Austin Relocation Guide
Austin ranked as one of the fastest growing cities in the nation in the last decade. With a healthy job market, great weather and a plethora of outdoor activities year round, it’s no wonder so many people chose to move here. However, Austin has had some growing pains in recent years with the rapid and large influx of people moving to the area. Development was happening at a breakneck speed – seemingly with little regard for important infrastructure It really put a strain on the housing market after Covid. Supply was low and demand was high, which drove up prices at an unsustainable pace. Many experienced, long time agents warned of the dangers, but we can’t control the market unfortunately.
Rapidly rising interest rates and inflation put a real damper on the market here and it has been exacerbated a call back to the office for many remote workers, as many of them moved here from high cost areas to take advantage of lower priced housing and a better quality of life. Ironically what drove up prices. So, here we are now with an abundance of inventory (more so in some parts of the Austin metro than others). It’s yet to be seen what 2025 will bring, but prices have come down and interest rates are stable. Buyers definitely have more choices and less pressure to buy something without thought. It’s a more balanced market now, which is a good thing.
If you need help navigating the Austin housing market and deciding which area is right for you, contact us. We specialize in Cedar Park and North Austin Suburbs, but serve the entire Austin metro area. We are here to help you with expert guidance and also have some fun along the way getting to know the area.
One big consideration when deciding where to live in the Austin metro is your commute. Will you be working in North, South, East or West Austin? Going from north to south or vice versa for a daily commute could be grueling to near impossible. If you are working downtown, you definitely have more options. Parking downtown can also be challenging and expensive. Public transport by bus is available inside the city and out to certain suburbs that are part of the Cap Metro system. The metro rail only runs from Leander through Cedar Park to north Austin/Domain and into to downtown at this time, although Cap Metro Rail is planning extended light rail routes.
North Austin Suburbs include Cedar Park, Round Rock, Leander, Liberty Hill, Lago Vista, Jonestown, Pflugerville, Hutto, and Georgetown. Some people commute as far north as Taylor. Any of these suburbs will be fairly convenient for jobs in downtown or anywhere north of downtown Austin. For jobs south of downtown, the commute will be much longer. If you can at all avoid having a daily commute on I35, you will be doing yourself a favor.
West Austin and western suburbs include Rollingwood, West Lake Hills, Barton Creek, Lost Creek, Lakeway, Bee Cave, Serene Hills and Spicewood. These areas are very scenic and tend to have the highest prices for homes.
South Austin areas and suburbs include Sunset Valley, Oakhill, Circle C, Belterra, Driftwood, Dripping Springs, Buda, Kyle and even into San Marcos for some.
East Austin suburbs include Del Vale, Manor and parts of Pflugerville. East Austin suburbs have been booming in recent years with the expansion of SH130 Toll Road and 290 Toll Road, making those areas much more accessible. Housing tends to be more affordable and many amenities are being built to meet housing demand. Eastern suburbs are now expanding farther outwards to Bastrop, Giddings and Elgin.
The public school system in Texas can be confusing to newcomers because it does not follow County or City boundaries. The Independent School Districts, referred to as ISD’s, are geographical areas, divided by taxing districts. The Austin metro area is served by many Independent School Districts including: Austin ISD, Del Vale ISD, Eanes ISD, Hays CISD, Leander ISD, Lake Travis ISD, Lago Vista ISD, Georgetown ISD, Hutto ISD, Manor ISD, Pflugerville ISD, Round Rock ISD and Taylor ISD.
Generally the closer you are to the city center, the more expensive housing will be. Although there are many highly desirable suburban areas that also fetch high prices. The most affordable areas of the Austin metro are in S, SE, N and NE Austin.
New home communities are being built all over the Austin metro, mostly in suburban areas of rapid growth all around Austin in a wide variety of price ranges. If you are considering new construction, read more here. Search new home communities here.
If you would like some help figuring out where to land in the Austin metro based on your commute, budget and lifestyle needs, please contact us. We are here to help!
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