The Future Is Now

This eco-cool neighborhood in East Austin is throwing a futuristic free festival

The future is closer than you think, and there’s no better way to experience it than at FutureFest in Whisper Valley.

This 2,062-acre, sustainable, master-planned community is known for its healthy lifestyle amenities and affordable, zero-energy-capable homes.

It's just east of downtown Austin, along the SH-130 Tollway, with current phases of development offering homes with exceptional wooded greenbelt views. Trails lead to the large community dog park, professionally managed organic gardens, new parks, and the community amenity center featuring a resort pool, fitness center, meeting space, and a Discovery Center dedicated to information about geothermal heating and cooling, solar PV, and other aspects of Whisper Valley that make it one-of-a-kind.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 4, from 9 am-1 pm for an event packed with innovation, sustainability, and fun for the whole family. Here's what's on tap:

Get grounded
Kickstart your day with a rejuvenating yoga session led by Untethered Yoga & Balance at 9 am, setting the tone for a day of exploration and discovery. As you wander through Whisper Valley, you’ll have the opportunity to tour zero-energy-capable homes, showcasing the latest in eco-friendly architecture and technology.

Tesla time
For the tech enthusiasts, a highlight of the day is a sneak peek at the Tesla Cybertruck. Marvel at its futuristic design and cutting-edge features, and don’t miss the exhilarating RC mini Cybertruck races, where fans can put their driving skills to the test.

Dig in the dirt
But FutureFest isn’t just about admiring innovation from afar — it’s about getting hands-on and learning from the experts.

Swing by the gardening table for vertical gardening and hydroponic gardening tips and tricks with master gardener Hope Dyson. You can also learn more about a new composting service, Moonshot Compost, which makes home composting easy and convenient.

Time to shop
Explore the Move Mountains Artisan Market from 10 am-1 pm, featuring unique treasures crafted by local artisans and one-of-a-kind finds.

Feeling lucky?
Enter to win high-tech prizes, including coveted Meta Ray-Ban glasses and an electric bike. And don’t forget to channel your inner Jedi or Sith for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card for the best Star Wars costumes – May the Fourth be with You!

Pause for snacks and tunes
Refuel with delicious offerings from Warung, an Indonesian-Chinese fusion food truck also offering vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. And for the adults, indulge in a wine tasting experience featuring eight luxurious Boxt Wines from 10 am-1 pm.

Throughout the day, groove to the rhythm of live music, adding to the vibrant atmosphere. And yes, furry friends are welcome too. FutureFest is a family-friendly and dog-friendly event, ensuring everyone can join in on the fun.

Get ready to go
Entrance to FutureFest is free, making it accessible to all who are eager to glimpse the future of sustainability and innovation. So mark your calendars, gather your friends and family, and get ready for a day of excitement and inspiration at FutureFest in Whisper Valley.

Photo courtesy of Whisper Valley

The community's trails have been expanded.

home for sale nature festivals video promoted

No Cap

Austin was a top destination for Gen Zers on the move for 2023

Photo by Neel Pramanik on Unsplash

Who wouldn't want to live in a Gen Z hotspot like Austin?

As Gen Z enters adulthood, many are flocking to the nation's biggest cultural hubs like New York City, Los Angeles, and now Austin, which had the one of the top 20 highest inflows of Gen Zers in 2023.

Austin's reputation as a Gen Z hot spot was unveiled in a recent report by American home improvement brand This Old House, which analyzed migration trends across multiple generations using 2023 U.S. Census Bureau data.

Austin saw an influx of 10,363 Gen Z residents last year to become the generation's No. 20 most popular city.

The city first gained traction as an up-and-coming destination for Gen Zers last year, when the "experience-hungry generation" was on the hunt for an affordable place to live with vast opportunities for entertainment, education, or employment.

Real estate marketplace Zillow seems to agree with this trend on a statewide scale; in February it declared Texas the No. 1 destination for Gen Zers on the move in 2024.

However, as Gen Z Austinites may have learned, it might take a big bite out of their paychecks to live in such a highly sought-after city. A March RentCafe housing cost analysis predicted Gen Z adults living in Austin are likely to spend more than $160,000 on rent by the time they are 30 years old.

While Austin saw big gains in its Gen Z population last year, many other big cities saw a mass exodus. Plano, for example — which gained 1,295 Gen Z residents in 2022 — lost 4,028 Gen Zers in 2023, the report discovered.

"The biggest Gen-Z exodus was in El Paso, with a drop of 5,607 — a sharp turn from 2022 when the city saw an increase," the report said. "Other cities, including Plano, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee; McKinney, Texas; and Wichita, Kansas, are seeing similar declines."

The report also revealed that Austin is also one of the top destinations for millennials and Gen X, whereas both New York City and Los Angeles lost more residents among those two generations in comparison.

Austin had a net gain of 2,478 millennials in 2023, but saw net losses in its Gen X (3,240), baby boomer (1,178), and silent generation (1,390) populations.

"Gen X, baby boomers, and the Silent Generation are also moving away from major cities, particularly New York City and Washington, D.C.," the report said. "They’re heading to some of the same cities as Gen Z, including Houston and Jacksonville, Florida."

The top 10 cities that gained the most Gen Z residents in 2023 are:

No. 1 – New York City, New York
No. 2 – Los Angeles, California
No. 3 – Houston, Texas
No. 4 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
No. 5 – Chicago, Illinois
No. 6 – San Diego, California
No. 7 – Seattle, Washington
No. 8 – Charlotte, North Carolina
No. 9 – Dallas, Texas
No. 10 – Minneapolis, Minnesota

trends rent population growth population analysis