Inside the sleepy fishing village that's turned into the new Hamptons as thousands of wealthy Texans invade

Daily Mail​

13-05-2025

A once-sleepy fishing village on the Texas Gulf Coast has quietly transformed into a luxury retreat for wealthy weekenders — and has so far avoided the second-home crash causing panic across the US.
Port Aransas, tucked away on Mustang Island, was long known for its beat-up fishing boats, ramshackle cottages, and some of the best shrimp in the state.
Locals compare it to the Hamptons — the once-quiet beachside getaway at the eastern end of Long Island that became a second-home haven for wealthy New Yorkers.
Luxury developments like Palmilla Beach, Sunflower Beach, and Cinnamon Shore now dot the shoreline. But locals insist the town hasn't lost its charm — just evolved.
'We're the closest beach to both Austin and San Antonio. Those are our bread and butter markets,' local realtor and former Port Aransas mayor Keith McMullin tells DailyMail.com.
'It's mainly locals with second homes who drive in for the weekend or summer.'
With that surge in demand, prices have exploded. In just 10 years, real estate prices have shot up 155 percent, according to Redfin. In the last year alone they are up by more than half.
The average home now costs $850,000, and buyers are shelling out around $470 per square foot.
The average home now costs a whopping $850,000 up from just one year ago
'Many years ago we were a sleepy fishing village,' McMullin says.
'Now we have areas like Palm Beach and Sunflower Beach where the architecture and design remain like the village but now we've got everything from luxury properties those communities to condos and everything in between.'
Wealthy Texans and a few out-of-state beach lovers began moving in to 'Port A' about 15 years ago, citing its small town charm and stunning shores.
McMullin says that while Galveston and South Padre Island remain popular as beach destinations, the allure of Port Aransas has to do with the its remote feel.
'When you're here you're thinking about some New England town maybe closer to the Boston area,' he says.
'It's just a little bit more of an authentic fishing town.'
Residents, like McMullin, who has lived in Port A for 25 years, say flip-flops and golf carts are a way of life.
The gulf waters are a clear turquoise, neighbors meet for campfires on the beach, and one-third of the island is a state park with a meticulously maintained nature preserve.
Beautiful boardwalks line the shores of Port Aransas and some of the best seafood in the country can be found there.
'We cater to tourism. It's our largest industry, so we've got far more restaurants than a regular small town would be able to sustain,' McMullin says.
'There's great seafood, shrimp, and fresh gulf fish. We're a foodie destination for seafood lovers.'
While most buyers hail from the Lone Star State, the area is becoming known throughout the US, McMullin says, with some affluent Midwesterners buying on the island.
Despite Post A being a paradise accessible only by ferry, there is a downside.
The island is extremely vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding — which makes expensive weather insurance an absolute must.
But for those with deep pockets and a love of beach life, that's usually not a problem.
'It's a laid-back and tropical, it's very hot in the summer,' McMullin says.
At just a three and a half hour drive from Austin, the area is a popular getaway from the city
But at just a three and a half hour drive from Austin, it can't be beat.
'What makes it so popular is that families in Austin, San Antonio or Houston or Dallas can load the family in the car and go to the coast and have a great beach weekend and you don't have to get on a plane or go to an airport.'
Meanwhile, as Port A thrives, much of the rest of the US is bracing for a housing crash.
For example, in Miami the market is on a knife-edge as spiraling numbers of homebuyers pull out of deals at the last second.
It's the latest area in the Sunshine State at risk of a crash.
Inventory is flooding the market, prices are being slashed, and sales are stalling —as the impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs raise fears of a recession.
'April pending sales are way down and it will be even worse next month,' says local Florida realtor Jeff Lichtenstein.
Across the rest of the country home sales lowered more than expected in March — and dropped to their slowest pace since 2009.