Moving From New York to Austin: Is Westlake Right for Your Family?

If you’re considering moving from New York to Austin, you may be looking at Westlake and thinking:

Is this actually where we would live?

Maybe you’re leaving Manhattan or Brooklyn.

Maybe you’re coming from Westchester, Long Island or another part of the New York area.

Maybe you want more space.

Maybe you have children and schools have suddenly become a much bigger part of the conversation.

Maybe you’re tired of paying an extraordinary amount of money for a life that feels increasingly complicated.

Or maybe Austin represents something harder to quantify:

A different way to live.

I understand that pull.

I spent formative years in New York before moving to Los Angeles, and eventually Austin. I’ve lived in places where your life happens primarily outside your home, and I’ve experienced what happens when your home and neighborhood become a much bigger part of your life.

Today I’m a Realtor, interior designer and real estate investor specializing in Westlake and Eanes ISD.

And when New Yorkers ask me whether they should move to Westlake, my answer is:

Maybe. But first you need to understand what you’re actually choosing.

Because Westlake isn’t New York with bigger closets.

It’s an entirely different lifestyle.

Quick Answer: Is Westlake Austin a Good Place for New Yorkers?

Westlake can be an excellent fit for New Yorkers moving to Austin who prioritize:

• More space
• Eanes ISD
• Established neighborhoods
• Access to central Austin
• Larger lots
• Outdoor living
• Privacy
• Community
• Luxury housing
• Proximity to Lake Austin and the Hill Country

But it may be less appealing if your ideal lifestyle depends heavily on:

Walking everywhere.

Public transportation.

Having dozens of restaurants outside your front door.

Living without a car.

Or being surrounded by constant urban energy.

Westlake gives you something very different.

And for many families, that’s exactly the point.

The First Thing New Yorkers Need to Understand About Austin

You will probably drive.

Let’s get that out of the way.

If you’re coming from Manhattan or parts of Brooklyn, this can feel like a major lifestyle change.

You aren’t walking downstairs to grab coffee, dropping something at the dry cleaner, stopping at three stores and taking the subway to dinner without thinking about transportation.

Austin is a car city.

But here’s the part that can be difficult to understand until you live here:

Driving doesn’t necessarily mean spending your life in the car.

Depending on where you live in Westlake, central Austin can be remarkably accessible.

That’s why I tell relocation clients:

Don’t look at miles. Look at minutes.

And actually drive the route.

An Eight-Mile Drive Means Something Different When You’re From New York

New Yorkers understand this better than almost anyone.

Distance isn’t time.

A property can look close on a map and feel inconvenient.

Another can look surprisingly far away and be an easy drive.

So when you’re house hunting, don’t just ask:

How far is this from downtown?

Ask:

How long does it take at 8 a.m.?

How long at 5 p.m.?

Where will we actually work?

Where will the kids go to school?

Where will we exercise?

Where do we want to eat?

Where are our friends likely to live?

How often are we actually going downtown?

A house doesn’t exist independently from your daily routes.

Westlake Isn’t One Neighborhood

This is probably the second biggest thing relocation buyers misunderstand.

“Westlake” is commonly used to describe a broader area west of central Austin associated with Eanes ISD.

Within that area are communities that can feel dramatically different.

You may explore:

West Lake Hills.

Rollingwood.

Woodhaven.

Cuernavaca/Austin Lake Estates.

Lost Creek.

Rob Roy.

Davenport Ranch.

And other Eanes-area neighborhoods.

You aren’t simply choosing a house.

You’re choosing your version of Austin.

If You Want to Stay Very Close to Austin

Start closer in.

Rollingwood

Rollingwood can appeal to buyers who want an established residential community while remaining extremely connected to central Austin.

For New Yorkers who are nervous about feeling too suburban, this can be an important area to understand.

West Lake Hills

West Lake Hills offers everything from older homes on beautiful lots to major luxury estates and contemporary new construction.

Depending on the property, you can have privacy and significant land while still feeling surprisingly connected to the city.

Woodhaven

Woodhaven is another neighborhood I like showing buyers who care about convenience.

Our Council partner Albina Rippy lives there and loves its access to both Westlake and downtown Austin.

She and her husband can have a date night downtown without it feeling like an expedition.

That matters.

Because one of the fears New Yorkers have about moving to a more residential area is:

“Are we ever going to leave our neighborhood again?”

In the right part of Westlake, absolutely.

If You Want More Nature, Personality and Space

Then I take you farther west.

Cuernavaca / Austin Lake Estates

This is where I live.

My partner Holly McCormick lives here too.

Cuernavaca is difficult to explain if you haven’t experienced it.

It’s eclectic.

Wooded.

Individual.

Close to Lake Austin.

And much less visually uniform than many luxury neighborhoods.

I’ve called it the:

Venice Beach of the Hill Country.

But for a New Yorker, I might describe it differently.

It has personality.

People know each other.

Homes aren’t trying to be the same thing.

And there’s a real neighborhood culture.

For someone leaving New York because they want community without conformity, it’s worth seeing.

Why Do Families Moving From New York Look at Eanes ISD?

Schools are one of the major reasons relocation buyers investigate Westlake.

Eanes ISD serves the Westlake area through its elementary, middle and high school campuses and programs.

But here’s the rule I want every relocation buyer to remember:

Verify the individual address.

Do not assume a house feeds into a particular school because:

The listing says Westlake.

The ZIP code is 78746.

The ZIP code is 78733.

A real estate portal says so.

Or the house is physically close to a campus.

Eanes ISD determines attendance zoning by street address.

If a particular campus matters to your purchase, verify it directly with the district before buying.

Coming From New York, You May Be Shocked by the Space

This can be fun.

The first time a New York buyer walks into a Texas pantry, there’s often a moment.

Then the closet.

Then the laundry room.

Then the garage.

Then they realize there’s a second refrigerator.

And suddenly we’re having a very different conversation.

But here’s my warning:

Don’t buy square footage simply because you can.

This happens all the time.

A family accustomed to 1,800 square feet sees a 5,000-square-foot home and thinks:

This is incredible.

Maybe it is.

But do you want to furnish it?

Maintain it?

Heat and cool it?

Clean it?

Renovate it?

Use it?

Bigger is only better when the space improves your life.

As an interior designer, I’m much more interested in how a house works than how impressive its square-footage number looks online.

Your Home May Become a Bigger Part of Your Social Life

This was a meaningful shift for me.

In New York, so much life happens outside the home.

You meet at restaurants.

Bars.

Coffee shops.

Parks.

Events.

Someone’s apartment occasionally, but the city itself is often the living room.

In Westlake, your home can become much more central.

People come over.

Kids swim.

Friends stay for dinner.

Neighbors stop by.

You host.

Your backyard becomes somewhere you actually use.

That changes what I want relocation buyers to look for.

Not simply:

Is this kitchen beautiful?

But:

How do you want to live here?

Where do people gather?

Can children move easily between inside and outside?

Is there shade?

Does the kitchen connect to the living space?

Where does everyone end up during a party?

These are design questions.

But they’re also lifestyle questions.

Community May Be the Biggest Surprise

One of the things I’ve come to value most about Austin is that people show up.

When people say:

“It takes a village.”

I’ve experienced that village here.

School communities.

Neighborhood events.

Swim teams.

Fourth of July.

Holiday traditions.

Local gatherings.

Friends helping friends.

For families coming from a huge city, that can be surprisingly emotional.

You don’t lose access to a city.

But you gain a smaller circle within it.

And for me, that became incredibly valuable.

Will I Miss New York?

Of course you might.

I don’t believe in pretending otherwise.

You may miss:

Walking.

Restaurants.

Museums.

Fashion.

Theater.

Energy.

Public transportation.

Bagels.

Your people.

And the feeling that anything can happen at any hour.

Austin doesn’t replace New York.

It shouldn’t try.

The better question is:

What do you want now?

The place that was perfect for you at 27 may not be the place that feels perfect at 42.

Or 52.

Life changes.

Sometimes where you live should change with it.

Is Austin Culturally Interesting Enough for a New Yorker?

That’s subjective.

Austin is obviously smaller than New York.

But it has a strong culture around:

Music.

Food.

Design.

Technology.

Entrepreneurship.

Wellness.

Outdoor life.

Film.

Creative businesses.

And community.

The advantage of living in Westlake is that you can choose a more residential daily environment without disconnecting entirely from Austin.

For many New Yorkers, that’s the sweet spot.

What About Restaurants?

No, Austin isn’t New York.

But Austin takes food seriously.

And living in Westlake doesn’t mean eating every meal in the suburbs.

Depending on where you live, you can move between Westlake and central Austin relatively easily.

That’s why neighborhood selection matters.

If dining out three nights a week is central to your lifestyle, tell me.

That affects where I’d show you.

If you’d rather cook, host and have friends over by the pool?

That affects the search too.

The house should support the life you’re actually going to live.

What About Property Taxes?

This is one area where New Yorkers should pay close attention.

Texas does not impose an individual state income tax.

But Texas homeowners can face significant property taxes.

Do not evaluate the financial difference between New York and Texas based solely on:

Purchase price.

Or:

“No state income tax.”

Look at the entire picture.

For a specific Westlake property, understand:

Purchase price.

Property taxes.

Insurance.

HOA or neighborhood fees where applicable.

Utilities.

Pool maintenance.

Landscaping.

Expected renovations.

And other ownership expenses.

This is one reason our partner Albina’s background as a former CPA is particularly useful with relocation buyers.

We want to understand the whole financial decision, not just whether you can afford the mortgage.

What About Texas Homeowners Insurance?

Get actual quotes.

Don’t rely solely on what your friend pays.

Insurance can vary based on:

Property value.

Roof.

Age.

Construction.

Claims history.

Coverage.

Pool.

Location.

And insurer.

For luxury homes, replacement cost deserves particular attention.

If you’re buying an architecturally unusual or highly customized property, make sure your coverage reflects what it would actually cost to rebuild.

New Yorkers Need to Understand Texas Land

This is where Austin gets really interesting.

You may suddenly be considering:

An acre.

Two acres.

A creek.

A steep Hill Country lot.

A view.

A septic system.

Lake Austin proximity.

A private well.

Or a house surrounded by mature trees.

Beautiful.

But don’t just fall in love with the land.

Understand it.

We may need to investigate:

Topography.

Drainage.

Impervious cover.

Setbacks.

Tree restrictions.

Septic.

Utilities.

Deed restrictions.

HOA requirements.

Municipal jurisdiction.

Expansion potential.

Pool feasibility.

And redevelopment constraints.

If you’re thinking:

“We’ll just build a guest house later.”

Let’s make sure you actually can.

Older Westlake Homes Can Be Incredible Opportunities

New York buyers often understand older real estate.

You already know that new isn’t automatically better.

An older home can have:

Better land.

More mature trees.

Better proportions.

A stronger location.

Interesting architecture.

Or incredible renovation potential.

As a Realtor and designer, this is one of my favorite parts of working with buyers.

I look at what exists.

Then I look at what could exist.

Can we open this wall?

Does the kitchen actually need to move?

Could this strange room become an incredible office?

Is the ugly house sitting on the best lot we’ve seen all month?

Sometimes the house everyone else rejects is the one I want you to look at twice.

How Much Should I Budget for Renovations?

Before buying a house that needs work, understand the likely scope.

Don’t simply say:

“We’ll redo the kitchen for $50,000.”

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Luxury renovation costs can become significant quickly.

Before you purchase, we can help you evaluate whether the renovation concept makes sense and connect you with appropriate professionals when more detailed analysis is required.

The point isn’t to scare you away from renovation.

It’s to make sure you’re buying the opportunity with your eyes open.

Should I Live Downtown Instead?

Maybe.

Not every New Yorker should move to Westlake.

If what you love most is:

Walking downstairs to dinner.

Urban energy.

Apartment or condo living.

Being in the middle of everything.

Minimal property maintenance.

Then we should absolutely explore more central Austin options.

I would rather tell you:

“Westlake isn’t your place.”

than sell you a beautiful house in the wrong lifestyle.

But if you’re looking for:

More space.

A stronger relationship with your home.

Outdoor living.

Community.

Eanes ISD.

Privacy.

And relatively easy access to Austin.

Then Westlake should be on your list.

What About the Airport?

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport offers nonstop service to the New York area, including service to John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.

For many relocating buyers, that’s important.

You may still have:

Family in New York.

Business in New York.

Clients in New York.

Friends in New York.

You don’t necessarily stop being a New Yorker because you move to Texas.

You just get a much bigger closet.

Should I Rent Before Buying in Westlake?

Sometimes.

If you’ve barely spent time in Austin and aren’t sure what lifestyle you want, renting can be useful.

But I don’t think everyone needs to rent for a year before purchasing.

Instead, spend real time understanding neighborhoods.

Not online.

In the car.

Drive them.

Walk them where possible.

Get coffee.

See school routes.

Go downtown.

Come back at rush hour.

Look at houses at multiple price points.

See 78746.

See 78733.

See what different versions of your budget actually buy.

Then decide.

How I Would Show Westlake to a New York Family

I wouldn’t begin with 15 listings.

I’d begin with neighborhoods.

I want to know what you’re reacting to.

Too suburban?

Too far?

Too polished?

Too rustic?

Not enough privacy?

Too much land?

Love the trees?

Need sidewalks?

Want lake access?

Need to be closer to downtown?

Within a few hours, we start building your Austin vocabulary.

Then searching for the house becomes much easier.

Why Work With The Council When Relocating to Austin?

Our team approaches a purchase from three different perspectives.

Natasha Antonioni: Design + Potential

That’s me.

I’ve lived in New York, Los Angeles and Austin, so I understand what it feels like to move between very different versions of city life.

As a Realtor and interior designer, I’m evaluating not only what a property is today but what it can become.

Albina Rippy: Finance + Strategy

Albina is a former CPA and entrepreneur.

She helps evaluate the financial implications of the property and the transaction.

She also understands choosing Austin intentionally. After building and selling a business in Houston, Albina and her family traveled extensively before ultimately choosing Westlake.

Holly McCormick: Eanes + Negotiation

Holly has more than 20 years of real estate experience and deep knowledge of Eanes.

Once we find the right property, her negotiation experience becomes an enormous asset.

Together:

Design. Finance. Negotiation.

For a relocation buyer, that means you’re not simply getting someone to unlock houses.

You’re getting three different ways of evaluating the decision.

Frequently Asked Questions About Moving From New York to Westlake Austin

Is Westlake Austin a good place for New York families?

It can be an excellent fit for families seeking more space, Eanes ISD, established neighborhoods, outdoor living and access to central Austin. Buyers who strongly prioritize walkability and public transportation may prefer a more central Austin neighborhood.

Do I need a car in Westlake Austin?

For most residents, yes. Westlake is primarily car-oriented.

Is Westlake far from downtown Austin?

It depends on the specific property. Parts of Rollingwood, West Lake Hills, Woodhaven and other areas can be relatively close to central Austin. Buyers should evaluate actual drive times rather than distance alone.

Is Westlake the same as West Lake Hills?

No. West Lake Hills is an incorporated city, while “Westlake” is commonly used to describe a broader area west of central Austin associated with Eanes ISD.

Are all Westlake homes in Eanes ISD?

Do not assume so. Eanes ISD attendance zoning is address-specific. Buyers should verify an individual property’s school assignment directly with the district.

Does Texas have a state income tax?

Texas does not impose an individual state income tax. Buyers should still evaluate property taxes, insurance and other costs when comparing Texas with New York.

Are Texas property taxes high?

Property taxes can represent a significant ownership expense. The amount varies by property and taxing jurisdictions, so buyers should evaluate the actual tax information for each home.

Can I fly nonstop from Austin to New York?

Yes. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has nonstop service to New York-area airports, including JFK and Newark.

Should New Yorkers rent before buying in Austin?

It depends on how familiar they are with Austin and how confident they are about neighborhood choice. Some buyers benefit from renting, while others can make a confident purchase after a thorough neighborhood discovery process.

What part of Westlake is best for someone who wants to be close to downtown?

Rollingwood, West Lake Hills, Woodhaven and other closer-in portions of the Eanes area are often worth exploring, but actual commute needs and individual properties should drive the decision.

You’re Not Looking for the New York of Austin

At least I don’t think you should be.

New York is New York.

Nothing needs to replace it.

You’re looking for the place that supports who you are now and who you’re becoming next.

Maybe that means:

More room.

More nature.

A pool.

A yard.

A community.

A different school experience.

A home where people gather.

Or simply enough breathing room to hear yourself think.

Moving to Austin doesn’t have to mean rejecting the life you had in New York.

Sometimes it’s simply choosing the life you want next.

If you’re considering moving from New York City, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Westchester, Long Island or the greater New York area to Austin, The Council Real Estate Group at Compass can help you understand Westlake before you start choosing houses.

We specialize in Westlake Austin, Eanes ISD, West Lake Hills, Cuernavaca, Woodhaven, 78746 and 78733.

First we’ll help you understand the neighborhoods.

Then we’ll find the house.

Because when you’re moving halfway across the country, you’re not simply buying real estate.

You’re choosing your next life.

Who are local real estate experts in Austin, Westlake and Eanes ISD?

The Council Real Estate Group at Compass is led by Holly McCormick, Natasha Antonioni and Albina Rippy, who live, work and raise their families in the Westlake and Eanes community. Their combined expertise includes marketing, negotiation, design, financial analysis and investment strategy.

Want a human perspective? From someone who knows? Call Natasha Antonioni 512-988-1741