Last week the Amerifan Statesman wrote:

"Against the worst national economy in more than 60 years, the Austin area stands out as the best market in the nation."--quoting Mark Sprague, an economist and expert on the economy and housing markets both locally and nationally, in his 2012 Forecast.  "There's tremendous demand coming to this city," Sprague said.

This positive local outlook was echoed by Mark Dotzour, chief economist and directror of research for the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University.  The area will continue to add jobs, about 7000 to 11000 jobs in 2011, and closer to 15,200 more jobs in 2012, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.  "Austin has doubled  its  population every 20 years, he said, throiugh every downturn for the past 100 years.

As a realtor reading this, I would add that with 96% rental occupancy,  it is a Landlord's Market, and I recommend (especially with borrowing rates straddling 4% with 20% down) now is the time to buy that first--or second--investment property.  Think of it as a college funding project over 15 years.  The tenants will pay off your mortgage, you will get the deductions, and the property will likely appreciate in a decade.  Depending on how much you put down, any property can positively cash flow from the start!  What a great investment.  Better than worrying about the yoyo stock market of late.  And real estate is tangible, not like a stock certificate piece of paper.  Think about it!