Luxe Austin Homes - construction

"46K new housing units possible on unlocked Austin land — but zoning change doesn't go far enough, builder says"

Austin Business Journal reports, "builders in Austin can now take advantage of a change in city code that will allow for the development of residential properties on land zoned for commercial use.

The change to the land development code, which Austin City Council approved on Dec. 2, carries major implications for real estate firms, significantly expanding the market for development. It also represents another avenue for cutting into Austin's housing shortage: city staffers previously estimated this decision could allow for the creation of 46,324 new homes.

Developers will still need to apply to build residential projects in commercial areas and will have to meet certain criteria, including around affordability. The change incentivizes the…

412 Views, 0 Comments

"Fewer sales, moderate price growth: Here's what Austin housing market could look like in 2023"

Austin Business Journal writes, "after a wild couple of years, the Austin-area housing market could be in store for a relatively modest 2023.

Realtor.com predicted that the volume of local home sales will actually fall 6.6% next year, compared with 2022, while prices will grow 3%.

Ashley Jackson, president-elect of the Austin Board of Realtors, said there's hope that more moderate adjustments are a sign of Austin's return to a normal, seasonal market — as opposed to the dramatics seen in 2021 and part of 2022, when Austin became one of the top pandemic relocation destinations.

Median home sale price in the Austin metro peaked at a record $550,000 in April and May, but had fallen to $474,990 by October, according to ABOR data. Winter is…

416 Views, 0 Comments

"Crane Watch: Symphony Square tower tops out; Lots more housing, warehouse space planned"

Austin Business Journal reports, "Greystar Real Estate Partners LLC's Symphony Square mixed-use project in downtown Austin is inching toward completion.

Since October, both 1121 at Symphony Square, the development's seven-story office building, and The Waller, its 32-story residential tower, have topped out, said Jon deVita, development associate at Greystar.

South Carolina-based Greystar is seeking certifications that will set the project apart in the areas of sustainability, connectivity and health and wellness, said Matt Stevenson, Austin-based senior director of development.

When complete, 1121 at Symphony Square will have 129,000 square feet of class A office space, with floor plates ranging from 13,500 to 30,000 square feet, deVita…

406 Views, 0 Comments

"Travis County considers increasing development fees"

Austin Business Journal reports, "developers working in Travis County may face increased construction and permitting fees in the months ahead.

Travis County Commissioners Court is considering increasing existing development fees and implementing new ones for a variety of services including traffic impact analysis, on-site sewage facilities and floodplain permits, in addition to requests for variances and exceptions associated with development review.

If passed, this would be the first change to the county’s development fee structure since 2016 and generate millions in annual income for the county.

With already long wait times for county development review, which increase the cost of new construction, commissioners stress that any additional…

417 Views, 0 Comments

"Home Builders Struggle To Find Buyers as Cancellations by Developers Rise"

Realtor.com writes, "it’s a tough time to be selling a home. That’s also true for home builders, who are seeing canceled orders and dwindling interest among would-be buyers.

“Mortgage applications have been running down close to 40% year over year. People are clearly in sort of a wait-and-see or pause mode,” John Lovallo, a UBS analyst who covers home builders, told MarketWatch on an episode of Barron’s Live.

Confidence among home builders dropped for the 10th month in a row in October to a 10-year low (with the exception of the start of the pandemic), according to the National Association of Home Builders. Traffic among prospective buyers, one of the components that measures confidence, fell significantly, the association said, as buyers look…

427 Views, 0 Comments

"Why is the real estate boom in Austin slowing down?"

KVUE Austin reports, "more than two years ago now, 2020 saw what many real estate agents and developers called a gold rush in Austin, with homes being sold in a matter of hours. Now, the market appears to be slowing down.

"It's brought a lot of people here and it was just a perfect storm," said Chester Wilson, one of the owners of Greater Austin Builders.

Two years ago, many set their sights on Austin.

"Gold rush is a perfect term for it. I've been doing this for 25 years. It was unlike anything we've ever seen," said Cord Shiflet, the president of the Austin Board of Realtors.

However, Shiflet said Austin's real estate boom isn't going anywhere but that it's just slowing down.

He noted that rather than…

389 Views, 0 Comments

"Wildhorse Ranch to expand near Manor"

Austin Business Journal writes, "another undeveloped chunk of land has taken a step toward becoming single-family homes in Northeast Austin.

During the Oct. 25 meeting of the Austin Planning Commission, the preliminary plan for Pinnacle at Wildhorse Ranch gained approval to divide 60 acres into 57 lots within the city’s Gilleland Creek watershed.

The approval represents an expansion to Wildhorse Ranch that has risen on 1,450 acres next to the newly requested expansion.

The development is a product of Austin-based Dwyer Realty Companies, led by longtime developer Pete Dwyer, and the request and the preliminary plan were presented to the commission by Kevin Burks, a civil engineer at the design consulting firm Kimley-Horn.

Dwyer Realty did…

371 Views, 0 Comments

"New 43-story tower breaks ground in Austin's Rainey Street district"

Austin American-Statesman reports, "a 43-story apartment tower is the latest high-rise to start construction in the booming Rainey Street area in downtown Austin.

High Street Residential, along with MSD Partners and River Street Partners, said started construction has bgun on the tower, which will rise 500 feet at River and Rainey streets on downtown's southeastern edge. It will have 377 upscale apartments, ranging from studios to three-bedroom units and penthouses.

Called 700 River (initially River Street Residences), the tower will include 3,400 square feet of retail space and more than 30,000 square feet of amenity space, according to the developers. The high-rise is due to be completed in late 2024.

The project is part of wave of growth…

540 Views, 0 Comments

"No longer ‘frantic’: Number of homes for sale in Austin metro highest in more than a decade"

AUSTIN (KXAN) — "The number of homes for sale in the Austin metro area is the highest in more than a decade.

A total of 9,671 homes were actively listed in September across the five-county area — the highest number since July 2011, according to the September housing report from the Austin Board of Realtors.

The number of active listings is up more than 160% over last September.

Meanwhile, home sales declined in September. Just less than 3,000 homes were sold last month, down 18.5% year-over-year.

“Homebuyers no longer need to move at a frantic pace to find a home,” said ABoR President Cord Shiflet. “There are more homes to choose from and more time to find a home that works for their needs and budget.”

The median home price across the…

375 Views, 0 Comments

"Crane Watch: More condos to rise in S. Austin; More warehouses slated for I-35 corridor"

According to Austin Business Journal, "There’s another industrial development sprouting in the fertile I-35 corridor.

Mississippi-based EastGroup Properties Inc. broke ground Sept. 12 on Stonefield 35, a 275,559-square-foot project in Buda, the company announced Sept. 22. The development comes amid impressive growth, especially for industrial space, in the corridor between Austin and San Antonio.

The development will be built on about 21 acres at the northeast corner of I-35 and Robert S. Light Boulevard. EastGroup is constructing three buildings with varied dimensions.

The largest building will be 148,233 square feet and equipped with 51 dock doors and two ramps, according to marketing material. The building will have 195 parking spaces.

…

471 Views, 0 Comments