Moving to Austin? Start your search before you arrive.
Imperium Sky Realty helps people relocating to Austin, Texas find a home before they arrive: a licensed agent shortlists apartments or homes by commute, budget and features, confirms availability, and tours the actual unit with you by live video, free to renters.
Can you rent an Austin apartment before moving?
Yes. Renters can lease an Austin apartment before moving there: an Imperium Sky Realty agent tours the actual unit with them by live video, checks commute times, and explains each property's application requirements in advance.
Whether you are coming from across the country or across the state, the hardest part of a long-distance move is choosing a home you have not seen. We make that part manageable:
- Video tours of the actual unit. Not a model, not last year's photos -- the unit you would lease, walked through live, with your questions answered.
- Real commute checks. Give us any address you will travel to regularly -- an office, a campus, a client site. We check drive and transit times at the hours you will actually travel, for every place on your shortlist.
- Application help across state lines. Out-of-state income, remote employment, a job offer letter, a new bank account: we tell you in advance what each property accepts so your application is complete the first time.
- Timing that fits your move date. We line up homes available when you arrive, and flag options if your date shifts.
Our apartment search is free to renters. If you plan to buy, we can start that conversation now and tour homes with you by video or in person.
How do you choose where to live in the Austin area?
Choosing where to live in the Austin area works best with three filters: commute, budget and the home features you need, and Imperium Sky Realty shows options across the metro that match those criteria without ranking areas.
The Austin area includes the city of Austin and surrounding cities in Travis, Williamson and Hays counties, among others -- such as Round Rock, Pflugerville, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Leander, Kyle and Buda. Rents, commute times and home features vary a great deal from one area to another, and we will show you options across all of them that match your criteria.
About schools, crime data and other area research. We do not rank or characterize neighborhoods, and we will not tell you where you "should" live. We will point you to official public sources so you can research what matters to you and decide for yourself:
- Public school information: the Texas Education Agency and each school district's website.
- Public safety data: the local police department or sheriff's office for the area you are considering.
- Property and tax records: the county appraisal district.
What do new Texas residents have to do after moving?
New Texas residents must get a Texas driver license within 90 days of moving and register their vehicle within 30 days, according to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles "New to Texas" page (accessed September 2026).
Driver license. The license comes from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Vehicle registration. Depending on the county, your vehicle may need an emissions inspection before it can be registered -- check the TxDMV "New to Texas" page for your county.
Taxes. Texas has no state income tax (Texas Comptroller). Property taxes are set locally; if you plan to buy, check the county appraisal district's records for any home you consider.
Utilities. Ask each property which providers serve the unit (electric, water, internet) and whether any are included in rent or billed through the property. In parts of Texas you choose your own retail electricity provider; the property can tell you whether that applies to the unit.
Renter basics. Texas rules on deposits, repairs and leases may differ from what you are used to. Read our Texas renter basics guide before you sign.
Voter registration, mail and records. Update your address with the U.S. Postal Service, your bank and your employer, and register to vote at your new address when you are eligible.
Questions movers ask
Can you apply for an Austin apartment without a Texas job yet?
Austin apartment properties set their own income and documentation rules, and Imperium Sky Realty tells each relocating renter those rules before applying, so renters without a Texas job yet can choose properties whose requirements fit.
Should you rent first before buying when relocating to Austin?
Renting first gives people relocating to Austin time to learn the area before buying; Imperium Sky Realty's guide Leasing vs. buying right now covers the full trade-off.
Does Texas have a state income tax?
No. Texas has no state income tax, according to the Texas Comptroller; property taxes in the Austin area are set locally and appear in county appraisal district records.