Austin, Texas is an affordable and appealing city. Known for its thriving cultural scene and vibrant nightlife, Austin is cosmopolitan, yet unpretentious. Business is high-tech, yet people are low-key. Austin is both a big city as well as a quirky college town, and residents will tell you that it is the kind of place where you can trade in your business suit for some blue jeans and enjoy a quality of life you’ll find only in Austin.

But don’t let Austin’s informal lifestyle fool you. Austin is home to many large high-tech corporations and the city is a hot-bed of start-up innovation and entrepreneurial growth. As a result, the area has earned the nickname, “Silicon Hills ." Ever since Michael Dell started selling computers from his University of Texas dorm room, Austin has built a reputation that has inspired thousands of talented people to invest in the fertile entrepreneurial environment.

While other areas of the country have struggled during recent economic hard times, business in Austin has stayed hot through more than two decades. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Austin was one of the fastest growing cities during the 1990s – growing nearly 48 percent – and continues to remain near the head of the pack in the 21 st century compared to other metropolitan areas.

Austin is consistently at the top of many media “best places to live” polls and the area is a destination for an ever-growing number of families and organizations that make Austin their home. Some reasons for this staying power are the plentiful job market and the talented workforce available, the high median family income, and the relatively undervalued real estate market. As a result, real estate investors can find many profitable opportunities in Austin, but you need to know where to look, and why, in order to make the most of your investments.