What is 78704?

78704 or what is popularly referenced as “04” is the hottest zip code in Austin, Texas.  04 includes SoCo (South Congress) which is the hippest area of town (restaurants, clubs, The San Jose Hotel, Jo’s Coffee, The Continental Club), Travis Heights (old, cool, trendy), Bouldin (that’s a creek that runs through it), s. 1st, s. Lamar (more clubs) and Zilker (awesome park … aka ACL Music Fest, Barton Springs pool).   

Neighborhoods in 04 include Travis Heights (Congress to IH35, Riverside to Oltorf), St. Eds (Oltorf to 290, Congress to IH35), South 1^st, Bouldin, Zilker, Barton Hills etc.

Real estate wise it includes $700k contemporary new construction next door to shacks selling for $300k+.  This area has experienced serious appreciation over the past 10 years but has taken a bit of a correction with the 2009 real estate woes with the more expensive homes sitting on the market for quite some time.  But 78704 will always hold on location, location, location which translates into ongoing real estate demand.  It’s a vool place to live but it’s expensive so be prepared for that reality.  You can get a very basic (read small) condo in the area in the mid to high $200’s but you typically need to get to $400k – $600k to get substance.  You definitely get location here but you’ll pay for it. 

Forbes says “one of the top performing housing markets”, historically is it one of Austin’s  highest appreciation neighborhoods and the future looks solid as there are still plenty of tired properties that have yet to be scooped up and renovated into top $ properties.

If you’re in town, check out First Thursday, music and the general scene on South Congress, go for a walk around Ladybird Lake, The Continental Club, stay at The San Jose if you can, coffee at Jo’s.  It’s a hip and groovy area, check it out.

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