East Austin is the most searched neighbourhood on our site for the third year running, and the questions are always the same: is it still affordable, where exactly should we look, and what is a bungalow really going to cost? Here is the honest version.
The lie of the land
“East Austin” covers a lot of ground. Holly, near the river, is the most established and the most expensive. Cherrywood and Blackland, north of Manor Road, are quieter and family-heavy. East Cesar Chavez is where the restaurants are; Govalle and Johnston Terrace, further east, are where the value still is.
What things cost
- Renovated 1930s bungalow, 2 bed: from $650,000
- New-build 3 bed with a yard: $900,000 to $1.2 million
- Condo in a small building: $380,000 to $550,000
- One-bedroom rental: $1,700 to $2,300 per month
Things we tell every buyer
Walk the block at 10 pm on a Friday. Check the tree canopy — it changes a summer. And look at what is zoned around the corner; East Austin is still changing fast, and the empty lot next door will not stay empty.
Elena has lived east of I-35 since 2009 and handles most of our listings there. Ask her anything.
Walking the block at 10pm on a Friday is the best advice in this whole guide. We skipped that step on our first place and learned about the bar two streets over on the first weekend.
Any chance of the same guide for Govalle? The price range you gave is already out of date on the listings I am seeing.
Govalle is next in the series, and you are right that it has moved fastest. We update the price bands every quarter — the next revision goes live in October.