Relocating to Austin, Texas

[Peter G.]

Hi All,

First time poster here, would appreciate any input you may have on this topic.

I’m planning to relocate in the coming months from the Northeast U.S to Austin, Texas for work. I have not been a homeowner before, but from what I’ve seen, Texas provides a much more favorable cost-of-living standard from what I’m used too and more attractive real estate market. Since picking up a few bigger pockets books a couple years ago, I’ve wanted to take the leap into broadening my investment portfolio outside of just stocks and finally look to buy real estate.

That being said, the main things I’m considering are: 1) finding a personal residence near Austin, and 2) start off building a rental property portfolio in the surrounding areas.

My questions are: what are your recommendations around Austin to look for a personal residence that is not overbought already and still has room to appreciate? Are neighboring towns (ie Round Rock) more favorable for appreciation? And in terms of rental properties from your experience, is Austin an area that is favorable for appreciation or cash flow properties? What about neighboring cities (ie San Antonio), are these more attractive areas to focus on finding better deals on rental properties now?

Thank you in advance for your feedback!

Peter