Liberty Hill

Located along the San Gabriel River, Liberty Hill’s Seward Junction area is filled with eye-catching homes and proximity to scenic nature vistas, shops and dining options. The area is split into several residential subdivisions that provide a variety of new and established housing options for prospective homebuyers. The community also has proximity to major roads that allows access to many of the amenities throughout Liberty Hill and puts residents minutes away from Georgetown and the city of Leander. Prospective residents looking to be the first owner of a home have a wealth of newly constructed properties to choose from in the Summerlyn subdivision, many of which have prices ranging from $350,000 to $400,000. However, there are also plenty of homes in the neighborhood that were built in the early 2010s with brick accents that provide great curb appeal. Residents can go for a brisk morning jog or walk with their pets along the wide, sidewalk-lined streets that dominate the streetscape of all subdivisions in the area. All the Liberty Hill Independent School District public schools are close to the neighborhood, so children won’t have to travel far to get to class. Louine Noble Elementary School is the starting point for many students in the area, which has a student-teacher ratio of 12-to-1, according to U.S. News and World Report and offers both special education and gifted and talented courses. Next up is Liberty Hill Middle School, followed by Liberty Hill High School, which both have A-minus overall grades on Niche. Liberty Hill High offers various extracurricular activities for students, ranging from a student media department with journalism and a yearbook club, among others. The neighborhood hugs North US Highway 183 to the east and State Highway 29 to the north, allowing residents easy access to the city of Leander, which is about 4 miles away or to Georgetown. Though residents are just minutes away from the many shops and eateries along State Highway 29, there are options nearby. After a long week, grab brunch at the PB Café inside Perky Beans, which is both parts coffee shop and restaurant. Rabbit Hole is your neighborhood watering hole, offering great drinks, live music and karaoke throughout the week. Whitewing Market is great for grabbing any quick necessities, and H-E-B is nearby for any other groceries. Of course, residents are just minutes away from all of the local spots throughout Liberty Hill, including Liberty Tavern or Main Street Social. For a day outdoors, head to the expansive 1,354-acre River Ranch County Park. Visitors can take advantage of the many park amenities, which include multi-use trails, dozens of campsites and scenic nature vistas of the south fork of the San Gabriel River. There’s also an Interpretive Center on park grounds with interactive exhibits as well as group pavilions available for reservation.

A 30-mile drive north of Austin, Morningstar is one of the many developments driven by the explosive growth of Central Texas. While the new subdivisions often resemble one another, Morningstar separates itself thanks to its focus on amenities and activities. “These neighborhoods are really built around providing things for people and families to get out and do,” says Tanya Kerr, Realtor and team lead of the T. Kerr Property Group of Keller Williams Lone Star. “You often see that people get very connected and friendships build.” The community-building aspect of Morningstar and its convenient location to routes toward North Austin help the neighborhood stand out among the many popping up in the area. Off the area’s main roads, well-manicured lawns and young trees flank the wide suburban drive of Morningstar Boulevard, while subdivisions sit on either side of the street. New construction has slowed down in the neighborhood, but plenty of inventory remains on the market, most of it looking for its first buyer. The homes in Morningstar tend to feature a new traditional style with some French Country or Mediterranean influences and have built-in garages and small, fenced-in backyards. The wide swath of home sizes through the neighborhood can go from a two-bed house with just over 1,200 square feet selling for $300,000, to a five-bed, 4,000-square-foot home that goes for $1.3 million. Morningstar differentiates itself from many of the other new neighborhoods in the exurbs of Austin with its recreation options. “The neighborhood really focuses on inclusivity with their amenities,” says Rebekah Cummings, Realtor at the Cummings Team of Keller Williams. “They really try to make sure that the residents and homeowners have something to do, always.” In the heart of the neighborhood, the Morningstar Amenity Center offers a pool, a fire pit and a pavilion for events. Elsewhere, residents can drop the leash at the dog park, or drop a line in the fishing pond. Further north in the neighborhood, residents of the Tierra Rosa development can race down one of the two water slides at the Ranch House Amenity Center’s pool. Split between the Liberty Hill and Georgetown Independent School Districts, Morningstar is zoned to a number of new schools, mirroring the area’s growth in population. More of the neighborhood attends Liberty Hill schools, including Tierra Rosa Elementary, which will open fall of 2024, Santa Rita Middle School, and Legacy Ranch High School. In its first year of operation starting fall 2024, Legacy Ranch High will serve only ninth graders, with the school expanding one grade up each academic year to eventually become the area’s full high school in 2027. Those zoned to Georgetown ISD will attend the new San Gabriel Elementary School, Benold Middle School, given an A-minus grade by Niche, and the B-graded East View High School. While the area around Morningstar currently doesn’t have much in the way of commercial development, many businesses are popping up across State Highway 29 at Bar W Marketplace. Whataburger, Chili’s and a Wells Fargo branch will join the H-E-B, Torchy’s Tacos, and Great Clips that already call the shopping center home. Locals looking for more shopping often head south to Cedar Park for stores such as Target and Costco, while a date night might be spent 10 miles east down 29 in Georgetown’s Town Square at one of its many local restaurants. Morningstar is located at the intersection of Ronald Reagan Boulevard and State Highway 29 between Liberty Hill and Georgetown in the rapidly expanding exurbs of Austin. With access to major commuting routes, the neighborhood sits just seven miles away from the 183A toll freeway and 30 miles from downtown Austin. 183A, which is currently being extended, also serves as the fastest route to employers further out from downtown, including Apple, Amazon, Indeed and many of Austin’s tech companies. “Those neighborhoods right there in that corridor, you can get to 183 and Ronald Reagan really quickly and you can get down to North Austin pretty fast,” Kerr says. “But that’s why that area is so popular. … You have roadway access that isn’t crazy busy and you can kind of zip around.” The neighborhood is also a 10-mile drive from Interstate 35, one of the main highways through Central Texas. As with amenities, Morningstar focuses efforts on building community through its events. Summer pool parties, fall festivals and Christmas celebrations each give residents opportunities to get to know their neighbors. Locals also enjoy going to Georgetown for annual celebrations like the Red Poppy Festival held each spring.