River Ranch branches off from Interstate 35, providing a mostly residential pocket of northeast Austin that’s tightly connected to the rest of the city. A pair of manufactured home communities fill most of this area, and they’re both close to an assortment of restaurants, green spaces and public schools. River Ranch’s proximity to the highway means residents can make the 15-mile drive to Downtown Austin in just about a half-hour.
The namesake community here and the neighboring Branch Creek are both packed with a variety of manufactured home options, and both are managed by Sun Communities. You can find houses built anywhere from the 1980s through the 2020s. Many of the properties in Branch Creek come with garages, and both communities feature similar layouts with winding neighborhood streets. Both also offer shared amenities, including pools, clubhouses and playgrounds.
Homes in the River Ranch development list for anywhere from about $70,000 to the lower $100,000s, according to Sun Communities, while those in Branch Creek range from $90,000 to the mid-$100,000s. The age of the home is a major determinant in the price: “You want to find the best pre-owned for value you can buy, and that’s where you get your deal,” says Michael Wasneuski, who operates Mobile Home Offers, a Texas manufactured home broker and investment company. The price doesn’t include the cost of the land the house sits on, which is instead leased for an extra monthly fee, and potential buyers need to be aware that the fees can fluctuate. “The higher the lot rent goes, the lower your house is truly worth,” Wasneuski says. “You have to have a give-and-take.”
The River Ranch area falls within the Pflugerville Independent School District. Students in this area live right across from a couple of the schools they can attend. Wilhelmina Delco Elementary School and Dessau Middle School neighbor each other, off Dessau Road. Wilhelmina Delco offers a dual-language program in English and Spanish, and Dessau features the district's only Junior Thespian Troupe. The Pflugerville ISD also allows school choice through open intra-district transfers, letting resident families apply to campuses outside their attendance zone, with placement based on space, staffing and student eligibility rather than a lottery.
You have a variety of ways to get active outdoors in this area, beyond the community amenities at River Ranch and Branch Creek. Among the city parks close by are:
The two manufactured home communities in this area are located just off Dessau Road, a thoroughfare that’s also lined with food trucks. The options include:
River Ranch commuters can take Dessau Road and East Braker Lane directly to Interstate 35 for trips to downtown Austin, which is about 15 miles away. Dessau and Cameron roads connect to U.S. Route 183 for trips to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, where you can catch direct flights to cities ranging from Albuquerque to Washington, D.C.
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | River Ranch | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 6 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 5 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 5 | 4 |
| Robbery | 5 | 4 |
| Burglary | 6 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 6 | 4 |
| Larceny | 5 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 5 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
$1,138 - $2,468 per month
$1,390 - $1,668 per month
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