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Southwest Austin

Southwest Austin is just minutes from downtown Austin in Hill Country. The beauty of the region is breathtaking, unspoiled and rugged, offering a peaceful respite from the city. Southwest Austin is cradled by Lake Austin and Lake Travis, two of the lakes in the chain of seven Highland Lakes. Upscale planned communities, such as Circle C Ranch, co-exist with rural areas. The Circle C Ranch is also home to one of the state’s best daily fee 18-hole golf courses.

Southwest Austin neighborhoods include:

Lake Pointe | Oak Hill | Rob Roy | West Lake Hills

Lake Pointe
Hill Country living at a reasonable price has led hundreds of families to Lake Pointe off Lake Travis. A majority of the buyers in the area are families moving up to larger homes and wanting good schools in a country setting.

Families who move into Lake Pointe can’t help but find the 13-1 student/teacher ratio attractive. The small school district is also a major selling point. But it’s the setting that first attracts most homebuyers. Driving out to Lake Pointe takes one past the hustle-and-bustle of urban living and into a slower Hill Country pace. Wildflowers and deer are a common sight. This is especially so toward the back of the development, which abuts a golden-cheeked warbler habitat and is therefore dedicated land.

The gentle slopes of the land offer hilltop views to many homes. These homes have views of the lake at sunset as well as views of the hills. And its proximity to the lake attracts boat owners, who have access to a dock in the neighborhood.

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Oak Hill
Oak Hill is one of the fastest-growing neighborhoods in the rapidly growing southwest area of Austin and Travis County.

Allen Males, a real estate consultant, likes being a few blocks from the Barton Creek greenbelt where the family enjoys going for walks. Dick Nichols Park, which also has a neighborhood pool, is nearby on Beckett Road. The Will Hampton Branch Library opened earlier this year on Convict Hill Road. “And prices seem to be better than other areas and the location is great,” Male said. “Getting on Highway 290 or Highway 71 it's an easy hop to wherever you want to go.”

The Oak Hill area also boasts a little history. The area was settled in the 1840s and originally called Live Oak Springs. The area has been known as Oak Hill since the turn of the century. It was annexed by the City of Austin in 1983.

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Rob Roy
Stunning Hill Country views, luxurious homes and a quiet semi-rural neighborhood are just a few of the features that attract home buyers to Rob Roy. University of Texas scientists, stockbrokers, software engineers, doctors and lawyers make their homes in this enclave.

Rob Roy was the first wealthy subdivision outside Loop 360. It was started in the early 1980s when Austin was beginning to spread its wings and build large, expensive homes. It was the first new premiere subdivision. Today, people who buy in Rob Roy do so because they like the prestige of the neighborhood as well as lots of space. And homeowners get plenty of space.

As one drives up Pascal Drive, it's easy to forget the traffic snarls on Loop 360 and Bee Cave Road. One is transported into a quiet hilltop haven, where breathtaking views of the Colorado River and downtown Austin can be found. Circular driveways lead to stately, recessed homes surrounded by perfectly manicured lawns. The landscaping is immaculate. And even though houses are not close together, the homeowners association tries to promote neighborliness by hosting several events that bring residents together. The association hosted a Halloween party, including trick-or-treating for the young families who live there.

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West Lake Hills
There are three reasons people move into West Lake Hills, explains Cord Shiflett, a real estate agent with Moreland Properties and life-long resident of West Lake. “The solid reputation of the schools in Eanes ISD is the number one driving reason for families to move to move into the area.” “The number two reason is the access to the lake with proximity to Austin — it’s the closest you can get to downtown Austin and be on the water. And the third reason is the fantastic views — you get an incredible view of downtown from here, as well as being nestled in the beginning of the Hill Country.”

One of the fringe benefits of living in Eanes ISD is the easy way it allows families to get to know each other. “West Lake is a cohesive group of people and much of it centers around the schools,” says Shiflett. “The schools seem to be where most of the friendship networking comes from.”

West Lake also has fabulous wide-open spaces. But at the same time you are only 20 minutes from downtown Austin and all it has to offer. The natural beauty of creeks, trails and the greenbelt surrounds the neighborhood. In fact a local resident says, living here, you never feel as though you’re just off a highway. “It’s so secluded, you can go tubing down the creek, past your neighbors’ houses that you can’t see but know are there, and feel as though you’re in another world.”

“People move here because of the schools,” agrees Shiflett. “People stay after their children have grown and left for college because they like it so much.”

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