Thanks to my wife for giving it a shot
This is one of those long rambling posts about my experience living at Mueller, that I share as an illustration of how two people felt about the neighborhood on their way in. Skip on to read about homes for sale at Mueller if you don’t want the back story.
I can easily remember the date when we closed on our home in Mueller Austin – February 29th 2008. So it’s been four years since we closed and moved in, and I am really happy that we won a high position in the lottery for our home style and moved forward. I loved the grand scheme of the neighborhood, and the idea of what was to come, and I still do. I’m English, so small lots don’t bother me, and I like the idea of a walkable mixed-us area with retail, business and homes all in the same geography. I lived in London for 10 years, and it’s what I’m used to.
My wife was pregnant with our daughter Zoë when our home was being built, and my wife is Texan. She really didn’t like the idea of a tiny yard with homes jammed together. To her Texan roots, a large home was ideal – she loved our previous home on a third acre of land with dozens of mature trees. A new, smaller home with no shade trees and minimal plants was not her bag. I had obviously drunk the kool aid and was yearning for a home that I didn’t have to work on every weekend, and I had remodeling fatigue from our last home. True, I used to love visits to Home Depot, but then Home Depot on St. Johns closed down and the one in Mueller sprung up.
So we had diverging dreams. Me for moving in to an efficient smaller home with sidewalks and no trees, and her wanting to stay in a home with a yard for the impending kiddos to run around in. I’m glad we gave Mueller a try. Sidewalks that lead to parks are frequented, our utility bills are extremely low, and I haven’t done much to the house apart from paint and add solar panels. Which suits me down to a tee. The community is engaged and there are things to do. People wave when you see them on the street. I like it.
Partly in 2007 we had to buy into the dream of future restaurants, shops and businesses, and that dream hasn’t come true yet – the town center is still not here, and while there is some walkable small scale retail (not counting hardy types who walk to the Hancock HEB and big box retail). But my wife does have an office at Mosaic – 5 minutes walk from our front door, and I get to walk to work most days too. I wander over to get food at the trailers outside the Browning Hangar, and the new HEB will be in next year.
Mueller is right for my family, and it might or might not be for yours. I’m just glad to call it home, and I’m glad my wife was willing to give it a shot. 512 215 4785.