Luxe Austin Homes

"Austin real estate market still burning hot, according to Urban Land Institute study"

Austin Business Journal writes, "Austin’s real estate market is still burning at a supernova level, according to a new study.

The Urban Land Institute, which focuses on real estate and land use, released its widely respected 2024 Emerging Trends in Real Estate report on Oct. 31. The report compiled data and insights from over 2,000 real estate industry experts to explore shifts and trends in the property sector and predict 10 markets to watch for the coming year.

Austin ranked fifth on the list this year, down from No. 3 last year. The rest of the top five was rounded out by other Sunbelt cities: Nashville at No. 1, then Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta.

ULI conducted the study in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers, a professional…

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"Austin is abolishing parking requirements to bring down runaway home prices and rents"

Business Insider reports, "one of the biggest cities in one of the most car-dependent states in the country is cracking down on parking to deal with its housing affordability crisis.

Austin, Texas is getting rid of requirements that new construction — from single-family homes to shopping malls — build parking spots. The City Council voted eight to two last Thursday to eliminate its so-called "parking minimums," which mandate at least two parking spots for every single-family home and one-and-a-half spots for every one-bedroom apartment, with an additional half-spot for each extra bedroom.

The regulatory change won't eliminate existing parking or stop developers from building parking, it will just end a mandate that they build a certain number of…

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"What Is a 5/1 ARM? (And Should You Get One To Snag a Lower Mortgage Rate?)"

Realtor.com shares, "housing costs have skyrocketed as of late, with median home prices near historic highs and mortgage rates hitting levels not seen in 23 years.

So, it’s little wonder that the overall affordability crunch in the real estate market has cash-strapped homebuyers exploring potentially riskier financing options with the promise of a lower mortgage rate.

Enter the 5/1 adjustable-rate mortgage, or ARM. This type of loan—the most popular ARM out there—has what’s called an introductory “teaser” rate that’s lower than what you’ll get with a fixed-rate mortgage.

Locking in a 5/1 ARM for your mortgage might be suitable for specific circumstances or a terrifying financial roller-coaster ride you can’t wait to exit. If you’re…

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"First plots sold at 1,000-acre luxury residential community near Lake Travis"

Austin Business Journal reports, "the first 50 homesites have been sold at Travis Club, an incoming luxury neighborhood on Lake Travis. It's set to rise on more than a thousands acres 15 miles west of downtown Austin.

These first homeowners are being recognized as the “50 founding memberships” of the resort-style community that is being developed by Menlo Park, California-based real estate developer Haas & Haynie Corp. and Austin-based real estate investment firm Castle Hill Partners Inc., according to a Nov. 1 announcement.

This marks a notable step forward for the project that has been planned for more than a decade on the undeveloped bend of Lake Travis between Thurman Bend Estates and the Briarcliff community. This area, and just about all…

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"Top 10 Roadblocks for the Real Estate Market in 2024"

Realtor Magazine writes, "global unrest, economic uncertainty and eroding home affordability are among the top issues facing the real estate industry over the next year, according to The Counselors of Real Estate’s annual report, “Top 10 Issues Affecting Real Estate(link is external).” Each year, CRE surveys 1,000 real estate experts to gauge the emerging issues that could have the most significant impact on all housing sectors, particularly the commercial market.

“This past year has been challenging for some and opportunistic for others as the economy, office market and innovation continue to evolve and impact the market,” says CRE Global Chair William McCarthy. “Additionally, the housing shortage and infrastructure issues continue to cause…

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"The rental market’s downward slide: 5 straight months of falling rents"

The New York Post writes, "rents continued to fall around the country as more rental units hit the market.

September marked the fifth month in a row of year-over-year rent declines, with prices decreasing 0.7%, according to a recent Realtor.com® report. The median asking rent dropped to $1,747 in September. That was a $5 dip from August 2023 and a $29 decrease from July 2022, when rental prices peaked.

Renters are still paying more than pre-pandemic times, however. September 2023 rents were $338 — a whopping 24% — higher than September 2019.

The report looked at rents for studios and one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, condos, townhomes, and single-family homes in the 50 largest metros. (Metros include the main city and surrounding towns,…

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"Hundreds of multifamily units, offices planned for Crestview neighborhood"

Austin Business Jounral reports, "a revised vision for Crestview Village first introduced two years ago is taking shape as plans gain momentum to build a high-density, mixed-use development with affordable housing near a transit hub in North Austin.

Owned by brothers Ben Barlin and Peter Barlin, 3423 Holdings LLC gained the Austin Planning Commission’s recommendation on Oct. 24 to seek an increased building height to 160 feet — about 15 stories — and participate in the city’s density bonus program, which will yield at least 10% dedication to affordable housing.

If brought to fruition, the project would help the city's goals for denser, transit-focused development along its primary corridors. It would also help Austin reach its net-zero…

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"North Austin neighbor has one of the hottest ZIP codes in the U.S. for new apartments, report finds"

CultureMap Austin writes, "nearly all of Austin has experienced a flurry of apartment construction to accommodate the equally expanding population in the last few years. In fact, five Austin-area zip codes were the hottest markets for new apartment construction between 2018 and 2022, according to a new rental market analysis by RentCafe.

Pflugerville makes a pflying leap over Austin
Most impressive in the Austin metro region, ZIP Code 78660 in Pflugerville was the No. 20 hottest market in the U.S., with a 64.5-percent growth rate for apartments. Nearly 3,900 new apartments were built in the last five years, according to the study.

Austinites and newcomers pflocking to Pflugerville likely moved there for its easygoing city life. H-E-B has also…

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"Amid surging demand for industrial space in Central Texas, more is underway in Austin"

Austin American-Statesman writes, "amid ongoing demand for industrial space in Central Texas, a project near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport landed $18 million in financing.

MDH Partners, an Atlanta-based real estate investment company, closed on $17.8 million in financing from Regions Bank for the project, called 71 Logistics Center.

The industrial building, which will have 216,000 square feet of space, broke ground in August on 45 acres near the airport. 

The building is at Texas 71 and Norwood Lane, 6 miles southeast of the airport, in the five-county Austin region that is home to more than 2.2 million people.

Once completed in the second quarter of next year, 71 Logistics Center will increase MDH Partners’ Texas footprint to…

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"Homebuilders turn to incentives to draw in priced-out buyer pool"

Austin Business Journal writes, "homebuilders continue to see sales momentum — despite surging mortgage rates and persistent affordability challenges — in part because they're pulling out the stops to lure buyers and ensure deals cross the finish line.

While a growing share of buyers have been locked out of the housing market because of rising mortgage rates, persistent home-price appreciation and a lack of existing-home inventory, the current environment also is creating some tailwinds for builders that can offer more competitive financing.

Housing starts increased 7% in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.36 million units, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Census Bureau data.

In fact, 31%…

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