Luxe Austin Homes

"New real estate startup focused on facilitating seller financing"

Austin Business Journal reports, "A local lender is fundraising for a new startup that aims to help address home affordability by facilitating seller financing.

MORE Seller Direct Financing was founded by Leahy Lending founder Ryan Leahy, who said the startup will show sellers and listing agents how to market lower interest rates in order to attract more homebuyers. In addition to legal, marketing and educational services, the startup will help determine if seller financing — in which a home seller and not a financial institution provides financing to a qualified buyer — is right for the seller.

He said the startup's goals include helping sellers move their homes faster and also earn monthly income to offset current or future mortgage payments.…

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"How Austin fits into Zillow's predicted housing market growth in 2025"

CultureMap Austin writes, "It looks like a few more people are about to turn their online home shopping daydreams into reality in 2025. Zillow, the famous real estate listings website, says in a press release that next year will likely bring "a gradual but bumpy decline in rates, impacting sales and price growth."

It attributes the forecast to "erratic and dramatic mortgage rate movements" throughout 2024, which will continue to affect the market. The website's housing market predictions report estimates that 2025 will see about 100,000 more sales than 2024, that home value growth will be "low and slow" at 2.2 percent, and that inventory and new listings will continue recovering from pandemic weakness.

On a local scale, Zillow's latest data…

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"Forecasts in 4 top markets a reminder that real estate is local"

Key points:

• During NAR’s annual real estate forecast summit, a panel of economists shared predictions for their markets in 2025.
• Compared to much of the country, Austin and Florida have significant inventory, while in Virginia and California, supply remains constrained.
• Regional issues including post-boom rebalancing, chronic underbuilding and job shifts will continue to impact local markets next year.

RealEstateNews.com writes, "As real estate agents and brokers prepare for 2025, they will need to consider how national forecasts — including predictions of more transactions in 2025 — apply to their local markets.

While the mantra "all real estate is local" remains in play, some trends proved fairly consistent between 2020 and…

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"Where is Williamson County's population growing?"

Austin Business Journal shares, "With a population increase from 2020 to 2023 of 14.5%, Williamson County is clocking more new residents than all other counties in this fast-growing region.

So how do the suburbs there stack up to each other? We examined data Opportunity Austin pulled from the U.S. Census Bureau, looking at the population growth in the county’s incorporated places from 2020 to 2023, to figure that out.

Georgetown has been designated as the nation’s fastest-growing city of at least 50,000 people for the past three years, and it has been adding more people than any other city in the county. But, as the graphic indicates, Georgetown isn't the fastest growing, percentage-wise. Smaller cities have the advantage on that metric, and it…

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"HOA Fees Are On the Rise—Does It Make Sense To Buy a Home With Monthly Dues?"

Realtor.com writes, "You’re looking through homes online and spot one you love. It looks great, it’s the perfect size, and the price is right. You scroll down to see it has a homeowners association with dues that total $150 a month. Do you click away as fast as you can? Or are you impressed?

Many buyers wonder if they should avoid, or seek out, real estate with an HOA. On one hand, HOAs can be expensive and buyers who’ve been scrimping and saving to afford a home probably won’t look kindly on the extra monthly fee. On the other hand, HOAs can do a lot of good, like taking the stress off of home and yard maintenance.

Amber Brown, a real estate broker in Waco, TX, notes that HOAs can keep neighbors in check, as well.

“I’ve seen homeowners build…

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"First-time homebuyers flock to Williamson County"

In October, the most recent data available, the median sales price of a home in Williamson County clocked in at $420,000 compared to $510,000 in Travis County and $565,000 in the city of Austin, according to the Austin Board of Realtors’ and Unlock MLS’ latest market data.

While the more affordable inventory in Williamson County is attractive to first-time homebuyers, the job market fueled by employers such as Apple and Samsung is also a major driver of demand in the region.

Kent Redding, ABOR's 2024 president, said buyers are comparing the average sales price of a home in Austin to other areas of the metro and deciding they simply can’t afford a house in Austin — especially at a time when mortgage rates are elevated.

The average 30-year…

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"Planned 'new town' near Jarrell moving 'full speed ahead' — albeit behind the scenes"

Austin Business Journal shares, "About 18 months ago, representatives of Arizona-based DMB Development LLC unveiled initial plans for its long-anticipated Solana Ranch project near Jarrell. The effort called for billions of dollars of investment and construction of 14,000 homes and mixed-use buildings on more than 7,000 acres.

Elements of the project aren't yet visible on the sprawling site at the northern end of the Austin metro, but DMB President and CEO Brent Herrington said the company "is making tremendous progress and our current status is full speed ahead."

Split between Williamson and Bell counties, the planned development is among the most anticipated in the region. In early 2023, the Austin Business Journal first revealed plans for the…

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"Building Boom Forecast for 2025: Number of Affordable New Homes Set To Soar, but Expect Them To Be Smaller"

Realtor.com writes, "Builders are working to fix America’s critical housing shortage—and while the number of new homes is expected to top 1.1 million in 2025, expect them to be built slightly smaller.

But, homebuyers can expect them to be more affordable, too, according to the Realtor.com® 2025 Housing Forecast. This is especially good news for first-time homebuyers, who might find new homes easier to access in areas that are growing.

New construction will help ease the housing shortage

In 2025, new-home sales and single-family housing starts are expected to improve compared with other types of homes. Builders plan to construct about 1.1 million homes, which is a 13.8% increase from 2024.

Builders are working to make homes more affordable,…

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"What Does Mortgage Pre-Approval Mean? A Major Advantage When Buying a Home"

Realtor.com writes, "Getting pre-approved for a mortgage before you make an offer on a house is a smart idea. Why? For one, it can help you get a handle on how much house you can afford. Pre-approval can also help you stand out from the sea of other homebuyers in a competitive housing market. In short, it ups that odds that your home-buying journey will be smooth and successful.

Here’s why mortgage pre-approval matters, and how it can give you an edge when shopping for a home.

The meaning behind a mortgage pre-approval

Mortgage pre-approval is a commitment from a lender to provide you with home financing up to a certain loan amount—basically, the stamp of approval that you have the money, credit history, and other credentials to buy a home up…

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"The Earnest Money Deposit: How It Helps Buy a Home"

Realtor.com explains, "Depositing earnest money is an important part of the home-buying process. It tells the real estate seller you’re in earnest as a buyer, and it helps fund your down payment.

However, the earnest money check is different than the downpayment. It is typically cashed and held in a title company trust account, or in the broker’s escrow company account. You get a receipt from your brokerage when you hand in the earnest money.

Without the requirement of earnest money, a real estate buyer could make offers on many homes, essentially taking them off the market until they decided which one they liked best. Sellers rarely accept offers without the buyers putting down earnest money to show that they are serious and are making the…

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