Stone Canyon · Downsizing
Downsizing in Stone Canyon
Help with the whole move, not only the listing: sorting, haul-off, timing and the Texas tax rules that come with it.
Downsizing in Stone Canyon: what's different here
Downsizing from a Stone Canyon home is usually a life decision more than a market one. Stone Canyon was platted in the late 1990s, so a long-time owner's first questions are usually roof, HVAC and windows, and which of those a buyer will price in.
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.
Why Stone Canyon sellers work with me
I've lived in Northwest Austin since 1976, and much of my recent business has been along the Parmer and 183 corridors as buyers follow the jobs north. 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. A Stone Canyon listing has to explain the Fern Bluff MUD: what it adds to the tax bill, and the six parks, the trails and the HOA's pool that come with it.
How I handle it in Stone Canyon
- Sorting and placing belongings, and coordinating haul-off for what nobody wants.
- Deciding what's worth fixing before listing in Stone Canyon, 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 Stone Canyon
For the full picture of the neighborhood, see living in Stone Canyon. Questions about downsizing here? Call me at (512) 698-3525.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to update my Stone Canyon 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.
Stone Canyon
What downsizing looks like in Stone Canyon
A deed-restricted neighborhood in the Fern Bluff MUD, with its own Junior Olympic pool and six district parks linked by greenbelt trails.
- The homes
- A master-planned, deed-restricted neighborhood platted between 1995 and 2000. The Fern Bluff MUD counts about 1,100 homes here, its largest neighborhood. The address is Round Rock, but it sits outside Round Rock city limits, in the Fern Bluff MUD.
- Schools people ask about
- Round Rock ISD: Fern Bluff Elementary, which the MUD describes as within walking distance, then Chisholm Trail Middle School and Round Rock High School. Confirm by address.
- Getting around
- Most trips start on 620, which connects to 183 and I-35.
- Nearby
- The HOA's Junior Olympic pool and play area, and the Fern Bluff MUD's six parks with tennis, basketball and sand volleyball courts, pavilions, playscapes and miles of greenbelt trail, plus the MUD's community center.
The method
How we do it in Stone Canyon
Downsizing: keep exploring
Ready to make your move with James Brinkman?