There are many places you can find a home under $200k. Try zip 78745. It's a wonderful, growing area. Southtown is especially nice since it's up and coming. Depending on size, 78704 is still viable. SOLA and SoCo are very hot still. They're becoming a little overbuilt, but you can buy a very nice 2 bed.

This all depends on your lifestyle. If you want to be close to downtown and don't mind a more sketchy area, try 78702 in East Austin. If you want a little safer, 78723 (Windsor Park, University Hills) is safer and has more family appeal. East Austin schools are still a slight issue, but the area is still growing.

Another area not mentioned is Crestview/Allandale. Great area, very hot and growing. Zip 78756. I've reviewed many of these areas and written about them. Depending on your lifestyle, you may choose to be closer to downtown or central Austin. You don't have to be in the suburbs to buy under $200k.

Tue Jun 3 2008, 07:00

As you've seen by the other responses there are actually quite a few neighborhoods in austin under 200k. For some reason, many realtors don't seem to know about one of my favorite neighborhoods in this price range: the Crossing at Onion Creek. (slaughter lane/I 35 78744) Really close and convenient to downtown (7 minutes) It's a young neighborhood but is growing up nicely! There are cute pastel cottages and some texas stone or brick. It's worth a look!

Thu May 29 2008, 16:46

Windsor Park is good value. The western side is better than the east where there are foundation issues because of the soil

Wed May 21 2008, 18:30

I am a realtor. You can easily buy a remodeled property in Windsor Park for under 200K. There are some great properties listed right now with some nice upgrades. The location is fantastic, the trees are fabulous and it is a neighborhood that will continue to appreciate because of the location and style of homes in the neighborhood. You can also get a nice lot size. If you are able to consider South Austin, I recommend the neighborhoods just South of Ben White including Cherry Creek, Western Trails, West Gate Square. South Austin is really one of the best deals in town under 200K. There is an adorable remodeled house on Radam for 174K. It is small, but has wood floors, and lots of charm. It is really close in as well. Hope that helps.

Fri May 16 2008, 09:48

I have a wonderful home listed in the northwest suburbs of Austin. The home is in Leander and is listed for 199,900. It was built in 2002 and is 2386 sq. ft., 3 sides brick, one story , 4 bd. 2 bath. The home is convenient to the new toll road and to the new rail system which will take commuters right into downtown Austin. If you would like to see more on the home just e-mail me and I can send you pictures etc.
ccardenas@onepercentusa.com

Fri May 16 2008, 08:53

Well, I'm not a real estate agent, just a resident. For $200K you can still get quite a nice house compaired to many parts of the country. Keep in mind that because we don't have state income tax, our property taxes are higher than some places, so be sure to figure that in. Also, the flood zone maps are being redrawn in our area, so avoid anywhere that could have a flooding problem. You can check adresses here:

http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/

I like Windsor Park. The homes there were built in the late 50's through the 1960's, so if you don't want a fixer upper, you're going to have to find one that's already had the work done. There are lots of large trees and many have hardwood and/or tile floors. BTW, even though you don't want a fixer upper, you might want to consider a home that would be a good candidate for solar panel electricity. Austin Energy has one of the best rebate programs in the country, and lord knows, we get plenty of sunshine!

I like using Austin Home Lisitngs because you can search by neighborhood:

http://www.austinhomelistings.com/

Wed May 14 2008, 14:05

Hi Allison,
There are still many neighborhoods in Austin that you can buy a home in priced under 200k. I would like to know more about what you are looking for in terms of size, number of beds and commute so I can point you in the right direction. If you want to be close in to downtown I suggest area 10N which is still affordable and an easy commute to downtown. Feel free to contact me so can better understand your wants and so that I can send you some properties you might be interested in.

Wed May 14 2008, 08:57

You can get a 3-2 in Windsor Park but they are probably a fixer upper. I have 2 properties in that neighborhood and I like it because you are about 100 yards (at one end) to the new Mueller development. On the other side, expect foundation issues in that neighborhood too.

Great place! If you have a $225K budget, you could get more...

Tue May 13 2008, 16:26

Windsor Parke is a great area if you are in Jacksonville, Florida as I live there and love it! I am from Texas though and can't imagine a place in Austin, Texas being anything but a great place to live! How about it, are there any of you out there that live in Windsor Parke in Austin, Texas? Are there any places in Austin know as Windsor Parke?

Tue May 13 2008, 16:15

I'm putting my house on the market next week and and I'm assuming that I will have about 40k to put down on my purchase in Austin. Of course I will be working with an agent but I wanted to know what areas I can start looking at on my own...I don't anticipate a problem with getting a loan.

Tue May 13 2008, 15:06

There are number of great areas within Austin and Austin metro area under 200k. This all depeinds on your needs and desires. I would be happy to visit with you and discuss various areas within the city amd assist you making the right decision for yourself. Please feel free to contact me at your convenience.

Tue May 13 2008, 14:39

In order to purchase you need to be pre-approved for a loan therefore a real estate agent can effectively work with you determine what is the best areas what you can qualify to purchase.

Tue May 13 2008, 14:36