Rental investment in Austin / Round Rock / Leander

[Diya Rs]

Hi, I’m looking to buy a rental property in Austin and neighboring areas for less than 300K.

Although cash flow is good, I’m keen on getting something in a good location that appreciates long term and can weather a downturn, even if it takes a hit on cash flow.

Good areas in South Austin like Circle C Ranch and Riverside are already pricey.

Looks like North Austin, Cedar Park, Round Rock and Leander have good options.

Appreciate your inputs on the questions below -

1. 1) How does the rental market in Leander and Round Rock compare to Austin ?
2. 2) For appreciation, is it better to buy a new construction in Leander (Prominence, Ashton Woods, etc.) that is priced lower than existing homes in Round Rock/Austin ?
3. 3) Just heard about the Leander Springs project starting next year in Leander. Will it help push property prices up ?
4. 4) Between Leander and Round Rock, what’s better for rentals ?
5. 5) Though Leander ISD has top rated schools, there are very few zip codes in Leander and Round Rock assigned to these schools. Should I limit the search to these zip codes ?
6. 6) Also looking at Austin zip code 78754, that’s close to Samsung and Dell. Schools are not great here. How does it look for rentals ?