Top 5 reasons Barton Hills Neighborhood is one of the best neighborhoods in Austin.
This article will give you an insiders guide to life in Barton Hills – and why so many neighbors never want to leave the Barton Hills neighborhood once they get their spot. Case in point, many of the residents purchased their home in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s and have never left.
The neighborhood is located in Austin’s most famous zip code – 78704. The “04” became famous with the rise of the ACL festival, hosted annually within Zilker Park.
ACL is located near Barton Hills
Thousands of local and out of town visitors attend the ACL Fest
The “flags” are a popular spot to meet up with friends at ACL Fest
#1 – Barton Hills is in close proximity to many of Austin’s favorite attractions
Barton Hills is adjacent to Zilker Park as well as Barton Springs, one of Austin’s most treasured local attractions. Living In Barton Hills is like having the city’s greatest playground in your backyard. Another unique feature in Barton Hills is the Barton Creek greenbelt which runs through the neighborhood. There are numerous access points to hike and bike along the many greenbelt trails. Furthermore, Barton Hills is only three miles from Downtown Austin.
Barton Springs, a popular swimming spot
James D. Pfluger Bridge, the downtown pedestrian bridge which spans Lady Bird Lake
One of the many entrances leading into the Barton Creek Greenbelt trails
Greenbelt swimming hole located off of Barton Creek Trail
#2 – Barton Hills is uniquely located close to both city life and nature
Barton Hills is ideally positioned, with Barton Creek greenbelt running to the south and west perimeter of the neighborhood and South Lamar acting as the eastern boundary. The northern boundary of the neighborhood is just 3 miles from downtown Austin. The neighborhood also has easy access to Mopac and Hwy 360.
#3 – Barton Hills is one of Austin’s most walkable neighborhoods
In addition to the hiking trails that run through the neighborhood, Barton Hills is bike-able and walk-able to numerous restaurants, coffee shops, bars and shopping. Keep in mind, its called Barton Hills, not Barton flats – therefore, expect some elevation when walking through the neighborhood! South Lamar is one of the boundary lines for the Barton Hills Neighborhood, with many of Austin’s most popular restaurants located just off of it, such as Torchy’s Tacos, Matt’s El Rancho, and Kerbey Lane cafe.
Kerbey Lane Cafe, a popular family-owned local cafe
Just across from Kerbey Lane Cafe is Torchy’s Tacos, who are known for their unique selection of tacos
Matt’s El Rancho, famous Tex-Mex restaurant
Better yet, neighbors can two-step right across South Lamar to the world famous Broken Spoke dance hall!
First built in 1964, the Broken Spoke continues to serve the Austin area to this day
An Official Texas Landmark, the Broken Spoke dance hall attracts locals and tourists alike
#4 – Barton Hills is zoned for highly rated schools
Barton Hills Elementary entrance
Barton Hills is zoned to the highly rated, Barton Hills Elementary school. On any given weekday you will see children walking to school. This is an added benefit as almost every home in the neighborhood is located within a mile of it. Just over 350 children attend Barton Hills Elementary. This small but mighty group of children and families are very involved in the school community. One of the best features of the school is that it backs up to the Barton creek greenbelt, and as such, offers opportunities for outdoor learning. After completing elementary school, students have a choice of attending O’Henry middle school or applying to Anne Richards School for girls, Kealing middle school or Small middle school. Austin High is the designated high school for the neighborhood.
#5 – Barton Hills is the friendliest place I have ever lived
Best of all, the Barton Hills neighborhood is a true community. The neighborhood association organizes an annual 4th of July parade featuring old fashioned fun including contests to decorate bikes and wagons. There are numerous block parties through out the year and on Halloween the streets are full of trick or treaters. As a result, people know each others names and take care of each other.
How much do homes cost in the Barton Hills neighborhood?
The neighborhood was built between 1955 and 1978 and much of the original architecture is still prevalent. However, there are also newly constructed homes scattered between the older properties. In recent years developers have been buying up older homes and tearing them down to make room for large, modern architecture. The lot value for “tear down” homes starts at $900K Older homes in the neighborhood that have been cared start at around $1M and and updated homes fetch as much as $2.5M. There are some single bedroom condos in the neighborhood for as little as $350K. Buyers can expect to pay between $2.5M -$5M for new construction or around $1000 per square foot. Homes with a great greenbelt view sell for a premium.
Barton Creek, photo taken from the Greenbelt walking trail
Ready to move to the Barton Hills neighborhood? You’re in luck, we have a beautiful 4 bedroom home available for sale located at 2807 Rockingham Dr. This midcentury modern home on .43 acres is your opportunity to live in one of Austin’s most coveted neighborhoods, Barton Hills.
This home features a classic limestone exterior, dramatic 1970’s architecture and is situated on a large private lot with an abundance of trees. There is even a private greenbelt entrance located around the corner from this home. Don’t miss your chance to live the Barton Hills lifestyle. Contact me today for more information or to schedule a private showing.