Allandale: Walkable, Quiet and One of Austin's Most Sought-After Neighborhoods

At a glance

Location

Central / Northwest Austin, between Burnet Road and MoPac

Price range

About $500,000-$600,000 for homes needing updates, up to a little over $3 million for new builds (as of May 2024)

Homes

1940s-50s bungalows, remodeled '70s-'80s homes and new rebuilds

Schools

Austin ISD: mostly Gullett Elementary, Lamar Middle, McCallum High

Tax rate

Under 2%, varies slightly by section (as of May 2024)

HOA

None

Location and walkability

Allandale sits in Northwest / Central Austin, between Burnet Road and MoPac, with Shoal Creek running dead center through the neighborhood.

Literally all of your daily things can be walked to. H-E-B and Walmart are walkable, and P. Terry's is across Burnet. Fine dining like Bartlett's and Uchiko is a short drive away. But the streets themselves are quiet and tucked back. You're going to feel really urban with the quietness of a more suburban neighborhood.

Parks and trails

Northwest Park is the neighborhood's big park, with playgrounds, hike-and-bike trails, biking areas, a fishing pond, tennis and pickleball courts and a pool in the summer.

The Shoal Creek trail runs down toward the Austin Library and connects through Pease Park. Shoal Creek Boulevard also has a bike lane that takes you to downtown.

History and topography

Allandale started building in the 1940s and kept going for about 30 years. Most of the original homes were done by the '70s and '80s, so the trees are big and mature.

Compared with Brentwood and Crestview across Burnet, Allandale has more hills, especially near the creek. You get the same size trees, but the topography gives a lot of homes natural privacy. Lots also tend to be larger than in neighboring communities.

Schools

Allandale is in Austin ISD:

• Gullett Elementary for most of the neighborhood (a section on the north edge is zoned to a different elementary, so check the address)
• Lamar Middle School
• McCallum High School, one of the most competitive high schools in Austin ISD

Taxes and HOA

As of my May 2024 tour, the tax rate was generally under 2%, varying a little by section. There's no HOA.

Homes and prices

You'll see a real mix: 1940s and '50s bungalows, remodeled '70s and '80s homes, originals, and knock-down rebuilds.

Austin's SF-3 zoning update now allows two individually deeded units on one lot, set up as a small condo regime. So you'll see A and B units at the same street address.

As of May 2024, prices ran from older homes needing some updating in the $500,000-$600,000 range up to large new builds a little over $3 million. On the tour I walked a new Studio Celeste build on Woodview Drive, a little over $3 million: 5 bedrooms plus an office and a loft, vaulted ceilings, full spray-foam insulation, an outdoor kitchen and a pool. Capturing a backyard like that and not having any neighbors is the ultimate luxury.

Who Allandale fits

Allandale fits people who want to walk to groceries and parks, want Austin ISD schools like McCallum, and want an established neighborhood with character and no HOA. It's also a good fit for people who want to renovate or build new on a larger lot.

The trade-off is price. This is one of the most in-demand parts of Austin, and older homes often need updating. It also tends to be a neighborhood that people don't really leave, so good homes don't come up often.

When I work for you, you get me. I show the homes, I negotiate and I'm the one who answers your call. You're never handed off to a teammate you didn't choose.

What's in the video

• 0:00Intro and Northwest Park
• 1:08What this guide covers
• 1:50Location: Burnet Rd to MoPac, walkable yet quiet
• 3:08History: 1940s to '80s construction
• 3:49Walkability: H-E-B, restaurants, Northwest Park, Shoal Creek trail
• 4:53Topography vs Brentwood/Crestview
• 5:50Schools: Gullett, Lamar, McCallum
• 6:44Taxes under 2%, no HOA
• 7:09Housing variety and SF-3 zoning
• 8:20Tour: 5608 Woodview Dr new build
• 9:42Price range: $500Ks to $3M+

Common questions