Austin is a way of life. But real estate here is not cheap compared to other parts of Texas. Austin is not as expensive as say, Los Angeles or New York, but homes of equal size and location in downtown San Antonio, for example, can be half the price of what they run in Texas' capital city.
In the last couple of years, Austin's downtown area has witnessed an influx of high-rise condos that make for ideal second home "city pads" or investment properties. Similarly, single-family homes in popular Austin enclaves such as Westlake, Tarrytown, Clarksville, and Hyde Park, remain strong second home investment opportunities.
Austin is rich in culture. It is home to the historic 1888 Capitol building where two American Presidents once made their mark on Texas politics. It is also the seat of one of the largest universities in the country. The city offers a downtown area alive with outdoor activity surrounding Lady Bird Lake (which passes directly through it), and a vibrant nightlife with an increasingly exceptional list of restaurants. Austin also furnishes residents and visitors with an endless list of music venues, thus giving the town its famed title of "The Live Music Capital of the World."
Indeed, from music and food, to politics, education, and outdoor recreation, Austin is a decidedly inviting place to be. It is the city most removed from any Texas stereotype you might imagine. Sure, you can two-step at the Broken Spoke any night of the week, but even that legendary establishment in the artsy part of South Austin is more folk than it is country.
And though you'll still find excellent barbecue and a high density of over-sized SUVs, you'll also find that Austin has a thriving community for artists, filmmakers, musicians, and dancers alike. You'll also quickly understand from the expressive bumper stickers on most of the cars that Austin is a big blue city in a big red state. That's right; despite the overtly conservative majority of the state, Austin's politics tend to bend more liberal, more environmentally conscious, and more weird than other cities in Texas-after all, the unofficial city motto is "Keep Austin Weird."
With such a magnanimous introduction it's only fitting that the city has bountiful real estate opportunities as well. Thanks to its university students coming and going, its state politicians in and out of the city during legislative sessions, and the ebb and flow of musicians and film-types, it's no surprise that Austin offers handsome second home investment opportunities as well.