Beecave Woods, Countryside, and Treetops

Area Description:

Beecave Woods, Countryside, and Treetops are discussed as a group due to their similarities of location and amenities these subdivisions are located immediately east of Walsh Tarlton Lane on the opposite side of Cedar Creek Elementary.  Features which distinguish each area are listed separately.

These subdivisions are located just north of Barton Creek Mall in the City of Austin; they are in the Eanes School District with its highly ranked schools and are located immediately east of Walsh Tarlton Lane opposite  of Cedar Creek Elementary which is on the immediate west side of Walsh Tarlton on Pinnacle Road.

Rarely will one find a more walkable area.  The fantastic combination of close-in location, walkability to services and schools K-12, low prices compared to other close-in properties such as Rollingwood, and City of Austin services (street lights, Austin library privileges, trash pickup, recycling, compost pickup, bulky trash pickup periodically, and brush pickup periodically) make these areas particularly attractive.  The city tax rate in Austin is somewhat higher than in Rollingwood, however, plus residents must deal with the juggernaut of city administration such as permitting in making property improvements, or even having a voice in the government.

Most of the homes in the Beecave Woods and Countryside subdivisions were built in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s; they vary in size from around 1,400 sqft. to over 5,000 sqft.  Most would not realize that Countryside is a small and separate subdivision from Beecave Woods.  Homes in Countryside include those on  Mistywood and connecting cul de sacs, Stone Ridge east of Walsh Tarlton, Thousand Oaks Circle and a few homes near Walsh Tarlton on Thousand Oaks Drive.

In recent years, we have seen the beginnings of “tear-downs” in the area where homes are purchased and torn down to be replaced by larger homes. In most cases, however, homes are updated and remodeled. The lots are not the size of those in Rollingwood or in Treemont with an average of about .2 acres vs. .4 acres in Rollingwood, .68 acres in the original Treemont section and .36 acres in the later section of Treemont.

The tiny Treetops subdivision includes the fourteen homes on Brian’s Meadow Cove and Verdant Way.  These were built in the mid to late 1990’s and in general are larger than those in Beecave Woods and Countryside with square footage from around 3,000 sqft to 5,500 sqft. Most are traditional in style, and a number have pools. Lot sizes are most commonly around .35 acres, but some are as large as .68 acres. Prices here will be higher than those in Beecave Woods and Countryside due to the larger sizes, newer construction, and larger lots found here.

Features of these subdivisions:

• Incredible close-in location south of Rollingwood and north of Barton Creek Mall: west of Treemont (west of Loop 1 [MoPac]), inside Loop 360, and south of Bee Caves Road, roughly 3.5 miles from downtown.
• Children can walk/bike to Eanes schools K-12: Cedar Creek Elementary, Hill Country Middle School, and Westlake High School.  It is very common to see parents and children walk to school; Eanes ISD provides bus service for these areas from each school.
• Cedar Creek is very much a neighborhood school—playmates will never be far away.
• The close-in location of the schools allows parents to join children for lunch or more easily participate in school activities even if working in the downtown area.
• The terrain can vary from hilly to level with many magnificent trees.
• Neighbors are frequently out on walks and greet each other. Many walk the length of Thousand Oaks to Treemont Park and beyond.
• Barton Creek Mall is in walking distance and features shops, major department stores, restaurants, entertainment and cinema. Additional shopping, restaurants, and services are also in walking or biking distance:
  • Groceries: Trader Joes grocery; Randall’s grocery store
  • Mail and shipping: U.S. Post Office, UPS, FedEX/Kinkos
  • Banking: Bank of America, Chase, Prosperity Bank
  • Restaurants: Panera’s, Las Palomas, Lotus Hunan Restaurant, Saffron Indian Market, Chinatown, Modern Market, CAVA Mezze Grill, Chipotle, more
  • Fast food: McDonalds, Cane’s Chicken, Thundercloud, more
  • Other goodies: Amy’s ice cream, Tiff’s treats, Bruegger’s Bagels, Nothing Bundt Cakes
  • Coffee shops: Summer Moon, Starbucks
  • Pet care: Petco, Tomlinson’s Seed and Pet Care
  • Other conveniences: Art store, clothing store, Jiffy Lube, Finish Line Car Wash, Good Year Tires and Service, more
• Pools: Some homes have their own pools.  There is no neighborhood pool.  Children here will often swim at Rollingwood Pool (Western Hills Athletic Club), Lost Creek Country Club Pool, or a pool at one of the other Country Clubs where they will be on swim team.  Interestingly, a pool will not necessarily improve the value of properties here.  Check with your real estate agent if considering a purchase here.
• Eanes Creek runs through these subdivisions. This is a “wet-weather creek” which is most often dry but will rise up quickly in a heavy rain and provide those near with the pleasure of rushing water. Properties which back to the creek will have views of wooded areas which gives more privacy; parts of these lots may also be in the flood plain. In Woodhaven particularly, there are a few unexpected areas in the flood plain.
• Foundations: in selected areas, there has been a history of homes with foundation issues; most have been repaired or have been determined not to be a concern, but buyers should be aware and review this with their agent and inspector.  Shifting foundations can cause major structural damage to the home plus cause plumbing issues; these can be very expensive to repair.
• There is no mandatory HOA in the Beecave Woods and Countryside subdivisions but there are subdivision restrictions. The Walsh Tarlton Neighborhood Association website provides information for the immediate community and serves as a sounding board and advocate for the area. You can read more at:

http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/Walsh_Tarlton/pages/133254

• The Treetops subdivision has a modest mandatory HOA fee ($500/year in 2021) which covers the common area landscaping.

In summary, these subdivisions are prized for their prime convenient and close-in location near the highly-ranked Eanes schools, shopping and services.