Despite the general downward trend of real estate throughout the country, a recent survey conducted by First American Loan Performance shows that Austin real estate is truly unique. In fact, the survey found that the prices of homes in Austin have actually gone up 8.6%. In addition, Austin was recently named one of the Top Places to Buy by Entrepreneur Magazine.

I always thought that I was bias when I recommended Austin real estate as the place to buy. After all, I live and work in Austin, so it only seems natural that I would try to encourage people to move this way. So, reading all of the positive press this great city has been receiving lately serves as a bit of a validation for me.

If you are thinking about investing in Austin real estate or if you are considering moving to the area, here are some other facts that might help sway your decision:

• Unemployment in Austin is below the state average and below the national average. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.4% while Texas has a rate of 3.9%. Austin is just 3.3%!

• Employment opportunities in Texas continue to grow – 206,400 new jobs were added in the last year alone.

• The population in Austin is well educated, with 40% of its residents holding university degrees.

• Austin was ranked #4 in a list of top ten tech US tech cities in WIRED magazine Personally, I was initially drawn to Austin because of its amazing natural beauty and climate. But, when taking a closer look at how much the city has to offer from an economical standpoint, it is easy to see why so many people are looking to invest in Austin real estate. With the prices of Austin real estate quickly moving in the upward direction, purchasing land in the city is definitely a good investment.

About the author:

Eric Bramlett is the broker & co-owner of the Austin real estate company One Source Realty.  Eric currently invests in the Austin market, and works with select buyers & sellers.  One Source Realty specializes in all areas of residential Austin real estate, and has recently launched their niche Austin lofts & condo site