Austin Business Journal reports, "A new state law set to take effect in the fall could throw a wrench in Austin’s plans to incentivize more affordable housing. 

That’s according to the director of Austin's planning department, Lauren Middleton-Pratt, who wrote in a July 28 memo to city leaders — as the city is updating its density bonus programs — that a new state law will require the city to re-evaluate how it incentivizes new income-restricted housing units. 

The new state law is Senate Bill 840, which was passed during the 89th Texas Legislature and allows for mixed-use residential housing on any land that’s zoned for office, commercial, retail, warehouse or existing mixed-uses without needing a zoning change approved by a city. The legislation,…

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Third-floor pool deck at Rambler Columbus off-campus student apartments near Ohio State University. CARRIE GHOSE | CBF

Austin Business Journal writes, "Move-in started Thursday at a luxury apartment complex across the street from from Ohio State University.

Rambler Columbus is the first development in the state by Austin-based LV Collective, following three years of construction. The seven-story, 407,500-square-foot complex at 222 W. Lane Ave. has 379 units for a total of 889 beds, with average per-room rent of $1,500.

"I would have loved to live here," said Brenna Voye, leasing and marketing manager, an OSU graduate, who had lived in dorms, a sorority and an off-campus house.

Daydreamer, a coffee shop in the lobby, will open to the public in late August. Victory Lap, a ground-floor bar and pizzeria, is still under construction, and there's a retail space…

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Tri Pointe Homes is both the developer and builder of the Park Central neighborhood in Georgetown. (Courtesy Tri Pointe Homes)

Community Impact shares, "Tri Pointe Homes, the developer and builder of the Park Central neighborhood in Georgetown, began selling single-family homes and townhouses in the new neighborhood this summer, according to a news release.

The details

Located on 77.8 acres near Patriot Way and SH 130 Toll, the neighborhood features 191 single-family houses and 256 duplex-style townhomes. Tri Pointe offers 18 floorplan options at Park Central, bringing home options that range from about 1,800-2,900 square feet.

In addition to the homesites, Tri Pointe plans to bring a number of amenities to the community, including a 10-acre community park with walking trails, a scenic pond and open green spaces.

Construction on a clubhouse and a pool is expected to begin this…

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Austin Business Journal reports, "Thousands of trees have made way for the next phase of a neighborhood offering lakeside living.

ABJ Photojournalist Dave Creaney and his drone were out and about in the Lake Travis area recently, and in this neck of the woods he found notably more water than usual due to the weather but significantly fewer trees due to demand for housing.

Lakeside at Tessera has been rising in the Lago Vista suburb for a few years. Homebuilders include Coventry Homes, Highland Homes, Saratoga Homes, Toll Brothers Homes, Trophy Signature Homes and Westin Homes. A private boat dock and pool will be among the amenities.

The neighborhood is next to the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, which is owned and managed by…

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Scotsman Guide writes, "Austin, Texas, is the best city for recent graduates this year, thanks to high beginning salaries, an abundant supply of apartments and a vibrant social scene, according to a new report from Zillow.

The real estate website’s 2025 list of the best cities for college graduates had a strong Sun Belt theme. Texas dominated the top five choices of the survey, with first-place Austin being followed by Dallas at No. 3 and San Antonio at No. 4. Rounding out the top five are Albuquerque, N.M., in second place and Charlotte, N.C., in fifth place.

Zillow’s rankings combine rental affordability and the share of rental listings on Zillow offering concessions. The report also considers the strength of the local job market and the size…

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SB 17, which Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law last month, will have several land-buying restrictions for foreign buyers from the countries of China, Iran, Russia and North Korea. BO ZAUNDERS

Austin Business Journal reports, "A new Texas law that restricts land sales to citizens and businesses from certain countries may negatively impact investment in the state after Sept. 1, commercial real estate experts said.

Senate Bill 17, which Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law last month, prohibits “real property purchases” — including residential, with some exceptions, as well as commercial, industrial and agricultural land — to citizens of or companies headquartered in China, Iran, North Korea and Russia. The law also bans “other interests in real property,” which include easements, mineral and water rights, and leases of more than one year.

The governor may designate additional countries to the list. Permanent U.S. residents are…

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While new listings and home construction are welcome news in a market that's been starved of inventory for years, there are still a lot of challenges for both buyers and sellers. IMAGE SOURCE

Austin Business Journal writes, "The housing market has seen a decent amount of shifting this year amid broader economic uncertainty and an uptick in inventory.

While new listings and home construction are welcome news in a market that's been starved of inventory for years, there are still a lot of challenges for both buyers and sellers.

The national median profit margin on home sales fell to 50% in the first quarter of this year — down 3.2 percentage points from the fourth quarter of 2024 and down 4.8 points from the first quarter of 2024, reports The Business Journals' Joanne Drilling. It's also down from 64% in 2022.

As I get into in today's lead story, the changing housing market has had some sellers rethink how much they list their homes…

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Realtor.com reports, "In June, home prices fell substantially from the month before, with a median listing price of $617,500.

The number of listings on the market grew 5.0%, which is a smaller increase than normal for this time of the year in Austin, and homes are also selling slower than at the same time last year.

Home prices in Austin

Typically, home price per square foot in Austin tend to rise in June. But the most recent data shows that the price per square foot decreased by 3.3% compared with the month before.

So, how does this compare with the rest of the U.S.? Nationally, home price per square foot decreased 0.4%, which means price changes in the Live Music Capital of the World are lagging behind the national market.

Austin…

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Home inspections typically cover all aspects of the home from the foundation and ventilation systems to plumbing and more. (Courtesy Unlock MLS)

Community Impact writes, "President Kyle Nunnallee of Nunnallee Inspections and owner Casey Callais of Constructiva Inspections shared with Community Impact what homeowners should know about home inspections.

Established in 2003, Nunnallee Inspections has served the Central Texas area for over two decades, offering home buyer and seller inspections alongside new build and commercial inspections.

Callais launched Constructiva Inspections around four years ago, offering nearly 30 years of construction industry experience. Constructiva specializes in inspections on newly constructed homes but also offers inspections for resale homes, commercial properties and more.

Both companies offer services to the Central Texas area.

Why would someone need a home…

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Austin is a fun place to be, but a better place to live, according to U.S. News. Photo by Daydreamer Creative on Unsplash

CultureMap Austin shares, "Austin and three other Texas cities were just hailed in U.S. News & World Report's new rankings of the best places to live for their high quality of life.

This new list, published July 11, is part of U.S. News' Best Places to Live rankings, but the 25 cities that made the list were chosen solely based on quality of life factors such as education, healthcare, crime rates, air quality, resilience to natural disasters, and more.

The top two cities that are the best places to live for their top-tier quality of life are Brookline (No. 1) and Newton (No. 2) in Massachusetts. Bethesda, Maryland (No. 3), Bellevue, Washington (No. 4), and Malden, Massachusetts (No. 5) round out the top five.

Austin ranked 13th on the list…

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