Grossman & Jones Real Estate Blog - atx

"Austin home sales and prices expected to drop in 2024 according to new Realtor.com report"

Austin American-Statesman writes, "soaring home prices in recent years could calm down in 2024 after a report from Realtor.com predicted a drop in both home sales and prices for the Austin-Round Rock Area. 

Specifically, the real estate website predicted home sales in the Austin metro area would fall by 11.7%, while prices would fall by 12.2% compared to both of those marks in 2023. 

Moreover, across the country, the website predicted median home prices would fall by a much smaller 1.7%. However, it should be noted that larger, and recently more expensive, markets are expected to see bigger drops in price. 

How are other Texas housing markets expected to perform in 2024?

While the Austin area is predicted to see the biggest combined…

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"Stream plans to begin East Sixth Street transformation in new year"

Austin Business Journal reports, "a substantial facelift of Austin’s East Sixth Street will begin in the new year.

Stream Realty Partners LP said preliminary preservation work is planned to begin in early January as part of a major restoration of more than 30 properties along the popular street with Congress Avenue to the west and I-35 to the east.

The initial work will focus on restoring the facades and interiors of the Stream-owned buildings that have fallen into disrepair. The majority of interior and exterior work is scheduled to begin late in the first quarter of 2024 and early in the second quarter of the year, according to the developer.

The firm also disclosed that it will begin looking for new tenants in 2024 but it did not share if…

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"Austin considers change to density bonus programs to address public safety needs"

Austin Business Journal reports, "developers working in Austin may eventually have a new tool when seeking additional building height for their projects.

With police and fire response times unacceptable in some cases, City Hall has taken steps toward a new element to its density bonus programs that would offer incentives to developers if they donate land to the city that can be used for public safety facilities.

During its Nov. 30 meeting, Austin City Council approved a resolution directing the city manager’s office to conduct a comprehensive review of the proposal and return to Council next year.

"We are running out of land and property to develop," said Council Member Mackenzie Kelly, who sponsored the resolution. "What I don't want to…

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"Austin No. 1 college town in US, Wallethub says"

Austin Business Journal shares, "WalletHub’s annual list of the best college towns and cities in America is out, and Austin ranked No. 1 again.

Austin has taken the top spot on the list for three consecutive years. The annual list considers wallet friendliness, social environment and academic and economic opportunities.

Central Texas is home to The University of Texas at Austin, Concordia University and St. Edward's University, as well as Huston-Tillotson University and Austin Community College. Austin also has one of the highest average annual job growth rates in the country at 7.04%, according to the report, which WalletHub pointed to as a plus for graduates.

It was also No. 1 when ranked by large city size.

Here are the top 10 best…

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"Luxury senior living moves into hot Austin neighborhoods"

AXIOS Austin writes, "aiming to win older empty nesters, Austin apartment developers are now including spas and libraries.

Why it matters: More senior communities look like modern luxury apartments.

Driving the news: America is going gray. Baby boomers and their kids make up a growing share of the country's population, according to Census Bureau data.

• In greater Austin, the share of renter households that are 55 or older has hopped from 11.1% in 2005 to 17.6% last year.

What's happening: Apartment developers are courting empty nesters as young as 55 years old, dangling prime locations, easy living and amenities you'd expect at a five-star hotel, senior living expert James Hill with Houston-based Kirksey Architecture tells Axios.

…

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"Report: Austin one of top cities millennials moved to in 2022"

Austin Business Journal reports, "a new study released by financial technology company SmartAsset this month named Austin one of the most popular destinations millennials moved to in 2022. The analysis found one in four millennials moved to a different city last year, with the study ranking cities based on “the highest percentage of the population represented by newly transplanted millennials.”

Austin ranked No. 9 in pulling new residents within the 25 to 44 age range, per the study. The Lone Star State’s capital attracted 103,461 millennials, with the new residents marking 11% of the city’s overall population. The report added the median age in Austin is also in line with that trend, at 34.7 years old.

Austin wasn’t the only Texas city in the…

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"Austin's Zilker Park Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, Sparkles With 57-Year Tradition"

Hoodline writes, "Austin's holiday spirit flickers to life with the 57th annual Zilker Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony, a dazzling tradition aglow with over 3,300 lights, set to take place this Sunday, November 26. The city's beloved event, which will run from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 2100 Barton Springs Rd., has enchanted Austinites since the first lighting back in 1967 as per KXAN report.

In a ceremony warmed by the community's eager anticipation, local entertainment, delicious food, and live music, young artists from Austin will experience the honor of lighting up the night.

Winners of the Zilker Holiday Tree art contest, Claire Bonyun and Maya Nolan, will "Flip the Switch!" in their respective junior and senior divisions, a tradition dating back…

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"Intracorp plans mixed-use condo development off South Congress"

Austin Business Journal reports, "Intracorp Texas may demolish some existing buildings on the South Congress Avenue retail strip to build a mixed-use project that would bring about 250 housing units to the area.

The project at 2105 S. Congress Ave., directly south of Lively Middle School, would raise a mid-rise condo building with a garage and street-level retail on one of Austin's most popular streets, according to a construction filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations.

Construction is expected to begin March 1, 2024, according to the TDLR, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 1, 2025. The project carries an estimated cost of $110 million and will be 620,000 square feet.

A site plan filed with the city shows the…

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"River City Capital plans 700-plus apartments near Tesla, airport"

Austin Business Journal reports, "River City Capital Partners is planning a big apartment complex in Southeast Austin near the airport.

The project is set to include more than 700 apartments northwest of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, according to site plans filed with the city. That's about a 15-minute drive from Tesla's Gigafactory, which has ramped up to more than 20,000 employees. The project will be developed in multiple phases and will have an affordability component.

River City Capital did not respond to requests for comment.

The project will rise on about six acres at 6610 E. Riverside Drive and will consist of 708 apartments. While the site plan did not indicate the total square footage of the project, it did specify…

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"Reports: Austin home prices dropping, housing demand cooling off"

"The Austin Board of Realtors says buyers are willing to enter the market, despite higher interest rates. However, Zillow says the demand for houses is cooling off."

KVUE reports, "home prices are dropping in Central Texas, and the housing market overall is cooling off. That's according to new reports from both the Austin Board of Realtors (ABoR) and Zillow.

According to ABoR's October report, the median home price in the Austin-Round Rock area is $435,000. That's a 7.5% drop from a year ago.

The report also shows residential home sales are up about 4%, which experts say shows buyers are still willing to enter the housing market, despite higher interest rates.

In October, homes spent an average of 68 days on the market,…

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