Oak Forest & Barrington Oaks · Investment Property
Investment Property in Oak Forest & Barrington Oaks
Rentals judged on the numbers, the neighborhood and the condition of the house, not on the listing photos.
Investment Property in Oak Forest & Barrington Oaks: what's different here
A rental in Oak Forest & Barrington Oaks is a business decision that happens to come with a kitchen. Barrington Oaks' repeated starter-home floor plans make rents easier to compare, while age and condition decide whether a property pays.
Texas has no state income tax, but property taxes are high, so the tax bill and insurance often decide whether a rental works.
Talk about Oak Forest & Barrington Oaks
Why Oak Forest & Barrington Oaks buyers work with me
I grew up a few minutes away, and my wife and I bought our first house in Oak Forest. My wife, Heather, and I own short-term rentals ourselves, in Spokane and Punta de Mita, so I look at a property the way an owner does. Oak Forest and Barrington Oaks give buyers a flatter neighborhood off Jollyville Road and Spicewood Springs Road, with most of the Round Rock ISD side feeding Caraway Elementary.
How I handle it in Oak Forest & Barrington Oaks
- The numbers before the showing: rent against taxes, insurance, HOA dues and likely repairs.
- The rules: HOA leasing limits and short-term rental rules, checked before you commit.
- Condition: roofs, AC, water heaters and plumbing, judged by the home's era.
- 1031 timing: 45 days to identify and 180 days to close, planned with your exchange company and CPA. More on investing.
More about Oak Forest & Barrington Oaks
For the full picture of the neighborhood, see living in Oak Forest & Barrington Oaks. Questions about investment property here? Call me at (512) 698-3525.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent out a home in Oak Forest & Barrington Oaks?
Often, but some HOAs limit leasing and short-term rentals have their own rules. We check before you make an offer.
What are the 1031 exchange deadlines?
Federal rules give you 45 days to identify a replacement property and 180 days to close.
Oak Forest & Barrington Oaks
What investment property looks like in Oak Forest & Barrington Oaks
Two neighboring 1970s neighborhoods off Jollyville Road and Spicewood Springs Road, flat at the front and hillier toward Great Hills.
- The homes
- Two neighborhoods side by side. Oak Forest runs mostly along Oak Knoll Drive: flat at the front, then dropping into hills toward the back, where it borders Great Hills. Its homes are more substantial, with more interesting floor plans and more variety, mostly around 1,700 to 2,500 square feet and some larger. Barrington Oaks, built out between 1973 and 1983, is a smaller corner of the area and mostly flat. Milburn Homes built much of it as starter homes, so many floor plans repeat and the build quality is a step below Oak Forest's.
- Schools people ask about
- Split by address. Many homes on the south side of Oak Knoll Drive are Austin ISD. Farther back, the area is Round Rock ISD and most of it feeds Caraway Elementary (formerly North Oaks Elementary), then Canyon Vista Middle School and Westwood High School; few homes here feed Laurel Mountain. Confirm by address.
- Getting around
- Barrington Oaks is entered off Barrington Way, just south of Spicewood Springs Road. The Oak Forest side is entered off Jollyville Road.
- Nearby
- The Northwest Balcones and Oak View neighborhood park trails, and a City of Austin pool off Spicewood Springs Road that city residents can use. No neighborhood pool of its own.
- The trade-off
- No golf course, preserve or club: a practical neighborhood rather than a scenic one. Barrington Oaks is flatter and more uniform; the back of Oak Forest picks up Great Hills-style topography.
The method
How we do it in Oak Forest & Barrington Oaks
Investment Property: keep exploring
Ready to make your move with James Brinkman?