Here are 3 for sale by owner homes in Agave (I don’t list the developer marketed homes, since a) that would be a constant updates and b) developers can pay for their marketing).
5517 Agatha Circle (pictures above)
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I wonder why these Agave homes keeps turning over so much? I looked at one, and passed, a long time ago (the area just didn’t appeal to me and my wife, not the East Side in general, she loves French Place, just this particular area – hard to explain), they were nice, and I love the idea of building a modern community, but I just wonder why there always seems to be at least one for sale (on such new units as well)?
Well when we looked at homes in Agave, we found the floorplans extremely impractical. I wonder if someone falls in love with the design, which is beautiful, but realizes rather quickly after moving in that things like the lack of closets, bathrooms situated on the other side of the house from the master (which you have to cross by a wall of windows to get to), and having your children on another level from you are more difficult to live with than they thought. Just a theory, though.
I also did not like the area, just felt too remote. Also, the schools feed into Manor, doesn’t feel like Austin. But I do love the neighborhood, it is such a cool little community, I bet living there would be like living in the pages of Dwell;)
Dupe link, Ben. 5324 Sendero Hills points to 5429 Agatha Circle.
Here’s correct link: http://www.mlsfinder.com/tx_actris/themaryecompany/index.cfm?action=listing_detail&property_id=5133701&searchkey=4c47a1c3-cf31-8d99-d42e-6b68c819ca46&npp=10&sr=1
5325 is available as well: http://www.mlsfinder.com/tx_actris/themaryecompany/index.cfm?action=listing_detail&property_id=9828516&searchkey=4c47a1c3-cf31-8d99-d42e-6b68c819ca46&npp=10&sr=1
I’ve been involved in too many flame wars over the years on the suitability of Agave to my personal needs. Suffice it to say that it has fit certain folks’ needs and lifestyles, and they are cool-looking houses.
Regarding resale, I think most of the flippers have been flushed out by now. I suspect that the young and hip demographic it attracts might have meant 1) limited financial resources when tough times hit, and 2) careers that still focus on being mobile for the next great job.
What I’d be interested in is whether resale values are holding up, and how long the properties are staying on the market.
I really just think, IMHO, that the young and hip demographic it attracts are quickly turned off by the location. And not the fact that it’s located on the East side, where a ton of young and hip reside, it’s just, like Julie said, isolated…VERY isolated. It’s a very odd location, it was a very long drive through a dismally depresing area, seemed far longer than sixe miles off 35, then once there, it was like, “Um, okay, all these cool modern Dwell-type houses in the middle of some weird sub-par Round Rock-ish type suburb.” No trees, barren, heck, nothing (AND surrounded by KB style homes to boot). If Agave was closer in, like one mile off 35, at say East 6-10th, it would be a hit (even at half the square footage) no doubt, again IMHO, it’s really all about location I think in this particular case. A community like Agave could/can only really prosper in a “hip” location.
Open house at 5517 Agatha on 9/25 & 9/26, 1 – 4pm.
For starters, they are slab foundation houses built on clay. I don’t think that’s a very good recipe for structural stability over the long haul, but then again, I think the community was designed to embody a design-y newness that so many people seem to be obsessed with, rather than to age well. The idea of remoteness is great, but it’s located in a dour part of town next to a water treatment facility, a juvenile detention center and the railroad tracks. As a police officer told me once — if you can hear the train, you aren’t far from trouble. There are also high power lines throughout the area. Three blocks over you have some pretty dicey looking tract housing, too.
The real deal killer, though, is that there’s an HOA. ‘Nuff said.
All said, a cool looking area. I suspect the people who drive through the development enjoy the houses more than the residents.
If trains indicate trouble, then pretty much all of central Austin is trouble. Everywhere I’ve stayed in Austin (Hyde Park, Crestview, Brentwood, Bouldin, French Place, etc) I’ve been able to hear the train.
That said, my feeling on Agave is:
— location. this is an issue less because some of the reasons other cite, but more because there isn’t supporting commerce that compliments the target demographic. for others, schools zoning may matter.
— trouble with quality in the early phases due to poor contracting. reportedly the later phases are much better.
— problems with marketing, especially early on (i don’t think the original company did them any favors).
All that said, we are bound to see at least 3-5 existing homes on the market during the peak selling season within a sub-division division of this size (do the math on average home turnover, number of homes, length of time on the market). I think it stands out to people like us because it is one of the few highly concentrated areas.
In a bit of contrast is the SOL & Ma Modular communities. While Agave has struggled to move new inventory the past 18 months, both SOL & Ma are doing quite well. Both deserve more attention. I haven’t posted anything since they were announced so a photo set and update is over due.
Ben, you’re right on. SOL is location-challenged in my opinion as well. I’d like to see more on this site about both projects when you have time.
BP
Fair enough on trains/trouble; proximity to the tracks is the real issue with this development.
As to Location: Dark, dour and dubious, but as far as school zones are concerned — I’m not convinced this point has much meaning in a state where intelligent design has been officially legislated into the curriculum.
Quality issues: The quality is reportedly better or is it rumoured/promoted to be? I don’t sense it by looking at the recent builds I’ve watched go up, and I’m not sure how some of the major drawbacks I pointed out are even remediable.
Marketing: I would say marketing is the one thing they have gotten right. There’s quite a cross-section of transplants living in Agave and I’ve yet to meet anyone who was house shopping that didn’t mention having looked into Agave — including folks you might not suspect would be interested in that type of architecture. Despite the many drawbacks mentioned, the real fly in the ointment for most of these folks was the HOA, which I believe was established ex post facto. I suspect this is another likely reason for the volume of turnover.
Speaking as someone who was under contract back in the Green Mango days, I can tell you that the HOA fee (if you can call it that) was disclosed even back then. There were covenants and restrictions around design of storage buildings, etc.
Rather than complain about the existence of a HOA ($25 per quarter fees), I’d think rather that more folks would complain about how ineffective a HOA is likely be with that low level of funding. Certainly, once the HOA exists, the fees can always be increased; but I think it’s inaccurate to say it was established ex post facto.
Schools definitely matter. There’s a higher tax rate than AISD for Manor ISD schools, and specifically a very low-performing elementary school relative to even to the one that is fed by the McMansion suburbs out off of 290.
I live in Agave. The reason these homes are for sale vary from a couple looking for more room for the two kids they recently adopted to jobs forcing the owners to relocate.
“Regarding resale, I think most of the flippers have been flushed out by now. I suspect that the young and hip demographic it attracts might have meant 1) limited financial resources when tough times hit, and 2) careers that still focus on being mobile for the next great job.”
This is right on. Most of the people moving out in the past year are 20-30 somethings that have had to move to NY, SF (two that I can specifically remember) divorce, etc. Nothing dubious here or out of the ordinary for any neighborhood I would guess?
I’m always fascinated by the flaming of Agave in the comments. Its really just a bunch of drywall, stone and metal roofs arranged in a little more minimalist design. I don’t know why that makes some people so angry but I love to read it and laugh.
Everyone out here knows each other and gets along – its sort of creepy…in a good way.(:
Open house at 5517 Agatha on 10/3, 1 – 4pm.
Open house at 5517 Agatha on 12/12, 1 – 4pm.