5300 Backtrail Dr, Austin, TX 78731

Prime Central Austin Location - Rare Opportunity to own in Cat Mountain for under $750,000!! This amazing home sits in a prime location in beautiful North Cat Mountain situated right in the sought after Doss School district. Offering four bedrooms and 2.5 baths on a spacious 1/3 acre, an elegant brick and stucco exterior welcomes you home. Built in 1984, this single owner home has been lovingly maintained and showcases an amazing floor plan with pleasing natural light and inviting spaces. Enter into the grand two-story foyer with dramatic staircase. Excellent for hosting guests, find a beautiful family room with cozy fire place and large adjoining formal dining room. The living room with wet bar boasts hardwood floors and delightful indoor/outdoor living as large doors open out to an exquisite patio. Gather for small bites and conversation then dine out in the open air and relax among serene nature views. The kitchen is quite spacious and presents an excellent canvas for your dream cooking space to be realized. A picture of tranquility, the master features exposed beams and a large ensuite bath. Each of the additional bedrooms is quite large. On the second level, lounge in the sun on the amazing deck overlooking the rolling hills beyond. Out back, the wonderful east facing yard boasts lovely afternoon shade—perfect for a BBQ! Additional features of note include a dedicated laundry room with storage, two car side entry garage, plus new HVAC and water heater. This prestigious Cat Mountain location enables you to enjoy Central Austin while surrounded by nature in the scenic hillside. Austin Country Club, the iconic Pennybacker Bridge, Mount Bonnell, 360/Mopac/183, and the Arboretum & Domain are all within a convenient distance.

Northwest Hills is a family neighborhood in 78731, built in the 1960s-80s on wooded half-acre lots between MoPac and Loop 360. Median home price $1.19M. Austin ISD schools — Doss Elementary and Murchison Middle rank among the district's best. 12 minutes to UT campus, 15 to downtown.

The housing stock is predominantly single-story ranch and split-level homes on lots averaging 0.3-0.5 acres with mature live oak and cedar canopy. Most original homes are 1,800-3,000 sq ft. A renovation wave has been updating kitchens and adding square footage without tearing down — the lot sizes accommodate additions well. Active listings typically number 15-25 at any given time.

Daily life revolves around the schools and the outdoors. Bull Creek for weekend wading, Mount Bonnell for sunset hikes (8 minutes from the neighborhood), Northwest District Park for soccer and the playground. Far West corridor handles weeknight dining — Saffron, 5280 Burger, Yamas. The Arboretum and Domain are 10 minutes north for shopping. HEB on Far West is the neighborhood grocery hub.

What makes Northwest Hills the family value play in Central Austin: Doss/Murchison school quality at roughly half the Eanes ISD price point, lot sizes that rival Westlake, and a 15-minute commute that beats the suburbs. The tradeoff is Austin ISD (good but not Eanes) and 1960s-80s housing stock that often needs updating.