Where should Apollo Global Management employees live in Austin?

The four submarkets that fit an Apollo relocation profile: Downtown Austin high-rise condos (walkable to the future office, no yard maintenance, closest NYC-lifestyle equivalent), Westlake / Eanes ISD (78746) for families with school-age kids, Tarrytown / Old Enfield / Clarksville (78703) for the mix of walkability and single family living, and Barton Creek (78735 / 78746) for buyers who want private club membership and country club proximity. The choice depends on family stage and whether the household prefers city density or Central Austin single family.

What is the tax math when relocating from New York to Austin for Apollo?

Texas has no state income tax. New York State plus New York City combined income tax runs up to about 14.8 percent on high incomes. For an Apollo professional earning $500K to several million per year, that is a six or seven figure annual difference that continues every year of Texas residency. Texas property taxes are higher than New York property taxes on the same home price, typically 1.8 to 2.5 percent of assessed value in Travis County, but the property tax hit is smaller than the income tax savings for high earners. The net remains dramatically in favor of Texas.

Which school district should Apollo families target?

Eanes ISD (Westlake) is the top-performing public school district in the Austin metro and one of the top districts in Texas. For Apollo families with school-age kids, Eanes ISD is my strongest recommendation. Austin ISD's Casis Elementary and Bryker Woods (both in 78703) are also strong public options for families who prefer Central Austin single-family neighborhoods. Private options include St. Andrew's, Regents School of Austin, and St. Michael's Catholic Academy - all long-established with waitlists that require early application.

Should Apollo employees rent first or buy?

For most Apollo relocations from NYC, I recommend buying. The property-tax and interest deduction math works better than paying Texas rent that is higher than most NYC renters expect. Austin has a strong rental market, so if life changes and you need to relocate, renting the property out is straightforward. The exception is anyone who wants six months to get to know the city before committing to a specific submarket. In that case, rent a downtown high-rise for six months, then buy.

What is different about buying in Austin compared to New York?

Austin transactions close in 30 to 45 days rather than the 60 to 90 typical in NYC. No board approvals, no co-op interviews, no attorney at closing (Texas uses title companies). Property taxes are paid annually rather than monthly. HOAs are common for condos and master-planned communities and the fees are typically lower than NYC common charges. Inspections happen and are negotiated on. And the buyer's agent commission is customarily paid by the seller, not the buyer, though this is negotiable.

Relocating to Austin for Apollo Global Management

Apollo Global Management is bringing its business to Austin, and the professionals following that move are the kind of relocation I have been positioned for from the start of my career. This page is what I have been telling the first Apollo employees who have reached out, and what I am ready to walk any incoming Apollo employee through the day they land in Austin.

I am not going to pretend I have closed twenty Apollo deals already. Apollo has not fully moved yet. What I can tell you is where high-comp finance professionals actually live in Austin, how the NY-to-Texas tax math works out for a private equity comp package, which submarkets fit a private equity family life, and what to expect from an Austin real estate transaction compared to the NYC market you are coming from. I have been in this market for years. I know it cold. And I am the first Austin agent building a dedicated resource for Apollo relocations, which is exactly what a first-mover Apollo employee should be looking for in an agent.

Where Apollo professionals will actually want to live

Four submarkets fit an Apollo relocation, and the right one depends on family stage, whether you prefer city density or single-family neighborhoods, and whether school district is a driving factor. Ordered from most-city to most-suburban:

Downtown Austin high-rise condos (78701). The closest Austin equivalent to an Upper East Side or Tribeca apartment lifestyle. Walk to the future Apollo office. No yard, no maintenance, resort-style amenities. Building options include The Independent, The Austonian, 70 Rainey, Fifth & West, and newer construction along Rainey Street. Price range roughly $1.5M to $8M for the finished product Apollo professionals typically want.
Tarrytown, Old Enfield, Clarksville (78703). Central West Austin. Walkable single-family neighborhoods, 10 minutes to downtown, established tree canopy, historic character. Austin ISD schools (Casis Elementary is one of the strongest public elementaries in the state, zoned to O. Henry Middle and Austin High). Price range $2M to $10M+ for the tier Apollo families end up in.
Westlake / Eanes ISD (78746). Top-performing public school district in Texas. The choice for Apollo families where school district is the driving factor. 15 minutes to downtown across MoPac. Larger lots than Central Austin, hillier terrain, private-club adjacency. Price range $2.5M to $15M+.
Barton Creek (78735 / 78746). Country club community adjacent to Barton Creek Country Club and its 72 holes of golf. Popular with private-equity and hedge-fund types who want membership walkable from home. Price range $1.5M to $10M+.

Downtown high-rise for the single Apollo associate or the younger MD who wants NYC-density lifestyle in Texas. Tarrytown or Westlake for the family that wants a house. Barton Creek for the buyer who wants the private club to be part of the daily rhythm.

The tax math that decides everything

NYC to Austin, on a $2M annual comp package

Simplified illustration. Exact numbers depend on your specific comp structure, deductions, and residency timing. Talk to a CPA before you finalize the move.

14.8%

NY state + NYC combined top income tax

Texas state income tax

~$296K

Estimated annual tax savings on $2M comp

2.1%

Approx Travis County property tax rate

The math is stark. New York State plus NYC combined income tax runs up to about 14.8 percent for high earners. Texas has no state income tax. For an Apollo associate at $400K, that is roughly $60K a year. For a VP at $1M, roughly $150K. For an MD at $2M or more, the annual difference clears $300K and only grows from there.

Texas property taxes are higher than New York property taxes on the same home price. Travis County effective rate runs about 1.8 to 2.5 percent of assessed value. On a $3M home, that is $54K to $75K a year. That is real. It is also smaller than the income tax savings for every Apollo comp band above the associate level, and there is a homestead exemption plus a 10 percent annual assessment cap that softens the increase over time.

The net remains dramatically in favor of Texas at every Apollo comp band. That is not an opinion. It is the math.

What is different about buying real estate in Austin

Apollo professionals coming from NYC should know the following before the first closing:

Typical closing timeline

60 to 90 days

30 to 45 days

Board approval / co-op interview

Common

None (HOA disclosure only)

Attorney at closing

Required

Not required (title company)

Buyer's agent commission

Buyer typically pays

Seller typically pays (negotiable)

Property tax cadence

Monthly with rent / escrow

Annual, usually escrowed with mortgage

Inspection contingency

Often waived in tight markets

Standard, negotiated on findings

Common charges / HOA

Common charges frequently $2K-$5K/mo

HOA often $300-$1200/mo on condos

Financing timeline

Slower, more scrutiny

Standard 30 to 45 days conventional

The net for an Apollo buyer: Austin transactions are simpler, faster, and less procedurally punishing than NYC transactions. The tradeoff is that Central Austin is a smaller market than NYC, so the best inventory in the tier Apollo buyers care about (call it $2M to $10M) moves fast when it hits, and you need an agent who is watching the pocket-listing and pre-market channels for you, not just the MLS feed.

The school district conversation

For Apollo families with school-age kids, this is often the deciding factor. Three public options and three private options are worth knowing about:

Public.

Eanes ISD (Westlake). Top-performing public school district in the Austin metro and one of the top in Texas. If your budget supports Westlake pricing, Eanes ISD is the strongest single decision an Apollo family with school-age kids can make.
Austin ISD - Casis Elementary (Tarrytown, 78703). Consistently rated among the strongest public elementaries in AISD. Zoned to O. Henry Middle and Austin High School. Central location, established neighborhoods.
Austin ISD - Bryker Woods Elementary (78703). Adjacent to Casis, comparable strength.

Private.

St. Andrew's Episcopal School. K through 12, established, competitive admissions.
Regents School of Austin. K through 12, classical Christian curriculum, competitive admissions.
St. Michael's Catholic Academy. 9 through 12, Catholic, long-established.

All three privates have waitlists. If private is on the table for your Apollo relocation, apply the moment you know the move is happening. Don't wait until you have an address.

Rent first or buy immediately?

My default recommendation for an Apollo relocation is buy. The property tax and mortgage interest deduction math beats paying Austin rent, which is higher than most NYC renters expect for the equivalent unit downtown. Austin has a strong rental market broadly, so if life at Apollo changes or the move does not work out, renting the property is straightforward.

The exception is anyone who genuinely wants six months to get to know Austin before committing to a specific submarket. In that case, rent a downtown high-rise for six months (Rainey Street, 2nd Street District, Warehouse District) and use that time to decide between Downtown, Tarrytown, Westlake, or Barton Creek for the eventual buy. I steer relocation renters to buildings I know are easy to exit at the end of a lease.

What I bring to an Apollo relocation

Being honest with you: I am not going to claim I have already closed twenty Apollo deals. Apollo has not finished moving. What I can offer is the following:

I am first to build a dedicated Apollo Austin resource. That means I am the agent thinking about your relocation before your relocation package even lands. When Apollo employees google "Austin real estate for Apollo," I am the first result they see. That is the same alignment you want for the person negotiating your purchase.
I know the four submarkets you will actually consider. Downtown high-rise, Tarrytown, Westlake, Barton Creek. I have shown, sold, and lived in and around these neighborhoods for years.
I understand the NY-to-Texas comp math. Not because I am a CPA, but because I have relocated enough high-comp finance and tech professionals to know exactly which numbers matter and which do not.
I have off-market and pocket-listing access at the Central Austin luxury tier. The best inventory in the $2M to $10M range does not always hit MLS. Apollo buyers who work with me get the pre-market look.
I do not push and I do not oversell. If Austin is not right for your family, or a specific home is not right, I will say so and lose the deal. Apollo professionals are used to being pitched by everyone. I try to be the one who is honest.

A realistic timeline for an Apollo move

Weeks 1-2 after you know the move is happening: Initial call. Submarket conversation. School district decision if you have kids. Budget range set.
Weeks 3-6: Property tours if you can fly down, otherwise virtual tours. Serious short-list emerges.
Weeks 6-8: Offer + negotiation.
Weeks 8-14: Under contract, inspection, appraisal, title, closing.
Weeks 14-18: Move in, homestead exemption filing, utility setup, kids enrolled if you had a family move.

Total time from "we are moving to Austin" to "keys in hand" is realistically 12 to 18 weeks. Faster if you already know your submarket. Slower if you want to rent first for six months.

Bottom line

Apollo's move to Austin is a big deal for the city and a bigger deal for the professionals inside Apollo who are figuring out where to live. This page is not going to answer every question. What it is going to do is put me in front of you as an option before you land in Austin, so that when you are ready to start looking, you already have an agent who has thought about your specific situation.

Send me a note using the form below and I will follow up within 24 hours with an initial submarket read for your family, comp band, and timeline. No pressure. No obligation. If you decide to work with someone else, no hard feelings. If you decide to work with me, I will earn it.