Luxe Austin Homes

"Real Estate Is Still a Good Investment: See How It Stacks Up Against Other Assets, From Gold to Bitcoin"

Realtor.com shares, "High mortgage rates are making it more expensive to buy a home right now—but many experts still believe that real estate beats out other investment opportunities.

Despite that, many investors have been swept into the thrill of playing the markets or trying out new asset classes like art, cryptocurrency, classic cars, and even wine.

If all of these options leave your head a bit scrambled about where to put your money, you’re not alone.

Choosing an investment strategy requires considering your budget, time horizon, and risk appetite. It also depends on how much effort you’re willing to put into learning about the particular market.

Some areas of investment, like art, require specialized knowledge while others depend on…

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"Sales of Existing Homes Rise Annually for First Time in 3 Years"

Realtor.com reports, "Sales of previously owned homes rose in October following a brief dip in mortgage rates, and posted their first year-over-year gains since 2021.

Total existing-home sales increased 3.4% from September, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.96 million last month, the National Association of Realtors® reported on Thursday. The October sales figure, which excludes new construction, represented a 2.6% gain from one year ago.

Median home prices continued to rise on an annual basis last month, increasing 4% from October 2023, to $407,200. It marked the 16th consecutive month of year-over-year price increases.

The annual gain in home sales was the first seen since July 2021. However, the year-over-year gain was boosted by…

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"Homebuyers can afford to be picky as Austin housing inventory rises"

CultureMap Austin shares, "The latest real estate report from Unlock MLS and the Austin Board of Realtors (ABoR) has revealed housing inventory is still on a steady rise in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos MSA, creating more choices for potential homebuyers as they navigate a high interest rate market.

Residential home sales dipped by a mere 1.5 percent year-over-year from October 2023, amounting to 2,248 closed sales in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos MSA. Median prices have also dropped to $430,000, or 3.2 percent less than this time last year. More than 3,300 new home listings were added on the market — a 7.4 percent increase from 2023 — bringing the total number of active home listings to 11,599.

According to Unlock MLS and ABoR housing…

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"New homebuilder joins Whisper Valley neighborhood"

Austin Business Journal reports, "A new homebuilder is working in one of East Austin’s most technologically advanced housing developments.

Denver-based Richmond American Homes will build 121 homes in the 2,067-acre Whisper Valley development, according to an announcement. The homebuilder is active in 16 states, according to its website, and joins several Central Texas homebuilders and one international builder already active in Whisper Valley, which has been an epicenter for innovation in sustainable housing in Central Texas.

Richmond American will build 21 homes in the current, fourth phase of development in Whisper Valley, and 100 more in the next phase. The new homes will be available in three- to five-bedroom floor plans ranging from 1,950…

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"New affordable housing complex in Austin has rentals starting at $600"

CultureMap Austin shares, "A new affordable housing complex is now open in South Austin.

Parker Lane Apartments officially opened on the morning of Saturday, November 16, and is now accepting applications.

Nonprofit Foundation Communities said its goal is to bring more affordable housing for families to the city.

Rent prices start as low as $600 and are income-based. On top of an affordable apartment, the community also offers sustainable green features and on-site services such as a healthy food pantry and a no-cost learning center for after-school and summer programs.

"The on-site learning center is primarily for residents but also open to the public. It is a no-cost service to residents that will take away the pressure and the stress…

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"California-based homebuilder New Home growing in Austin metro"

Austin Business Journal shares, "A California-based homebuilder is making a splash in Georgetown’s Bluffview neighborhood, where it purchased 105 homesites for more than $17 million.

New Home Co., which made its Texas debut in 2023 with the purchase of Katy-based Hamilton Thomas Homes, is now building new homes in the Austin region, according to an announcement. In addition to homes in Bluffview, it's at work building homes in Buda and Kyle, and it has plans to grow further, New Home Co. CEO Matthew Zaist said.

The 105 homesites in Bluffview consist of 65 lots with 50-foot frontages and 40 lots with 60-foot frontages, Zaist said. Homes on the lots will range from 2,100 square feet to more than 4,000 square feet.

New Home Co. expects to begin…

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"Housing inventory, listings increase in Austin metro as mortgage rates remain elevated"

Austin Business Journal reports, "Mortgage rates remain elevated compared to recent years, but Austin-area homebuyers have a robust inventory of choices, according to the latest market data from the Austin Board of Realtors and Unlock MLS.

The median sale price for homes fell slightly in October to $430,000, a 3.2% drop from the same time last year. And with a housing inventory that eclipsed the five-month mark, buyers had plenty of options.

Meanwhile, overall transaction volume remained flat year-over-year, as both active and new listings increased compared to October 2023.

But elevated mortgage rates — the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 6.79% for the week of Nov. 7 — continue to be the biggest factor affecting home sales, said…

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"Housing Market Predictions For 2025: When Will Home Prices Drop?"

Forbes Advisor writes, "Home prices remain at record highs and mortgage rates are climbing again. Is there any relief in sight for buyers? Potentially. Although home prices continue to break records, they’re rising at a slower pace due to loosening inventory and sluggish demand—and experts project further price growth deceleration in 2025.

Meanwhile, even as many are still waiting for lower mortgage rates before taking the home-buying plunge, pending sales data indicates that at least some prospective buyers are starting to dip their toe into the market.

In fact, experts say now might be the ideal time for buyers to get ahead of a potential demand surge in 2025—one that could drive home prices up again and leave some would-be homeowners out in…

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"Assumable Loans: How To Get One of These Coveted Mortgages"

Realtor.com writes, "Many would-be homebuyers today are sidelined due to one financial hurdle: high mortgage rates that are pushing ever closer to 7%. Yet instead of getting a 2024 rate, some Veterans can get a low rate from years ago.

For military families, Veterans Affairs loans (or VA loans) offer a unique edge: the option to assume an existing VA loan from a seller, keeping the original low rate intact.

For qualifying buyers, these assumable VA loans, known as assumable mortgages, can mean major savings—especially when today’s rates are considerably higher than what sellers locked in years ago.

“If both buyer and seller are VA loan-eligible, the seller can pass on their current mortgage, and current rate, to the buyer without forfeiting…

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"Austin, San Antonio, Houston Realtors to have access to nearly 60% of Texas real estate listings"

Community Impact shares, "A data share agreement between the Austin Board of Realtors, San Antonio Board of Realtors and Houston Association of Realtors is set to give Realtors with all three associations access to nearly 60% of all Texas real estate listings by the end of the year.

How it works

The agreement between the three metroplexes, which was announced in early October, will open up access between the associations' Multiple Listing Service, or the online portal where Realtors can share information about homes for sale in their markets.

As of Nov. 4, there are approximately:

• 17,970 ABoR MLS subscribers
• 14,889 SABoR MLS subscribers
• 48,000 HAR MLS subscribers

After the data share agreement goes live, the over 80,000 combined MLS…

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