Property Management in Austin, TX
Austin just turned. Effective rents rose 1.8% in the second quarter of 2026, ending three straight years of decline, and vacancy fell 120 basis points in the quarter. Deliveries are projected down roughly 24% from the 2024 to 2025 peak and permitting has fallen sharply. The owners who win the next eighteen months are the ones who stop buying occupancy with concessions before the market finishes turning.
| Effective rent, quarter over quarter | +1.8% |
| Vacancy change in the quarter | Down 120 bps |
| Projected delivery decline | ~24% |
| 2025 deliveries as share of stock | 8.7% |
| Rent control | Preempted |
What Owners Are Up Against Here
How We Operate in Austin
A market coming off the bottom rewards discipline for a narrow window. These are the four things worth being early on.
The Rules That Govern Your Building Here
Texas is the most landlord-friendly state we operate in on tenancy law, and that is only half the picture. Austin runs a real code enforcement and displacement-notice regime at the city level, and the carrying costs are higher than California’s on a percentage-of-NOI basis.
- Rent control. Preempted statewide by Texas Government Code Chapter 2143. No city or county may enact it.
- Rent increases. At least 30 days written notice under Texas Property Code section 91.001. Verbal notice is invalid.
- Notice to vacate. A three-day written minimum under section 24.005, and a written lease may shorten or lengthen that period.
- Eviction timing. Hearings are set no sooner than 10 and no later than 21 days after filing.
- SB 38. Streamlined the eviction process, effective January 1, 2026 for the illegal-occupancy provisions.
- Just cause. Not required. There is no rent registration regime.
- Relocation notice. Austin requires 120 days advance notice for multifamily of five or more units facing demolition, rezoning, or redevelopment, and 270 days for mobile home parks.
- Repeat Offender Program. Registration within 14 days of notice, a $983 fee, a two-year minimum term, annual inspections, and posted bilingual signage.
- Security deposits. No statutory cap. Itemized accounting required on return.
- Property tax. No state income tax, and heavy reliance on ad valorem property tax. Annual protest is standard practice, not an exception.
Current as of August 2026. This is a summary written for property owners and is not legal advice. Rates and procedures change, and we track them per building. Texas eviction mechanics changed recently under SB 38 and we confirm current procedure with counsel before acting on any termination.
What We Run in Austin
- Property management. Resident relations, code compliance, vendor coordination, emergency response.
- Leasing. Screening, net effective pricing, Texas lease documents, 30-day increase notices.
- Construction management. Permit coordination, contractor bidding, turn and renovation scope control.
- Maintenance and operations. Emergency response, habitability response times, preventive schedules, photo-documented inspections.
- Owner and financial services. Monthly statements, property tax protest tracking, the same reporting format as our California markets.
Austin Answers
No. Texas Government Code Chapter 2143 preempts rent control statewide and voids any local ordinance attempting it. No Texas city or county can enact rent control, which means pricing in Austin is entirely an operating decision rather than a regulated one.
At least 30 days written notice under Texas Property Code section 91.001, stating the amount, the effective date, and the new total. Verbal notice is not valid. There is no cap on the amount.
The statutory floor is a three-day written notice to vacate, which a written lease may shorten or lengthen, followed by filing. Hearings are set no sooner than 10 and no later than 21 days after filing. SB 38 streamlined parts of the process effective January 1, 2026. Actual timelines depend on court calendar and whether the case is contested or appealed.
It applies to rental properties that accumulate uncorrected habitability or safety violations: two or more uncorrected violations within 24 months, five or more such violations on separate days, or two or more citations. Registration is required within 14 days of notice, costs $983, runs a two-year minimum term, and brings annual inspections and posted bilingual signage. A suspended registration means you cannot lease vacant units until you are compliant, which makes response time a revenue issue.
They started to. Effective rents rose 1.8% in the second quarter of 2026, ending three straight years of decline, and vacancy fell 120 basis points in the same quarter. Deliveries are projected down roughly 24% from the 2024 to 2025 peak and permitting has fallen sharply, so the supply pressure that drove rents down is easing. Most content still online describes only the decline.
Own in Austin and California?
That is the case we are built for. One point of contact, one owner portal, one statement format, and two very different operating plans running underneath.
