I have a possibility of relocating from DFW to Austin in the next couple of months for a promotion opportunity. The position would base me out of the Bee Cave area with a few commutes into Downtown every once in a while.

Is Leander or Cedar Park too far of a commute to the Bee Cave area or would I be better off looking towards Dripping Springs? My wife would be working from home so good/reliable internet is a must as is good schools for my toddler.

Why not live in Bee Cave? Great neighborhoods, great schools, no commute... Head out 71 towards Spicewood, and there are lots of options. I live in Bee Cave.

You will hate your life trying to commute from Leander. 620 is a miserable drive with lots of traffic, and its only going to get worse. Dripping Spgs is 20 minutes away, so not bad.

A commute from Cedar Park to Bee Cave would be painful via RM 620 and will likely get worse and worse. I have no idea how many traffic lights there are from 183 to SH 71.

What else is important to you? Schools? Budget?

$300K plus or minus. Bee Cave looks to be out of my price range, for the most part but I have looked at Spicewood or Lakeway. Ultimately, we're looking for a home that we can be in for a long while that gives us room to grow, i.e. 4 beds/3 bath. We'll probably have to rent at first unless our house in DFW sells quickly.

Good schools and relative ease to good shopping, for the wife, would rank up there. We also want some 'room' between houses so I'm thinking DS or Spicewood are where it's at.

Again, the biggest issue for me is ensuring that good cable internet is available so my wife doesn't have any employment issues.

I live in Spicewood. Just enough off the beaten path to have peace, space, and no Austin taxes. Great schools, and plenty of shopping (Bee Cave).

$300K is probably not enough for Lakepointe. But Dripping Springs, Spicewood, Briarcliff are good places to look.

You can get a starter house in Lakepoint for around $300k, but they dont come up often so you kind of have to take what you can get. Lakeway should offer plenty of options for you, but they will be older houses that need some work. Apache Shores is even more affordable.

You might be able to stretch and get into the new Sweetwater subdivision out 71.

Don't go any farther than Steiner Ranch down 620 - you will regret it. Suggestions above are all good. You can get into Lake Travis ISD for under 300k - just going to have to compromise on one of size/location/home condition. Dripping would be a fairly easy commute - maybe check out the Oak Hill area as well if you don't like what you see.

I can't imagine you will have any issues with internet availability except for in more rural homes in Spicewood/Dripping.

[This message has been edited by Husky Boy Jr. (edited 9/10/2013 2:39p).]

I live in bee cave (uplands). You do not want to live in cedar park and drive here each day. Traffic on 620 between 183 and 2222 can be nasty. That and its just far. There should be something in at least stiener ranch that works for you, but there are pockets of older houses between lakeway proper and steiner. Like someone said every now and then a 300k house comes up in lakepointe, but that will likely be your only option actually in bee cave, unless some of the new construction in that ladera neighborhood is in that price range. Perhaps check covered bridge down 71 and in Oak Hill area at the Y.

What are you going to be doing out here?

I'll reiterate what everybody has already said. Don't live up there in Leander/Cedar Park and commute to Bee Cave. Ugh.

Dripping sounds like a good bet for you. And, yes, we have plentiful and reliable internet, even in Bee Cave/Dripping Springs.

There are many places along 620 (Apache Shores, Cardinal Hills, North Lakeway) and several others down Hamilton Pool Road (can't remember the names right now), but they are off Longhorn Skyway that might fit your bill. Prices are going up, though.

I live in Highpointe of Dripping springs and love it. Actually have a buddy that is getting relocated to bee caves coming to look this weekend in my neighborhood. Let me know if you have any questions on the area.

Thanks all! If I get it, I'll definitely be back with more detailed questions.

I live in CP/Leander and drive to Bee Cave 2-3 times a week. The issue is not the traffic along 620 etc (you can avoid it), but Lakeway and Bee Cave. Typical commute is 30 minutes each way (even during rush hour).

we live between Bee Cave and Cuernavaca, off 2244. I cannot imagine driving from CP/Leander to Bee Cave. I used to do Oak Hill to Riverplace and it was awful going up 620...even worse now IMHO.

Why is everyone recommending dripping springs? I feel that is as far if not further than CP? The Y at Oak Hill traffic is only getting WORSE, and about to be under construction for the next x years.

Definitely avoid anything that would require going through Oak Hill.

No need to go through the Y to get to Bee Caves from Drip. Go RR12 to Hamilton Pool.

We are recommending Dripping because he said he wanted a larger lot and his budget is $300K. You can't find many places near Bee Cave that are under $300K.

And, as Husky pointed out, he would go to Bee Cave via Hamilton Pool Road and RR12. No one wants him to go down to Oak Hill. That would be backtracking. I saw a sign just this past Sunday that was advertising this subdivision that may be in his price range, and it is in LTISD. The lots are small, though.

http://www.drhorton.com/Where-We-Build/Texas/Austin/Austin/Montebella/Maps---Directions.aspx

Adjacent to that Montebella development is Deer Creek. I know a few people out there and some have been there since the 80's. Similar to Apache Shores in that there are really nice homes next to not so nice homes (in parts). You get a lot for your money out there. Cool neighborhood - big lots for sure. If you like more traditional sidewalks and streetlights - deer creek is not for you. 15 minutes to Bee Cave - at least once they clean up the cluster-f construction on Hamilton Pool road.

No idea on the internet situation out there, but I do know that most of the neighborhood goes to Bee Caves Elementary which is an excellent school.

[This message has been edited by Husky Boy Jr. (edited 9/17/2013 2:59p).]

There are at least 3 different ways to get from bee caves to the drip area and none inolve the Y. I use the hamilton pool to crumley ranch rd/trautwein route.

Excellent help all the way around, still awaiting word so I'm just browsing the various areas mentioned via the innerwebs.

Thanks again for all the insights to the areas! I think I'm still leaning towards Spicewood as I've seen some nice properties, again limited with what I can find, but I like the idea of living close to work. Commute isn't a horrible thing to me as I commute daily from North Ft. Worth to downtown Dallas.