Sales Market

Austin 2011 Real Estate Sales Breakdown by MLS Area

January 29, 2012

The Austin real estate 2011 sales breakdown by MLS area is below. Most areas of Austin are holding steady. I’ve color coded the results columns of each area to show whether or not that area performed above or below the greater Austin market on whole. For example, let’s look at MLS area “W” (West Austin). [...]

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Austin Real Estate Market Update – Dec 2011 End of Year Stats

January 18, 2012

The Austin real estate market did about what we expected in 2011, which wasn’t much. Basically treading water with some slight improvements, but nothing that represents a notable shift in market activity. Instead, it looks like momentum is building for a breakout year of increased activity and rising prices either in 2012 or 2013. Let’s [...]

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Where is Westlake, or is it West Lake Hills?

November 23, 2011

Where exactly is “Westlake” in Austin? Well, it depends on which boundaries you use. In the broadest sense, “Westlake” is considered to be those areas which attend Westlake High School, or those areas within the Eanes ISD boundaries, as shown on this map. So, in general terms, the area west of Austin known as “Westlake” [...]

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Austin Real Estate Market Update – October 2011 Stats

November 13, 2011

Below are the Austin housing market stats for October 2011 and year to date. Austin Sales Market Update – October 2011 Homes only (condos, duplexes, etc. not included) compiled from Austin MLS data Sep 2011 Oct 2011 Oct 2010 Yr % Change # Sold 1601 1346 1202 11.98% Avg List $262,989 $267,793 $278,846 -3.96% Med [...]

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Austin Real Estate Investing Not Always Profitable

October 28, 2011

Sylvia and I just sold a couple of acreage lots that we purchased in Oak Hill back in Feb 2007. For those who remember, Austin’s real estate market was still running full tilt in early 2007. I bought three lots in a new subdivision, we built a new custom home on one of them and [...]

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Austin Realtor Agent Performance Stats Now Live on Redfin

October 1, 2011

The Real Estate company Redfin recently announced the release of its Agent Scouting Report in its various markets around the US. This allows Redfin “clients” (term in quotes because anyone can sign up at Redfin.com and instantly be a “client”, whereas most agents think of a client as someone who has signed an actual Listing or [...]

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Austin Property Tours: Beneficial to Sellers and Listing Agents?

August 18, 2011

Today I attended a property tour for my listing in Great Hills. There were 11 homes on the tour, including our listing. The other agents on the tour were the listing agents for the other 10 houses. This gives us a chance to see each other’s listings and to offer feedback on pricing, staging, etc. [...]

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Keith Richards, Harry Potter and the Austin Home Buyer

July 22, 2011

I recently read the autobiography Keith Richard’s Life. In it, Keith Richards, of Rolling Stones fame of course, talks about becoming a songwriter and how it changed his perspective on life. It caused him to more closely observe people and how they behave. To more closely listen to comments and phrases people use, always keeping [...]

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Central Austin Homes: Buyers Often Frustrated and Deflated

July 6, 2011

I’ve been working with buyers recently looking in Central Austin neighborhoods. A recurring scenario always develops. Buyers are in love with neighborhoods such as Allandale, Travis Heights, Zilker, Barton Hills, Hyde Park, East Austin, etc., but cannot find an acceptable home to purchase in the Central Austin areas they love. A couple of months ago [...]

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Austin Housing Market Update – Midyear 2011

July 4, 2011

Homes values in Austin are trending up overall. This graph shown below can be deceptive though, because market activity is highly localized within pockets and neighborhoods. Let’s have a look and I’ll discuss further below. It’s impoortant to understand what a graph like this is and what it isn’t. It’s not an indicator of the [...]

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