78749: My Favorite Zip Code in South Austin
I live in 78749. I’ve lived here since I moved to Austin. And I’m not leaving.
If 78748 is a Kia, 78749 is a Lexus. Not flashy. Not loud. Just incredibly reliable. The kind of place you can drive for the rest of your life and never feel like you need to “upgrade.”
It’s comfortable. It’s practical. It’s quietly elite.
Why 78748 Might Be the Most Underrated Zip Code in South Austin
If zip codes had personalities, 78748 would be the quietly confident one in the room. Not flashy. Not loud. Just sitting there being wildly practical while everyone else fights over bragging rights.
78748 is a big zip code. Like, “you could live in it for years and still be discovering new pockets” big.
It stretches north to Davis Lane (which turns into Dittmar), south past Slaughter all the way to 1626 and even includes Estancia down by the I-35 corridor. It runs east to I-35 and west toward Brodie and Mopac. Translation: it covers a lot of South Austin real estate personality.
Why Is 78745 So Special?
When I first got into real estate eleven years ago, you could buy a house four blocks south of Ben White on a third of an acre for about $250,000.
Lowest Tax Rates in South
When people talk about affordability in South Austin, most of the focus goes to home prices and interest rates. Both matter. But the silent assassin of your monthly payment is something way less exciting.
Property taxes.
In South Austin, the average tax rate hovers right around 2%. That might not sound dramatic until you realize that a small difference in tax rate can mean thousands of dollars a year. And unlike interest rates, you don’t get to refinance your tax rate.
Legend Oaks… More Legend or More Oaks?
Legend Oaks is one of those South Austin neighborhoods that quietly wins without needing to brag about it. It doesn’t scream for attention. It just sits there being incredibly practical, well built, tree covered, and reasonably priced while everyone else argues about whether Circle C is worth it.
New Year, New House?
Every January, without fail, people start asking the same question.
“Is this the year we finally buy a house?”
And then they immediately follow it up with all the reasons they haven’t yet. Which, to be fair, have been pretty valid lately.
Over the past year or two, a lot of buyers hit pause. Some lost jobs. Some got nervous about affordability. Some watched Austin prices come down and decided they were going to time the market perfectly and buy at the absolute bottom. Others just looked at the news, saw interest rates, tariffs, elections, economic uncertainty, and said, “You know what? I’m going to sit this one out and stress quietly instead.”
South Austin Parks: One of the Most Underrated Reasons People Love Living Here
One of the best parts about South Austin is something people don’t always notice right away. The housing is not packed in like a game of Tetris and when the city built out the infrastructure, they actually left room for green space. Real green space. Parks you can use without an HOA password or a secret handshake.
Is Shady Hollow the Best Neighborhood in South Austin?
I lived in Shady Hollow for years, so I say this with confidence. It’s one of the best neighborhoods in South Austin… depending on who you ask. And if you ask people who live in Shady Hollow, they will absolutely tell you yes.
South Austin Real Estate Market Trends and Price Forecasts
(Or why our home values behave the way they do, even when the rest of the city seems to be having an identity crisis.)
If you’ve been watching the South Austin real estate market and thinking “What exactly drives these prices?”, don’t worry. You’re not alone. South Austin is its own ecosystem. It marches to the beat of its own drum, wears Chacos to formal events, and somehow manages to stay one of the most desirable parts of the city even when the broader market goes a little sideways.
But after years of working these neighborhoods, I can tell you there are two major forces that dictate values and trends here.
How to Schedule Home Tours for South Austin Listings
(And how to avoid the classic mistakes that make the process way harder than it needs to be.)
For some reason, scheduling a home tour feels like it should be as simple as clicking a button and showing up. But in South Austin real estate, things are rarely that simple. We have 80s houses, 90s houses, homes with surprise add-ons, and at least three neighborhoods where the streets make no logical sense. And somewhere in the middle of all that, buyers still manage to make the same scheduling mistakes over and over again.
So let’s talk about how to do this the right way.
Best Real Estate Agents Specializing in South Austin Homes
(Spoiler: The best ones know this place like it’s their hometown, favorite restaurant and therapist all in one.)
South Austin is a vibe. It always has been. It is this perfect mash up of older charm, mature trees and neighborhoods that grew one wave at a time. If you want to buy or sell here, you need an agent who understands those waves, those pockets and why one street can behave completely differently than the next.
South Austin is not a one size fits all real estate market. It is more like a greatest hits album with multiple decades represented.
How to Find Affordable Houses in South Austin Neighborhoods
(Spoiler: It’s possible… if you know where to look.)
Trying to find an affordable home in South Austin can feel a little like trying to find a quiet toddler at a birthday party. Technically possible, but it requires strategy, hydration, and maybe a little luck.
South Austin is loved, competitive, full of character, and full of people trying to get into the exact same neighborhoods at the exact same time. So the big question I get is simple:
Where can you still find affordable homes around here?
Good news: they exist. Better news: I know exactly where.
Legend Oaks: Where Pricing Your Home Right Still Works (Shocking, I Know)
Legend Oaks is one of those neighborhoods people fall in love with instantly, tree-lined streets, friendly neighbors, and homes that somehow feel both cozy and spacious at the same time. It’s the South Austin sweet spot. And recently, it also became the perfect example of a real estate truth I’ve been preaching for years:
Pricing. Is. Everything.
Say it louder for the sellers in the back.
Monthly Man Cave: Because Grown Men Need Friends Too
onight is another Monthly Man Cave! A little tradition I started when I realized something both hilarious and kind of sad: a bunch of grown men can live within 200 feet of each other and still act like they’re on opposite sides of the planet.
We’ll wave when we pull out of the driveway. We’ll nod when we’re taking out the trash at the same time. But actually hang out? Actually meet? Actually know each other’s names?
Yeah… apparently that requires an event.
So I created one.
The Circle C Flip That Looked Like a Supermodel… From the Inside
This weekend I was out showing homes in Circle C, six of them, to be exact, all priced between $800,000 and $1,200,000. Which means there was a lot of square footage, a lot of “wow” moments, and at least one staircase that made me wonder if I should’ve stretched beforehand.
My clients and I toured everything from classic Circle C layouts to freshly remodeled beauties. And then we found the one…
Well, almost.
Why Our Western Oaks Home Proves Real Estate Is a Long Game
When my wife and I bought our home in Western Oaks back in 2020, we snagged it for $500,000 which, at the time, felt like we had just pulled off the greatest heist in South Austin history. The house had great bones, tons of potential, and a layout that said, “Go on, remodel me. I dare you.”
Why I’m Basically the Resident Expert of South Austin Home Sales
(And Yes, I’m Owning It)
If you’ve spent any amount of time in South Austin, you already know it’s a magical place. It’s where tacos count as a major food group, every bar has a dog that may or may not be on the payroll, and people will swear their street is the best-kept secret in the city… even though it absolutely isn’t.