Moving From New York to Austin? A New Yorker’s Honest Guide to Making Austin Home

If you’re moving from New York to Austin, I can probably guess some of the questions running through your head.

Will Austin feel too small?

Will I miss New York?

Where should I live?

Will I find interesting people?

Will my kids have the same opportunities?

Do I really have to drive everywhere?

What’s Westlake?

Why does everyone keep talking about Eanes ISD?

And perhaps the biggest question:

Will Austin actually feel like home?

I’m a New Yorker.

And after living in New York, spending 13 years in Los Angeles, living in Napa and ultimately choosing Austin as the place where my husband and I wanted to raise our daughters, I have a very particular perspective on that question.

Our family originally moved to Austin in 2014.

We left briefly for Napa from 2015 through 2017. Then we lost our home in the 2017 Napa fires and had to decide where we wanted to rebuild our life.

We chose Austin.

Again.

Today, our daughters are 14 and 15, our lives are deeply rooted here, and Austin has become something I didn’t necessarily expect when I first arrived:

home.

So if you’re a New Yorker thinking about moving to Austin, this isn’t a generic relocation checklist.

It’s what I would tell you if we were sitting across from each other having coffee and you asked:

“Am I going to like living there?”

Is Austin a Good Place for New Yorkers to Live?

For the right New Yorker, absolutely.

But Austin is not New York with more square footage.

That’s the first thing to understand.

If you move here expecting Austin to replace everything you love about New York, you’ll probably spend a lot of time comparing the two cities.

I wouldn’t recommend that.

Instead ask:

What are you hoping your life will gain by leaving New York?

More space?

More nature?

A yard?

A pool?

A different pace for your children?

A strong neighborhood community?

More time at home?

Less friction in everyday family life?

The ability to own a house that becomes a real gathering place?

Those are areas where Austin can become very compelling.

The people I see make the transition most successfully aren’t trying to reproduce their New York life in Texas.

They’re ready to create a different one.

What Does a New Yorker Notice First About Austin?

Space.

It’s not simply the square footage of the house.

It’s physical space around your life.

A backyard.

Trees.

Sky.

A driveway.

A neighborhood park.

Lake Austin.

The Hill Country.

Rooms where everyone can gather.

Coming from New York, home can suddenly become a much larger part of your life.

And for me, that became one of Austin’s greatest gifts.

Your Home Becomes Part of Your Social Life

This was a big change for me.

New York happens outside your front door.

You walk out and the city is immediately there.

Restaurants.

Friends.

Culture.

Noise.

Energy.

Possibility.

In Austin, particularly if you move into a residential neighborhood like ours, your home can become one of the places where your life actually happens.

People come over.

You cook.

Kids swim.

Friends stay for dinner.

Someone brings another family.

People sit outside.

The evening stretches longer than expected.

We’ve hosted so many gatherings in our Austin home, and some of our deepest friendships have developed around those gatherings.

For me, that ultimately changed how I thought about houses altogether.

A home isn’t simply an asset or a collection of beautiful rooms.

It’s a container for the life you’re building.

That’s become central to both my real estate work and my philosophy around Intentional Design.

What I Miss About New York

I think it’s important to say this because relocation content can become ridiculous when it pretends the destination has everything.

It doesn’t.

There are things about New York that Austin simply doesn’t replicate.

The energy.

Walking.

The density of ideas.

The diversity.

The feeling that something interesting is happening around every corner.

The restaurants.

The culture.

The ability to leave your apartment and have an entire world immediately outside.

New York shaped me profoundly.

I wouldn’t trade that experience.

But at this stage of my life, I don’t need Austin to be New York.

I want Austin to give my family the things Austin does particularly well.

And it has.

What I Love About Raising Kids in Austin

This ultimately became one of the biggest reasons we came back.

When we lost our Napa home in the fires in 2017, we weren’t merely deciding where to buy another house.

We were deciding:

Where do we want to raise these girls?

We already knew what Austin felt like.

We knew the warmth of the community.

We knew what it was like to have people around us who showed up.

We knew the schools.

We knew the neighborhood.

And we knew that raising a family here didn’t have to feel like we were doing everything alone.

Today our daughters are 14 and 15.

They’ve grown up with friendships, community traditions, school connections and people who genuinely know them.

That’s hard to put into a real estate spreadsheet.

But if you’re moving from New York with children, I would argue that it’s one of the most important parts of the decision.

Austin Can Feel Surprisingly Small — In a Good Way

This is one of the things I think New Yorkers sometimes underestimate.

Austin is a major city.

But your actual Austin can feel surprisingly intimate.

Your coffee place.

Your school community.

The people you see at the grocery store.

The same parents at events.

Neighbors.

Friends of friends.

In our part of West Austin, that feeling is especially strong.

We live in the greater Cuernavaca/Austin Lake Estates area in 78733, and this neighborhood has become one of the clearest examples for me of what community can look like in Austin.

There’s Civil Goat Coffee.

Lake Hills Park.

The neighborhood Splashers swim team.

Cuerny Gardens.

Patrizi’s.

JoJo’s Bakery.

Nearby Commons Ford.

And our local Cuerny Gals Facebook community where somehow everyone knows what’s happening before anyone else does.

Our Cuernavaca Austin neighborhood guide goes much deeper into what makes this part of Austin so unusual.

This doesn’t feel like anonymous suburban life.

That’s an important distinction.

Where Should a New Yorker Live in Austin?

This is where I’d push back on almost every generic relocation article.

There is no “best Austin neighborhood for New Yorkers.”

It depends on which parts of being a New Yorker you don’t want to lose.

If You Need Energy and Walkability…

Look closer to central Austin.

If restaurants, coffee, parks, activity and being able to get somewhere without organizing your entire day around a car are essential to you, don’t automatically move far west just because you can suddenly afford more space.

You may genuinely be happier closer in.

A smaller house in the right location may produce a better life than a much larger house twenty minutes farther out.

If You’re Moving for Schools, Community and More Space…

This is when Westlake and Eanes ISD often enter the conversation.

Many relocating families initially discover Westlake because of the schools.

But that’s only one component of the appeal.

You’re also relatively close to central Austin while having access to established neighborhoods, hills, mature trees and dramatically more residential space than you would expect in a dense urban environment.

The Council has now been involved in more than 100 Eanes ISD home sales, and our complete Eanes ISD guide is a good starting point for families trying to understand the schools and neighborhoods.

Our Westlake Austin guide goes deeper into the broader Westlake lifestyle.

If You Want Eanes ISD But Don’t Want “Perfect Suburb”…

Come see 78733.

I may be biased because we live here, but that’s also exactly why I can explain it.

When New York or LA buyers tell me:

“I want good schools, but I still need some personality.”

My ears perk up.

Parts of 78733, particularly Cuernavaca and Austin Lake Estates, still have a funky old-Austin quality.

The roads wind.

The homes don’t all match.

There are original cottages beside significant new contemporary homes.

There are trees everywhere.

Lake Austin is part of the landscape.

Lots can be unusual.

Neighbors know one another.

It’s imperfect.

And that is precisely why many people love it.

If you’re weighing Westlake options, our 78733 vs. 78746 guide explains the differences from a local real estate perspective.

Is 78746 Better for New Yorkers?

Sometimes.

Particularly if you’re giving up New York convenience.

78746 generally puts you closer to central Austin while still offering many of the things relocating families seek in Westlake.

That can mean easier access to downtown, restaurants, Zilker, Barton Springs and the rest of central Austin.

Our current market data shows a higher median price in 78746 than 78733, which reflects some of that location premium.

If proximity to the city is what you’re most reluctant to give up, I would take that seriously.

Don’t buy more land simply because Texas suddenly makes land attainable.

Buy the life you’ll actually use.

How Is Austin Different From New York With Kids?

This may be where the move feels most dramatic.

There’s simply more space around childhood.

Backyards.

Pools.

Parks.

Lakes.

Sports.

Neighborhood friendships.

Kids coming over.

Families gathering.

That doesn’t automatically make childhood better.

New York provides extraordinary experiences for children too.

It’s different.

What I personally appreciated in Austin was how easy it became to create a family life that felt grounded in both home and community.

There was room for people.

Literally and figuratively.

You’ll Probably Drive More Than You Want To

Let’s get this one out of the way.

If you’re coming from Manhattan or another walkable part of New York City, Austin will be an adjustment.

Location matters enormously.

That’s why I don’t recommend choosing a neighborhood based solely on the house.

Before you buy:

Drive to work.

Drive to school.

Drive downtown.

Drive to the airport.

Get groceries.

Go to dinner.

Go to the gym.

Do it during the hours when you’ll actually be doing it.

Don’t tour the house only. Tour the life.

That may be the single best piece of relocation advice I can give you.

Austin Real Estate Is More Complicated Than “You Get So Much More House”

Yes, compared with many New York City properties, you may suddenly find yourself looking at substantially more space.

Don’t let that distract you.

A bigger house isn’t automatically a better purchase.

In West Austin, I’m looking at:

Lot.

Topography.

Natural light.

Architecture.

Renovation potential.

Privacy.

Road.

School zoning.

Trees.

Outdoor living.

Future resale.

And the things you cannot change.

I say this to clients constantly:

You can change an ugly bathroom.

You can change flooring.

You can open a kitchen.

You cannot remodel the location.

If you’re buying in Westlake, our Westlake home-buying guide explains how we approach those decisions.

Property Taxes Will Get Your Attention

This is another major adjustment for New York and California buyers.

Texas does not have a state individual income tax, but property taxes are an important part of the ownership equation.

Don’t simply compare purchase prices.

Compare the full carrying cost.

That means:

• Property taxes
• Insurance
• Mortgage
• HOA, where applicable
• Utilities
• Pool
• Landscaping
• Expected renovation
• Ongoing maintenance

This is also one of the reasons our team structure works well with relocation buyers.

My partner Albina Rippy is a CPA as well as a Realtor, so there’s someone at the table looking at the purchase through a very different lens than mine.

I look at the property and see what it could become.

Albina looks at the same property and asks whether the financial decision makes sense.

Our partner Holly McCormick then brings decades of real estate and negotiation experience to the actual transaction.

Three perspectives become especially valuable when you’re buying in a market you don’t yet know.

Don’t Underestimate the Austin Summer

If you’ve survived New York in August, you’re not unfamiliar with heat.

Austin is different.

Summer should influence what you buy.

Tree canopy matters.

Covered outdoor areas matter.

Pools matter.

Window exposure matters.

HVAC matters.

If outdoor living is one of the reasons you’re moving to Texas, make sure the house actually supports it.

What Surprised Me Most About Austin?

The people.

That’s ultimately my answer.

I expected more space.

I expected warmer weather.

I expected Texas to feel different from New York and LA.

I didn’t fully expect how much community would become part of our family’s life.

And after losing our home in Napa, I understood that differently.

You learn very quickly that a house can disappear.

What remains is your family.

Your friends.

Your community.

The people who show up.

That experience fundamentally changed what the word “home” means to me.

And it’s one of the reasons Austin became the place we deliberately chose to come back to.

New York Taught Me Something Austin Couldn’t — and Austin Gave Me Something New York Couldn’t

I don’t think we have to diminish one place to love another.

New York gave me independence.

Ambition.

Energy.

Resilience.

Curiosity.

It taught me to believe almost anything was possible.

Los Angeles gave me creativity, business and another kind of reinvention.

Napa gave my family beauty — and ultimately a profound lesson about impermanence and home.

Austin gave us roots.

That’s the difference.

I didn’t need Austin to erase the person who had lived in all those other places.

Austin became the place where all those versions of me finally got to settle.

Frequently Asked Questions About Moving From NYC to Austin

Is Austin a good place for New Yorkers?

Austin can be a strong fit for New Yorkers who want more residential space, outdoor living, access to nature and a different pace while remaining in a culturally active and entrepreneurial city. Buyers who strongly prioritize density and walkability should choose their Austin neighborhood carefully.

What should I know before moving from New York City to Austin?

Expect more driving, hotter summers, a more home-centered social life and a different property-tax structure. Neighborhood selection is especially important because Austin lifestyles can change significantly within relatively short geographic distances.

Where do New Yorkers moving to Austin usually live?

There isn’t one destination. Buyers prioritizing an urban lifestyle often explore central Austin, while families prioritizing Eanes ISD and more residential space frequently consider Westlake, 78746 and 78733.

Is Westlake Austin a good place for former New Yorkers?

It can be, particularly for families who want Eanes ISD, proximity to central Austin, established neighborhoods and more space. Buyers who strongly value urban walkability should consider whether the residential Westlake lifestyle suits them before purchasing.

Should I buy in 78733 or 78746?

Buyers who prioritize central access may prefer parts of 78746, while those wanting a more eclectic, lake- and nature-oriented environment may gravitate toward 78733. Read our 78733 vs. 78746 guide for the full comparison.

Is Eanes ISD worth the premium for someone relocating from New York?

For some families, yes. The decision should consider school priorities, home quality, commute, neighborhood, budget and expected length of ownership rather than school rankings alone. Start with our Eanes ISD guide.

Do I need a car after moving from NYC to Austin?

Most residents outside Austin’s most central neighborhoods rely heavily on cars. If walkability is a major part of the lifestyle you want to preserve, make it a priority during the neighborhood search rather than assuming you will adjust later.

Should I rent in Austin before buying?

If you don’t yet understand Austin neighborhoods or how your daily commute will work, renting first can be smart. If you’ve spent significant time here and already know your lifestyle, school and geographic priorities, purchasing sooner may make sense.

What is the biggest mistake New Yorkers make when moving to Austin?

Trying to choose the biggest or most impressive house before understanding how the neighborhood will affect everyday life.

Choose the life first. Then choose the house.

From One New Yorker to Another

If you’re moving from New York to Austin, I’m not going to try to convince you that Austin is better.

I don’t believe that’s the question.

The question is:

Is Austin better suited to the next chapter you’re trying to create?

For my family, the answer became yes.

We first moved here in 2014.

We left.

We lived another life in Napa.

We lost a home.

And when we had the opportunity to choose again, we came back.

Our daughters have grown up here.

We’ve built friendships here.

We’ve created a home that’s held celebrations, dinners, difficult moments, enormous joy and a community of people we love.

For someone who spent much of her life moving from one place to another, there’s something particularly meaningful about being able to say:

We chose to stay.

If you’re still trying to figure out which version of Austin could feel like home to you, explore our Westlake Austin Guide, Eanes ISD Guide, 78733 vs. 78746 comparison, Cuernavaca neighborhood guide or our approach to buying a home in Westlake.

And if you don’t know which neighborhood you want yet?

That’s okay.

Tell me what you love about New York, what you’re ready to leave behind and what you hope life looks like on the other side of this move.

That’s where I’d start.