Luxe Austin Homes - spring market

"Mortgage Demand From Homeowners Recovers as Applications Rise for the Second Week in a Row"

Realtor.com reports, "Home loan applications slightly ticked up 1.1% for the second week, but are trending lower than last week when overall applications increased 11%.

The latest data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey shows a 1.1% increase on mortgage loan application volume on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. The refinance index decreased 0.4% from the prior week but was 44% higher than the same week one year ago.

"The most notable change in this week's data was the increase in purchase applications, which jumped 2.3% on a weekly basis and were up 18% year over year," says Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com®. "The spring housing market is picking up, and…

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"Housing market shifts to favor buyers — but they're not buying"

Austin Business Journal writes, "Like much else about the U.S. economy, tariffs and broader uncertainty are weighing on home sales amid the industry's crucial spring season.

In March, more than 375,000 homes were newly listed on the market — an increase of nearly 9% compared to the same time last year, according to Zillow Group Inc. (Nasdaq: ZG) research. But newly pending sales were flat compared to last year, despite slightly lower average mortgage rates in March 2025 compared to a year ago.

That's despite several aspects of the market — including price cuts hitting their highest point in at least seven years — shifting to favor buyers.

Inventory rose to 1.15 million homes in March, an increase of 19% from last year and the most inventory…

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"Competition among Austin-area homebuyers set to heat up in mid-April"

CultureMap Austin writes, "If you’re a first-time homebuyer in the Austin metro area, beware of mid-April.

A new study from Austin-based Realtor.com shows that in 2025, the best time to list a home for sale in the Austin area is the week of April 13. This translates into stepped-up competition among homebuyers during that time frame.

Why is the week of April 13 such a popular time to put a home on the market in the Austin area? Brandy Wuensch, president of the Austin Board of Realtors and Unlock MLS, offers three reasons:

• Springtime offers a pleasant climate for open houses, leading to more potential buyers touring homes.
• Buyers often prefer to move in the spring so they can settle into a new home before the start of the school year in…

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"The best time for Austinites to list their home"

AXIOS Austin writes, "It's prime time to list homes in Austin, according to a new Zillow report.

Why it matters: Sellers who listed their homes in early spring last year made more money on the sale than at any other time of the year.

The big picture: The "best time to sell," per Zillow researchers, depends on where you live, and the season starts early in Austin.

• Across the U.S., homes listed late last May sold for 1.6% more — typically $5,600 — than any other time of year.
• San Jose, California; Seattle; and San Diego also saw price premiums in March, while late fall was prime time to sell in Tampa Bay and Phoenix.

Zoom in: Listing Austin-area homes in the second half of March boosted the final sale price by 2.3%, or about $10,400, on…

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"Homebuyers Face Less Stress as More Listings Hit the Market"

Realtor.com writes, "It’s spring home selling season, and there’s good news for buyers who may feel less pressure to commit to a home on the spot as more listing options are available.

The Realtor.com® weekly housing data showed that listing prices flattened even as new listings and active inventory growth continued. The data suggests that March home shoppers will have more options and a bit more time to evaluate those options this year versus last.

The Realtor.com forecast expects modestly higher home sales from the low 2024 bar as inventory recovery gives home shoppers more options and more market power. That mortgage rates are steady this year at a time when they surged last year will likely benefit spring shoppers and should encourage…

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"Greater Inventory Brings Home Buyers Back to the Real Estate Market"

Realtor Magazine writes, "As the spring thaw sets in, new housing momentum is “flashing encouraging signs” for the market, says NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun.

A notable uptick in housing inventory nationwide may be pulling the real estate market out of a long winter hibernation.

Total existing-home sales, which account for completed transactions for single-family homes, townhomes, condos and co-ops, rose 4.2% month over month in February, the National Association of REALTORS® reported Thursday.

“Home buyers are slowly entering the market,” even as mortgage rates and home prices appear frozen at elevated levels, says NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “More inventory and choices are releasing pent-up housing demand.” 

Existing-home…

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"Good News for Homebuyers—It’s a Friendlier Market as Sellers Get Ready for Spring"

Realtor.com shares, "The much anticipated spring selling season is a few weeks away, and signs point to a friendlier market for homebuyers.

The share of consumers saying that now is a good time to buy was the highest in over a year, but still only at 24%. Meanwhile, the share of those saying that it’s a good time to sell remains high, at 62%.

On the one hand, this aligns with the data. The Realtor.com® weekly housing inventory showed that listing prices softened as new listings and active inventory growth both rose and homes took longer to sell. These are all signs consistent with a housing market shifting into buyer-friendlier territory.

At the same time, when the market is shifting and uncertain, it can be wise to home in on seasonal…

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"6 hot Austin-area ZIP codes for first-time homebuyers in spring 2024"

Culturemap Austin writes, Austinites looking to own a home for the first time may be in luck this year, as the housing market is finally starting to look more lucrative for buyers. The post-pandemic homebuying craze left many scared and uncertain about the possibility of becoming homeowners with prices and rates skyrocketing. However, 2024 is shaping up to be a lot more hopeful for those wanting to trade renting for owning.

According to the US News & World Report market forecast for Austin, the current housing market is favoring buyers as mortgage rates are coming down, there’s a more balanced supply and demand of both new and existing homes, and median prices have slowly dipped by 4.2 percent over the past two years. At its peak in 2022, the…

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"Existing-Home Sales Surge in a Positive Sign for This Year’s Housing Market"

Realtor.com writes, "This year’s housing market is off to a strong start.

Sales of existing homes, which exclude new construction, jumped 9.5% from January to February, according to a recent report from the National Association of Realtors®. That was the largest month-over-month increase in a year.

However, sales did dip a little annually, coming down 3.3% from February 2023.

The surge in monthly closings is likely due to the drop in mortgage rates, which began declining last fall. This brought more buyers into the market and, importantly, might have persuaded more homeowners to sell their properties. As most sellers are also buyers, many have been reluctant to trade a low mortgage rate for a higher one.

Mortgage rates averaged 6.87% for…

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