s location extends to commuters, too, with Interstate 35 serving as the eastern boundary. So for those who need to travel the 20 miles south to Austin, getting on the highway is easy; just be prepared for the traffic, which can be notoriously heavy at peak times. Given that there are no mass transit stops in the area – the nearest Capital Metro bus stop is east of I-35 – residents here tend to have their own cars to get around town. Enhancing the neighborhood’s location is the fact that Round Rock West abuts undeveloped open land on its western edge, which is supplemented by the Round Rock West Greenbelt that sits just inside the western boundary. With a walking trail that extends from Lake Creek at the northern end to McNeil Road at the southern end, the Round Rock West Greenbelt Trail is perfect for walking, jogging or just relaxing on a bench to watch the whitetail deer and other wildlife that inhabit the area. In the northwest quadrant of the neighborhood sits Round Rock West Park, which offers visitors access to a playground, tennis and volleyball courts, a walking trail and a large pond inhabited by ducks, swans and other aquatic creatures. Home shoppers will find that most of the homes in Round Rock West tend to be ranch-styles, though there are plenty of two-story options in the neighborhood, too. The ubiquitous cream-colored Texas limestone is a favorite for exteriors here, and many houses with brick or siding exteriors still embrace the Hill Country ethos by incorporating a similar color. The median home price in the neighborhood is just over $476,000, and buyers should expect to pay an average of $238 per square foot. While the median in Round Rock West is slightly lower than that of Austin, the average price per square foot is significantly lower, so buyers will get more house for their money here than they can expect to find in Austin. “Considering how much the greater Austin area has exploded in recent years, the price of houses here has actually gone down in the past year, so it’s more accessible by comparison,” says Tanya Kerr, a realtor with Keller Williams Realty with nearly two decades of experience representing real estate transactions in the area. A two-bedroom/one-bathroom ranch-style home in Round Rock West can sell for $265,000, and prices can go up to $925,000 for a four-bedroom/four-bathroom Tudor-inspired home. Students in the neighborhood are served by the Round Rock Independent School District, which earns an overall rating of A from Niche. Children can attend Deep Wood Elementary, Chisolm Trail Middle and Round Rock High School. All three schools are within easy walking distance, and both Deep Wood and Chisolm Trail are within the neighborhood’s boundary. Both Deep Wood and Chisolm Trail earn an A-minus from Niche and Round Rock High School earns an A-plus. Students at Round Rock High School can join any of over 130 school-sponsored clubs, and they have the opportunity to play 18 different varsity-level sports. Alternatively, parents can avail themselves of several area private schools, including St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, which is rated as the best private school in the Austin area by Niche.

Round Rock, Texas, is what many suburbs aim to be: a combination of highly regarded schools, thriving commerce and colorful outdoor spaces. It’s no wonder, then, that Niche grades it an A and regards it as one of the best cities in America to raise a family. Its northern swath of Stony Point has a relatively moderate price point for a neighborhood just a half hour's drive from Downtown Austin. This makes it an ideal spot for commuters, such as those employed by Dell and several surrounding medical facilities. It's also a good spot for baseball fans, as the nearby minor-league ballpark is an important part of life during the long Texas summers. Along East Palm Valley Boulevard are cool eateries and convenient shopping plazas. Since 1967, The Salt Lick has delivered delicious Texas barbeque with a Mississippi twist. Summer Moon Coffee serves its own line of assorted coffee blends in a warm, inviting atmosphere. People come to Hat Creek Burger for the neat barn aesthetic and outdoor seating/playground area, but stay for the classic burgers, fries and shakes. Round Rock West and Mesa Ridge Center are two complexes that can be found toward the west end of Stony Point. The main feature of Mesa Ridge is H-E-B Plus where folks do their weekly grocery shopping. Dell Diamond is situated right next to Old Settler’s. Locals rush to the stadium in droves to cheer on the Round Rock Express, the triple-A minor league affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Modest ranch-style houses and large single-family homes alike feature rustic limestone facades and high-arched entryways. Interiors are sleek and open-concept, with hardwood floors and plenty of natural light. Two-door garages and fenced-in backyards allow plenty of space for day-to-day work and play. “Considering how much the greater Austin area has exploded in recent years, the price of houses here has actually gone down in the past year, so it’s more accessible by comparison,” says Tanya Kerr, an experienced realtor at Keller Williams Realty. While houses can be listed anywhere from $300,000 to $720,000, the majority fall at or below the median cost of $420,000. Most students in Stony Point will go to Double File Trail Elementary Leadership Academy, Hernandez Middle School, then Stony Point High IB World School, all of which score a B-plus or higher on Niche. While the entire Round Rock Independent School District is well-rated, Stony Point High is especially notable for its wide array of career and technical training facilities and for being the only IB school in the district. Automotive Technology, Cybersecurity and Fashion Design are just a few of the pathways offered. The public parks in the area are important to Stony Point not only for their amenities, but for how those amenities bring its communities together. The most unique example is the Play for All Abilities Park. Here, children of all physical and mental abilities can have fun in a safe and stimulating environment. Kids make new friends on accessible playgrounds, bike around the miniature speedway, or put their minds at ease in sensory sandboxes. The area’s largest park by far, Old Settler’s Park, covers 640 acres and is considered a crown jewel of Round Rock. There are tons of picnic areas where folks come together for barbeques. Amid the many courts and fields throughout the park, the baseball complex stands out with a whopping 20 fields. Only certain pockets are walkable, and there is no public transit within Stony Point itself, so the area is very car-reliant overall. While people can catch the bus or metro at Round Rock Transit Center in the middle of town, most opt to drive south down Route 35 to get to Austin proper.

Driving through Texas, it’s hard not to think about how some of these towns got their names. Dime Box, for instance, was named after a practice local residents had of dropping an unstamped letter in a box, along with a dime, before the town officially had a post office. Muleshoe was named for a rusty mule shoe that a rancher found while trying to come up with a name for the town. Nameless was decided on by popular vote, or rather six popular votes, of local residents; when nobody could agree on a name, someone suggested leaving the town nameless. So they did. Then there’s Round Rock, named for a round rock that stuck out of a creek. The creek had brush growing alongside it, so residents of the newly named town of Round Rock decided to call it Brushy Creek. Today, Brushy Creek is more than just a scenic place to sit and admire the rock for which the city was named. It’s also an established neighborhood that combines small-town charm with big-city amenities, and pairs that with having the distinction of annually crowning the area’s hairiest man. When a neighborhood is named after an iconic natural feature, it stands to reason that it attracts residents who enjoy spending time outdoors. Brushy Creek features several hiking trails and nine public parks to keep those outdoor enthusiasts happy. Brushy Creek Regional Trail is one of the most popular trails in the neighborhood, running the entire length of the neighborhood and then some. The trail traces the winding path of Brushy Creek, extending all the way west to the 90-acre Brushy Creek Lake Park, with a playground, waterscape, sand volleyball court, fitness stations and a 38-acre lake with a canoe launch and boat rental facility. Heading east on Brushy Creek Regional Trail brings hikers to Olson Meadows Park, a 54-acre space with two playgrounds, athletic fields, a jogging path and athletic fields. Brushy Creek residents can also choose to head to Cat Hollow Park in the southern part of the neighborhood, where they’ll find a playground, picnic areas with grills, a swimming pool, a basketball court, athletic fields and an 18-hole disc golf course. And don’t miss the annual Hairy Man Festival, a 20-plus-year fall tradition featuring live music, food vendors, a carnival and, of course, an award for Hairiest Man. Brushy Creek’s celebration of nature extends to many of the homes in the neighborhood, too. “There are a lot of Traditional-style homes,” says Chris Tinnell, Broker Associate for Compass Commercial. “Hill Country style was common here up until the early 2000s.” For those not in the know, Hill Country style refers to homes with a façade of Austin white limestone, which is quarried in areas in and around central Texas. Architectural styles here run the full gamut from ranch-style to actual ranches, with just about everything in between, too. The median price of real estate in the area is $597,000, and buyers should expect to pay an average of $256 per square foot. A three-bedroom/two-bathroom Craftsman-style home can sell for $300,000, and prices can go up to $2.3 million for a sprawling six-bedroom/four-bathroom Tudor-inspired home complete with a guesthouse on a seven-acre lot. With H-E-B located in the neighborhood, residents of Brushy Creek don’t have to travel far to buy their groceries. For home necessities, both Target and Walmart Supercenter are located just over 6 miles away in Frontera Plaza, where shoppers can also get their retail therapy fix at national retailers like Kohl’s and Burlington or locally owned establishments like Gomez Boot Ranch. And just in case the nearby options don’t quite satisfy the needs of the true shopaholic, a 25-mile trip down Interstate 35 takes residents to Austin and all that vibrant city has to offer. When dining out, Brush Creek residents can start their day with fresh coffee and a homemade pastry at Black Rock Coffee. The colorful interior and freshly prepared cuisine at Santiago’s Tex-Mex and Cantina is another local favorite for lunch or dinner. And Red Horn Coffee House and Brewing Company in nearby Cedar Park is the perfect spot for a locally crafted beer with friends. Brushy Creek students are served by the Round Rock Independent School District, which earns an overall grade of A from Niche. Children can attend Brushy Creek Elementary, Cedar Valley Middle and Round Rock High School. Brushy Creek earns an A-minus rating from Niche, Cedar Valley earns an A and Round Rock High School earns an A-plus. Students at Round Rock High School can join any of over 130 school-sponsored clubs, and they can play 18 different varsity-level sports. Alternatively, parents can avail themselves of several area private schools, including St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, rated as the best private school in the Austin area by Niche.