The pandemic shook these age ranges for a loop so we are still seeing where their paths will take them.

After literally years of looking (since 2022) I bought my first property a few months ago, so I feel extremely qualified to give advice (many people earned lots of equity during the pandemic appreciation-boom if they bought before 2022, but out-of-state investors getting started AFTER the 2022 interest rate hikes are few and far between). 

It was fine during the pandemic but not at this stage for me.  

Has the pandemic driven more interest in the city?

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), as of 2023, housing inventory remains 40% below pre-pandemic levels, leading to heightened competition in many areas.To be considered a neutral market, not seller's or buyer's, the specific market center would need to have 6 months of inventory.

I would also like to point out that the government impaired your "intrinsic value asset"  Luckily, my tenants paid rent through the pandemic. 

Be very careful when it comes to vacation homes you need to be very experienced to be able to calculate the exact net cash flow. there is so many expenses that you might not understand, in other words you need to do your homework before touching any vacation rentals especially with the pandemic .

However, pricing in Austin is still substantially above pre-pandemic levels.

That would be very beneficial.Also as it turns out the Durham meetup was a zoom call for members only so I did not get an invitation, before this Covid pandemic started the meetup was intended to be in person with non members paying a small fee to get in rather than a large fee to become an immediate member.

My job was stopped for almost four months during the pandemic.