Doing a property search within the Austin MLS area can be a challenge. It is difficult for buyers searching AustinHomeSearch.com or Realtor.com because some of the MLS Areas are too large and lack good definition. It is easier for REALTORS® because we have the ability to search by drawing a rectangle, circle or even a polygon on a map. Still, some of the area are quite awkward to search. This is about to change. Before you read more, take a look at the existing Austin MLS Map.
The Austin Multiple Listing Service is undergoing a change in service Areas. This was announced a year or so ago. People at the Austin Board of REALTORS® (ABoR) along with some Board member REALTORS® redrew some Area boundaries so they would make more sense for REALTORS® as well as home buyers and sellers. The new map will go into effect toward the end of 2006.
I saw a map of the Area changes and saw several significant changes. The first is the in the area I work the most. Lake South (LS) split into LS and Lake West (LW). The current LS area goes approximately from the Lake Travis south shore to Mansfield Dam to Barton Creek to the Hays County line to the Burnet County line. This is a large geographic area.
Lake South will be split. The new LW Area will go from the Pedernales River west following Lake Travis to the Dripping Springs school district line to the Blanco County line to Hwy 71 to How 281 and back to Lake Travis (the Colorado River). This split makes sense. People looking for a home not too far from Austin generally don’t look past the Pedernales River. Adjusting the Area to the Dripping Springs school district line makes sense for obvious reasons.
Another change that I like is the redefining of Areas 10 and Southwest (SW). The current Area 10 is west of IH 35 and south or Hwy 290 almost all the way to the Hays County line. It is a large area that is defined more by subdivisions and schools than anything else. Area SW currently wraps around 10 going to the Hays County line and then west to where Hwy 290 and Hays County intersect. This large area will become 10 North, 10 South and SW East and SW West. If you go back to the Austin MLS map, this will make a lot of sense when looking at the map.
Another change splits Area 4, which is currently the University of Texas and downtown Austin. This is being split into UT and DT. Again, if you think of or look at a map, this makes a lot of sense. The downtown market has a lot of new high-rise apartments and condos going in. The university area has a lot of student rental properties. This change will make searching much easier for students and for people wanting the urban lifestyle.
Significant additions include area GZ, CM, MC and GP. GZ is Gonzales County, which is southeast of Austin. CM is Comal County, which is southwest of Austin and includes the city of New Braunfels and Canyon Lake. MC is Milam County, which is northeast of Round Rock. GP is Gillespie County, which is west of Dripping Springs about an hour. GP includes the wonderful city of Fredericksburg.
So what we will have larger with the new map sill be a larger geographic area that ABoR now serves and service areas that make a bit more sense.
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