Young professionals and families make their way to Austin every day. The career opportunities, healthy local lifestyle, and ample fun of the city are too wonderful for most of us to turn down.
As people move to the area, however, many face a challenging question: Should I rent or buy? Usually these folks are already sold on the appeal of living in Austin. The city is a wonderful place to live, with no doubt about it. But the high housing costs can be a little intimidating to anyone, especially the families who are new to purchasing real estate.
So for those families still on the fence about whether buying a house in Austin is right for you, here are 5 reasons why we and a few Austin home-owners think this a great city for first-time home buyers.
1. “Bulletproof Market”
Spencer Davis is a first-time home buyer in Austin. He grew up in the area, and now points to his lifelong experience in the city as one of the key factors he considered before purchasing his home in South Austin at the beginning of 2016.
Davis says, “I’ve grown up in Austin and watched the housing market here for decades. It’s been nearly bulletproof, even during times when the rest of the US has struggled. It was a decision between paying monthly rent which I’d never see again, or putting that money toward something that would be an investment.”
2. A Home Is An Investment
“People say Austin is unaffordable,” Davis continued, “but that’s because they haven’t taken the time to research the many different up-and-coming areas.” Home buying is more than just affording a roof to go over your head. It can turn out to be an impressive investment. When it comes to crunching numbers for a city like Austin, the fast appreciation of the value of homes is hard to deny.
Another Austin first-time home buyer, Emilie Yeager, agreed, “I bought my first house in Austin because I knew it was a great investment.”
3. High Housing Cost Can Be Considered With Higher Than Average Pay
It’s true that Austin has a high median housing cost compared to other places in Texas, but don’t forget that it’s also a city with ample opportunity for career advancement and higher than national and state average pay.
Austin is an advantageous city to begin or move forward in a career. As the science, technology, engineering, and math industries continue to grow, job opportunities at high-paying workplaces have become more common than ever.
With Austin’s competitive work market, many businesses are willing to pay top-dollar for the right employee. Tech businesses like Apple, Google, and Facebook are only a few of many large operations that frequently need to hire new talent.
Other fields are likewise growing, with several reputable universities in the area to help people receive the training they need to enter their dream career.
4. More Than Just A House
Yeager talked about some of the reasons she found Austin to be such an ideal location to purchase her first house, “I love that I can have a house on its own piece of land so close to [the] downtown of an amazing city. That hasn't been an option in other cities I've lived in.”
While Austin is a big city, it’s hard to overlook many of the small-town experiences that residents still get to enjoy. As Yeager pointed out, owning a house in Austin often means you also have a sizable property, even within close proximity to downtown.
5. Admit It, You’re Here To Stay
Austin is where young people go to retire. It is the hub for a variety of fulfilling activities and opportunities that catch the attention of families looking for somewhere comfortable to start a life.
If you’re lured to town for a visit, I bet there’s a good chance you’ll want to stay for the long run. Here are a few more things to stick around for:
- Active and healthy communities
- Awesome, diverse food options
- Fun bars and coffee shops
- Major music festivals, concerts, and talented local bands
- Plenty of outdoor trails and swimming spots
- Art- and tech-centric workplaces and neighborhoods
- And much, much more
If you’re in the market for your first home, get started right by working with the team that knows Austin best. Contact JB Goodwin real estate agent to help you find a property that fits the needs of your lifestyle and your budget. We look forward to helping you find your first home.
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