Manchaca Real Estate: Country Living Near Big City Attractions
People who live in Manchaca (pronounced “MAN-chack” by locals) enjoy a relaxed lifestyle amid natural beauty with plenty of peace and quiet. However, the pastoral setting doesn’t mean residents are far from local dining, entertainment and shopping — not to mention that everything Austin has to offer is just a short trip away. This up-and-coming area is just 20 minutes south of downtown Austin, and the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is also a convenient 20-minute drive.
Homes in Manchaca sit on large lots and have a country charm that makes the city feel far away despite actually being convenient and close by. The mixture of old ranches, small bungalows and large, luxurious new family homes means there are real estate listings for sale to suit nearly every budget and lifestyle.
Many businesses in Manchaca are locally owned and reflect the charm of the area. Established in 1992, gardening shop and nursery It’s About Thyme welcomes shoppers with its own lush garden and friendly, knowledgeable staff available to help with everything from local backyard gardens to ambitious landscaping. “We’re enthusiastic about helping people with their landscape selections and designs,” says It’s About Thyme owner Chris Winslow. “We can help if you bought a home and don’t know what you have in the yard. Another part of our mission is to get everyone growing vegetables in their backyards.”
Take a private neighborhood tour, or receive detailed neighborhood market information. Contact our local expert for all you need to know about Manchaca and the Real Estate opportunities that exist.
Contact JohnBear Creek, Slaughter Creek Greenbelt and More Beautiful Outdoor Places
Residents of Manchaca not only have convenient local shopping and restaurants nearby, as well as access to Austin —they also live near some of the most beautiful parks and countryside in the Austin area. Outdoor enthusiasts of all ages have a variety of recreational choices at nearby Chapel Hill, San Leanna and Old San Antonio parks, as well as the irresistible natural swimming holes of Bear Creek. Bear Creek meanders throughout the general Manchaca area, providing seasonal swimming holes and offers its name to many vista-driven businesses.
Homeowners in the Manchaca neighborhood are also just minutes from Slaughter Creek at Twin Oaks Greenbelt, which offers almost 38 acres of green space. The greenbelt features a number of crisscrossing trails throughout the park, in addition to a pond and remnants of what was once a working ranch.
Secluded and uncrowded, the 344-acre Mary Moore Searight Metropolitan Park is popular with outdoor enthusiasts and only about 10 minutes away from the neighborhood. The city park provides opportunities for a wide variety of activities, from disc golf to fishing, horseback riding to soccer, tennis, basketball and volleyball. The park is also a favorite destination for birders given the the colorful painted bunting nests in its trees.
Highly Rated Schools and the Manchaca Optimist Youth Sports Complex
Families with children appreciate the area’s highly rated schools. Depending on the specific location of their home, students living in Manchaca attend schools in either the Austin Independent School District or Hays Consolidated Independent School District. Austin ISD includes Menchaca Elementary School, Paredes Middle School and Akins High School. Hays CISD includes Carpenter Hill Elementary School, Eric Dahlstrom Middle School and Jack C. Hays High School. The Texas Education Agency recently rated Menchaca Elementary as “Recognized” and Carpenter Hill Elementary School as “Exemplary.” The other area schools have received “Academically Acceptable” ratings from the TEA, and provide admirable educations with many avid supporters in the local residential and business communities.
Manchaca Optimists Club operates The Manchaca Optimist Youth Sports Complex just west of town. In addition to softball and baseball teams for kids of all skill and age levels, the Optimists also sponsor scholarship programs, golf programs, bicycle safety programs, civic programs, crusades for the deaf, and youth appreciation activities.
Affordable, Peaceful and Increasingly Popular
The Manchaca area is an affordable, small-town location for folks who want their own slice of authentic countryside with big city conveniences. Area homeowners value the relaxed pace of Manchaca but also prize being close to all of the employment and entertainment opportunities in nearby Austin. “The area is growing,” Winslow says. “We’ve seen housing developments pop up along with restaurants and movie theaters. The area is catching up with the rest of Austin — but definitely in Manchaca style.”
