Luxe Austin Homes - TX

"Home prices stabilize after historic highs in Southwest Austin area"

Community Impact Austin writes, "even as Southwest Austin remains among the most desirable and pricier areas of the metro to buy or rent, local data points to the housing market settling down after a recent burst of activity.

Movement toward a more balanced market has been underway since last year with observers crediting broader trends, such as rising interest rates, lasting inflation and more mild job growth, for spurring the changes. Every month in 2023 has seen local homes priced well below 2022 levels and taking longer to sell.

The days of new home listings drawing crowds and selling rapidly are not entirely over, some real estate experts said. Generally, they said buyers now have a better chance to explore their options thanks to narrowing…

379 Views, 0 Comments

"More housing could be headed to Lakeway"

Austin Business Journal reports, "Lakeway City Council must decide whether to rezone a 33.9-acre tract and clear the way for a largely residential community in the city.

At an Aug. 2 meeting, Lakeway’s Zoning and Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend the rezoning to Council. The proposed change would see the tract switch from single-family temp zoning to a planned unit development, according to the meeting agenda.

Housing developer Cascade Homes LLC made the rezoning request for the Balcones Point PUD on behalf of the property owners, the MB Winborn Trust and Gregory & Kenneth Winborn Irrevocable Trust.

It was not clear when Council could vote on the rezoning. It typically meets on the third Monday of each month.

If built, the…

336 Views, 0 Comments

"1,200-acre nature preserve to open in Williamson County"

KXAN shares that, "the Hill Country Conservancy is poised to open a 1,205-acre nature preserve in Williamson County, following a donation from an anonymous landowner.

The land is described as “ecologically sensitive” and was given to the nonprofit conservancy “to be used for conservation, research, educational outreach and public recreation,” per a Tuesday release. Named the Pecan Springs Karst Preserve, the land sits within the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone at the onset of the Texas Hill Country, located five miles west of Jarrell.

The land features limestone caves and sinkholes and is home to several endangered species, including Salado salamanders, golden-cheeked warblers and tricolored bats.

“Pecan Springs Karst Preserve is by far the…

372 Views, 0 Comments

"Hill Country Studios secures zoning, annexation approvals to keep massive project on schedule"

Austin Business Journal reports, "a quarter-billion-dollar film studio planned south of Austin has secured key approvals that should keep the first pieces on track to open next year.

Hill Country Group LLC on Aug. 1 received a second and final approval from San Marcos City Council to annex and zone pieces of what's earmarked to be the $267 million Hill Country Studios project on 209 acres at 6202 W. Centerpoint Road, in the La Cima master-planned community.

It's a significant milestone for a project that has turned heads for more than a year and could eventually provide more than 800,000 square feet of studio facilities at full buildout, including 12 purpose-built sound stages, four workshops and more than 200,000 square feet of production…

371 Views, 0 Comments

"Austin expedites land use reforms for denser housing"

Austin Business Journal reports, "a push by a handful of Austin-based nonprofits to expedite construction of denser, more affordable housing has garnered a response from City Hall.

A coalition of housing-focused organizations issued a call to city leaders on July 7 to expedite code changes to enable developers to build denser and faster than previously allowed. The letter was from the Austin Housing Coalition, Transit Forward, HousingWorks Austin and the Austin Justice Coalition.

About two weeks later, Austin City Council unanimously approved a resolution July 20 that authorizes the city manager to propose code amendments that complement the city’s ongoing piecemeal changes to its land development code. The ultimate goal is to streamline…

352 Views, 0 Comments

"Austin housing economist: forecast calls for cooling home prices, lower mortgage rates"

Shonda Novak of Austin American-Statesmant writes,  "last week, I attended the Austin Board of Realtors' second annual Central Texas Housing Summit. It was loaded with facts, figures, insights and prognostications about the Austin-area housing market. One panel featured the board's housing economist, Clare Losey; Mark Sprague, a longtime Central Texas housing market analyst with Independence Title; and Selma Hepp, CoreLogic's chief economist who gave a national economic update.

Below are a few takeaways with Losey's outlook for the Austin metro's housing market over the next several months. Losey made the comments in a weekly audio interview called "Driving It Home" that features Losey and the board's CEO, Emily Chenevert.

• Inflation will continue…

381 Views, 0 Comments

"Multifamily development bringing 119 homes to Sam Bass corridor in Round Rock"

Community Impact Austin writes, "a multifamily project that was recently rezoned would bring a planned 119 housing units to the Sam Bass Road corridor, providing additional housing in a quickly growing area.

What's happening

Round Rock officials voted July 27 on a request to rezone 8.51 acres of land at the intersection of Sam Bass Road and Meadows Drive. The land was previously zoned for public facilities, such as assisted living, government services, medical clinics, places of worship, schools and public offices. It was also previously owned by Freedom Church but was recently sold to a residential developer, said Brad Wiseman, Round Rock's director of planning and development services.

Long story short

The city's comprehensive land-use plan shows this…

389 Views, 0 Comments

"Travis Club gearing up to start construction on huge waterfront site"

Austin Business Journal reports, "construction is finally nearing for a 1,058-acre master-planned community west of Austin with an 18-hole golf course.

Plans call for the neighborhood, the Travis Club, to rise on an undeveloped bend of Lake Travis between Thurman Bend Estates and the Briarcliff community.

The resort-style community is being developed by Menlo Park, California-based real estate developer Haas & Haynie Corp. and Austin-based real estate investment firm Castle Hill Partners Inc.

The final plat of the first phase was approved July 18 by Travis County commissioners, which clears the way for the first 53 single-family homes and 68 "villa" units to be built on nearly 340 acres. That will be major milestone for a sometimes…

402 Views, 0 Comments

"First of Georgetown's 3D-printed homes hit the market"

Community Impact Austin writes, "a community of 100 homes being built with 3D-printer technology in Georgetown’s Wolf Ranch neighborhood reached a milestone July 22, when the first model home opened to the public.

What’s happening?

Construction technology company ICON, in partnership with homebuilder Lennar, architecture firm Bjarke Ingles Group and developer Hillwood Communities, has been steadily printing walls using its Vulcan robotic construction systems since the project was announced in November. With the first model home now completed, the group has begun selling its tech-forward houses with the first residents set to move in this September.

A closer look

The 3D-printed homes are made out of ICON’s proprietary cementitious mix, Lavacrete. The…

689 Views, 0 Comments

"Upscale homes still on rise in Lake Travis-Westlake as real estate market returns to normal"

Community Impact Austin writes, "while many areas in the Hill Country are built out, including West Lake Hills and Rollingwood, the Lake Travis area still has many high-end residential real estate developments in the works.

Residential developments continue to be a significant area of focus in Bee Cave, Lakeway and Spicewood.

“In areas like Westlake, there isn’t anymore land—everything’s developed, so there isn’t room for new construction,” said Michelle Jones, a real estate agent for Grossman & Jones in Bee Cave. “We’re fortunate in our market in Lake Travis because we have land going out toward [Hwy.] 71.”

Jones said although there are a couple of multifamily developments in the area, single-family homes, often associated with a plethora of…

411 Views, 0 Comments