The Austin Realty Review
A Guide to buying a home in the great city of Austin, Texas
Austin sure has been in the media a lot lately, and for good reasons! I see the topic of Austin realty pop up everywhere from HGTV to Men's Health Magazine. This city is a great place to live, and a lot of folks seem to be taking notice of that.
Some of these articles and programs should be taken with a grain of salt, being highly subjective in nature. But others support themselves with realty data, quality of life statistics, etc. So when taken as a whole, the coverage shines a very positive light on the Austin realty scene.
Positive Coverage of Austin
Here's what some of these media sources have had to say about realty in the city of Austin, Texas...
* In 2006, CNN Money published their yearly list of "Best Places to Live" in the United States. The city of Austin appeared at #2 in the big cities category.
* Also in 2006, Kiplinger's (a finance magazine) listed Austin at #5 in its article about "50 Smart Places to Live" in the U.S.
* More recently, the website Entrepreneur.com published an article that ranked some of the best places in the U.S. to buy a home. This time, Austin showed up in the #1 spot.
* The city appears on dozens of other lists in publications ranging from Men's Health to Forbes. Best cities to raise a family, best cities to live and work — the list goes on and on.
* You also see Austin realty featured on a lot of TV shows, such as "What You Get for the Money." In most cases, it's too showcase what a great value homes in Austin are (by comparison to other cities).
Here's a quote from the Kiplinger.com piece that sums up a lot of what makes Austin a great place to live and work:
"The sun burns bright on Barton Springs as mothers and toddlers wave from the tiny train that tootles around Zilker Park. Down the road, at Chuy's, diners tuck into tacos under the benign gaze of a cardboard Elvis. Two doors over, at the Shady Grove, outdoor tables are already packed with beer-drinking boulevardiers. Yep, it's another hectic day in Austin, where residents tackle the important business of sitting outside, lingering over lunch and just plain enjoying life." -From Kiplinger.com
What This All Says About Austin, Texas
Certainly there's plenty of media coverage of the Austin realty scene. But what does it all mean? First of all, it suggests that a lot of folks agree on Austin being a great city in which to live and work, and thus a great place to buy a home. It also means that real estate in Austin, Texas will be a solid investment for a long time to come. After all, popularity and realty values go hand in hand for cities such as Austin.
Image source: Wikipedia.org. Licensed under GNU Free Documentation License
So with all this being said, should you buy realty in the Austin area? Possibly. In reality, this is a question that only you can answer for yourself. But one thing is for certain. There's plenty of "evidence" to justify a decision to buy a home in Austin. The articles and surveys cited above are only scratching the surface. Do an Internet search for "Best places to live +Austin" and you'll see what I mean!
As individuals, we all have our own ideas about what makes for a great place to live. Collectively, however, it seems the editors of all those "best places" articles have found common ground with regard to Austin realty and quality of life. To add to their lists, we have created one of our own. Here are seven things we like about the city.
5 Reasons to Buy Realty in Austin
- The real estate prices. From an investment standpoint, we have listed this as one of the top reasons to buy a home in the Austin area. Over the last couple of years, the city has appeared on TV shows like "What You Get for the Money" — usually to showcase how far your real estate dollars go in Austin relative to other places.
- The music scene. They don't call this city the "Live Music Capital of the World" for nothing. Austin has a large and diverse music scene that has become an integral part of the city's culture. The city also puts on several music festivals every year, including the ACL Festival and the world-famous South by Southwest.
- The climate. Like most of Central Texas, the city of Austin enjoys mild winters with snow being a rarity. Spring is especially beautiful, with a vast array of Texas wildflowers (such as the bluebonnet) blooming along the roads and in fields. The summers are hot but not unbearable, with only mild humidity as compared to coastal Texas.
- The highway improvements. It's a lot easier to get around Austin these days, thanks to some massive roadway improvements and expansions. The state spent on fortune on the project and had to resort to toll roads when federal funding dried up, but the results are worth it in this taxpayer's mind! It has had a significant and positive impact on realty values as well as quality of life in the Austin area.
- The water. If you like boating, fishing, skiing, or any kind of water sport, then you'll be glad to know there are hundreds of miles of inland waterways in the Austin area. There is a series of beautiful lakes, plus an abundance of rivers and creeks.
Austin, Texas is a great place to live for many reasons. There are great schools and colleges in Austin, plenty of history and culture, outdoor activities — and, of course, the world-famous music scene. So if you're thinking of buying real estate here, you have plenty of factors to support the decision.
Here are some other resources that will help you research the city of Austin from a realty / home buying angle:
Geographical Description
If you're planning to buy realty in the Austin area, it helps to learn a little about the area first, from a geographical standpoint. The great thing is that in Austin, you could have a home by the river, a home by the lake, or a home out in the rolling hills ... without going too far in any particular direction.
The city is located in Central Texas and is often referred to as the "gateway" to Texas Hill Country. The Colorado River [not the one you're thinking of, but this one] flows through downtown Austin, Texas, forming a series of beautiful lakes that cover more than 100 miles. These lakes are a popular attraction for boaters, skiers, nature buffs, and fishing enthusiasts alike.
San Antonio is about 80 miles south of Austin; Dallas is about 100 miles to the north; and Houston is about 160 miles to the southeast.
Yahoo map of Austin | MapQuest of Austin | Official city map of Austin
Austin Schools
Before buying real estate in a particular city, it's wise to learn about the city's schools. After all, the quality of schools have a major impact on realty values, regardless of whether or not you have school-aged children. If you do have children, the quality of schools becomes even more important. So before buying real estate in Austin you need to do a little homework about the schools ... pun intended.
Public Schools
High schools | Middle schools | Elementary schools
Austin Real Estate Agents
When buying a home in Austin, it's wise to have the help of an Austin agent. It's a hot real estate market where things move fast, so a skilled agent can help you avoid costly mistakes. Here are some resources to help you find and choose an Austin real estate agent that's right for you.
We hope you have found this guide to Austin realty, and we wish you the best with your home buying experience!