I am happy to report that the Austin/Round Rock metro area ranked #4 in the country on the Milken Institute's new list of the Best Performing Cities in the U.S. This is not really a big surprise to those of us who call Austin home. We appear to have weathered the tough times better than many other markets.

This index rates cities using about 10 variables to determine the top metro areas for creating jobs and sustaining economic growth.

Clearly, this is very good news for those of us who have made a career out of selling . With the media penchant for reporting scary and unpleasant economic news over the past year or two, it's always refreshing when there is good news to help balance things out.

Austin was ranked at #20 last year, so this is a big jump for our local economy!

With interest rates dropping and holding in the high 5% range, and with inventory levels still relatively high, this is a stellar time to consider a purchase in the general Austin, Texas area.

Among the variables considered for the report were:

5-year and 1-year job growth

Wages and salary growth

Relative high-tech GDP growth

If you are interested in seeing the entire list, along with the detailed criteria, you can visit http://bestcities.milkeninstitute.org/.

If you are considering buying or selling a home in the Round Rock/Austin area, I would love the opportunity to help. Please feel free to call me at 512-796-7653 (cell) or email me atjason@austintexashomes.com. I hope to hear from you soon. If you want to search our database, you can visit our primary website at www.austintexashomes.com.