Westsider page top block No. 09

Vol. 1 · No. 09 · October 2026Field notes from the west side of AustinLake TravisHighway 71West Austin

The Westsider: field notes from the west side of Austin, by Diana Roberts

Illustration, not to scale: limestone hills with homes west of the Balcones Fault, and the same rock layers lower on the east under deep clay, with a buried volcano below

Cover story · No. 09 · October 2026

Rock solid. A head start, west of Austin.

Austin’s fault line has been quiet for about 20 million years, and it left the west side of Austin up on limestone. Why that gives a home a head start, and what I still check on every address.

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By Diana Roberts · Austin Real Estate Advisor · Compass

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Diana Roberts 10/22/26 Diana Roberts 10/22/26

Full Again: What Lake Travis Water Levels Mean for Lakefront Homes

Lake Travis filled in July for the first time since 2019. What 681 feet and the flood pool mean, and what to check on a lakefront home before the lake drops again.

Diana Roberts 10/22/26 Diana Roberts 10/22/26

Your Appraisal Notice: How to Read It and When to Protest, From an Appraiser

Your notice of appraised value isn’t a bill. How to read the three numbers on it, when a protest is worth your time, and the evidence that actually moves the value, from a Certified General Appraiser.