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Austin Real Estate & Relocation Guide
A home buyer's guide to the real estate market in Austin, Texas
The city of Austin has been covered in the media quite a bit lately. In fact, the Austin real estate market has been discussed in channels ranging from Men's Health Magazine to those HGTV home buying shows. After reading this tutorial, you'll have a pretty good idea of why so many folks are noticing Austin these days!
What People Are Saying About Austin
Here's an excerpt from a few of these media sources who seem to like Austin, Texas from a real estate investment standpoint:
- In 2006, CNN Money created their annual ranking of "Best Places to Live" in the U.S. Austin came in at #2 on the list in the big cities subcategory.
- In that same year, Kiplinger's (a finance-related magazine) put the city of Austin at #5 in its own list of "50 Smart Places to Live" in the United States.
- More recently, in 2008, Entrepreneur.com listed some of the best U.S. cities in which to buy a home. Austin, Texas appeared in the #1 spot.
- You will often see Austin real estate come up on many popular TV shows, such as "What You Get for the Money." More often than not, the focus here is on the great value of Austin homes when compared to other cities in the U.S.
Okay, so there's quite a bit of media coverage regarding the Austin real estate market. But what does this say about the city in general? For one thing, it means that a lot of people seem to agree that the city of Austin is a great place to live and work. As a direct extension of this, it's also a great place to buy a home.
Sure, some aspects of these lists are highly subjective. But the fact remains that Austin is a popular city to many people and for many different reasons. And of course, with popularity comes value. That's what makes real estate in Austin, Texas such a good investment, both now and into the future.
Image: The skyline of Austin, Texas. Image License
A General Consensus
A lot of people are fond of Austin. We have covered that already. But does this mean that you should purchase real estate in the Austin area? It might. In truth, that's a question you will have to answer for yourself. But the important thing to realize is that you have plenty of information to support such a decision. The media stories cited above are just a few examples.
We are all individuals, and as such we have our own opinions about what makes a great city. We have our tastes and preferences regarding the places where we live. But there seems to be a general consensus among the editors of all those "best places" lists, and that is that Austin real estate is certainly worth your consideration.
So let's take a closer look at this city, in terms of geography, schools, culture and more.
Geography & Climate
Before moving to a new area — and especially before buying a home in the area — you should be intimately familiar with the city's geography. The same is true when buying real estate in the Austin, Texas area. After all, only by learning the geography can you pick the area that suits you the best.
In terms of geography, Austin is a very diverse place. For example, you could buy a home by the river if you wanted, a home by the lake, or a home out in the rolling hills. And best of all, you wouldn't have to drive too far in any one direction.
Austin, Texas is located in the Central Texas region and is sometimes referred to as the "gateway" to the Hill Country of Texas. The Colorado River runs through downtown Austin, Texas and forms a series of lakes covering more than 100 miles. So if you like fishing, boating or any kind of water sport, you'll love the Austin area.
(By the way, it's not the Colorado River that you're thinking of, but this one.)
Which cities are Austin's neighbors? Well, Dallas is about 100 miles to the north, San Antonio is about 80 miles to the south, and Houston is about 160 miles to the southeast.
Here's a city map of Austin to help you get oriented.
As for climate, Austin is similar to most of Central Texas in that it has mild winters with snow being rare. Spring is particularly beautiful in the city, as a wide variety of Texas wildflowers begin to bloom (such as the bluebonnet). The summers in Austin, Texas are hot but not unbearable. The summer humidity is mild when compared to coastal cities like Houston.
Austin Schools
It's important to learn about the city's schools when considering an Austin real estate purchase. After all, schools have a direct impact on property values. Here are some links to help you learn more about the many schools in the area.
Public Schools
Colleges & Universities
- University of Texas at Austin
- Texas State University
- Concordia University
- St. Edward's University
- Austin Community College
Austin Neighborhoods
Another thing you'll need to do before buying a home in the area is to choose a neighborhood. Many home buyers fail to do the proper research into neighborhoods, and instead focus only on the home they are buying. This is a mistake. After all, what good is having a nice home if it's located in a neighborhood you dislike?
You can learn more about Austin neighborhoods through the links below.
Shopping Attractions
Congress Avenue in downtown Austin has a hip shopping scene with plenty of locally owned shops. If you want to branch out and enjoy more options, you can also take a short drive north to Round Rock to visit the outlet mall that opened in 2007.
Home Builders in Austin
One thing is for certain. You'll have plenty of home builders to choose from when buying real estate in the Austin area. With the city's consistent growth (and the rapid growth of surrounding cities like Cedar Park, Texas), there are quite a few home builders who operate in the area. Here's a partial list.
Austin Builders
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Equally helpful: A list of custom builders in the Austin area.
Austin Real Estate Agents
If you are moving to the Austin area from elsewhere in the state or country, it's a very good idea to have help from a real estate agent who is familiar with the area. You can find an agent in many ways — by going through the Austin Board of Realtors, by doing a general search through Google or MSN, or by seeking referrals from family or friends in the area.
If you are going to buy real estate in the Downtown Austin area, we recommend the services of Sam Carroll, a Realtor / broker who represents that area.
Learn more about choosing an Austin agent that's right for you.
Conclusion & Summary
As you can see, there are plenty of great things about the city of Austin, Texas. But the only way to find out if it's the right place for you is to pay a visit! At any rate, we hope this relocation guide gave you a clearer picture of the Austin real estate scene, and we wish you the best in your home buying process.