According to an article just released by the Associated Press, after six months of less than stellar numbers in the housing market, sales posted in February were on the rise.  According to the National Association of Realtors, home sales rose 2.9% in the month of February contradicting forecaster’s earlier predictions. This pleasant surprise has led many to believe that the market is stabilizing and overall things aren’t as bad as the seem in the real estate... Full Story

The Austin City Council gave their final approval on the 270-unit condo project with construction slated to begin within the next 30 days.

Located on Barton Springs Rd. within a stone’s throw of Zilker Park and Restaurant Row, Barton Place offers the ultimate Austin lifestyle.

Prices start in the high $200,000s with presales already under way.

Interested? Contact me and I’ll send you any information you need!

Ray Perryman, a Texas economist who owns the Perryman Group,  recently released his latest analysis on the housing market in Austin, especially the downtown area. With 6,000 residents already calling downtown home and another 4,000 residential units under construction, Perryman estimates the population in the downtown area to double within the next few years. He attributes the surge to rising energy costs and traffic, making downtown living much more desirable.

The majority of the buyers... Full Story

Located one mile south of downtown, the first phase of the 2020 Congress condos is slated for completion this summer with the second phase estimated to be finished in the fall. The project, featuring 103 units ranging from studios to two-bedroom condos, are some of the most affordable in the downtown area. Prices start at $96,000 for a studio and go up to $190,000 for the two-bedroom condos. Amenities include granite countertops, hardwood floors, stainless... Full Story

According to housingpredictor.com, Austin is ranked 10th overall for having the highest appreciation of real estate values for 2008. According to the site, " the top 25 with the highest forecast appreciation have the greatest probability of reaching their forecast of the more than 250 local housing markets Housing Predictor forecasts. In 2007 Housing Predictor’s forecasts were 86% correct within a 1 to 2% margin." It’s estimated that there will be a 4.8% increase in... Full Story

Despite news reports of a struggling housing market across the nation, Austin’s market remains healthy and forecasts predict this trend will continue.With a healthy inventory of roughly 10,000 homes currently available and a number of people relocating to Austin for jobs, it’s a great time for buyers and sellers.

Austin area home sales courtesy of Lynne McCoy of Fidelity National Title®

The National Association of Realtors is forecasting a stabilization in the so-called erratic housing market. Job growth and the replacement of subprime lenders to borrowers with weak credit with government-backed loans are cited as the main reasons for the improved outlook. The trade group also said its index that forecasts near-term home sales inched upward in October. The trade group’s seasonally adjusted index of pending sales for existing homes rose 0.6 percent to 87.2 from... Full Story

Thinking about doing some remodeling to your home? Make sure you’re investing your time and money in the right areas. According to Remodeling magazine’s annual “Cost vs. Value Report”, exterior and replacement projects bring in the biggest return. For instance, adding a wooden deck not only adds aesthetic value to the exterior of your home, it also has one of the highest percentages of costs recouped at 85%. Other projects that consistantly rank high include... Full Story

Thinking about doing some remodeling to your home? Make sure you’re investing your time and money in the right areas. According to Remodeling magazine’s annual “Cost vs. Value Report”, exterior and replacement projects bring in the biggest return. For instance, adding a wooden deck not only adds aesthetic value to the exterior of your home, it also has one of the highest percentages of costs recouped at 85%. Other projects that consistantly rank high include... Full Story

In a recent article I read in the Austin American Statesman, Addison based Foreclosure Listing Service Inc. reported that foreclosure postings fell 8% for the Central Texas area, the only major metropolitan area in the state to have a decline. Broken down into counties, Travis county reported a 6% decrease in foreclosures compared to this time last year, Hays County reported a 10% decrease and Williamson County had the most drastic decline with 11%.

Though... Full Story