Luxe Austin Homes - holidays

"Mortgage rates fall for the sixth week in a row"

Posted by Grossman & Jones Group on December 22nd, 2022

Yahoo Finance reports, "mortgage rates dropped for the sixth straight week, but housing activity remained muted going into the holidays.

The rate for the average 30-year fixed mortgage slipped to 6.27% from 6.31% the week prior, according to  Freddie Mac . Rates have fallen more than three-quarters of a point since mid-November after the Federal Reserve signaled that it would slow its interest-rate hikes amid cooling inflation.

Still, rates remain 3 percentage points higher than they were at the start of the year, leaving many first-time buyers on the sidelines and sellers — who haven't pulled their listings — more willing to negotiate.

“Heading into the holidays, mortgage rates continued to move down,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief…

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'Home Prices Just Hit a Turning Point After Nearly a Year, but Will Buyers Miss It Amid the Holidays?'

Posted by Grossman & Jones Group on December 16th, 2022

Realtor.com writes, "while many homebuyers might be taking a break from their house hunt to indulge in some eggnog and holiday cheer, the few stalwart home shoppers still out there right now have a fantastic opportunity on their hands.

Want proof? Home price growth fell to 9.5% for the week ending Dec. 10, down from 10.3% for the week ending Dec. 3. And that shift to single-digit growth is significant.

“This slowdown marks the first time in 49 weeks, nearly one year, that median home prices have advanced at a single-digit pace,” explains Realtor.com® Chief Economist Danielle Hale in her weekly analysis.

And it’s not just home price growth dropping as 2022 comes to a close: Mortgage interest rates also dipped for the fifth week in a row.

So…

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Family in town? Austin landmarks and tourist traps even locals love

Posted by Grossman & Jones Group on December 7th, 2021

Outdoors

Zilker Park, Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail

Spanning 351 acres in the heart of Austin is Zilker Park. It’s also the city’s oldest park, according to the city’s website. It was named after Andrew Jackson Zilker, who donated pieces of land to the city on multiple occasions beginning in 1917.

You can also hop on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, named after a former mayor and his wife. The trail is 10 miles long.

Barton Creek Greenbelt, Sculpture Falls

Austin has several greenbelts for hiking, but the most famous is the Barton Creek Greenbelt. It’s an ideal spot for swimming as well.

You can start at the trailhead off MoPac — this will give you access to both Twin Falls and Sculpture Falls — or from the…

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