Lakefront Lake Travis vs. Downtown? (Austin: for sale, condos, houses)

[City Guy997S]

Is the traffic that bad that some people would spend 2-3 million on a condo vs. a killer house on Lake Travis?

Is it traffic or city life conveniences that causes people to do this?

[blakely]

Originally Posted by City Guy997S

Is the traffic that bad that some people would spend 2-3 million on a condo vs. a killer house on Lake Travis?

Is it traffic or city life conveniences that causes people to do this?

The people I know who have bought condos downtown aren't buying them just to avoid traffic. They want to be in the heart of downtown, to walk to restaurants or to the hike/bike trail, to be where the action is. Killer house on Lake Travis doesn't accomplish those things for them.

[sojourner77]

Downtown condos have hill country views, just like the houses out west, and are 5x more convenient. Property values on Lake Travis rise and fall with the lake level.

[City Guy997S]

I only ask the original question because 2 houses I saw for sale both noted the current owners moved downtown. Both houses were over the top awesome.

[blakely]

Originally Posted by City Guy997S

I only ask the original question because 2 houses I saw for sale both noted the current owners moved downtown. Both houses were over the top awesome.

I have another friend who just told me today she is making the same move- well, not from Lake Travis, but from an incredible close-in property with amazing hill country views on multiple acres. Main reason? She doesn't want all the maintenance that comes with having a garden, landscaping and a bigger house. It's a gorgeous property, but she thinks downtown life comes with a lot less upkeep and still great views.

Certainly not cheap, though!

[Dynamoo]

It takes 20 minutes to drive to an HEB from certain parts of Lake Travis. 40 min during rush hour traffic.

[Aquitaine]

If you live near Lake Travis, you come into downtown Austin a couple times a month, tops. Any more than that and you are spending more time in traffic than your typical internet observer wants to spend.

I've spoken to a number of people out by the lake and they enjoy coming into Austin for concerts, shows, the occasional restaurant, but it's not part of their routine. I live much closer in and I feel the same way about Lake Travis - I'll go out there periodically for the views or TexARTS or to visit family, but it's not routine.

[ScoPro]

There is plenty going on around the outer metro area that precludes the need to go to overpriced restaurants & bars downtown on a daily basis.
To each his/her own, and people shouldn't be critical of other's lifestyles just because they're different from their own.

[A-Tex]

And there are many that don't find the houses out there "killer" at all. To each their own.

[ericsami]

It is mostly about social status.

if you think about why would you want to own a house that really has value anything above 600K?
do you really need all that space when you don't have cattle?
do you need all that space when you never have anyone over and meet people in restaurants and coffee shops?

if you own a place downtown? you are one that likes to actually go UT games to watch our team disappoint for the past 8 years. or you might be just betting that in the long term density is the right solution. and properties in high rise will have to rise in value faster.

if you are truly worried about making money off your property. maybe it is best not taking 3 million for living in it.
take 600K live in it. and invest the rest as rental.