Northwest Austin · Downsizing
Downsizing in Northwest Austin
Help with the whole move, not only the listing: sorting, haul-off, timing and the Texas tax rules that come with it.
Downsizing in Northwest Austin: what's different here
Downsizing from a Northwest Austin home is usually a life decision more than a market one. Many Northwest Austin homes have had one owner since they were built in the 1970s and 80s, which usually means good bones, a dated interior and decades of belongings to sort.
The listing is the easy part. What makes the move work is everything around it: sorting, deciding what to fix, and timing the sale around the next home.
Talk about Northwest Austin
Why Northwest Austin sellers work with me
I grew up in Northwest Austin, have lived here since 1976 and have lived on the Mountain in the Spicewood Estates area since 2004. I hold the SRES designation, Seniors Real Estate Specialist, and I do whatever the move actually needs, including haul-off, vendors and sometimes the paint brush. Across Northwest Austin, buyers compare your home with the whole range of these neighborhoods, from a rebuilt Northwest Hills home to an original 1980s two-story in Anderson Mill, so positioning starts with which homes a buyer will weigh it against.
How I handle it in Northwest Austin
- Sorting and placing belongings, and coordinating haul-off for what nobody wants.
- Deciding what's worth fixing before listing in Northwest Austin, so you don't spend money that won't come back.
- The Texas tax questions: the over-65 school tax ceiling can transfer to a new homestead as a percentage, and the federal home-sale exclusion has limits. Confirm both with a CPA. More on downsizing.
- Timing around the next home, whether that's assisted living, a smaller house or a move closer to family.
More about Northwest Austin
For the full picture of the neighborhood, see living in Northwest Austin. Questions about downsizing here? Call me at (512) 698-3525.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to update my Northwest Austin home before selling?
Usually not much. I'll tell you which repairs are likely to pay you back and which to leave for the buyer.
Will I lose my over-65 tax freeze if I move?
Not necessarily. Texas lets you transfer the over-65 school tax ceiling to a new homestead as a percentage. Confirm the numbers with the appraisal district and a CPA.
Northwest Austin
What downsizing looks like in Northwest Austin
The established hills west of MoPac and 183, from Northwest Hills up through Great Hills, Spicewood Estates, Jester and Anderson Mill.
- The homes
- Mostly 1960s through 1990s homes on larger, irregular lots under mature trees, with steady rebuilding in Northwest Hills. Hillside and view lots in Great Hills, Jester and parts of Northwest Hills; flatter streets in Oak Forest, Barrington Oaks and Anderson Mill.
- Schools people ask about
- Split between Round Rock ISD (Spicewood, Laurel Mountain, Caraway, Anderson Mill and Purple Sage elementaries into Canyon Vista or Grisham and Westwood) and Austin ISD (Doss, Hill or Davis into Murchison and Anderson). The line runs through neighborhoods, so check each address.
- Getting around
- 183, MoPac, Loop 360, 2222 and Spicewood Springs Road. The Arboretum and the Domain are close, and most trips never need I-35.
- Nearby
- Bull Creek, St. Edward's Park and Balcones Canyonlands Preserve land, Great Hills and Balcones country clubs (private), the Jester Club, Anderson Mill's own pools and parks, and City of Austin pools and parks.
- The trade-off
- Real land and established trees close in, in exchange for older homes that need their systems checked, and hills in many neighborhoods.
The method
How we do it in Northwest Austin
Downsizing: keep exploring
Ready to make your move with James Brinkman?