Grossman & Jones Real Estate Blog - real estate

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

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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"New Lakeway street, residential development will be considered at Dec. 19 council meeting"

Community Impact repots, "preliminary plans for the development of a new street called Taranga Drive will be presented during Lakeway City Council’s Dec. 19 regular meeting.

The street is part of a 5.59-acre development being built by Houston-based general contractor RobRyan Custom Builders and is located at 507 Rupen Drive, Lakeway, according to city documents.

The submitted preliminary plan is to develop 10 residential lots and one drainage reserve lot, the city said.

In terms of traffic, the new development is expected to generate around 103 trips per day, according to the report.

The developer is also requesting City Council approve a fee in lieu in the amount of $45,000 to meet the parkland dedication and improvements requirements.

At the Dec. 19…

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"New 2,200-acre master-planned community with 'downtown village' on the horizon for Lake Travis"

CultureMap Austin reports, "a new master-planned community is set to take shape in the "wild hills" of Lake Travis. Thomas Ranch, announced December 5 by developer Areté Collective, is coming to Spicewood, with construction set to begin in 2023.

The 2,200-acre project will boast ample housing — approximately 3,500 units are planned — as well as a downtown village, expansive hiking and biking trails, and many other luxe amenities. Its website says "Thomas Ranch is a 2,200-acre master-planned community reimagined to appeal to a new kind of lifestyle."

“Areté is working to create a new frontier when it comes to Lake Travis living,” Rebecca Buchan, Areté Collective's CEO and co-founder, says in a release.

“Our vision for Thomas Ranch is that it…

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"CLD Realty proposes $8M retail complex in Austin ’burb"

TheRealDeal writes, "a retail center serving two master-planned communities is on the way in the Austin suburb of Buda.

CLD Realty has proposed building seven one-story buildings with retail and restaurant space on a 5.7-acre site at 2260 Main Street, the Austin Business Journal reported. Dubbed Corner on Main, the development is currently under review by the City of Buda.

The 48,000-square-foot complex would cost about $8 million, and construction is scheduled to begin in March next year.

“We are looking for neighborhood services that seek to take advantage of the tremendous growth in east Buda and the Sunfield community, Ryder Jeanes with CLD Realty, told the outlet in an email. He said the firm will consider tenants like restaurants and…

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Finally, Mortgage Rates and Home Prices Favor Buyers—but How Long Will This Last?

Realtor.com writes, "Christmas has arrived early for America’s homebuyers! And it’s not just one gift, but two that should make them giddy.

Gift No. 1: lower mortgage rates, which have been falling for the past four weeks.

“Housing data in the week that followed the Thanksgiving holiday showed that the recent dip in mortgage rates may already be having an impact,” explains Realtor.com® Chief Economist Danielle Hale in her weekly analysis.

Gift No. 2: Home price growth “slowed notably” for the week ending Dec. 3, according to Hale.

We unwrap the latest real estate statistics and what they mean for homebuyers and sellers in our weekly column “How’s the Housing Market This Week?”

Mortgage rates dipped again

Not too long ago, it had…

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"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…

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"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…

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"Not just 'another luxury golf community': Thomas Ranch could add thousands of homes, urban node west of Austin"

The Austin Business Journal reports, "a massive master-planned community could be coming to the border of Travis and Burnet counties.

Salt Lake City-based Areté Collective LP announced Dec. 4 plans for Thomas Ranch, a 2,200-acre neighborhood that could rise along State Highway 71 near Spicewood. It would feature a dense urban core that developers hope to anchor with a major grocer, plus thousands of housing units across multiple types of residences and price points, a school, health care options, a resort hotel and a golf course designed by the mind behind the newest addition to the world's oldest course — The Castle Course at Scotland’s St. Andrews Links.

“What we are trying to do is build an inclusive, livable community,” Areté Collective…

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"Mortgage Rates Dip Further—So Why Are Home Prices Still So High? The ‘Sticky’ Problem, Explained"

Realtor.com writes, "with Thanksgiving behind us and much Christmas merriment ahead, one might presume that home shoppers have shelved their house hunt until the new year. But no, the housing market is as hopping as ever—and even full of surprises of late.

“Housing data in the week that includes the Thanksgiving holiday show that the housing market continues to evolve, but not always as expected,” explains Realtor.com® Chief Economist Danielle Hale in her weekly analysis.

In our column “How’s the Housing Market This Week?” we’ll break down what’s happening with the latest real estate statistics, and what it means for homebuyers and sellers.

Home price growth ticked up

In November, home prices hovered at a national median of $417,000,…

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"Home Prices Fall and Listings Soar: Could It Be a Great Time To Buy Despite High Mortgage Rates?"

Realtor.com writes, "as the housing market barrels toward the end of the year and all of its holiday trimmings, potential homebuyers are likely wondering what’s in store for the coming season.

Home shoppers looking for lower asking prices can officially check that off their wish list. November’s median home list price of $417,000 was much more wallet-friendly than June’s record high of $449,000, according to a recent report from Realtor.com®.

Yet the volatile real estate landscape is not quite ready to bring only glad tidings. High mortgage rates—which, as of Wednesday, hover at 6.58% for a 30-year fixed-rate loan—are a stark reminder that many buyers might still struggle on the affordability front.

“Even though prices are down month to…

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