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Open House Sunday 1-4 at 3004 Lombardi Way in Bella Vista, Cedar Park
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You will want to see this new listing at 3004 Lombardi Way in Bella Vista on the west side of Cedar Park.
The home was built by Wilshire and it is a large, approx. 3300 square feet, one story home. The estate sized lots in Bella Vista accommodate large one stories and this one has a side entry 3 car garage.
Bella Vista is an upscale neighborhood with entry ways and an amenity center with a Tuscan design. The rolling streets have traffic circles rather than speed bumps and there are some beautiful views from parts of the neighborhood. The neighborhood is picturesque and offers peace and serenity. No one goes through this neighborhood to get some where else. It is a world of its own.
From the moment of entry into the home, there are soaring ceilings, beautiful crown molding, a columned formal dining room and the home is filled with natural light. There is a study with french doors off the entry and it is very accomodating for a home office.
The formal living room is very inviting and offers a quiet area for visiting with guests. This room is not open to any other room in the home except the formal dining room. These two rooms are great for more formal entertaining. For other types of entertainment, there is a gorgeous island kitchen with granite counters and stainless appliances. The family room with lots of windows, the breakfast area and the kitchen is one big area. The present owner has enjoyed having guests and they all hang out in these rooms and cook together. What fun!
The bedrooms are in a mother-in-law arrangement which affords lots of privacy. There are 3 full baths including one jack and jill bath for two of the bedrooms, the second bath for a guest room and the master bath is great with two huge closets, separate shower, his and her vanities and a jacuzzi garden tub.
Take a look at the virtual tour of this home and come out to the open house on Sunday and look at this very intelligently designed home in Cedar Park 78613. Call me at 512-259-1972 for information or to see this home.
Bella Vista Large One Story Coming Soon
Posted by: | CommentsBella Vista is a fabulous neighborhood on the west side of Cedar Park. Even though it is in Travis County, it is in the Leander School District. The elementary schools for this neighborhood have “exemplary” ratings.
Bella Vista is an upscale neighborhood and the Wilshire section of the neighborhood has estate size lots, streets that curve with traffic circles and large homes. The amenity center is very lush and serene.
I have a beautiful listing coming soon in Bella Vista. It has approximately 3300 square feet, one story. If you have looked for a large one story, you will agree that they are hard to find in a price range from $300,000. to $350,000. Most neighborhoods do not have lots large enough to accomodate this size footprint.
This white limestone home has a 3 car garage, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, study with french doors, very large formal dining, separate living room, breakfast area in island kitchen with granite counters and stainless steel appliances open to family room with limestone fireplace. The bedrooms are in a mother-in-law configuration which affords privacy between the master bedroom/bath and the secondary bedrooms/baths. In fact, they are at different sides of the home. Guests will appreciate this privacy. Extended families will enjoy having their own bedroom/bath.
I have seen many one story floor plans in my career but this very open plan seems to work for every size of family as well as every type of family.
When this home is available on the market, it will have new paint and new carpet. The home has hard tile in the entry, kitchen, breakfast, family room and baths. The home is very light with all the windows and it has 2″ blinds throughout.
The home will be priced below market value so if you are looking for an upscale home at a greatly reduced price, you will certainly want to see this one. It will be priced at tens of thousand dollars less than most homes in the Wilshire section. Feel free to call me if you want to take an early peek, 512-259-1972.
Interesting Information About Cedar Park
Posted by: | CommentsSince I specialize in homes in Cedar Park, I have often wondered if there is any land left to build a new subdivision there. This week, I attended a meeting with Phil Brewer, Cedar Park Economic Development Projects and Duane Smith, Cedar Park Planning and Zoning. Duane Smith advised us that the current population 54,015 in Cedar Park and 23,600 in Cedar Park’s ETJ (extra territorial jurisdiction) for a total population of 77,000. When Cedar Park is completely built out, the projected population will cap at 95,000.
First of all, since Cedar Park is surrounded by Austin to the South, Round Rock to the East, Leander to the North and Jonestown to the West, it is definitely pretty well land bound. Cedar Park consists of 33 acres only. Having watched Cedar Park grow for the past twenty years and seeing all the land being developed, I wondered how long it would be before Cedar Park is “built out”. According to Phil Brewer, that all depends on where the economy goes from here. If the economy picks up today and begins moving again, it could be as soon as 5 years but if the economy continues to be sluggish, it could be up to 15 years.
As reported by Phil Brewer, at this time, there are a couple of new restaurants, Logans and Rosas coming to the 1890 Ranch and that project is developing into a great shopping area. As far as hotels, Motel 6 will open soon and there will be a fabulous 230 room hotel plus 4 pods with 4 tree houses each at the new water park, Schlitterbahn. The first phase of Schlitterbahn is scheduled to open at the end of May, 2012.
Brewer announced that Cedar Park wants to establish job centers in Cedar Park since 70% of the work force travels outside of Cedar Park to work.
Duane Smith discussed road extensions of New Hope and Little Elm.
Tax Credit Timeline
Posted by: | CommentsA very important deadline is fast approaching for the federal tax credit for a real estate transaction. Many people have taken advantage of this tax credit and are now homeowners.
If you plan to take advantage of this great tax credit opportunity, time is running out on June 30th but we must remember that it has to close by June 30, 2010 which means that we must have a contract on the home you are purchasing by the end of April, 2010.
Here in Cedar Park, I am seeing buyers scurrying around in order to meet this deadline. Why do I never get such a deal? I was previewing a property in Leander last week and there were two couples looking at the home at the same time I was there and each of them was buying to get the tax credit. They were so thrilled.
I work with a lender who can use this $8,000.00 tax credit for your down payment. What a deal! One of my clients took advantage of this and was very excited that he could buy a home without having to have a down payment in his pocket. And, he was even more excited to learn that his loan could be closed in two weeks and more excited that he got an interest rate of 4.75%.
For those of you who may need updating on the tax credit program, if you are a first time home buyer, you can get an $8,000.00 tax credit when you buy a home. If you own a home, you can get a $6,500.00 tax credit.
Opportunities like this do not come around often and I hope that anyone who wants to own their own home will take advantage of this. Interest rates are still good and with the future predicting inflation, now is the time to buy!
Cedar Park Farmers Market
Posted by: | CommentsA long awaited day is arriving in Cedar Park on Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. The Cedar Park Farmers Market will be located at the 1890 Ranch on FM 1431 just east of the 183-A toll road.
Texans enjoy supporting other Texans and only Texas vendors are allowed at the market. You will be able to purchase fresh produce and there will be some organic produce as well. Also available will be other products like honey, beef, shrimp, pork and eggs.
A trip to this market on Saturday morning can be an exciting event for children since they can participate in activities such as butter making and there will be live music featuring local bands and bands that include youngsters as well. Adults can attend workshops on how to grow vegetables and other topics for fresh foods. All in all, it should be lots of fun for family time.
A trip to this market will be a win-win situation for Texas farmers and Cedar Park-Leander residents.
627 Housefinch Dr. For Sale in Summerlyn – Leander
Posted by: | CommentsThis pretty one story home at 627 Housefinch Dr. in Summerlyn just north of Leander is for sale and is in great condition. It was built in 2007 and is being offered at a price less than the original owner paid for it.
It has new landscaping in the back yard with a couple of pear trees and four flower beds with native plants and bordered in stone. There is a covered patio at the rear of the home where one can sit and enjoy this landscaping.
This brick home has 3 bedrooms and 2 baths with the master at the rear of the home. The front kitchen and breakfast has a hard tile floor and lots of light streaming into the breakfast area. The kitchen overlooks the family room and formal dining room. There is a nice fireplace and these rooms overlook the back yard. All the wet areas and entry have hard tile floors.
The master also looks into the back yard and the master bath has a garden tub and separate shower. The secondary bedrooms are separate from the master and this affords privacy for the bedrooms.
In the heart of Summerlyn is a beautiful amenity center with a nice parking lot and bike stand along with a beautiful stand of oak trees leading to the playground and pool areas.
Although Summerlyn is located approximately 3 or 4 minutes north of Leander, it is very convenient to shopping, medical facilities and schools. There is a Capital Metro Park ‘N Ride located at the rail station and the metro rail should open just after the first of the year in 2010. Also, very popular is the Cedar Park Center which opened in September 2009. It is the third largest entertainment venue in the Austin area.
Summerlyn has the best of both worlds, the serenity of a “country feel” and the conveniences that one would find in an urban area.
The school district is the acclaimed Leander ISD.
Quest Village Cedar Park
Posted by: | CommentsQuest Village is a neighborhood in downtown Cedar Park. It is located off of 183 and FM 1431, directly south of the City office buildings on Discovery Blvd.
Cedar Park Public Library is within walking distance, along with other small strip centers. It is possible to live in this neighborhood and have the option of walking short distances to supply all your daily needs.
Homes in Quest Village were built by D. R. Horton and the neighborhood is fairly wooded. The prices in this neighborhood are very affordable ranging from the mid $150′s upward to around $200K.
For those people not familiar with Cedar Park, it is a fabulous suburb northwest of Austin. In fact, the south end of Cedar Park is across the street from Austin at RR 620 N. At this location is Lakeline Mall which is surrounded by strip malls and more than likely, you will find everything you are looking for here.
The Cedar Park Regional Hospital is also 5-10 minutes from Quest Village. There is also a branch of Seton located in Cedar Park.
Cedar Park is more of a bedroom community of Austin rather than an industrial center so the area is very peaceful. It is a wooded community and some of the areas have beautiful hill views and rolling hill neighborhoods.
Cedar Park is also home to the third largest entertainment venue in the Austin area, Cedar Park Center. From Quest Village, it is a ten minute drive. If you are looking for convenience in a neighborhood, Quest Village is one that you should see.
Hill Country Flyer in Cedar Park
Posted by: | CommentsIf you like steam trains, you may want to check out the Cedar Park Flyer at the train station in Cedar Park. Tickets are available in the station office across from the boarding platform located at 401 E RM 1431/Whitestone Blvd, just west of the Best Western Motel or you may purchase them online at http://www.austinsteamtrain.org/sched.html#generalinformation
Ticket prices depend on the class of car that you choose for your trip. There are three classes of cars-coach, excursion and lounge. With the coach fare, you will be in one of their 1920′s cars. These cars have an aisle with seats on both sides. They are not climate controlled but they do have windows that open and close. These cars are ideal for those who want lots of fresh air and, perhaps, fragrance from the wildflowers along the way in the spring time.
For a few dollars more, you may book an excursion ticket for a seat in their 1950′s climate controlled coach car. These cars also have a center aisle with seats on both sides of the aisle.
For more dollars, you may purchase a lounge ticket. The lounge cars are one of three First Class Pullman heated and cooled lounge cars and these tickets include complimentary snacks and soft drinks. The lounge car seating consists of tables and chairs or individual chairs. If you are celebrating a special event in your life, you may want to reserve a private compartment.
There are special train events throughout the year in Cedar Park. There are Mystery Train events with live actors and actresses and the riders become part of the mystery. This is a lot of fun. There are holiday events as well such as dinner on Valentine’s Day, there are Halloween and Christmas events as well as others. 2009 events are sold out so it is a good time to book for 2010. It is very important to book early. These events are very popular around the Austin area.
If you just want a quick ride on the train, you may want to take the Bertram Flyer from Cedar Park to Bertram. The three hour round trip might be a good outing for those with younger children. The Bertram Flyer leaves Cedar Park and follows the same scenic route of the Hill Country Flyer but stops in Bertram for 15 minutes. At this stop, you may take a tour of the historic 1912 train station in Bertram. The train leaves in 15 minutes back to Cedar Park. What fun!
It is very important to book early. These events are very popular around the Austin area.
Metro Rail Update
Posted by: | CommentsFor about a year now, I have been writing updates on the commuter rail, metro rail and now I am hearing the term “redline” used to define the new rail line running from Leander to downtown Austin near the convention center.
I have shared ”opening day” news several times only to learn that the exciting day would be postponed again. I am sure that many people are as frustrated as I am with the opening date for this venture that surely will happen…..someday.
The latest news is that it should be running the first quarter of 2010. I have read all the reasons that it would not be open on dates that were announced previously. The bottom line of those reasons seemed to be someone else’s fault. The latest reason prompted the firing of the company that would operate the system. I was sort of relieved when I heard this since the company that was to operate our system had a huge crash in California on a rail line there.
The new operational company also operates the rail system in Dallas and there has been no news of crashes there. Not to say that the company operating our rail line is the only one at fault. There have been many articles written about the problems and who all might be to blame.
The purpose of this blog is not to try to figure out who is to blame but to clear up the many blogs that I have written about this new addition to the Cedar Park-Leander area. Here in Leander, we are still very excited and very much looking forward to the grand day when we can catch a train into Austin and avoid the major tie-ups on Austin streets and roads.
We love Austin and we love visiting Austin. We just would rather relax and enjoy the drive there by rail and leave the driving to someone else.
Is Block House Creek Changing?
Posted by: | CommentsBack in September 2009, I wrote a blog indicating that Block House Creek is Changing. I wrote this after I received a letter from the Mud Board saying a survey would be mailed to residents to choose which we wanted for our mailing address, Cedar Park or Leander.
The residents had completed a survey years before to choose our mailing address since we are not in either city but rather Williamson County. I voted for Cedar Park since we are in their ETJ. However, the majority of the residents voted for Leander.
The recent letter that I received indicated that the MUD board along with postal officials were favoring Cedar Park. I jumped to the conclusion that Cedar Park would win in this survey.
The survey results showed that the majority of the residents want a Leander address, rather than Cedar Park. I spoke with several residents sharing my opinion that home values in Block House Creek would accelerate by being in Cedar Park. One thing that I have learned after 20 years in real estate is that the further away from Austin, the less expensive are the homes. With this in mind, I believed and still believe that homes in Block House Creek would accelerate to a minimum of $10,000.00 in value.
Many of the residents that I spoke to did not want the change because they felt that our property taxes would be higher in Cedar Park mail district. I have not compared the difference since I am looking at long term value. If Block House Creek accelerated in value each year like Cedar Park has, the return on investment would be staggering down the road. I have seen values in Cedar Park increase tremendously the last 20 years.
Never-the-less, Block House Creek will continue to have a Leander address. It will still be the same great neighborhood with the same fabulous amenities and, sometime down the road when it is annexed by Cedar Park, it will have a Cedar Park address. The increase in value will come at that time.
If you have an interest in Block House Creek, give me a call. I’d love to tell you all about it or, even better, show it to you. 512-259-1972
