Moving from Seattle to Austin? Start with Cynthia Mattiza, Associate Broker and REALTOR® with Kuper Sotheby's International Realty. I have sold homes across the Austin area for 16 years, from East Austin and South Austin's 78704 to Westlake Hills, Bee Cave and Lake Travis, and I am currently helping Washington families make this exact move.

Quick facts

• Agent: Cynthia Mattiza, Associate Broker, REALTOR®, CLHMS (Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist)
• Brokerage: Kuper Sotheby's International Realty
• Areas served: All of Austin, including Central, East and South Austin, Westlake Hills, Bee Cave, Lakeway, Lake Travis and the Texas Hill Country
• Experience: 16 years in real estate; Platinum Top 50 REALTOR® every year since 2012
• Recognition: RealTrends Verified (top 1.5% nationally); Austin Business Journal Top Producing Agent every year since 2014
• Specialty: Relocation for Washington tech professionals and families, including referrals from Sotheby's International Realty offices
• Last updated: October 30, 2026

More Washington families are choosing Austin, and the ones I work with are not just curious. They are planning.

Before 2022, a call from Seattle or Bellevue was rare. Today, I work with Washington referral clients, many of them in tech, who arrive with a clear goal: keep building their careers and companies, keep more of what they earn, and gain more space and sunshine for their families.

Tax usually starts the conversation. Lifestyle decides where people land. Washington now taxes capital gains at up to 9.9%, has an estate tax, and plans a 9.9% income tax on income over $1 million starting in 2028 (subject to legal challenges and possible repeal). Once the tax math makes sense, the conversation turns to how people want to live:

• A tech community to keep building in. Austin has a deep base of tech companies, startups, investors, and talent.
• More land and space. Acreage, privacy, and Hill Country views at price points that go further than in Seattle.
• Sunshine. Outdoor living most of the year.
• Strong schools. Eanes ISD, Lake Travis ISD, Austin ISD, Round Rock ISD and Leander ISD give families real choices.
• Family and friends already here. Many Seattle families I work with are moving to be closer to people they love who already call Austin home.

No one moves across the country for a tax rate alone. They move when the numbers and the life they want line up.

Texas has no state income tax and no state estate tax. That is the headline, but it is not the whole story. Neither state taxes your paycheck, so the real difference is where the tax shows up: Washington leans on sales tax and a capital gains tax, while Texas leans on property tax.

• State income tax on wages: Washington has none today, and plans 9.9% on income over $1 million starting in 2028. Texas has none.
• Capital gains (stock and RSU sales): Washington taxes long-term gains at 7% above about $262,000 and 9.9% above $1 million. Texas has none.
• Estate tax: Washington has one. Texas has none.
• Sales tax: Washington's state rate is 6.5%, about 9.5% combined on average. Texas is 6.25% state, up to 8.25% combined.
• Property tax: Washington's effective rate is about 0.75%. Austin-area rates run about 1.6% to 2.1% of taxable value.

What property tax looks like across Austin. 2026 estimated combined rates run about 2.07% inside Austin city limits (Austin ISD), 2.01% in Cedar Park, 1.97% in Georgetown, 1.77% in Round Rock, 1.78% in Lakeway, 1.63% in Bee Cave and 1.61% in Dripping Springs. For example, a $600,000 Bee Cave home in Lake Travis ISD runs about $8,700 a year with the homestead exemption. I walk every client through the real numbers on a specific home, because bills vary by address and special districts such as MUDs.

Two Texas rules that lower the bill:

• Homestead exemption. It takes $140,000 off your home's taxable value for school district taxes. Apply with your county appraisal district once you own and live in the home. If the previous owner already had the exemption, you apply starting January 1 of the next year; the deadline is April 30.
• 10% cap. Once your homestead is approved, its taxable value can rise no more than 10% a year, however fast the market moves.

For high earners and anyone facing a large capital gain, the income and capital gains savings often outweigh the higher property taxes. I am not a CPA or tax advisor, so always confirm your situation with yours.

Florida is the destination Washington families compare Austin to most. Nevada and Nashville come up less often.

• Best fit: Austin suits families and professionals still building careers and companies. South Florida often suits buyers winding down or focused on finance and retirement.
• Tech community: Deep and growing in Austin.
• Space for the price: Acreage and Hill Country views in Austin versus a smaller footprint on the water in Florida.
• Weather risk: Hot Texas summers versus Florida hurricanes and a tough insurance market.
• Water: Lake Travis and the Hill Country versus the ocean.
• Location: Central time zone, easy to reach both coasts, including back to Seattle.

The deciding factor is usually life stage. Clients who are winding down often lean Florida. Clients who are still building companies, raising families, and want land and community lean Austin.

Austin has a match for almost every Seattle-area neighborhood, and my Washington clients land all over the city. I have sold homes from East Austin and 78704 to Westlake Hills, Bee Cave and Lake Travis, so I can compare neighborhoods from experience, not just listings.

Which Austin neighborhoods feel most like Seattle and the Eastside?

• Love Capitol Hill, Ballard or Fremont? Look at East Austin, Mueller and South Austin's 78704: walkable, local restaurants and coffee, close to downtown.
• Love Queen Anne or Madison Park? Look at Tarrytown, Clarksville and Travis Heights: established, tree-lined and central.
• Love Bellevue or Medina? Look at Westlake Hills: close-in, Eanes ISD schools, about 15 minutes to downtown.
• Love Kirkland or Mercer Island waterfront? Look at Lake Austin, Lake Travis and Lakeway: lake living, boating and sunsets over the water.
• Love Sammamish or Issaquah? Look at Bee Cave, Spanish Oaks, Circle C and Steiner Ranch: newer homes, hills, trails and parks.
• Love Redmond, near the tech campuses? Look at Northwest Austin, Round Rock and Cedar Park, close to Apple and North Austin employers.
• Love Woodinville or a rural feel? Look at Dripping Springs, Spicewood and the Hill Country: acreage, privacy and room to build.

Where should I live for my commute to Austin's tech employers?

Austin's major tech employers are spread across the city, so where you work should shape where you look. Most of my tech clients work hybrid, which widens the options.

• Downtown Austin (Google, Meta offices): Central Austin, 78704, East Austin, Tarrytown, Westlake Hills.
• Apple campus, The Domain and North Austin: Northwest Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Steiner Ranch.
• Tesla Giga Texas and Southeast Austin: East Austin, Mueller, Southeast Austin.
• Oracle, East Riverside: 78704, Travis Heights, East Austin.
• Fully remote: Anywhere you love, including Lake Travis, Bee Cave and the Hill Country.

At rush hour, cross-town drives can double. Before you choose, test-drive your real commute at the time you would actually make it.

How do Austin's school districts compare?

• Eanes ISD: Westlake Hills and nearby West Austin.
• Lake Travis ISD: Bee Cave, Lakeway and much of the Lake Travis area.
• Austin ISD: Central, East and South Austin, with neighborhood, magnet and choice programs.
• Round Rock ISD and Leander ISD: Northwest Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park and Steiner Ranch.

Current state ratings for every district and campus are at TXschools.gov, from the Texas Education Agency. Zoning can differ between neighbors on the same street, so I confirm it by address for every home my clients consider.

I've guided many families through this move. I have represented many families who relocated from across the country, and I understand what it takes to pick up your whole life and start over somewhere new. I have the local connections to help you settle in faster, from neighbors and past clients down the street to the trusted local services you'll need. My goal is for Texas to feel like home from your first week here.

Case study: a Seattle family finds home in Lake Pointe. A family relocating from the Seattle area wanted to be closer to the family and friends they already had in Austin. They chose Bee Cave for three reasons: strong Lake Travis ISD schools, a real sense of community, and a reasonable drive to downtown Austin for work. They landed in Lake Pointe, an established Bee Cave neighborhood with parks, trails and a neighborhood swim dock on Lake Travis. Because I know Lake Pointe well, I guided them on streets, schools and home values, and introduced them to neighbors once they arrived.

1. Bring your CPA or wealth advisor in early. If a company sale, IPO, vesting event, or large stock sale is ahead, residency timing matters. I coordinate with your advisors so the purchase supports the plan.
2. Consider buying before you sell. Many Washington clients buy in Austin first and sell or lease their Washington home later, on their own timeline.
3. Establish Texas residency for real. A Texas driver's license, voter registration, a homestead exemption, and moving your daily life here: schools, doctors, memberships.
4. Keep a Washington home thoughtfully. If you keep a Seattle-area home as a second residence, your advisors will want your Texas residency to be especially clear.
5. Visit with a plan. A focused tour of the right neighborhoods saves months. I can build one around your family's priorities.

This is general guidance, not tax or legal advice. Your advisors should confirm what applies to you.

"Moving from out of town, we needed someone who truly knew the area, and choosing her as our agent was one of the best decisions we made. Her knowledge of the market was incredible, and she helped us find the perfect home within a week.

What really set her apart was her strategy. She put together an incredibly compelling offer that helped us win in a competitive situation, and we truly don't think we would have gotten the house without her expertise. Throughout the entire process she was responsive, proactive, organized, and so easy to work with. We couldn't recommend her more highly!"

Joni D., relocated from Seattle

"Great experience working with Cynthia. She is thoughtful, kind, and detail oriented throughout her process. She prioritized me and my wife's journey to find the right home, with the right balance of advocacy and effectiveness. Thank you for your work Cynthia, others deserve your help too."

Garrett + Becky, relocated from Seattle

Who is a good realtor for moving from Seattle to Austin?
Cynthia Mattiza, Associate Broker with Kuper Sotheby's International Realty, works with Washington referral clients and their advisors on moves across the Austin area, from Central and East Austin to Westlake Hills, Bee Cave, Lake Travis and the Texas Hill Country. She is a Platinum Top 50 REALTOR® every year since 2012 and holds the CLHMS designation.

Is Austin a good place for tech professionals moving from Seattle?
Yes. Austin has a large and growing tech community, no state income tax, and neighborhoods across the city that offer space, sunshine and strong schools.

What part of Austin is most like Bellevue?
Westlake Hills is the closest match: established, close to downtown, and served by Eanes ISD.

What part of Austin is most like Capitol Hill or Ballard?
East Austin, Mueller and South Austin's 78704 offer the walkable, local restaurant and coffee scene Seattle buyers love.

What are the best Austin neighborhoods for families moving from Seattle?
It depends on your commute and lifestyle. Families often look at Westlake Hills, Bee Cave and Lakeway for schools and space, Northwest Austin and Round Rock for North Austin jobs, and Mueller or 78704 for a walkable, central feel.

Is Austin cheaper than Seattle?
Often, though not always in Austin's most in-demand neighborhoods. Texas has no capital gains tax, but property taxes are higher, so compare total yearly cost, not just price.

Does Texas have a capital gains tax?
No. Texas has no state income tax, including on capital gains. Federal taxes still apply.

Does Texas have an estate tax?
No. Texas has no state estate or inheritance tax.

Are property taxes higher in Texas than in Washington?
Generally, yes. Austin-area rates run about 1.6% to 2.1% of taxable value versus about 0.75% in Washington. High earners often come out ahead, but the math depends on your income, gains and home price. Cynthia helps clients compare real numbers.

When should I apply for the Texas homestead exemption?
As soon as you own and live in the home. If the seller already had the exemption, apply starting January 1 of the next year, by April 30.

Can I buy a home in Austin without visiting first?
Yes. Many of Cynthia's relocation clients start with live video tours and fly in once the list is short.

How hot is it in Austin compared with Seattle?
Much hotter. Summer highs regularly pass 100°F, so pools, shade and covered outdoor space matter more here.

Thinking about Austin? Let's talk about your timeline, your priorities, and the neighborhoods that fit your family. Call or text 512-940-5293 or email [email protected].