Not so Big Lots

The sun sets over houses and the Colorado River from Mount Bonnell. | Photo via @jason_kautz

It turns out not everything is bigger in Texas.

Residential lot sizes in Texas are the fifth-smallest in the US, clocking in at an average 9,540 sqft, according to a study done by online home services company Angi.

The study reviewed ~400,000 Zillow listings across all 50 states + 107 metropolitan areas to come up with its 2022 Lot Size Index. Here’s how Austin compares with other Texas metros:

Residents of the Beaumont-Port Arthur metro area enjoy the largest lots in Texas by a landslide, with the average lot measuring 13,939 sqft, marking the 27th-largest lots nationwide
The Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown metro area has the second-largest lots in Texas — 73rd-largest overall — coming in at ~8,930 sqft
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington has the third-largest lot sizes in the state —76th-largest overall — with 8,712 sqft to a typical lot.
The San Antonio-New Braunfels area has an average size of 7,405 sqft, ranking 11th-smallest overall
El Paso has the smallest lots — not just in Texas, but overall — at an average 6,098 sqft

But size doesn’t necessarily correlate with affordability. Austin’s price per square foot came in 19th most expensive in the US at $69.84 and dwarfed the state average, $36.64 per square foot. Here’s what Texas looks like in order of best bang for your buck:

Beaumont-Port Arthur: $15.35
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission: $28.94
Corpus Christi: $40.48
El Paso: $47.71
San Antonio-New Braunfels: $48.18
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land: $50.05
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington: $53.41
Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown: $69.84

If you’re looking for a truly Texas-sized homestead, you’ll have to venture to the northeast. Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine have the largest lot sizes, where size minimums prevent developers from dividing the land.

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EVENTS

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Today

Fairytale Threads Pop Up Consignment Shop | Fri., Sept. 9-Sat., Sept. 10 | Austin Sports Center | 10 a.m.-7 p.m. | Free | Peruse 20,000+ sqft of toys, books, clothes, and other goodies for babies at a discount.

Saturday

Sweet Eats Farm Fall Festival | Now-Sun., Nov. 20 | Sweet Eats Farm, 14400 E. State Hwy. 29, Georgetown | 9 a.m.-6 p.m. | $19.95+ | Get into the spirit of fall with a classic pumpkin patch, wagon rides, corn maze, live music + more at this festival . 🍂
Gruene 5K/10K Run | Sat., Sept. 10 | Gruene Hall, 1281 Gruene Rd., New Braunfels | 8 a.m. | $35+ | Participate in a 5K or 10K, and afterward enjoy Texas music, breakfast tacos, and ice cold beer from Guadalupe Brewing Company. 👟*

Sunday

9/11 Memorial Stair Climb | Sun., Sept. 11 | Hill Country Galleria, parking garage A | 7:46 a.m. | Free | Local police and fire rescue will climb 110 flights of stairs to pay tribute to the first responders of 9/11. 🇺🇸
Family Day at UMLAUF | Sun., Sept. 11 | UMLAUF Sculpture Garden | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Free | Unwind at UMLAUF for a family-friendly day of yoga, live music, crafts + more.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

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TECH

Real Estate

A couple relaxes in pool chairs and looks at rental properties on their phone while their two children play in the pool in front of them.

Because the global short-term rental market is $1.2 trillion, you know investing is a good idea. | Photo provided by reAlpha

So you’ve thought about investing in a short-term rental. The money’s great, the market’s booming — but you’d have to deal with changing sheets, guest correspondence, and expensive property upgrades. No thanks.

reAlpha wants to change that. The membership-based company’s goal is to democratize the real estate investment market with AI-driven tech + automated management that help Austinites invest in short-term rentals without the hassle of maintaining (or even fully owning) properties. Bonus: It’s not just Austin — they’re planning to buy properties everywhere. 🏘️ *

INVEST IN AUSTIN + BEYOND

NEWS NOTES

Weather

95º| Partly cloudy | 8% chance of rain 🌤

Development

Maruichi Stainless Tube Texas Corp. has picked Seguin to house a new, $75 million, 125,000-sqft manufacturing facility that is expected to create 100+ jobs upon completion. Construction is scheduled to begin early next year. (Austin Business Journal)

Ranked

If Austin wasn’t considered a full-blown foodie city before, it is now. Local restaurant + wine bar Birdie’s and Caribbean-fusion restaurant Canje have been named as two of the top 50 new restaurants around the country. 🥘 (Bon Appétit)

ICYMI

Dutch Queen Máxima paid a visit to little ol’ Austin on Thursday to commemorate Netherlands-Austin Friendship Day. Along the way, she went for a bike ride with Mayor Steve Adler and visited Q2 Stadium. 👑 (KXAN)

Closing

Word of Mouth Bakery is closing its Bouldin Creek doors, citing staffing shortages after taking a risk on opening a second location in early 2021. The 1506 South First St. location will close on Sun., Sept. 11, but its original 12th Street bakery will remain open. 🍪 (Eater Austin)

Learn

Guten morgen, Austin. If you’re ready to brush up on that high school German, do it the effective (and fun) way with Babbel. Its speech recognition technology will even help you nail your pronunciation + accent from the get-go. Bonus: Get 55% off your subscription — for a limited time only.*

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Events

Overhead view of a concert at Waterloo Amphitheater at night.

HAAM Day is throwing a city-wide celebration for its 19th anniversary. | Photo by Ryan Vestil

Hip-hip-hooray — HAAM Day is returning in-person for a day of live music from sunrise to well after sunset on Tues., Sept. 13.

The benefit is largest annual fundraiser for the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, which provides affordable healthcare access for working musicians in the Live Music Capital of the World.

Here are some of the shows we’re excited to see:

Jon Dee Graham | Moody Amphitheater at 9 a.m.
Carolyn Wonderland & Shelley King | Continental Club at 6:30 p.m.
Riders Against the Storm with DJ Zetroc | Moody Amphitheater at 7 p.m.

Admission to the 200+ scheduled shows from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. is free, and HAAM staff will be there to accept donations. Plus, certain co-sponsoring eateries — like Torchy’s Tacos and Via 313 — will be giving away food while supplies lasts.

Click here to view the full schedule

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Figi.

Editor’s pick: I’ve always been a lover of live music, so fall feels like Christmas to me with HAAM Day coming up and ACL Fest just around the corner. Let me know which local musicians you’re planning to see.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Click here to view the most local events in Austin.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Laura Figi, London Gibson, Dayten Rose, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea, Josh Kranzberg | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Julie Brown | Advertise with us.

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