Are you thinking about living in Austin, Texas and want to speak to someone, and get real honest answers on what it’s really like? Hi, I’m Maggie Luce and on this blog we talk everything living in Austin! I’m going to walk you through the good, the bad, and the ugly of living in Austin, Texas.
Let’s start with the good. Walk up and down the world famous Sixth Street in Austin. And you’ll understand why it’s called the live music capital of the world. Sixth Street is a historic and entertainment district located within the city’s urban core, in downtown Austin. Austin is called the live music capital of the world because it has more music venues per person than anywhere else in the US. How cool is it? Lastly, for all you Longhorn fans, Austin is home to UT, University of Texas.
Okay. Now that we know what’s awesome, let’s talk about what could be better. Let’s discuss the bad. Firstly, public transportation. In some areas of Austin, public transportation options are unavailable. This makes it difficult for folks who don’t have a vehicle. Also, property taxes. Travis County has one of the highest property tax rates in Texas. As of 2017, Texas had the fourth highest property taxes in the US out of 50 states. Properties are assessed annually and levies are charged 100% market value. Home owners in Travis County pay taxes to the City of Austin, Travis County plus local school districts. In recent years, property values have risen, meaning many homeowners have seen bills increase, even if rates have stayed the same or declined.
Okay. Unfortunately, no place is perfect, so let’s get into the ugly and what I dislike most about living in Austin. Anyone that drives a car in Austin knows that the traffic here is horrendous. Driving on I35 are avoid at all costs as traffic can come to a standstill at any point in the day. Efforts have been made to expand highways and add more driving lanes, but that just seems to make traffic even worse. One problem is that Austin is a large city that only has one Interstate passing through it. The toll roads built around the city where another strategy used to cut down on commute times and clear up some of the congestion on major highways. However, these toll roads go so far out of the way that drivers are not willing to pay the toll and take these routes. Austin has been recognized as one of the worst traffic cities in the US.
I hope this gave you some ideas on the good, the bad, and the ugly of living in Austin. If you have any additional questions about Austin, give me a shout. My name is Maggie Luce, the perfect balance with Cavalier Real Estate and Eco Funding Corporation.