Luxe Austin Homes - Grossman & Jones Group

"Your Travis County appraisal notice is in the mail. Here's what residents can expect."

Austin American-Statesman writes, "This year's appraisal notices — an annual spring ritual often accompanied by fear and loathing and, on occasion, a sigh of relief — are on their way to Travis County residential and commercial property owners.

Overall, the median market value of homes in the county declined about 7%, Travis County Chief Appraiser Leana Mann said Thursday. While some homeowners will see their values decline, others will see increases, and some values could be relatively unchanged from last year.

How do appraisal values this year compare with last year's?

The 2024 median market value for a residential property in Travis County is $551,419, down from last year's median of $592,819, the appraisal district said. The market value…

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"Spring Awakening: 5 Bedding Trends We Love for the Warmer Days Ahead"

Realtor.com writes, "One oft-forgtten room that can always benefit from a seasonal refresh is the bedroom. And more specifically, bedding is a small upgrade that can make a big difference.

With the weather warming, we say it’s time to shed those heavy winter quilts and swap them for something lighter.

So we’ve scouted out five fresh spring looks from Instagram that incorporate natural motifs, playful details, and inviting textures. These will make your bedroom the perfect cozy haven for all those rainy spring weekends and maybe even help you catch a few extra winks.

Here are our top picks for trending, spring-themed bedding this season.

1. Cotton, block-print quilt

If you’re ready to store your winter quilt, swap it out for something a…

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"More apartments proposed near Barton Springs Road and Zilker Park"

Austin Business Journal reports, "A plan to demolish a 40-unit apartment complex near Barton Springs Road to make way for a bigger one is set to be considered by City Council later this month.

The project at 1725 Toomey Road — on a less-than 1-acre tract sandwiched between Butler Shores and the original Chuy’s restaurant — would replace the existing Barton Springs Apartments with a new building containing more than 203 units.

Property owner Greg Smith of First Austin Properties is seeking a zoning change for the location to remove a conditional overlay that restricts building height to under 75 feet. Aside from the conditional overlay, the property has the city's highest-density multifamily zoning.

The exact height and other details of the…

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"Austin nests on Zillow list of best cities for first-time homebuyers"

Culturemap Austin shares, "It's not easy to buy a home anywhere, but folks in Austin are doing way better than average, according to Zillow. Texas' capital ranked No. 5 among the top 10 U.S. cities for buying a first home.

In 2023, new homebuyers occupied the largest slice of the market since the report started in 2018, making up about half of all buyers. The demographic was only 37 percent in 2021. It cites the "rate lock" effect for keeping "repeat buyers" from moving on too quickly and abandoning their lower mortgage rates. Hopefully strength in numbers gives newcomers a little more power against flippers and developers.

The new Zillow report further helps follow purchasing power, identifying places with a larger selection of homes and more…

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"Weakness in CRE market could create heavier property tax burden for homeowners"

Austin Business Journal writes, "Many U.S. homeowners saw their property tax bills rise last year — perhaps substantially, depending on market.

In 2023, $363.3 billion in property taxes were levied on single-family homes, up 6.9% from $339.8 billion in 2022, according to an analysis of 89.4 million U.S. single-family homes by Attom Data Solutions LLC. That increase is nearly double the 3.6% growth rate seen in 2022 and is the largest hike in the past five years.

The average tax on single-family homes increased 4.1% in 2023, to $4,062.

Attom CEO Rob Barber wasn't available for a phone interview by deadline, but in response to emailed questions, he said the reason behind substantial property tax increases for homeowners can vary widely from one…

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"Another homebuilder joins Gregg Ranch neighborhood in Marble Falls"

Austin Business Journal writes, "In Marble Falls, Gregg Ranch continues to grow.

The 240-acre community at the southern end of Marble Falls was touted in 2020 as the first large-scale development in the city in decades, with around 1,250 homes planned. Pulte Homes and Vogel Builders have built homes in the community, and Arizona-based Gregg Ranch developer Harvard Investments announced April 2 that Colorado-based Richmond American Homes has also signed on to the project.

The Richmond homes at Gregg Ranch will range from 1,687 to 3,000 square feet, with two- to six-bedroom floor plans. Richmond will begin with 62 home sites for its first two phases of construction and is under contract to buy 113 lots in a third phase of construction.

Homes…

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"Buda's Sunfield is metro's fastest-growing neighborhood"

Austin Business Journal reports, "Buda’s Sunfield is the fastest-growing neighborhood in the metro, nabbing the top spot after leapfrogging from the No. 8 position in 2023. See the list below this article.

Scarborough Lane Development’s Sunfield, a 2,795-acre master-planned community, earned first place on Austin Business Journal’s latest list of fastest-growing neighborhoods with 470 home starts last year. The list is based on data from real estate company Zonda.

There are eight homebuilders active in Sunfield, where homes can be purchased at prices much lower than the average home in the metro.

While Sunfield’s 470 home starts was an increase over the 291 home starts reported on our 2023 list, many neighborhoods saw a decrease in home…

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"APR vs. Interest Rate: What’s the Difference Between These 2 Mortgage Terms?"

Realtor.com shares "APR vs. interest rate: What’s the difference? If you’re applying for a mortgage, these are two financial terms you need to understand. APR stands for “annual percentage rate,” or the amount of interest on your total loan that you’ll pay annually over the life of the loan. It’s slightly different from the interest rate, which is the cost you’ll pay each day based on your mortgage balance.

These terms might be foreign to you, especially if this is your first time buying a home. But don’t worry—we’ll break down what each one is so that you’re ready to be a savvy mortgage shopper. Let’s first start by discussing the mortgage interest rate.

What is a mortgage interest rate?

Simply put, the interest rate is the cost you will pay…

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"Nearly 300 condos heading to trendy South Congress"

Austin Business Journal reports, "Intracorp Homes has unveiled new details about its upcoming condo development on bustling South Congress Avenue.

Intracorp, one of the most active condo developers in the city, confirmed the project late last year but declined to provide additional information at the time as it worked its way through planning stages. On April 2, the developer announced details, including number of units, costs and the entities working on it. The company also said a final general contractor hasn't been selected.

Leland South Congress, as the project is called, will rise seven stories on about 3 acres spread across four lots at the intersection of South Congress Avenue and Live Oak Street.

The development will add 270 condos to…

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"More transit-focused zoning under consideration at Austin City Hall"

Austin Business Journal writes, "The second phase of Austin’s HOME Initiative and other wide-reaching land use changes are set to be considered at City Hall in the coming weeks. The goal: To hack away at Austin's housing affordability problem and prepare the city for its planned light rail system.

Bigger development will be needed along the 10-mile light rail route — especially at train stops. The project, on track to cost about $4.8 billion in current years’ dollars and begin construction in 2027, will be supported through federal transit funding if the city can prove that its land-use regulations will support the new transit network.

If approved, the new policies will usher in a wave of opportunities for developers and existing homeowners.

…

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