Most homeowners I speak with want to know what their home is worth, and how the market is doing relative to past years. If you’ve been wondering the same thing, please take a look at the market data for the local area in the charts below.
This data is for the homes that are within the 2009-2010 Spicewood Elementary School, Canyon Vista Middle School and Westwood High School (all three) attendance boundaries, including these subdivisions: Anderson Mill Estates, Arboretum Park (the new development behind the new small business strip near the southwest corner of Anderson Mill and 183), Balcones Village, The Enclave, Villages of Spicewood, Estates of Brentwood, Laurel Canyon, Spicewood At Balcones Villages, Spicewood At Bull Creek, Spicewood Estates, Tanglewood Estates and Whitney Oaks.
(To search for homes currently for sale, please use the Spicewood Elementary Area Home Search on FindRealAustin.com.)
I selected data specifically for these subdivisions because so many of the people that move into this area are interested in these schools. School quality impacts the value of homes within the attendance boundaries, whether or not the owners have children that attend them.
As of January 27th, 2010, this area had 33 homes for sale. The following table summaries this data:
Over the last three years, the volume of homes sold in this area has remained relatively constant, and the selling price per square foot for 2009 is comparable to 2007, at just under $133. The average days on the market rose from 31 days in 2007 to 65 days in 2009.
When you look at the chart below, please note that the average size home sold in 2009 was just over 200 square feet smaller than the average home sold in 2007, so although it appears that prices have dropped (average selling price per square foot), the price per square foot has actually risen slightly:
One of Austin’s well-kept real estate secrets is a little subdivision within this area of Nortwest Austin called Spicewood Estates. This area is small (8 single-block streets) but the oak trees are big and so are the lots (typically, a quarter acre, or about 10,000 square feet). These characteristically Austin houses were built in the early-to-mid 1980s and when they come on the market they often need some updating (think vintage brown and gold vinyl mixed with floral wallpaper).
Many buyers are more than willing to take on the DIY (Do it Yourself), or PAC (Pay a Contractor) because these houses map to top-notch Round Rock Independant School District (RRISD) award-winning schools, the triple whammy of Spicewood Elementary, Canyon Vista Middle School and Westwood High School. Many of these homes have masonry (limestone or brick) on all 4 sides and due to the hail storm in the Spring of 2009, many have gorgeous new dimensional roofs as well!
This area of Austin houses is bounded on the North by Topridge Drive, on the East by Leafwood Lane, the Southwest by Ashton Ridge and the Northwest by Chateau Hill. The larger area is bounded on the North by Anderson Mill, and on the East by 183. The Homeowners’ Association is voluntary (although most homeowners join), and has a volunteer-maintained website for neighborhood information.
Like to play golf or tennis? Have kids who like to swim in the summer? A few minutes away is the southern edge of the Balcones/Spicewood Country Club located at 11210 Spicewood Club Drive, Austin, TX 78750. A few minutes father is the other Balcones Country Club Golf Club at 8600 Balcones Club Drive, Austin, Texas 78750.
Specifically for the homes that have sold in Spicewood Estates, it is interesting to see that the average price per square foot has increased by over $6 (5%) since 2007, to almost $131:
