The Wild West- Two West Austin Communities Where Anything Goes

Are you the type of person that thinks if you own your property you should be able to do whatever you please with it?  If you want to build a fence, paint your door pink, or park an RV on your land, you should be able to do as you please. If so, you may be feeling constricted by all of the regulations so prevalent in most Austin communities. Well, you’re in luck.  There are some areas in Austin that are a bit more liberal when it comes to building use and regulations.  Consider one of these two west Austin neighborhoods where just about anything goes.
 
Both of these communities are located in the City of Austin ETJ, border Lake Austin and feed to exemplary schools.  Cuernavaca is located off Bee Cave Rd. in EANES ISD, and Apache Shores is located off FM 620 in Lake Travis ISD. In each of these communities you will find immaculate million dollar homes as well as mobile homes.
 
Apache Shores actually has a POA that oversees the approved uses for any given lot.  Even with these restraints, Apache Shore’s regulations are some of the most lenient in the area.  The section of Apache Shores your property is located in determines what you can and cannot do on your lot.  Reviewing the POA’s governing docs and deed restrictions for a particular lot is a prudent move if you are planning to purchase in Apache Shores.
 
Cuernavaca has a voluntary HOA.  Membership in Cuernavaca’s Lake Hills Community Association grants members access to the community pool and lakeside park.  However, the HOA has no governance over residential land use within Cuernavaca.  There are some communities within Cuernavaca with extensive deed restrictions, but overall the community has minimal deed restrictions on most tracts.  If you’re looking for a great place to put your tiny home that’s close to the lake and the city, there are lots in Cuernavaca that permit you to do so.
 
While both of these communities have some of the most lenient residential land use regulations; ultimately, you will need to inspect the individual deed restrictions associated with the lot in order to assess if you can do what you want on the lot.  Additionally, with less regulation generally comes less public services.  While both of these communities have electricity, they do not have city water service.  A septic system is required for properties in both of these communities, and a MUD provides potable water services for both Cuernavaca and Apache Shores.
 
If you’re looking to do something a little outside of the ordinary on your next property, you may want to consider Austin’s wild west communities of Apache Shores or Cuernavaca.  Depending on your specific needs, these communities may not be the best fit.  An educated real estate professional such as myself can guide you through the intricacies of zoning, deed restrictions, and municipal regulations.  Contact me today to simplify the process.