Highcrest Meadow, Georgetown TX: New Construction Near the Square

At a glance

Location

Just east of downtown Georgetown and Southwestern University, about 5 minutes to the square

Builders

Chesmar and Tri Pointe only

Price range

Two-story homes with double-height ceilings in the low-to-mid $500Ks (as of Apr 2024)

Schools

Georgetown ISD; middle school and elementary very close, Georgetown High nearby

Tax rate

1.78% (as of Apr 2024)

HOA

Very small, few amenities (as of Apr 2024)

Location: next to Southwestern and the square

Highcrest Meadow is just east of downtown historic Georgetown, right next to Southwestern University. The square is about a 5-minute drive, with live music Friday nights and weekends, restaurants, coffee shops and, when I filmed, a new burger place. You can even walk over to the Southwestern running track.

It's very hard to find new construction this close to town, at least not without paying a multiple of the price. That's what makes this community worth a look.

For groceries and errands, the newer HEB at Wolf Ranch Shopping Center is a straight shot down University Avenue. That center also has Starbucks, Target, Chick-fil-A, restaurants, an AT&T store and a day spa.

Commute

Here are the drive times I gave in April 2024:

• Downtown Austin: about 40 minutes without traffic, and an hour or more at rush hour
• Tesla Gigafactory: about 31 minutes via SH-130
• Austin airport: about 35 minutes

If you commute to downtown Austin every day, that rush-hour drive is the one real con I'd point to for this location.

Builders and homes

It's a small community with only two builders, Chesmar and Tri Pointe. Both are high-end builders in the production space. That means nicer windows, design centers and a good amount of customization. Some two-story plans have double-height ceilings.

When I filmed, nothing had been officially released yet. Spec homes were going up, the Chesmar model was almost done and the Tri Pointe model wasn't far behind. I walked through one under-construction home in the video so you can see the double-height ceiling.

As of April 2024, you could get a two-story home with a double-height ceiling in the low-to-mid $500,000s. That's very hard to find, especially under $600,000, and even more so this close to the square.

Schools

Highcrest Meadow is in Georgetown ISD. You can almost throw a rock to the middle school, the elementary is just around the corner and Georgetown High School is close by. Zoning can change as the district grows, so I always confirm schools for the exact address before you buy.

Taxes and HOA

When I filmed in April 2024, the tax rate here was 1.78%. You don't have to drive far, for example out toward Hutto, to see rates of 2.6 or 2.7. On a home in this price range, that difference adds up to real money every year, and it's a big part of keeping your carrying costs down.

The HOA is very small, because there aren't many amenities. The amenity is the location.

Who Highcrest Meadow fits

Good fit if you:

• Want to be close to the square and Southwestern
• Want new construction without paying a premium for a close-in location
• Care about a low tax rate and a small HOA
• Don't need a pool or amenity center

Think twice if you:

• Commute to downtown Austin at rush hour
• Want lots of builders and floor plans to choose from

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: why this location is personal
• 0:46Small community, two builders
• 1:41Location near the square & Southwestern
• 2:471.78% tax rate & small HOA
• 3:48Shopping at Wolf Ranch
• 4:29Schools
• 4:36Commute times
• 5:46Builders: Tri Pointe & Chesmar
• 6:45Double-height ceilings under $600K
• 7:19Under-construction home walkthrough
• 8:02How I can help

Common questions