Luxe Austin Homes - Buyers

Austin has highest housing inventory since 2018, report says

The Austin housing market continues to become a healthier ecosystem for buyers — a welcome sign for many after years of sellers having heavy hands.

The metro’s housing inventory increased to 2.9 months in August, according to the Austin Board of Realtors’ monthly market report. That’s the highest level of inventory since September 2018, well before the Covid-19 pandemic era that saw Austin’s housing inventory crater even further. Additionally, median home sales prices continued to fall since setting a record of $550,000 in April and May, and are under $500,000 for the first time since February.

The inventory is bolstered by declining home sales and an increase in active listings.

August saw 2,924 closed home sales, a 23% decrease from last…

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In a twist, NY developer approved for $65M purchase of prime South Congress property with redevelopment potential

In a wild twist, one of the nation’s most prolific developers has emerged as the frontrunner to buy out of bankruptcy a six-acre South Congress Avenue site primed for redevelopment.

After the top two bidders for the South Congress site proved either unwilling or unable to timely close on the sales, The Related Companies LP, a New York-based developer with an estimated $60 billion portfolio, negotiated with a Chapter 7 trustee to make a $65 million offer.

Related was approved by a bankruptcy judge Sept. 15 to purchase the site for $65 million, provided it can close on the deal by Sept. 30.

An attorney representing the company, Josh Judd of law firm Andrews Myers PC, told ABJ Sept. 16 that his client is "not anticipating any problems" closing…

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Tens of millions of dollars of new homes rising in small neighborhood

Five local architecture firms will showcase their designs in a high-end residential development coming to West Lake Hills.

Custom homebuilder Foursquare Builders LLC announced Sept. 7 it will build an enclave of six ultra-luxury homes in the tony suburb west of downtown Austin, designed by five renowned firms. The development, called the Wildcat Club, will have home prices starting at $11.75 million. All of the home listings in the development are with Darin Walker of Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty.

"The vision was to develop this parcel where we can bring a very select group of architects to work with us on these six properties, so that we have a community of architecturally significant homes that are held to a standard that’s…

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200-plus homes may sprout in Northeast Austin subdivision

Sixty-eight acres in Northeast Austin have been zoned for single-family, small lot construction by the city’s Zoning and Platting Commission.

Plans indicate there are 211 plots at 4806 Blue Goose Road, just east of Cameron Road. Commissioners approved the zoning as part of the consent agenda at their Sept. 6 meeting, following a recommendation by city staffers.

The final number of homes could change.

The project is spearheaded by RR Braker Valley LP and Jeremy Smitheal, a partner at Austin-based real estate investment firm Riverside Resources. The company is behind several major commercial projects across the city, including plans to transform part of West Sixth Street.

A representative for Riverside Resources confirmed the firm is behind…

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Best Areas Of Austin, Texas To Buy A House

Everyone is moving to Austin! The U.S. News & World Report declared Austin, Texas the best place to live in the United States. While Austin doesn't claim the top spot every year, it never falls far from it. The city's population is booming. Each year, thousands of transplants move to the Texan capital city, many of whom come from California (via JBGoodwin Realtors). Texas has no state income tax, making it an attractive place for individuals, and it offers plenty of tax breaks for businesses, too. So it's growing — particularly Austin.

There are many things to love about Austin. First of all, the city has the slogan, "Keep Austin Weird." It's the live music capital of Texas, brimming with great places to eat (seriously, some of the best tacos you…

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Good News for Buyers: 10 Cities Where the Number of Homes for Sale Is Soaring

Today’s housing market is one of the strangest that many real estate experts have ever seen. After years of bone-dry inventory and sky-high demand that led to soaring prices, bidding wars, and a breakneck sales pace, the market is correcting—and rapidly at that.

In fact, the number of U.S. homes for sale is rising at the fastest pace in five years, up more than 200% since its lowest point this February, according to a Realtor.com® analysis. That’s great news for frazzled buyers who’ve been struggling over the past few years to find anything—anything—to buy. However, housing supply is still well below normal. The number of listings would need to nearly double to get inventory back to what had become normal before the COVID-19 pandemic—and even that…

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Austin high-rise plans preserve Old Depot Hotel

In Austin, the more things change the more they stay the same.

While Stonelake Capital Partners is about to add another high rise to the Austin skyline, the company is set on preserving the historic Old Depot Hotel next door. This week, the Austin Design Commission recommended the project for a downtown density bonus, which lets buildings rise taller than is typically allowed, the Austin Business Journal reported.

To qualify for the Downtown Density Bonus Program, a project must either incorporate affordable housing or pay a fee. Stonelake has opted for the latter — to the tune of $4.5 million.

The commission vote comes a little over a year after Stonelake first unveiled plans for the site that many know as the old home of Italian…

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As Cedar Park home prices decrease, Leander shows rising costs

Cedar Park is seeing the lowest median home price this year for July as prices in the city continue to drop, while Leander is experiencing the opposite, according to Austin Board of Realtors data.

In July, Leander’s median home price reached $567,455, which is the highest price the city has seen this year. Cedar Park, however, saw the lowest home price in July at $512,500.

Despite Leander seeing a slight upward trend in home prices as the year progresses, ABoR President Cord Shiflet said the housing market is continuing to normalize.

“In every aspect of our market, Realtors are seeing positive signs that Austin’s housing market continues to normalize,” he said. “On top of rising housing inventory, home price growth is much closer to the 4%-5% annual…

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iBuyers, short-term rental owners could see divergence as investor activity plateaus in Q2

Investor activity began to plateau in the second quarter but even with higher interest rates and a slowing housing market, it's likely some groups will continue to find opportunity.

Real estate investors bought 87,500 U.S. homes in the second quarter, up 11% on a quarterly basis and 5.9% higher year over year, according to Seattle-based Redfin Corp. (Nasdaq: RDFN). Investors bought an all-time high of 93,700 homes in Q3 2021 but, as Redfin notes, investors continue to buy more homes than they did pre-pandemic.

Investors purchased a record $60.1 billion worth of real estate in Q2, and their market share was 19.4% of all homes purchased last quarter (down from 20.5% in Q1).

Defined by Redfin and most industry groups as an institution or…

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Homebuyers regain some power in Austin as inventory continues to climb

Homebuyers continue to gain negotiating power in the Austin area, a welcome change of pace in a market that has been defined for much of the past two years by blistering conditions.

The latest numbers from the Austin Board of Realtors convey good — or at least better — news for this home-starved market and people struggling to find a home. They also signal a comforting trend that would help Austin avoid a housing crash after years of phenomenal appreciation.

Housing inventory increased in July for the second straight month, to 2.7 months for the region and 2.4 months for Austin city limits, according to ABOR. Instead of a summer outlier, this now seems to point to a trend of decreasing demand, especially in light of rising mortgage rates,…

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