From small town to boom town

Liberty Hill defies real estate downturn with many new neighborhoods
By Charles EalyAMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFFSunday, November 30, 2008

At least one area in Central Texas is thriving these days despite the real estate slowdown: Liberty Hill, the small town just north of Cedar Park and Leander.
In fact, Liberty Hill is in the only real estate zone in Travis, Williamson, Bastrop and Hays counties where more homes have sold this year than last. Through October, 150 homes have sold there, with a median price of $217,000. That compares with 112 homes sold through October 2007, with a median price of $229,840.
"We're not growing as much as we were, and sales are flattening out a bit," says Shane T. White, a broker/owner of ReMax Town & Country in Liberty Hill. "But we're still doing OK."
And he thinks the area is "on the verge of explosive growth" once the economy bounces back, mainly because of its proximity to Austin, which is about 40 minutes away if you drive down the new 183-A tollway. "183-A opened us up as a bedroom community," he says.
White and other real estate agents say one of the big draws for the area is the quality of schools. The Texas Education Agency rates the district as "recognized," which means that 75 percent of all students taking TAKS exams earned a passing grade, with a high school completion rate of 85 percent and an annual dropout rate of no more than 2 percent. Less than 23 percent of the state's school districts have that rating, and less than 3 percent of districts get the higher "exemplary" rating.
"Our family moved out to West Texas for a year, and I can tell you that the Liberty Hill schools are far more advanced," says Christie Weems of City Real Estate and Mortgage.
"There's a real sense of community here, and everyone turns out for the high school football games, even people who don't have children in school," she says. Part of the reason, of course, may be that the Liberty Hill Panthers are two-time Class 3A state champions.
Neighborhoods spread like wildflowers
But there are other reasons for Liberty Hill's growth. A big factor: More subdivisions are going up in what was once a rural area.
......Small-town charm but thinking big.
Despite its recent growth, Liberty Hill still has a small-town feel. The historical downtown area has cozy shops and dining spots, a quaintness that survives despite the nearby bustle along Texas 29.
And land along the highway is poised for even more rapid development, mainly because a new sewer system is going in, which is expected to bring an influx of fast-food restaurants and other establishments, White says.
"McDonalds has already bought the Star Burgers site," Weems says of a funky-looking local burger joint off of Texas 29.
Not everyone is excited about the growth prospects. Proposals to widen Texas 29 from Georgetown to Liberty Hill have stirred up controversy in recent months, and some landowners are worried about whether they'll be forced to sell their property.
But construction probably won't begin for 20 to 25 years, Williamson County officials say, and they expect that wider roads will be necessary because most of the county's growth is expected to be along Texas 29, west of Interstate 35.
Whatever happens, Liberty Hill residents probably won't have to drive so far to get to the city in 20 years. It looks like the city is coming to them.
cealy@statesman.com; 445-3931

For the full article, please visit http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/statesmanhomes/11/30/1130liberty.html