Which Property Type I'd Invest In

I'm choosing single-family detached as the area I would go ahead and invest in. I'd do this in the Lake Travis area, just outside of Austin, 20 minutes or so away from downtown.

When looking at statistics on vacancy rates for Austin/Lake Travis I found that the area was among the 20 best for lowest vacancy rates among U.S. cities. In fact, with an 8.2% vacancy rate it ranked 19th. However, that vacancy rate is .2% higher from 2011, a possible sign of an increase in vacancies, but it doesn't seem likely. On the other hand, net absorption in the area was down slightly in 2012.

Seeing all of the development in the area first hand, especially as my parents are building a house in the area themselves, I've begun to see just how much the Austin area has grown in under a decade. 15 minutes outside of downtown used to be a fair distance from the city, now many consider that a stone's throw away from the city center. As this expansion has ceased to grow, and Austin/Lake Travis continue to get raving reviews from both homeowners and housing surveys, another sign of continued expansion. Most of the land has brilliant views, and comes at a premium price. A typical house in the Lake Travis area can range from $50k to a few million dollars or so.