Spicewood Estates & Balcones · Investment Property
Investment Property in Spicewood Estates & Balcones
Rentals judged on the numbers, the neighborhood and the condition of the house, not on the listing photos.
Investment Property in Spicewood Estates & Balcones: what's different here
A rental in Spicewood Estates & Balcones is a business decision that happens to come with a kitchen. Larger lots and higher prices make Spicewood Estates a land-and-location purchase more than a cash-flow rental, and the age of the systems decides the math.
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 Spicewood Estates & Balcones
Why Spicewood Estates & Balcones buyers 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. 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. Buyers come here for land and trees close in, the Spicewood Elementary or Laurel Mountain Elementary path into Canyon Vista and Westwood, and a quieter setting than Great Hills.
How I handle it in Spicewood Estates & Balcones
- 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 Spicewood Estates & Balcones
For the full picture of the neighborhood, see living in Spicewood Estates & Balcones. Questions about investment property here? Call me at (512) 698-3525.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent out a home in Spicewood Estates & Balcones?
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.
Spicewood Estates & Balcones
What investment property looks like in Spicewood Estates & Balcones
Wooded hills west of 183 between Spicewood Springs Road and Anderson Mill Road, with larger lots and Balcones Country Club at the center.
- The homes
- Spicewood Estates sits in wooded hills west of 183, with larger lots (many a quarter-acre or more) and a mix of original and updated homes. Locals count the pockets around it, like The Park at Spicewood Springs and the Mountain, as part of the same area. Balcones Village grew up around Balcones Country Club starting in the 1970s; golf-frontage and view lots carry a real premium over interior streets. The Spicewood golf course is closed, so Balcones Village now has two very different kinds of golf-frontage homes, and club membership is separate from buying a home.
- Schools people ask about
- Round Rock ISD. Much of the area feeds Spicewood Elementary, then Canyon Vista Middle School and Westwood High School; part of it, including The Park at Spicewood Springs and the Mountain, feeds Laurel Mountain Elementary instead. Confirm by address.
- Getting around
- The main road is 183: the neighborhoods sit west of it, between Spicewood Springs Road and Anderson Mill Road. MoPac is a good ten minutes or more away. Most work and errands don't need I-35. Balcones Village sits closer to the 620 side.
- Nearby
- The upper Bull Creek canyonlands, part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve, back the neighborhood. A trail runs from Spicewood Springs Road through St. Edward's Park and into a bird sanctuary, coming out near the top of Jester Estates. Bull Creek, St. Edward's Park, and Balcones Country Club (private, separate membership). City of Austin tennis courts and park nearby, and a city pool off Spicewood Springs Road that city residents can use.
- The trade-off
- Less day-to-day shopping close by than Great Hills. Some streets have slopes, but most are not steep. Homes vary a lot in condition and updates, street by street.
The method
How we do it in Spicewood Estates & Balcones
Investment Property: keep exploring
Ready to make your move with James Brinkman?