yes please. how gorgeous is this place!!

It’s hard to resist anywhere with windows like that. I’m in the same position - I’ve found my new dream house but I haven’t even got mine on the market yet. It’s so nice to window-shop though isn’t it?

still out of my price range but wow that is pretty inexpensive for what you get! love the windows and trees.

Austin is such a great city, and that is a lot of house for the price. Well, compared to anywhere in CA, it’s a deal. Thanks for letting us all dream with you.

Can you afford $650,000? I know you live in New York City, but that’s a hefty mortgage, even for someone used to really inflated housing prices.

Sweet jeepers, that is the house of my DREAMS!!! Why aren’t there any houses like that in Canada……oh wait, because we have nasty, nasty winters…sigh.

I totally was avoiding looking at the price because compared to Houston, Austin is really high price wise but I dream of living there.

That place is breathtaking. Really.

how are taxes in austin? I’m ready to sell out of brooklyn and do this — or something like this. but my children would be Texans? that’s hard for me to wrap my head around!

The house is gorgeous and Austin is fun, but it’s in Texas! I’m living in a red state now, and let me tell you, it is not worth it. I can’t wait to move back to the city.

well if you don’t move there you can always stay in park slope and get a tiny one bedroom with no outdoor space for 650,000. (you are making me dream too.)

oh grace! every time you post about austin i get butterflies! I’m from there, now living in Brooklyn, but trying to get back as soon as possible…:(

Julia, taxes are very high in Austin. Eanes is one of the priciest for school taxes.

Beautiful home. From the photos, it feels like a tree house (a very comfortable one). I live in the northeast as well, but have lived in warmer climates where it’s green throughout the year (even in dry months in the Bay area you still see lots of foliage), and besides the sunlight, it’s uplifting to see green year-round and to have the option to live outdoors more often. Obviously every place has its pros and cons, but it sounds like you’re considering some great options. Looking at real estate before visiting is a great idea, because you can consider the financial viability of living there before getting truly attached to the place when you eventually visit. Good luck with your decision if/when you decide to move!

Texas is great. No state taxes! And Austin is very diverse, politically and otherwise. The people are nice, the pace is slower. I say come on down!

You’ll want to look at the local school taxes. They can be very high and vary by district. A 650k house can easily run 8 - 10K a year in taxes in one of the “better” districts.

Seriously, the taxes are not that bad. There’s no state income tax at all. But I’d balk at paying $650K for a house in Austin, when it’s SO easy to find one in the $250s that’s just incredible. Dallas too…. there are routinely fantastic MCM properties listed here http://www.dallasmod.com/Index.aspx , and if you want something old and creaky with lots of details, Swiss Avenue is the place to buy: http://www.dougnewby.com/neighborhoods/munger_place_and_swiss_avenue/swiss.asp

these units are up for sale in my ‘hood:
http://www.metrohouseaustin.com/oakcrest2801b/index.html
still quite a lot. There are lots of comfy older homes around though that can be bought for a decent price.

Wow, this house is a dream. I too find myself looking at homes down south. It is very tempting as you do see yourself living the life in there. And it can be heartbreaking because one, it’s not in my budget and two, I won’t be able to move there for now. Siiigghh.

totally amazing. home is where you make it and Grace, I could totally see you here. Besides you are a traveler and you can always travel back to NYC and Brooklyn. Moving is good for you sometimes.

I so want a contemporary house next time.

hi grace!

what a great resource for window shopping in austin! where do you look when you’re checking out places in chicago? i’m currently looking for an apartment there before my big move sometime this summer (currently living in ghent - norfolk, va!) and i’m still lurking around craigslist hoping to get lucky. help!

yes… move to chicago! we have had so much snow this season and it has been beautiful… not scary at all. we have gorgeous sun in the summer and the city is so fun!

i just visited austin for the first time and fell in love with the city and surrounding area. the food was amazing and the weather during was lovely.

Soooo beautiful. *sigh* But I’ve already been a Texan (that’s where I was born), and no amount of house would make me do it again. I’m in San Francisco now, and willing to settle for a smaller place to stay here. Still, if you’ve never been a Texan, it’s okay for a while. But keep in mind it’s BIG and driving to anywhere else takes forever!! (I’m talking days.)

bianca,

hello! exciting that you are coming to chi-town :) I have lived here for a few years, but just moved into a new place, so I’m fresh off the apartment search. If you are looking to rent, here are a few good sites to browse around on:

craigslist (as you know)

http://www.chicagoreader.com/
(look in the apartments section)

http://www.apartmentpeople.com/
(this is a finding service…can sometimes be touch and go, but I’ve found 2 awesome apartments through them. You just need to know exactly what you want)

http://www.wirtzrealty.com/
(best leasing company in the city, in my opinion. beautiful vintage buildings and immaculately upkept. I just moved back into one of their buildings because I liked it so much!)

feel free to email if you want help with neighborhood selection, etc.? hope that helps!

-megh

I used to live around Austin when I was in grad school and yes, Austin is in Texas, but this area of Texas is stunning. Plus, amazing swimming holes, cheap beer, great cheap shows (I once saw Blond Redhead/The Shins) for $5 at Emo’s, geez louise), and AMAZING people. I would love to move back. Not only are people friendly, there’s definitely a lot of activism going on there. I say go for it. Oh–and Austin’s right next to the Texas Hill Country, so parts of it look more like Sonoma County, Calif., than Texas. Plus, swimming holes!! Sorry, I know I already said that. The swimming holes are just unbelievable. Plus all the constant sweating gives you great skin (again, I’m serious).

yes it’s definitely a great area to live in the last few years! i’m also from virginia beach and moving to ghent definitely made walking, instead of driving around everywhere, more of a reality. when i bought a table at Futures Antiques, i actually started talking to Ronn about your blog and he said that you’ve bought lamps from him! cool!

We left NY about 7 years ago for SF. The transition was hard, because the lifestyle is so different. I never drove and don’t particularly like driving and yes, SF has public transportation and it isn’t bad if you never lived in NY. We did and it pretty much sucked in comparison. You do no matter what people tell you, get a LOT more for your money in SF and the taxes are lower.

The weather in SF is to die for. I miss it so much. We are now in weather hell in the city of Minneapolis, and considering moving back to NY or SF. NY you pay so much for not much living space and it is a stressful life. But we’ve found that we miss it.

It’s hard leaving NY, no city in the US can compare. It is a wonderful stressful, expensive, mind expanding place. If having a yard is important and living in a city is important unless you’re extremely rich finding another city is your only option.

Austin sounds wonderful to me. And man who wouldn’t want that house. AT 650000 what a steal!!

Oh, man, his house is KILLING me! The Hubs and I are house hunting right now (so exciting!) but our options…well, let’s just say they don’t look anything like this. ;) I wish I could put up with the heat in Texas!

Austin is the place to be! There is such an amazing community of creative people, sweet businesses, and the overall vibe in the city is awesome. If you can stand the heat you should head out there ASAP. I can’t wait to get out of this awful Chicago winter and get back to Austin eventually.

this is certainly a dream home. i nearly cried when i saw the price. that would be a tear-down in the hollywood hills. grab it if you can!!!
how fun to be looking for your dream home!

hi megh,

wow, thanks! this is a really HUGE help for me. as far as neighborhoods go, i’m not quite sure yet but i’m planning a visit in the next couple of months to get a better feel of the different areas. you will definitely be hearing from me again hopefully when i have more specific questions after the trip. thanks so much!

I have been living in Austin for the past 10 years! I love Austin, you have the city in one side and then trees and lakes in the other side! It is a very safe, laid back, nice weather city! My kids go to a very peaceful and very farm like school in the countryside! We love it! We have so many lovely places to shop and eat! And the best thing is that you can wear your flip flops almost everywhere! It is very different from big cities like Dallas and Houston! Too much concrete! I love Austin! I have live in other states and countries and Austin is one of my favorites! Good luck and I really enjoy reading your lovely blog!

The taxes thing is so insane. My husband started making me look at Westchester (rivertown area) when we had our kids are were looking at future of 25k kindergarten tuition — or the local public which is so-so.

Real estate taxes in that area of westchester is routinely 18k. 20k. 22k. A year! Every damn year!

Then again, in btw city/state/fed taxes in NYC, we paid 50% in taxes before we bought our place and had substantial deductions.

6-8k in taxes looks cheap from here!

Thanks for sharing this amazing home with your readers! Grace (or others), let me know if you’ll be in town for SXSW and we can arrange a visit. You really have to see the home in person to appreciate all of the details in the design and construction.

We have had a lot of interest from people in NYC & SF who are considering relocating to Austin. As many of the comments suggest, Austin has a lot to offer - lakes, hill Country, warm weather, great schools, no state income taxes, lots of high-tech and creative work, …the list goes on.

If you’re curious about other modern homes for sale in Austin I have a list here that I update daily:
Modern Listings at InspiredAustin.com.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, I am the agent selling the home above, and I specialize in modern architecture and green-built homes here in Austin.

As Grace noted above, my blog is here: InspiredAustin.com.

The property taxes throughout Texas have dropped the past couple of years. It does vary a lot though based on where you live, Inside Austin, figure about 2.2% of the value of the home. I live outside the city limits in Travis County and we pay only $1.87%. In Steiner Ranch (NW Austin) it’s about 2.7% for property taxes.

For your dream home above, the 2007 tax rate was 2.69%.

Come on to Austin, it’s great here and we love New Yorkers!
Steve

can i move in too? that house is wonderful! my hubby loves austin for the bbq and music, but i’ve never been.

OH. MY. GOD. I want it!!!!!!!!

I agree that the housing options in Austin are amazing when put up against your NYC options. I lived in TX for 25 years and Brooklyn for 10. I can say this for certain because i’ve lived in both places: TX is not ethnically diverse compared to NYC. There are things to do, but commuting/driving EVERYwhere gets tiring. It is HOT there for at least half the year. There are no ’seasons’. Fall and spring are very short. There are plenty of cool people in austin, but it’s still a red (republican) state. I really think chicago or SF would be most desirable step after living in bklyn.

The taxes for a place in bklyn will run you about 1000-2000/year.

Austin is so great! It’ doesn’t even seem like part of Texas, honestly.
And one of the best things about it is the relatively low standard of living amidst so much cultural happenings and diversity. With the large influx of people moving in every day, the city is certainly experiencing its changes, but it’s not losing its charm anytime soon.

I work in the part of town where that gorgeous house is (Westlake/Bee Caves). It’s definitely one of the nicer parts of town, real hilly and open.

Austin is a wonderful place. I lived there for 3 years and miss it often. Brooklyn living doesn’t compare, but be prepared for minimal season change and the hottest weather ever.

If anyone is looking to buy, better do it soon. Many of the desired neighborhoods are becoming extremely unaffordable. Oh and there’s no state taxes.

And yes, the swimming holes and the hill country are like no other place.

i’ve only been to austin once, and i’ve dreamed of moving there ever since. but i have similar city crushes on philadelphia and portland. i stalk them on craigslist on a regular basis!

As a native Texan that now lives in NYC, I can tell you that 10 years after moving here, I still miss Austin. Food, shady trees, laidback vibe and truly kind+creative people. Ask around - you’ll never hear a bad word about the place. sigh.

oh! And no income taxes in TX!

What a gorgeous house!

If you where in Texas today you’d be enjoying upper 60’s weather!

Wow, Design*Sponge in Austin would be heaven. I’m here for college, but once I graduate, I’m staying. I think the only negative thing I have to say about this city is the weather (however, being from Houston, it’s not so bad). I love how laid back, progressive, and just plain pretty Austin is. The live music doesn’t hurt either…

My parents live less than a mile from here. It’s where I grew up, but I live in the city now.

It’s not in the city limits. There’s no public transportation- you definitly need a car. And you can’t vote in *city* elections.

Compared to just 10 years ago, this area has skyrocketed in value. A lot of the surrounding land was bought up and built upon. It has been a shame seeing the beautiful landscape disappear. The view used to make the drive into and out of the city limits bearable. The traffic is really bad now.

I much prefer being inside Austin for everyday living. The drive from my parents house to my apartment in central austin is about 12 miles/30 minutes away. During rush hour it takes me longer.

If you don’t go into the city often I think it’s a great place to live. I still consider my parents house my “home”. I really like it there.

One more thing, Eanes is a great school district but the school taxes are very high.

I agree with Old Texan about the lack of diversity - it’s very white compared to NY or LA. One of my LA Asian friends came to visit and she quickly noticed how she was always the only Asian everywhere we went.

And it’s still very conservative. I lived there for 18mos - during the 2004 elections, and even in the 78704 “cool” zipcode I felt like a very out of place Dem. It’s liberal for Texas, but we are still talking about bright red TX.

If you only like Tex-Mex and BBQ, the food is good, but we really missed the diversity of restaurants that you find in NY or LA.

hi, i’m a new comer to your site - found it randomly a couple of weeks ago. just wanted to say i love your site. and that this house is absolutely awesome! i love it. and i want one exactly like it! hehe

Austin is really a great city, but I’m allergic to the cedar trees which are EVERYWHERE! I never had allergies before until I visited Austin, and my throat swelled up and my eyes watered. It was awful. But, I hear you on living somewhere cheaper. I live in San Francisco, which is a great city, but so expensive in rent …

Someday if you ever do look for another place to live, you should consider Chicago. It seems like the Midwest is a little better in terms of cost of living, even in a city like that.
- MM

It’s funny how everyone loves this house. I’ve been seeing it a lot the past few weeks on various blogs. It was designed by my friend’s brother Tom Hurt. It is a bit out west from Austin proper and surprisingly expensive considering, but gorgeous nonetheless.

this place is just a dream!!

I moved to Austin almost two years ago from Boston and we absolutely love it. We didn’t have any family here, just loved the climate, the people, the city life, the music, the hill country, the outdoorsy stuff, the art stuff, the pace of life and pretty much everything about this city. I don’t think we’ll ever move back east!

I live withing walking distance of this house, and it totally surprises me to see people saying how cheap it is! It’s been on the market for a while. I’ve been in the house and it’s cool, but I think it’s overpriced due to the design and it being on an AIA tour in the past. For that kind of money, you could live a lot closer to town!

I moved to Austin 13 years ago and people gave me hell about moving to Texas. Most of them had not lived here, though. I’m certainly happy as a clam here and the only time I think about leaving is when I’m house hunting. Folks from out of state keep driving up our home prices here, and even as DINKS, my husband and I were pushed outside of the city limits to find an affordable place to live.

Robyn - my husband and I just moved out here to Austin just over 2 years ago - same sort of thing as you - we knew nobody - we just came for a weekend and had to move. We love it as well. We live pretty close to central so we walk and ride bikes a lot - we have very little need for a car which I love.

Susan CH - I think you’re assessment of Austin may be a bit off. There is a lot of great diverse food - my husband and I pretty much only eat out for ethnic. We live in the 78704 zip and I have to say the predominant theme for lawn decoration is anti-war and anti-”W” signs. Also, Obama and Hilary are debating here next week - there are 100 tickets available in a lottery to see it and there are 30,000 people in the lottery.

growing up in austin and now living in chicago and about to move back to nyc i feel like i can relate to all the pros and cons of these places. austin is fantastic and defiantly beautiful and mellow. but, let me tell ya–it’s HOT! like so so hot. like “i’m grumpy for 5 months because i’m too hot to do anything” hot. and non-locals often don’t understand because they think they can swim and drink iced tea and be ok. not so much. but then again—chicago is COLD! and they’re both affordable but austin is rising a lot and i think you can actually get more bang for your buck here in chicago–strange as that sounds. but–seriously–it seems like a win/win situation. good luck on all your exciting decisions!

This is a great house, and it seems to sell more of a lifestyle than a building. I’ve always been fascinated with Austin myself and the lifestyle out West rather than in the Northeast. I live in Montreal which is a fantastic city, but in the middle of winter, I would give anything to be in a warm and sunny outdoor environment!

I married a Texan who I met in Brooklyn (I’m from GA) and I have to say TX isn’t so bad. Though If only I could plop this house on top of a building in Bklyn…

I miss trees though. If only Brooklyn had more trees. Bushwick is pretty dry.

Texas is an amazing place! Don’t let stereotypes bring you down.

First, pick Where you would like to live, then contact a good modernist architect and show him/her these pictures (keep a file of things that you find and like)…I am certain that you can get everything that you want and more. I know of many architects, myself included, that LOVE to work on things of this nature.
BTW…that bathroom with the skylight is a thing of beauty!

Please remember that you are not likely to make Brooklyn wages in Austin. I live in Austin and the houses that are in convenient neighborhoods are not reasonable by any stretch of the imagination, and also remember that you can’t rely on public transportation or walking-it is a car culture. It has many good features but looking at real estate online is a good way to be sorely disappointed when you actually go to shop. Plus there are already far too many Californians here that are rapidly changing the culture in a not-good way. Finally, it is hot here 9 months of the year. Real hot.

move to austin, it’s beautiful there with the hills and it’s sunny most of the time. i’ve been to visit twice. i live in chicago and am planning to move out of this cold city to somewhere warmer, both climate and personality-wise. the summers are wonderful but they only last 2.5 months. the winter lasts 6 months. not worth it!

As a native Austinite currently living in NYC I say GO! Austin is a wonderful city. Every time I leave I only want to go back home. In fact, I’m moving back in 6 months. If you crave an artsy, laid-back culture surrounded by trees, music and creeks then you will love it. While many are right about Texas being a racist, backwards state Austin is the little oasis. How bad can it be if Willy Nelson lives there?

i am from austin and i have to say every time i go home it has changed so much. too many people are moving there. sadly it is losing it’s charm.

I am from Austin, lived in Chicago for 4 years, and have been in Brooklyn for almost 3 years, and nothing compares to NYC! If you want to raise a family or have a job that allows you to travel Austin could be nice. It is a quiet town with a lot of traffic. It is hot and wages are low in relation to cost of living… there really is not a lot to do. Really. How many times can you go to Polvos and Barton Springs? Chicago has so much to offer in terms of culture and diversity, but I found it to be cold, both the weather and the attitudes. I love Brooklyn. I love everything the city has to offer. I think you just have to let go of the idea of owning property here. Grace, go visit Austin for 2 weeks in August and report back! Good luck with your dreamy search!

The diversity of comments about Grace’s post has gotten me thinking about how varied all of our priorities are when it comes to lifestyle and general living arrangements. Clearly, your post, Grace, is one that is inspired by your love of good design, but it also has raised so many other considerations, if even inadvertently, by the proliferation of posts in response. I cannot help but chime in.
Sadly, I live in neither Brooklyn, Austin, or Chicago, though would love all of them for very different reasons. Instead, I live in Central NJ and pine for the green grass of the other side! However, as a native New Mexican, a liberal, and an unabashed Westerner, I understand the appeal of a place like Austin. It is a city that seems to understand green living, it has a thriving community of smart and creative people, and it even has a hip “craft mafia.” Were I moving from a city, like Philly, where I lived for a long while, I would certainly be sad to give up the convenience of large-scale public transportation, city walking, and the proliferation of large museums, the Texan desert and its laid-back denizens (who are certainly diverse, if not in the same way as one might find in an coastal hub like NYC) have a lot to offer those willing to seek out and savor their charms. I miss being an urban dweller daily, but would move back to New Mexico or set off to Austin in a heartbeat. For a garden, for the laid-back neighbors, and even for the “dry” summer heat, which, though cliche, really is more bearable than the humid mid-Atlantic summers.
And, one note on the red state/blue state thing… I really believe that there is a danger in one wanting to live only near people who are of the same persuasion–political or otherwise. Clearly, we seek out the like-minded in life, but they can be found everywhere. Just look. And then, maybe have a conversation with someone who wears a different political badge than your own. I find life more interesting that way.

In all my years of living in Austin, I have NEVER heard anyone here say they regretted relocating or that they wanted to move anyplace else. NEVER. Not one time. And, that includes the 2 or 3 people I’ve known who were from NYC. And you can’t go wrong buying real estate here, either.

Aimee- That’s great! We live in 78704 area, in Barton Hills Neighborhood. We love living right on the greenbelt and being able to bike down the hill to the hike and bike and town lake. I can say for sure, this city charms me more ever day that I live here. I just got back from an evening swim at Big Stacy Pool with the kids. Another thing I love about Austin is that people are always out and about every night of the week!

My office had the good fortune designed this house on this great site, and it has been fun and informative to run across this blog.

Most of our projects are in Austin, but we do work in other places and have like-minded colleagues who we work with in California, cities on the East Coast, and in Europe. Please visit our website if you are interested in seeing more projects, and please visit our office when you visit Austin. Thanks,