Austin inventory is so low right now that if you are on a search for a particular zip code or area, you may be lucky to find one or two new houses a week. The low inventory is prompting buyers to look in other parts of Austin in order to find the ideal home. I have spent quite a bit of time in North East, North West, Central, South and South West Austin over the last few weeks. I’ve seen a lot of really great properties and some not so great. What makes a home great is often about the location, not the house.

Real Estate in Austin

Austin Real Estate Market prices are rising as well which is making it tougher to get everything you could want in a house. No home is going to be perfect. It just needs to be perfect for you, but understand in order for it to be perfect it needs to be in the right location. Counter tops, flooring, popcorn ceilings and even windows can be changed over time. What can’t change is the location of the house. Austin is growing which is going to create more traffic and therefore more time in your car in order to get from point A to point B. Staying true to a realistic flight path to and from work as well as your leisure activities will keep you happier in your home longer and less stressed when you get there.

Austin Drive Times

There are lots of great tools available out there to help you get a realistic ideal of travel times. MapQuest and walkscore.com are 2 websites that will help determine distance to work or even the local grocery store. Many smart phones have a map app that will help determine travel time. The map app is really a great way to see how long it would take you to get from work to a proposed property at 5:00pm when you are leaving work. Just punch in the address at 5:00 and it will show traffic patterns and alternative routes to avoid them. It is a great way to give you an idea of how long the commute will be to an area you are considering.