Your Downtown Austin High-Rise Specialist
I'm Jacob Hannusch, and I help people buy, sell, and lease condos across downtown Austin's skyline. I live here, I work here, and I know these buildings inside and out.
I grew up in Smithville, a small town about 45 minutes outside Austin. Population around 4,000. The kind of place where you know your neighbors and run into people you know everywhere you go.
That's still how I live. Just vertically now.
I got a degree in electrical engineering from Texas A&M and spent five years in the industry. First as a flight control engineer at Lockheed Martin, working on fighter jet systems -- schematics, control logic, testing. Then as a field applications engineer, helping companies design our sensor technology into their products from early concept through production. That second role had me in labs, on job sites, and traveling to visit clients across the country. It's where I figured out I was more interested in the people side than the technical side.
I got my real estate license in 2020. I started as a generalist and quickly realized that wasn't going to work for me. The engineer in me needed to go deep on something -- understand it completely, build real expertise. Downtown Austin was the obvious fit. One square mile. All vertical. A market small enough to actually know and complex enough to actually matter. I've been focused here ever since.
I live downtown. I chair my building's social committee. I walk to the grocery store, to the coffee shops where I know the baristas by name, to the trail a block from my place. I run into neighbors on the elevator. I see a friend on a walk I wasn't planning to take. These things happen here in a way they don't in a suburb, and they're a big part of why I chose this neighborhood and why I stay. Explore the downtown neighborhoods I cover.
What I know about downtown comes from being here, not from studying it. I follow permit filings. I track what's coming before it's public. I know which floors in which buildings have protected views, which HOAs are well-run, which buildings are due for a special assessment. When clients ask about what's being built and what it means for pricing, I'm drawing from years of watching this specific market closely. I find that part of the job genuinely interesting -- the next restaurant, the next development, what's changing and what it signals. I want to know everything about downtown. I share what I'm seeing every other week in my newsletter.
Most of my clients are experienced people making a significant decision. Empty nesters trading the suburbs for something more connected. Entrepreneurs and executives who want a home that fits how they actually want to live. Out-of-towners relocating and needing someone who can orient them quickly and honestly. They tend to be analytical, they've done their research, and they want someone who has done more. They're not looking for a salesperson. They want a clear read on what's real.
That's what I'm here for.
Frequently Asked Questions
What areas do you specialize in?
Exclusively downtown Austin high-rise condos. I don't cover all of Austin -- I go deep on one square mile. You can explore every building I cover on the condos page.
What does the buying process look like?
It starts with a conversation about what you're looking for -- budget, lifestyle, views, walkability. From there I walk you through the buildings that fit, tour units together, and guide you through offer, negotiation, and closing. Condo purchases also involve reviewing HOA financials and reserve studies, which I handle as part of due diligence.
How is buying a condo different from buying a house?
Beyond the standard process, condos involve HOA dues, reserve fund health, building rules, and shared amenities. I dig into the financials -- special assessments, insurance structure, how well the HOA is managed -- so you know exactly what you're buying into.
What's the market like right now?
The downtown condo market shifts constantly. I publish market data and analysis every other week in my newsletter. Check the Insights page or subscribe to get it in your inbox.
Why a downtown specialist instead of a general agent?
A general agent might sell a house in Pflugerville one day and a condo downtown the next. I live this market every day. I know which floors have protected views, which buildings have upcoming assessments, and how pricing compares unit to unit. That specificity matters when you're making a six- or seven-figure decision.
Do you help with selling and leasing too?
Yes. Whether you're selling, leasing out, or looking for a lease, I can help. My building-level knowledge means I can price your unit accurately and market it to the right people.
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