residential space. Surrounded by a lush
nature preserve, wildflowers, native trees
and rocky streams, the Hill Country Galleria
is an ideal way to spend an afternoon.
Major malls in the Austin area include Lakeline Mall in Cedar Park (Macy’s, Dillard’s,
Sears and J.C. Penney) and Barton Creek
Square in west Austin (Macy’s, Dillard’s,
Sears, J.C. Penney, and Nordstrom). There’s
also the Arboretum, which is home to
national chains such as The Gap, Pottery
Barn, and Barnes & Noble, plus local
boutiques and spas.
Don’t miss the charming boutiques and
shops on South First, in the Second Street
District, or the vintage and antique shops on
South Congress, South Lamar, North Loop,
Burnet Road, and Guadalupe Street (also
known as “The Drag” on the UT campus).
For outlet shopping, this area can’t be
beat, whether you head to the Round Rock
Outlets just north of town, or the Premier
and Tanger Outlet Malls in San Marcos
– just 30 minutes south of downtown on
Interstate 35. Austin is also home to a
250,000-square foot IKEA store in Round
Rock, which is the place to go for hip, inex-
pensive European choices in home décor for
every room in the house.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
There’s no doubt that Austin’s a great city
– the “hippest in the Southwest,” according
to travel reviews in The New York Times and
other national publications, but what ultimately makes any city feel like home is its
many and varied neighborhoods.
Choose from charming inner city history
to minimalist downtown loft living to lush
gated communities around the city or
quiet suburban neighborhoods – there’s no
shortage of diverse housing in Austin.
It’s relatively inexpensive to live here.
When many cities were still recovering
from the after effects of the recession and a
sluggish housing market, the Austin market
remained steady and stable – with the city
experiencing price gains. Now, even with
the market heating up again, there is still
affordable housing to be found across the
city. The median price for a single-family
home was $274,000 in April 2015, up four-
teen percent from the same month in 2014.
Offerings range from classy downtown
condos, elegant old homes and modern showplaces, to friendly suburban neighborhoods,
to countryside ranches and farmhouses on
the outskirts of town. Wherever you choose
to live in Austin, Texas you will always find
the friendly and neighborly atmosphere that
pervades the entire community.
Welcome to a city that residents and visitors adore – and that you will, too! As you
explore the Austin Relocation Guide and the
city that it represents, it’s easy to see that
there’s a lot to love about Austin. It’s a
great place to live, find success, and enjoy
the good life.
