Survey explores the Austin rental market and impact of high rent, technology, and economic growth on landlords and tenants
Seattle, Wash — Online legal services provider Avvo today released the results of a study on the experiences and attitudes of renters in Austin, finding that more than eight in ten (82%) Austin area renters believe rental prices are too high, and two-thirds (66%) wish people would stop moving to their city.
As rent in Austin continues to rise, local renters are feeling the pressure, and many are wishing they were out of the rental game altogether. When asked about the process for finding their home, 67% said it was tough to find a good place to rent. Nearly three quarters (73%) of renters would prefer to own their own home than to rent. Some blame the growing local tech industry for causing rents to spike, as 57% of renters surveyed think the tech industry is to blame for rising rental prices.
Despite high prices, most Austin-area renters feel happy and even lucky to have the rental they have, as seven in ten (70%) said they are satisfied with where they live and 57% say their current landlord or property manager can be described as “good people.” And being a good person matters when problems arise. Half of renters (53%) said they’d reconsider taking legal action against a landlord who upset them if the price of rent was decent or their landlord was a fair person. Fifty-one percent said they’d reconsider taking legal action if their landlord was quick to respond to calls or emails.
Renters prefer texting and transacting online, embrace technology
Austin renters are also tech savvy, and appreciate embracing technology with their landlord or property manager. Four out of five renters (80%) like the idea of paying rent online, and nearly two out of three (60%) value signing a lease online. Nearly half (45%) would like to be able to text their landlord.
They also would be willing to pay more for certain amenities, and want their landlord to be responsive and accepting of modern subletting. Nearly one third (29%) of Austin renters would sublet their rental through Airbnb if they had space. When asked about installing a security system, 43% said they would be willing to pay more for a security system in their rental.
For additional resources about residential or commercial lease agreements, tenant rights, or to find a lawyer who specializes in landlord-tenant or real estate law in your area, visit www.avvo.com.
About this study
Avvo conducts periodic studies of topics at the intersection of lifestyle and the law to better understand the issues facing individuals engaging with attorneys and the legal system. Given that nearly every working adult pays rent and/or taxes on property, and that real estate law represents one of the largest and most routine needs for legal help in the United States, understanding the tensions in the current rental/real estate market between is beneficial to the landlords, renters, property owners and real estate industry professionals and attorneys whom Avvo serves.
“Avvo is committed to understanding American social and cultural experiences so that we can better understand the people we seek to help,” said Nika Kabiri, Director of Strategic Insights at Avvo. “Millions of consumers seek legal help on Avvo every day and we want to interact with them in meaningful ways. We conduct several consumer studies every year to learn more about what matters to them.”
Avvo offers consumers legal help on-demand with fixed-fee, limited scope legal services from a local, experienced attorney of their choice, such as an advice session with an attorney specializing in landlord-tenant or real estate law, legal review of an eviction notice, or legal counsel in creating a residential lease agreement. Avvo lawyers additionally answer questions about residential or commercial property, lease agreements, landlord-tenant and real estate law in the company’s Q&A forum for free every day, and are featured in the Avvo directory, which includes consumer reviews and detailed profiles for 97% of licensed attorneys in the United States.
Methodology
These are findings from a Research Now poll conducted in June 2016. For the survey, a sample of over 1,000 U.S. renters age 18 and over was interviewed online, with boosts to reach 500 respondents in Seattle, 501 in San Francisco, 504 in Boston, and 389 in Austin. The precision of Research Now is measured using a nonprobability sampling. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus Air2.5 percentage points for all respondents.
About Avvo, Inc.
Avvo helps people find and connect with the right lawyer through industry leading content, tools and services. Founded in 2006 in Seattle, Avvo provides transparent information about attorneys, with Avvo-rated profiles for 97% of practicing lawyers in the United States. A free Q&A forum with more than 8 million questions and answers and on-demand legal services that provide professional counsel for a fixed cost, make legal faster and easier. For more information on how Avvo helps people through legal issues from research to resolution, visit www.avvo.com.
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