Central allandale By Jackie Potts

Harris Branch used to be a best-kept-secret sort of neighborhood, but Austin's growth has made it hard to miss. A prime location between U.S. 290 to the south and Parmer Lane to the north makes Harris Branch accessible to many fast-growing areas including Manor and Pflugerville.

"All the big box stores at Parmer and I-35 are just 10 minutes away," says Larry Geller, a Realtor with JB Goodwin who lived in the neighborhood for 10 years before a recent move. "Dell, Samsung and Parmer Lane are right there. When I lived there in '92 there was nothing. Now it's at your fingertips."

With all the growth, including a housing boom in nearby Manor, Geller says Harris Branch retains its neighborhood charm.

"I lived on a cul-de-sac and I knew all my neighbors," Geller says. "I find it a very safe part of Austin. There are a number of people working for the Austin Police Department, the fire department and sheriff's office who own homes there. It's secluded and quiet.

"Very few homes are leased out," he says. "Most homes are owner occupied. There's also a huge on-site day care. Many parents are double-income parents. Applied Materials is within Harris Branch and Samsung is in the Manor school district; with those two taxables, the schools really benefit."

Children in kindergarten through fifth grade attend Bluebonnet Trail elementary in the community. Older children attend Manor Middle School and Manor High School. The high school is fairly new and Geller says it has a great theater arts department.

Community facilities include a Junior Olympic-size swimming pool; fitness center; tennis and one-on-one basketball courts. There are walking and jogging paths through the community and it's dotted with small lakes and large ponds. One of the ponds is at the entrance on U.S. 290. Many homes are built around the ponds or small lakes.

Homeowners pay annual dues of $316 annually. That covers fees for the recreational facilities.

Geller says Harris Branch is a master-planned community or a planned-unit development. That means it is designed to accommodate retail sites, single-family homes, apartments, schools, churches and libraries. "It's a city within a city," Geller says. Applied Materials' high-tech manufacturing facility is within Harris Branch.

It consists of six different residential sections at this time. The first two sections are Lakewood north and south. The other four sections are Meadowview, Thistle Hill, Bellhaven and Speyside.

Prices for existing homes range from the low $120s to the low $200s. Geller says it is very affordable. Sizes range from 1,530 square feet up to more than 4,000 square feet.

Bluebonnet Electric Co-op provides electricity; The City of Austin provides water and sewerage for Harris Branch. Gas is provided by Texas Gas Service. An architecturally appealing City of Austin fire station is in the neighborhood. Emergency Medical Services has a station there as well.

Tax rates per $100 valuation are: City of Austin - $.4928; Travis County - $.4918; Manor ISD - $1.7291; and Austin Community College - $.0771.

"Harris Branch is great for families and empty nesters," Geller says. "It's a very nice place to live. Everyone leaves you alone, but they're all together in terms of community."

Harris Branch is located north of HWY 290, south of Parmer Lane, east of Giles Lane, and west of Parmer Lane.

Zone: NE
MLS Area: NE

Zip Code 78754

Harris Branch offers a junior Olympic swimming pool, hiking and jogging trail, fitness center, lighted tennis courts and a regulation-size basketball court.

Surrounding Harris Branch are a number of lakes including: Town Center Lake, Bluebonnet Lake, and Lake Primrose.