Author: bdowdy

Categories
Area Attractions Family Fun

Best Hiking Trails Near Kyle

May is a great time to go hiking. Not one bit of winter cold remains and yet it’s not hot as Texas can be in July and August. Here are some of the great places to go for a hike near the Crosswinds Community in Kyle. Many of these are just a 30-minute drive from Kyle.

Barton Creek Greenbelt

Starting at Austin’s Zilker Park, Barton Creek Greenbelt (3755-B S Capital of Texas Hwy, Austin, TX 78704) offers some of the best hiking trails in Texas with seven miles of trails. Hiking on its trail, you’ll see limestone cliffs, dense foliage, and bodies of water. Visit the website for its access points and additional information. Kyle residents can go from their doorsteps to hiking within 30 minutes.

Lady Bird Lake

Ten miles of trail awaits you at the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail located at Lady Bird Lake (1820 S Lakeshore Blvd, Austin, TX 78741). People rave about the park’s view of Austin, waterside scenery, and granite pathways.

McKinney Falls State Park

Less than half an hour’s drive from Kyle, McKinney Falls State Park (5808 McKinney Falls Pkwy., Austin, TX 78744) is a sight to see with Onion Creek flowing over limestone ledges. You’ll explore a whopping nine miles of trails. If you’d like to push a stroller, there are almost 3 miles of hard surface trail.

After you finish your hike, you might have an urge to take a dip in the water. There’s nothing like a refreshing swim after an energizing hike.

Jacob’s Well Natural Area

Open year-round, Jacob’s Well Natural Area (1699 Mt. Sharp Rd., Wimberley, Texas 78676) features more than 81 acres surrounding the spring. Fans laud its ecological splendor, limestone cliffs, and native vegetation. Every hiking trail has something different to see.

You can finish off your hike with a swim in the Trinity aquifer. Its temperature remains at 68 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. Swimming is available between May and October.

Future: Great Spring Trail

While this trail is in the works, it’s worth knowing about as it opens sometime in 2022. This trail is part of one continuous trail that runs from San Antonio to Austin. In Kyle, it will go from the Blanco River and meet up with Plum Creek.

The City of Kyle has already received a grant award for the trail from The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Stay tuned as we’ll post updates when it makes progress.

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Explore the inventory of new homes in Kyle or contact our Crosswinds team.

 

 

Categories
Area Attractions Family Fun

Check Out These Awesome Parks Near Kyle

Beautiful weather has finally arrived and we’re all raring to enjoy the great outdoors. Probably more so this year than any other because of all that’s been going on. Here are Crosswinds in Kyle residents’ favorite parks closest to home.

Mary Kyle Hartson City Square Park

In 1880, two acres of City Square Park (101 S. Burleson Rd., Kyle, Texas 78640) made up the town center. Today, it’s a park that includes the grounds around City Hall and the Kyle Train Depot. The City renamed the park Mark Kyle Hartson City Square Park in 2011. The park holds marquee events.

Steeplechase Dog Park

Dog lovers can head to Steeplechase Dog Park (135 Hallie Dr, Kyle, TX 78640) with their fur babies. This park features 31 acres of open space and Plum Creek flowing through it. There, you’ll have access to a covered pavilion, playscapes, trails, baseball and football fields, disc golf, and basketball and sand volleyball courts.

Jacob’s Well Natural Area

For ecological splendor just 30 minutes from Kyle, go to Jacob’s Well Natural Area (1699 Mt. Sharp Rd., Wimberley, Texas 78676). The preserve is filled with more than 81 acres surrounding the spring where you’ll find limestone cliffs and native vegetation thriving. Open year-round for exploring, hikers can explore a variety of trails with things to see at each one.

It’s the home of the second-largest full submerged cave in Texas. The water comes from the Trinity Aquifer that flows its way from the underground cave system. The deepest part of the cave is 140 feet deep. Except for swimming, no reservations are needed to visit JWNA

McKinney Falls State Park

Located fewer than 30 minutes from Kyle, McKinney Falls State Park (5808 McKinney Falls Pkwy., Austin, TX 78744) is an oasis where you’ll find the waters of Onion Creek streaming over limestone ledges. This park contains almost nine miles of trails for a memorable hike or bike ride. It also has a 2.8-mile hard surface trail for those who want to push strollers or go on an easy bike ride.

You can also go fishing and swimming. No license is required to fish from shore in any Texas state park. Fans of camping have a choice of more than 80 campsites with water and electric hookups.

Gregg-Clarke Park

The Gregg and Clarke families ensured the community had a large park for recreation and special events. The result is Gregg-Clarke Park (1231-1301 W Center St, Kyle, TX 78640), a multi-use park that includes Kyle Pool, lit softball and baseball fields, tennis courts, a covered pavilion, walking trails, wide-open spaces, and shaded playscapes. It anchors Kyle Pool. Kyle residents can reserve Ash Pavilion for private events.

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Contact our Crosswinds team.

Categories
Area Attractions Family Fun

Keep It Kyle Pie Series: Ilario’s Italian Cuisine

Welcome to another edition of the Keep It Kyle Pie Series to show you why Kyle is the Pie Capital of Texas. Restaurants and food establishments all around Kyle make incredible pies—both pizzas and desserts.

Next up is Ilario’s Italian Cuisine. You’ll find it in the HEB Plus Center on 5401 FM 1626, Suite 801, Kyle, TX 78640—just 11 minutes from Crosswinds!

About Ilario’s

Ilario is an Italian word that means cheerful, happy, and joyful. The restaurant aims to bring authentic Italian and New York-style pizza to Kyle. They make everything from scratch and use the freshest ingredients because they want your experience to be a joyful one.

Everyone who orders from Ilario’s will be happy. That’s because the Italian restaurant has all the favorites you’d want on the menu.

What’s on the Menu at Ilario’s Italian Cuisine?

Oh, my goodness, y’all! Just look at the photos of the pizzas and pastas. Salad lovers will find a medley of salad options. Popular salads like Caesar, garden, and large wedge are available. A couple catch our eye like Shelby’s Parmigiana Salad named for the owner’s daughter. This contains either Caesar or Garden Salad of your choice topped with golden strips of chicken parmigiana.

The other delicious-sounding salad is Ilario’s Honey Pecan Salad that blends crunchiness and sweetness. It has chopped honey pecans, raisins, and fresh raspberries with balsamic vinaigrette to bring it all together.

A kid’s menu and subs are available with options including meatball, Philly cheesesteak, chicken parmigiana, Italian, and chicken ranch. What’s an Italian restaurant without traditional dishes of lasagna, manicotti, spaghetti, and more? All of them show up on the menu. They also have a “Pasta Your Way” option to build your own or choose from fan favorites.

As for pizza, you can order traditional options or stuffed, like Calzone and Stromboli.  Calzones are similar to stuffed pizza in a pocket. Stromboli is a stuffed roll made with hand-tossed pizza dough, Ilario’s proprietary pizza sauce, and a bevy of ingredients.

And dessert? Mama mia! With chocolate molten lava cake, cheesecake, tiramisu, cannoli, and cheesecake, it’ll be challenging to pick. One reviewer recommends the cannoli. Sounds good to us!

More Kyle pies:

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Explore the inventory of new homes in Kyle or contact our Crosswinds team.

Categories
Area Attractions Events Family Fun

Austin FC to Start Inaugural Season This Month

We enjoyed the exciting March Madness tournament last month. University of Texas women’s basketball had a good run. And Texas’s own Baylor University’s men’s basketball has been crowned National Champions. Congrats to them!

Now that March Madness is over, where can you get your professional sports fix? How about at Austin FC? The team starts its inaugural season and plays its first-ever game this weekend! Unfortunately, it’s an away game.

Their first-ever home game is on Saturday, June 19. The reason for the long way is because the team needs to recruit and train stadium employees.

About Austin FC

You can see Q2 Stadium live online on the Austin FC Stadium cam. Check out the time-lapse videos to view the progress from day one through today. The 20,500-seat stadium is located in North Austin at 10414 McKalla Place off Burnet Road. It’s less than 40 minutes from Crosswinds in Kyle and the closest professional venue.

Visit the team’s website to see the badge that contains the team’s colors of bright verde and black. The signature color represents the vibrancy and creative energy of Austin. The badge features two intertwined live oaks to represent the Club and City working together as one.

The oak’s four roots symbolize north, south, east, and west Austin combing together. Eleven leaves on the branches reflect the 11 players on the field being supported by fans. The city’s name appears atop the oak trees with FC on both sides of the trees to represent the sport.

Inaugural Season

Austin FC has its debut match against Los Angeles FC on April 17. You can catch the match on Fox and Fox Deportes. Any non-nationally televised matches will be regionally broadcast in the Austin area on CW Austin, KXAN, or KBVO.

The MLS team has a 34-game schedule and will compete in the Western Conference that contains 13 clubs. The Eastern Conference has 14 MLS clubs. The season ends on November 7 with the MLS Cup Playoffs start on November 19 and end at the MLS Cup on December 11.

The team will play Texas rivals FC Dallas and Houston Dynamo FC during Heineken Rivalry Week in early August. View the full Austin FC schedule and the Austin FC roster. Looks like 2021 will be a thrilling year for Austin and soccer fans.

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Explore the inventory of new homes in Kyle or contact our Crosswinds team.

 

Categories
Homebuilder

What First-Time Homebuyers Need to Know

Searching for your new home in Kyle is an exciting time. For first-time homebuyers, it can feel overwhelming. Where do you start? Never fear, here is a simple guide on what you need to know as a first-time homebuyer.

  1. Determine What You Can Afford

Try to aim for the middle of what you can afford rather than the high end. Things happen and there are fees associated with buying a new home. These fees may include insurance, property taxes, homeowner association dues, maintenance, and utility. And the rate varies based on your location.

Zillow has an affordability calculator to help you do the math. You can enter the amount you plan to make on a down payment, your household’s combined annual income, any debt, and monthly expenses.

  1. Find a Trusted Real Estate Agent

Real estate agents do more than help you search for the right home and get you inside to look around. The best ones walk you through the buying process. You also want to find an agent that knows Kyle or whatever location you’re looking into. To find a trusted agent, ask friends for referrals. Interview them before you select one.

  1. Calculate Your Potential Home Loan Mortgage

After you narrow down your list of homes you like, start crunching some numbers. Realtor.com has a mortgage calculator to determine your estimated monthly home loan mortgage payment.

  1. Request an Inspection

Yes, even if you’re buying a new home in Kyle, you want to have a home inspection. While the Crosswinds community has hand-selected the builders with exemplary records of high-quality construction, it’s still a good idea to request a home inspection. Sometimes things get overlooked and the inspection will help find them.

  1. Round up Your Documents Early

When it comes time to sign the papers, you’ll be signing a lot of them. The final paperwork is about the size of a small book. Before you can sign anything, you’ll need to pull together many documents. That’s why it’s a good idea to start this process early.

You’ll need almost everything from the past two years including pay stubs, bank account statements, tax returns, W-2s, statements from any loans including auto and credit lines.

We hope this list will ease the feeling of being overwhelmed as a first-time buyer. A good real estate agent should be able to guide you every step of the way.

If you’d like to learn more about new homes in Kyle, please contact our Crosswinds team. To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

 

Categories
Education Homebuilder Lifestyle

5 Top Tax Benefits of Buying a New Home You Need to Know About

Searching for a new home in Kyle is a wonderful adventure. That ideal home and all its possibilities await you out there somewhere. Buying a new home, no doubt, is one of the most memorable times in a person’s life. And it will increase your net worth for all its worth and other advantages.

Here are the top tax benefits of owning a home.

  1. Deduct Interest on Your Mortgage

Homeowners will be able to deduct the interest they pay on their mortgage. Be aware that this applies to home financing that’s under $750k. if you’re shopping for a home in Kyle, Texas, you’re most likely to gain the full benefit of this. One of the reasons people love living in Kyle is for its affordability.

Any interest you pay as part of the closing costs associated with the purchase will be deductible. You can usually find this information on the settlement sheet. Prior to tax time, your lender will send IRS Form 1098 to you. This shows all the money you’ve paid in interest on your loan for the past year.

  1. Deduct Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)

Private mortgage insurance is often required for buyers who put down less than 20 percent of the value of their home. Its purpose is to protect the mortgage lender in the event the buyer quits making payments toward the loan.

Just like the ability to deduct interest that you pay on a mortgage, you can also deduct the amount you pay for private mortgage insurance. It can slightly reduce the financial burden for those who can’t put down 20 percent.

  1. Deduct Property Taxes

Homeowners can deduct up to $10k per year on property taxes. You may pay property taxes either through your lender or municipality. In both cases, it’s critical to keep financial records of the amounts you paid for the year. You can save thousands of dollars when deducting property taxes.

  1. Deduct Home Office Space

With many people getting to switch to remote working thanks to the pandemic, this will be a new benefit. People who work from home can deduct the square footage of the space used as an office. You can also deduct resources you use to conduct business such as computers, printer toner, and webcams.

To prevent the abuse of this deduction, the IRS caps this to 300 sq. ft. This is one where a tax professional is your best bet to ensure you optimize this deduction while following the rules.

  1. Deductions for First-Time Buyers

Homebuyers sometimes take out money from their IRA to put toward their down payment. However, the IRS often imposes a 10 percent penalty for withdrawing from an IRA before 59-and-a-half years old. The good news is that anyone who has never owned a principal residence in the past year may be able to withdraw up to $10k without penalty, or $20k for married couples.

You can use this method when buying a home for a family member. Be aware that any funds you withdraw from your IRA need to be used within four months of the withdrawal.

Don’t let the homebuying process daunt you. There are people who can help you. Ask them about these tax benefits. Good luck with your home search.

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Explore the inventory of new homes in Kyle or contact our Crosswinds team.

 

Categories
Amenities Area Attractions Events Family Fun Lifestyle

Why Is Buying a New Home in Kyle Better Than in Austin?

Austin is one of the coolest and quirkiest cities in the U.S. People love it for its music venues, booming tech scene, diversity of entertainment, some of the best BBQ in the U.S., and Bat City. “Keep Austin weird” is a celebrated moniker and for good reason.

And of course, when you stroll along Sixth Street, you’ll encounter a lot of college students from the University of Texas at Austin and other colleges.

Here are the reasons why buying a new home in Kyle may be a better option than in Austin.

  1. Affordability

In the last decade, Austin has grown massively popular. Along with that comes soaring median housing prices. Many area real estate agents say happy homeowners love the affordable homes and lifestyle in Kyle. You can find a brand new house in the Crosswinds community in Kyle starting in the mid-$200s.

Property taxes are another advantage of living in Kyle. The city has recently reduced the property tax rate by 4 percent as Fox 7 Austin reports.

  1. Quieter Small-Town Lifestyle

With Austin being a quick trek away, Kyle residents relish the small-town lifestyle. They can go to Austin anytime they want to take advantage of its many offerings. Besides, more businesses have moved close to Kyle, some of which are big wigs like Lowe’s Kyle, Amazon’s Kyle facility, Tesla, and ENF Technology U.S. headquarters.

  1. Location

Kyle is located only 20 miles from downtown Austin. Additionally, many of the places you want to visit are located within 30 minutes from Kyle. And you can fly to many places, even international destination, from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA).

Kyle citizens love to visit Austin and find a happy medium by living on the outskirts of Austin. They’re close enough to take advantage of Austin’s incredible resources and entertainment.

These are not the only reasons, but they’re the biggest reasons Kyle residents share. Browse this blog and you’ll see all that Kyle has to offer! Besides, you cannot find a community like Crosswinds in Austin.

The landscape architects of Crosswinds worked to preserve the natural beauty of the Texas prairies that captivated the area’s first explorers. At the same time, the landscape architects wanted to design a community for families that brings everyone and the outdoors together.

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Explore the inventory of new homes in Kyle or contact our Crosswinds team.

 

Categories
Area Attractions Family Fun

Keep It Kyle Pie Series: Fox’s Pizza Den

As y’all may know, Kyle is the Pie Capital of Texas. OK, if you didn’t know, you do now! Granted, the first kind of pie that comes to mind is the sweet version. Kyle specializes in pie of all kinds including many people’s favorite: pizza.

This town has an incredible medley of pizza. And one of those is Fox’s Pizza Den in Kyle, just 12 short minutes from Crosswinds, on 147 Elmhurst Dr., Kyle, TX 78640.

Welcome to the Den

Fox’s Pizza Den’s story begins with $500, a rented storeroom, and used equipment covered in snow and ice rescued from the scrapyard in Pittsburgh. Founder Jim Fox could finally make his lifelong dream of opening a pizza place come true. The first location appeared in his hometown of Pitcairn, Pennsylvania. From the first pizza sold, it only took six hours to completely sell out.

Fox opened a few more locations around Pennsylvania and incorporated Fox’s Pizza Den in 1974. Now the chain has more than 200 franchises in 25 states. Texas has only two locations and Kyle is the lucky recipient of one of them. Fox’s has been voted best pizza franchise of 1993 by the National Pasta and Pizza Association. It has received PMQ and Pizza Industry Enterprise (PIE) awards.

What’s on the Menu at Fox’s Pizza Den?

Fox’s pizzas come in multiple sizes ranging from the small 9-inch pizza to the Big One that’s 30 inches and contains a whopping 52 slices. Too much? Perhaps, the Big Daddy with 21 slices will do. Too hip for round pizza? Square is available in the Champ, which is 16 inches by 16 inches and contains 16 slices.

Their gourmet pizzas range from buffalo chicken and bacon double cheeseburger to steak rancher and veggie. Want something other than a slice? Stromboli, hoagies, and wedgies are available. Salad fans have a variety of options from tossed to taco salad. Sides include breadsticks, chicken tenders, chicken wings called Fox’s Wing Ditties, and wedge-cut fries.

If you save room for pie, they have round pizza cookies cut like a pie. Flavors include s’mores, brownie with chocolate chips, and the original. And for the non-pie kind of dessert, order cinnamon sticks.

As usual, this is making us hangry. We’re going to make like a fox to head to Fox’s!

More Kyle pies:

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Explore the inventory of new homes in Kyle or contact our Crosswinds team.

Categories
Education

Educational Opportunities Near Kyle, Texas

Residents in Kyle, Texas, have a diversity of educational opportunities available. You’ll find something for every kind of learner at every age.

Hays Consolidated Independent School District

The first option is the Hays Consolidated Independent School District with a mission of changing lives one student at a time. The district serves more than 20,000 students across 25 campuses.

Students who live in the Crosswinds community attend the following Hays CISD exemplary schools:

The district offers many specialized career programs such as an elementary magnet school for science, engineering, technology, and math. Every elementary school has art, music, library, and PE in their weekly rotation.

Students at the high schools can participate in Project Lead the Way, a STEM-based curriculum created by a nonprofit. Lehman High School features Navy JROTC and a culinary program. Graduates of Hays CISD have received more than $10 million in scholarships and grants.

Post-Secondary Options Near Kyle, Texas

Residents have excellent college options in Austin Community College and its nearby ACC Hays Campus, University of Texas at Austin, Texas State University, St. Edwards University, Hutson-Tillotson University, San Antonio College, Trinity University, and the University of Texas at San Antonio.

The University of Texas’s McCombs School of Business ranks No. 5 in the country among business schools. Artificial intelligence and software engineering in UT Computer Science both appear in the top five list of schools. The Cockrell School of Engineering is No. 11 nationally with petroleum, environmental, and civil engineering specialties ranked in the top five.

Texas State University boasts being the only Texas school to have graduated a U.S. president. (Lyndon B. Johnson.) Its students come from 74 countries and all 50 states. The school is No. 1 in Tier 2 Research Institutions in the Military Friendly Schools: Top 10 Award, and it’s classified as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education.

Charter Options Near Kyle, Texas

IDEA Public Schools Kyle is part of the fastest-growing network of tuition-free, Pre-K through 12 public charter schools in the U.S. They’re a nonprofit organization that has helped more than 66,000 college-bound students in 120 schools in Texas and Louisiana. IDEA Kyle serves more than 700 students in grades K through 9.

In the past 13 years, all IDEA students have received college acceptances. They’ve increased the average ACT score from 17 to 21.5.

A new science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) charter school is coming to nearby Buda. Dorsal Academy, a K through 8 charter school, aims to provide a rigorous and relevant STEM curriculum. Doral Academy has received approval from the State Board of Education and the Texas Education Agency to open Fall 2021. The new location serves students in Hays, Wimberley, San Marcos, and Lockhart.

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Explore the inventory of new homes in Kyle or contact our Crosswinds team.

 

 

Categories
Area Attractions Family Fun

Kyle Spring Break Destination: Wimberley Zipline Adventures

You may be one of many who will opt out on traveling for Spring Break. Still, you may like to do something out of the house. Fortunately, Kyle residents have a great option that’s safe and takes you to the great outdoors. This might be the perfect time to venture out to Wimberley Zipline Adventures. They’re open, they’re outdoors, and they’re fun!

What’s Wimberley Zipline Adventures?

First, if you’ve never gone ziplining, prepare to have an amazing time. You do not need experience to enjoy ziplining. Their highly trained guides will set you up with the proper fitting equipment and take you through “flight school.” You will learn how to work with the equipment and practice.

Wimberley Zipline Adventures has one huge advantage over other ziplines. The Texas Hill Country views. This is your chance to soar in the air like a bird while admiring the surrounding hills, meadows, and canyons. The course contains 10 different ziplines ranging from 150 feet to 900 feet long. The ziplines run between two hillsides above the valley with a maximum height of 100 feet.

The adventure runs for 1 1/2 to 2 hours and requires reservations. You’ll find Wimberley between San Antonio and Austin. For Kyle residents, it only takes 30 minutes West to get to Wimberley. All of the action takes place on the Four Winns’ Ranch where the Winn family has lived since 1937. You can access the ranch off County Road 1492, south of the Village of Wimberley.

Are There Any Other Activities at Wimberley Zipline Adventures?

They’ve opened a Biergarten where you can take in the scenery while treating yourself to beers, ciders, spritzers, and sodas. What a perfect way to end the adventure. Before you schedule your adventure, check out the Wimberley Zipline Adventure FAQ. They answer every possible question including what to wear, what to bring, and more.

They’ll be adding ax throwing soon. Stay on top of the latest news on the Wimbelery Zipline Facebook page. We’re so ready to Cowabunga down the line!

Wimberley Zipline Adventures
376 Winn Valley Dr., Wimberley, TX 78676
(512) 847-9990
Office Hours: Everyday 10 am-5 pm
Tours daily. Reservations required.

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Explore the inventory of new homes in Kyle or contact our Crosswinds team.

Sign up for our Newsletter