Austin is known for a lot of things, but its walkability isn’t one of them—in fact, it’s a middling 33rd most walkable in the country, by at least one metric, which gives it a walk score of 40 out of 100. It does a little worse on its transit score (34) and much better on being bicycle-friendly (54).

Obviously, though, some neighborhoods are more pedestrian- and bike-friendly than others. With restaurants, shops, housing, and museums clustered together, often on the same block, Downtown Austin is great for walkers. The winding, often sidewalk-free streets of Northwest Hills? Not so much.

To get a sense of which neighborhoods in Austin offer the best car-free experience, we rounded up the ones with the highest ratings on Walk Score, a site that…

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Bee Cave City Council met Oct. 13 to discuss the establishment of a public improvements district at the future site of The Backyard development. (Rendering courtesy city of Bee Cave)

As progress continues on The Backyard development in Bee Cave, residents could see the establishment of the first public improvements district within city limits.

The PID, according to city information, would permit Bee Cave to levy an assessment against properties within a selected area to pay for desired public improvements that would primarily serve that area. Bee Cave would then issue bonds to fund those capital projects and pay them off by levying an annual installment on those within the PID.

Bee Cave City Council unanimously passed a resolution during an Oct. 13 meeting to establish a PID following a presentation from Robert Rivera, a representative of FMS Bonds Inc. and the city’s acting PID underwriter.

In this case, the PID will pertain to the…

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Privately situated at the end of the cul-de-sac, this incredible home features an oversized lot with breathtaking panoramic views of the hill country. Enjoy spectacular sunsets by the pristine pool from one of the many outdoor entertaining areas. With approximately 4,200 square feet, this home has a space for every purpose and has been recently updated with fresh paint and carpet. The main level boasts a spacious formal dining, executive office, powder room, gourmet kitchen that opens to an oversized sun room with incredible views, a formal living room and the Owner’s retreat. The upper level features views of the hill country from almost every room - four spacious bedrooms, two full bathrooms, an additional study and a large media room. Ample…

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The national and local economies are in recession, and unemployment rates are double what they were last year, but the housing market has been unscathed by the COVID-19 pandemic—especially in Austin, where demand for housing has soared in recent months.

“It’s one of the few industries that really is going strong when you look at the U.S. economy, the tate economy and the Austin economy,” said Jim Gaines, chief economist at the Texas A&M University Real Estate Center.

In the Austin metro, data from the Austin Board of Realtors shows home sales to date in 2020 are higher than in 2019 despite a dip in early spring when, Gaines said, buyers were reluctant to put their homes on the market and risk exposure to COVID-19. In Central Austin, the median price is up…

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