Austin receives the second highest number in the country of online real estate page views from outsiders, based on Zillow page view data for June 2016 for sale and unlisted homes. Second only to San Francisco, this includes people from all over the United States who are conducting research into Austin real estate.
San Francisco homes received more page views from other cities than 92 percent of markets, and Austin homes received more page views from other cities than 86 percent of markets.
Conversely, though, about half of Austin residents searching for real estate are searching in other areas. Why? Zillow surmises the young population may be more mobile as far as jobs. It also said looking for lower-cost housing may be a factor.
The vast majority of searches by Austin residents were for within Austin or in other Texas cities. The only other two cities even to appear were Los Angeles at 0.9 percent and Denver at 1.4 percent.
The report noted that more than a third of American adults have never lived outside of their home town. A majority also has never lived outside of their home state. When Americans do move, 80 percent stay in the same state, and two-thirds stay in the same country, at least according to data from those who moved between 2008 and 2009.
But, does all this admiration equal outside buyers intent to move to Austin, or are people just daydreaming about beautiful real estate? And do Austin residents really plan to leave, or are they just fantasizing about moving to the Hill Country? Read the Zillow report and decide.