Lake Travis, Dripping Springs growth in home starts

LAKE TRAVIS, DRIPPING SPRINGS – For the first time in history, in 2013 the Austin metro area experienced more construction starts on homes than San Antonio.

A lot of that growth is being directed at the north and west parts of the Austin area, according to Madison Inselmann, regional director of Metrostudy Austin.

The Lake Travis area — stretching from River Place and Westlake west to Spicewood — saw 1,123 home starts in first quarter 2014, up 4.8 percent from 1Q 2013, which was up 47.9 percent from 1Q 2012.

“With one of the top school districts in the state, the influx of young families to the area has been abundant,” said Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce president Laura Mitchell. “It’s also the charm and beauty of the lake, hills and small community atmosphere.”

The number of home starts within Dripping Springs ISD has also increased in recent years. Home starts increased more than 22 percent from 2012 to 2013 and more than 35 percent from 2013 to 2014.

According to Inselmann, the Austin metro area is expected to complete 12,132 new apartment units in the next year, 10 percent of which will be in the Lake Travis area.