Moving To And Living In Austin

Mayfield Park

We love Mayfield Park.  This weekend the weather was lovely, so we decided to take our son to see the peacocks.  They also have hiking trails down to Lake Austin, cliffs to climb and small caves to see.  This park is located near Mount Bonnell and Exposition.

Austin Neighborhood Information: Northwest Hills

Community Name: Northwest Hills--This week on AustinHomeBuyerCenter's Tour de Austin, we are featuring the exciting and lovely hill top area known as Northwest Hills.

Community Description and Highlights: The Northwest Hills area was primarily developed by the Robinson family back in the late 60's and early 70's. At the time it was at the edge of town.  Although it mainly consisted of a hilltop, or 'mesa', it was known for it's large oak trees and great views of the surrounding canyons, creeks, and even lake Austin.  Being quite a large area (area 1a on the home search map- http://austinhomebuyercenter.com/members/searchhomes.htm) many types of homes can be found.  The real estate varies greatly from apartments all the way up to $2 million homes high on the bluffs.  Mesa Drive runs the length of the area from North to South with views enjoyed on both sides at different points throughout the scenic route.  We currently live in this area and have grown to absolutely love it--convenient shops, great schools and restaurants, views, and less than 10 minutes from downtown.  All the major services in this area can be accessed by using Mesa Drive without ever getting on a major road.  A drive down Mesa with the bikes whizzing down the bike lanes and the many walkers and joggers enjoying the azaleas in the spring is quite a beautiful sight.  This is a highly desireable community.

Community Amenities: The Dell Jewish Community Center (www.shalomaustin.org) is open for anyone to join, and has country-club-style facilities and a smorgasbord of offerings.  I haven't been there myself, but a number of friends of ours take yoga, work out, and utilize some of the children's activities. 

Northwest Hills Pharmacy and Florist (www.northwesthills.net) is a legacy known for its special cards and tasteful gift items.  In fact, with Valentines Day around the corner I think I'll head over there to shop for my lovely wife.

Oh, and our favorite coffee shop, Trianon, is on Farwest Blvd (see photos in the Northwest Hills photo album to the right).  They have several locations in Austin and yummy coffee.

Proximity to Downtown: Less than 10 minutes to the capitol.

Proximity to Lake Travis: 15 minutes

Proximity to Major Highways: Mopac (aka Loop 1) is 2 minutes away.

Price Range of Homes: $299k on up to $1.5 million.  The average home price is about $485k for 2450 square feet.

Price Range of 2 and 3 bedroom Condos/Townhomes: $119,000 to start, up to $399,000 for the top of the line brand new.  You could realistically expect to spend $150k-250k.

Age of Development:  Built primarily in the 70's.

Schools: Highly Desireable (Doss and Hill Elementary, Murchison Middle School and Anderson High in the Austin ISD.)

Click here to view our photo album of Northwest Hills: http://austinhbc.typepad.com/photos/austin_neighborhoods_nort/

It is a Great Time to Be Living in Austin!

It's a really good time to be living in Austin, Texas. Not only is the quality of life rich and vibrant but the economy....well, it's vibrant too. Since the dominant environmentalist voice fell behind the snowballing economic growth in the mid to late 90's of the last millennium, the city leaders have learned to foster economic growth while keeping the environment at the top of the priority list.

Now that the political climate favors 'growth' and the business climate favors 'growth' - Austin, the little town that Texans have long adorned, is on a boom swing that looks positive for years to come.  Here are the reasons why:

1. Desirable Quality of Life (this one is actually before opportunity as most of our relocationees aren't moving for specific jobs, in fact a lot of them can work anywhere or are starting their own businesses)

2. Opportunity - 3.3 Job Growth Rate predicted this year

3. Low Cost of Living (I believe that this will actually become more favorable as the entire east half of Austin just opened up with the opening of the 70 mile long toll road SH130)

AUSTIN ECONOMY

Expert says Central Texas homes market will remain robust this year

Economic consultant Angelou sees 'seller's market' continuing.

Click-2-Listen

By Kirk Ladendorf
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, January 25, 2007

Since it emerged from its high-tech slump three years ago, Austin has steadily added jobs, people and stores, and economist Angelos Angelou expects all those factors will keep growing over the next two years.

Job growth will remain strong — averaging 3.3 percent — and it will fuel population growth, which will spur continued strong demand for housing and retail space.

"Austin is going to become one of the hottest real estate markets in the United States," Angelou told business people at the Austin Convention Center for his 21st annual economic forecast.

Angelou is a leading economic development consultant and former head of economic development for the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. "In my view, this is going to remain a seller's market for some time to come. We will continue to defy what is happening at the national level," where sales have dropped and home prices have slumped in formerly booming areas along the East and West coasts.

It all starts with new jobs. Angelou forecasts that the five-county Austin metropolitan area will add 24,400 jobs in 2007 and 26,100 in 2008, compared with job growth of 22,400 last year. Last year's job growth rate of 3.2 percent was tied with Dallas for the highest among the state's major urban areas and was slightly ahead of the statewide average of 2.9 percent.

The metro area edged above 1.5 million residents for the first time in late 2006, Angelou said, and by the end of 2008, it will be close to 1.6 million. That compares with a metro area population of 565,000 people in the mid-1980s, when Angelou began making local forecasts.

kladendorf@statesman.com; 445-3622