Austin Real Estate

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 [...]

12 comments Read the full article →

Austin Fence Dramas – Dealing With Unreasonable Neighbors

September 29, 2011

Most homes in Austin have fenced back yards. Most fences are built on the property line. The standard wood fence lasts about 8-15 years before it needs replacing (less if it’s a cheap starter home fence). Usually, when replacement is needed, reasonable neighbors work it out and get it done, sharing materials and labor in a way [...]

16 comments Read the full article →

How Much is a Dollar Worth to You? It Depends

September 18, 2011

Last year I made (saved) $120 by spending 3 minutes on the telephone. All I did was call Sheraton Hotel in Seattle and say “I’d like to convert my reservation to the internet rate“. A couple of minutes later it was done. No fuss about it. I then paid $30 less per night during our [...]

3 comments Read the full article →

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 [...]

11 comments Read the full article →

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 [...]

12 comments Read the full article →

Popcorn Ceilings – Are They Really So Bad?

April 10, 2011

As I was suffering with allergies last month, praying the medicine would work, and wishing I could at least start to half-breath again, I took respite on my living room sofa and laid there for a while, like a zombie, staring at my ceiling, meditating and trying to will my sinuses into operation. As I did so, I [...]

31 comments Read the full article →

Do Group Homes Harm Austin Neighborhoods?

December 2, 2010

We have a listing that is a good candidate for a Group Home, and we’re marketing it as such. This has earned the ire of some of the individuals living in the University Hills neighborhood in NE Austin. Let’s have a look at an emailed received from one of the concerned neighbors: Do NOT advertise [...]

20 comments Read the full article →

Austin Real Estate Market Update – Oct 2010 Sales

November 17, 2010

Sales volume continues to drop year over year in Austin while prices continue to rise. Let’s have a look at the chart below. Austin Real Estate Sales Monthly Update – Oct 2010 Homes only (condos, duplexes, etc. not included) compiled from Austin MLS data Sep 2010 Oct 2010 Oct 2009 Yr % Change # Sold [...]

9 comments Read the full article →

Austin Real Estate Market Update – Sept 2010

November 2, 2010

The number of residential home sales in Austin continued to fall off for September. Even record low interest rates are not enough to motivate buyers. Most buyers who really need to buy already did so earlier this year. Looks like everyone else is hunkering down and waiting. Let’s start with the year to date stats. [...]

7 comments Read the full article →

Austin Real Estate Market Update – Aug 2010 Stats

September 16, 2010

The average year-to-date sold price for homes in Austin is $256K, which just broke through the (peak) year 2007 YTD of $255K. Now, there is a lot of discussion and caveats that must be considered along with this milestone statistic, but nevertheless, look at the graph below for a visual representation of where average and [...]

18 comments Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →