Austin, TX

Hi Friends,

I have been intrigued with the city of Austin and how it has evolved into one of the tech and entrepreneurial capitals of the world. The place is home to hipsters, tech moguls, and cowboy hat wearing Texans - you never know which you will run into when walking down the street.

I read a good article today by the Wall Street Journal which talked about the identity crisis that appears to be coming to a head in the city. With all the companies moving from California - the new “Silicon Valley of Texas” is fast becoming like San Francisco in terms of wealth. Rents are increasing, high end retailers are moving in, and Austin’s unique flair is being replaced with a nod towards capitalism - Austinites are feeling their city is changing, and not always for the better.

With Apple, Tesla, Oracle etc making their way to Austin, it is easy to see why these high paying jobs are willing to pay the big bucks for city life, so the builders will continue to cater to the higher end (and higher profit) properties and existing places will go up in value as well. The rents in downtown Los Angeles and San Francisco have been on the decrease due to homeless problems, expensive cost of living, and more flexible work options - it will be interesting to see if Austin hits these same pitfalls or if they can find ways to combat these issues.

What are your thoughts on Austin?

Thanks for coming by,
Brian

Link to Wall Street Journal Article: https://apple.news/AExEmLMn6S6WxSBiPAiq3jg

Photo Credit: https://www.ranchosienna.com/blog/posts-by-date/2019/december/a-neighborhood-guide-to-where-to-live-in-north-austin/