Central Austin
Central Austin is a lively, thriving area which encompasses the University of Texas, downtown, the State Capitol complex and Zilker Park/Barton Springs. If you work centrally, then living central can be very appealing. Not having to commute from outlying areas gives you more time for work and play! And there's so much to do in central Austin - from attending music venues to kite festivals to you name it! Homes in central Austin can be pricey - often averaging $200 per sq ft or more, depending on age and condition, views or not, and location.
Central Austin has a lot of character and charm and a style for every taste. New construction consists primarily of condos and higher density single family homes, although there are some extraordinary remodels of older homes that can’t be overlooked. For those on a tighter budget or wanting low maintenance, there are many condominium communities to choose from.
South/Central Austin - once you are south of the river (Town Lake, aka Lady Bird Lake) you are in South/Central Austin, home of the popular 78704 zip code (there's a bumper sticker that says "78704 - It's more than a zip code, it's a way of life" or something like that!). This is a great area to be if you want to be close to Zilker Park/Barton Springs pool and downtown. Some of the South/Central neighborhoods are:
Barton Hills - gets it's name due to proximity to Barton Springs and the Barton Creek greenbelt. Also close to Zilker Park.
Travis Heights - many of the original bungalow-style homes are being remodeled, but the neighborhood has kept its somewhat ecclectic feel. The neighborhood is near Congress and Riverside, has million dollar homes with city views, and has a park and elementary school in the neighborhood.
There are lots and lots of condos in the 78704 zip code as well.
There are several other neighborhoods in 78704. View homes for sale under $350K, or homes for sale over $350K.
If you prefer more home for the money, and a little bit newer home, you might want to consider Southwest Austin, where homes are a little newer and more reasonably priced, but a little further from downtown. If you like the charm of the older/smaller homes in South/Central Austin, but the prices are just a little high for you, you might also consider South Austin.
West/Central Austin - just west of downtown and on the north side of Lake Austin is West/Central Austin. This area tends to be more expensive than South/Central Austin. Further west you'll find Westlake which boasts an excellent school district ("Eanes") and several different neighborhoods with a variety of sizes and prices. Back in West Austin/AISD, you'll find the following:
Highland Park - this neighborhood is very popular as is the Highland Park Elementary School which is one of the "Exemplary" Elementary schools in Austin.
Tarrytown - another very popular neighborhood near Lake Austin.
There are several other neighborhoods in this area. View homes for sale under $450K, or homes for sale over $450K.
North/Central Austin - north of downtown and UT, you'll find most of the homes were built in the 1940s-1960s. As you go further north, the homes get newer and often larger, but north Austin will still have reasonably priced homes in comparison to West/Central Austin.
Crestview - this is a popular north Austin neighborhood featuring homes in the $200K-$400K range. Many of these homes have been renovated in recent years.
Again, there are several small neighborhoods in North/Central Austin. View homes for sale under $300K, or homes for sale over $300K.
Another very popular area is Northwest Austin, which features hills and views, some steep driveways, and sometimes steep prices.