How to make money with the high property taxes in Austin?

[Portia Wells]

Hi! I’m newer real estate investor with aspirations to build my portfolio in a smart way. 

We own a single family 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home (built 1977) in Barton Hills. It's our primary residence but we've decided to not be in Texas for the near-term. Our option is to rent or sell the property. We have a great interest rate (2.25) and our value has increased by around 300k since we purchased in early 2021. Austin is growing and it seems like a good place to invest but I'm not sure how landlords are covering their mortgate, plus property taxes, when there's no homestead exemption attached. (Our mortgage is on the higher side because we purchased our home with a VA loan.)

Would love any input on how to make a rental work in Austin!