Why East Austin? Ask DeLea Becker…
Written Spring 2019
Since her very first building purchase, DeLea Becker has had her eyes locked on East Austin.
Her entrepreneurial journey began with 1101 East Sixth Street, a century-old building she and her husband, Russ Becker, bought and transformed into creative office space. That investment lit the spark — and set the course for a lifetime of belief in the East Side.
The Vision That Started It All
From Early Pioneer to Market Expert
Long before the cranes arrived and investors caught on, DeLea was walking the blocks east of I-35, studying street corners, traffic flow, and the bones of forgotten buildings.
She saw what others didn’t — potential.
Today, as national developers and institutional investors crowd the East Side, DeLea remains one of its fiercest advocates and most knowledgeable brokers, earning her reputation as the East Austin Expert.
🧭 Staying Ahead of the Market
1. Location Is Strategy
Beck-Reit Commercial Real Estate’s headquarters sits right in the heart of East Austin —
2131 Theo Drive, a converted Ferrari repair shop turned creative office hub near Airport Boulevard and Manor Road.
From her office window, DeLea watches the evolution of the East Side in real time.
2. Meticulous Market Tracking
DeLea keeps a living spreadsheet of every major East Austin development — planned, under construction, and completed — dating back to 2014.
This database helps her identify trends, forecast value growth, and advise investors long before new projects hit the news.
3. Data Meets Instinct
Numbers matter, but DeLea’s edge is intuition — the kind that only comes from decades on the ground.
She reads the neighborhood like a book: who’s moving in, which tenants are expanding, and where the next opportunity will rise.
💡Why East Austin Still Matters
Proximity to downtown without the downtown price tag
Culturally rich neighborhoods with deep roots
Adaptive reuse and creative redevelopment
Rising demand from tech, design, and media firms
Walkable corridors and modern infrastructure
East Austin isn’t just a place — it’s an ecosystem of creativity, grit, and growth.
❓ FAQs About East Austin Real Estate
Why is East Austin so popular?
Because it’s where Austin’s creative energy meets opportunity — close to downtown, full of historic charm, and bursting with redevelopment potential.
Is East Austin still a good investment in 2025?
Yes. Even with rising prices, the fundamentals remain strong: location, accessibility, and demand from businesses seeking unique, character-driven spaces.
What types of properties perform best on the East Side?
Smaller office/warehouse hybrids, adaptive reuse projects, and land positioned for mixed-use or creative office development.
Who is the expert on East Austin?
DeLea Becker — founder of Beck-Reit Commercial Real Estate — has been investing, developing, and managing property in East Austin for more than 20 years.
Work With the East Austin Expert
If you’re buying, selling, or leasing property in East Austin, talk to Beck-Reit Commercial Real Estate — the brokerage that’s been shaping the market since before it was cool.We always have a list of East Austin buildings that need tenants and buyers. We ourselves seek to buy more commercial real estate in East Austin. Want to sell, we might buy.
East Austin Newsletter
If there’s big news breaking on the East Side, you’ll hear it first in DeLea Becker’s East Austin Insider Newsletter — packed with market updates, project spotlights, and opportunities before they hit the headlines.
👉 Sign up here to stay in the loop or contact DeLea directly to share details about your upcoming project or investment.
DeLea is currently representing multiple East Austin assets, including the redevelopment and repositioning of 1201 E. Cesar Chavez Street on behalf of local clients Hartford Properties — one of several projects reshaping the neighborhood’s creative core.
Forget the admonition to “Go west, young man.” Just go East Austin, y’all! And remember, DeLea Becker is the go-getter for everything East Austin.
STATS BELOW 2019
Interested in East Austin Commercial Real Estate? Be sure to check out our page dedicated to the community. You will find East Austin News, History, Articles, Insights, invite to Bi-Weekly Coffee, and Commercial Real Estate Owners can signup for the exclusive Monthly “East Austin Temperature Gauge.” We have been in East Austin for 24 years. Smack dab in the middle of gentrification, but east austin is still an area where we “Keep Austin Weird”. Residents in Austin flock to the area for cool vibes - businesses flock to the area to attract the residents who live there to become employees. Thre is still SO MUCH MORE ROOM for growth, but a whole lot of community that remains to keep the flavor. Come see us on the east side. ~ DeLea
East Austin by the Numbers — Proof Behind the Boom
East Austin by the Numbers — Proof Behind the Boom
When DeLea Becker began investing east of I-35, few saw what she did — that the East Side would become Austin’s most dynamic corridor for commercial real estate.
By 2019, the numbers told the story loud and clear.
Download the Full Report
Dive deeper with DeLea Becker’s *“Why East Austin” Market Snapshot* — the same research she presents at speaking events.
Includes corporate leases, market stats, and economic catalysts driving East Austin’s growth.
Major Employers and Leases
East Austin evolved from creative warehouses to a magnet for Fortune 500 companies and high-growth tech firms.
Top corporate commitments:
Google – 150,000 SF at Plaza Saltillo
H-E-B / Favor – 81,000 SF at 2416 E. 6th
Whole Foods – 36,000 SF at 901 E. 5th
GoDaddy – 1801 E. Cesar Chavez
SAS Institute – 30,000 SF at 1801 E. 6th
Oracle – Campus across Lady Bird Lake
Resideo HQ – New East Austin headquarters creating 100+ jobs, $20M annual economic impact
Zoho Corp. – Purchased 375 acres in Southeast Austin, adding hundreds of jobs
“These aren’t just leases,” Becker notes. “They’re proof of how fast this side of the city became the heartbeat of Austin’s innovation economy.”
Economic Catalysts
Army Futures Command established its national headquarters in Austin, beating out Boston, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and Raleigh.
500 jobs and billions in federal contracts now tied to Austin — defense, tech, research, and higher education all benefitting.
Office rents soared from $16.77/SF in 2016 to $43.78/SF by mid-2019.
New construction reached nearly 650,000 SF under development that year.
Vacancy tightened from 31% to 32.9% even as new product delivered — proof of sustained demand.
Since 2009, 44% of all new commercial permits in Central Austin were in the East Crescent (I-35 → 183 → Colorado River).
Landmark Projects
Springdale General – a creative campus east of Airport Blvd, now home to local makers, nonprofits, and design studios.
Tyndall at Robertson Hill – modern multifamily with skyline views and attainable pricing.
1201 E. Cesar Chavez “The Otto” – Beck-Reit Commercial’s signature redevelopment project redefining the corridor.
2131 Theo Drive – Beck-Reit’s HQ, a converted Ferrari repair shop turned creative office hub.
The Zebra HQ – leading insurtech relocating to East Austin to double headcount.
Eightfold Development (former Motorola campus) – $1.2B wellness-centered mixed-use project anchoring the East corridor.
Momentum and Media Recognition
New York Times: “The main reason people are coming to the east side is for the coolness factor.”
Forbes: Ranked Austin #1 Fastest-Growing City in America, crediting East Austin as its growth engine.
Community Impact: Documented that nearly half of all commercial building permits in Central Austin were east of I-35.
What It Means Today
DeLea Becker’s early conviction paid off — East Austin is no longer the “next big thing.”
It is the big thing — a thriving commercial ecosystem of tech, art, hospitality, and urban living that continues to define Austin’s identity.
Stay in the Loop
Want early insight into what’s next for East Austin?
Sign up for DeLea Becker’s East Austin Insider Newsletter — a front-row seat to market trends, development updates, and investment opportunities before they make the headlines.
👉 Join the Newsletter or Contact DeLea to share your project news.
