December 2006 - Posts
Looking back at the median price of homes in the Austin area, 2005 and 2006 were quite strong compared to the three previous years. In 2002, the median price for a home sold in Austin was $157,500. It dropped in 2003 and again in 2004. Years 2005 and
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Up periscope - what is that supposed to mean? It means I found a pretty fun way to to show of a listing that will help set it apart. Scott Payne owns and operates Periscope Photography. Scott has a truck with a telecoping pole on the back that has a camera
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I’ve talked about jobs before and I’ll talk about them again and again. Jobs drive the real estate market. Healthy job growth usually leads to a healthy real estate market. That is exactly what is happening in the Austin area. Defined, the
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The Lake Travis Independent School District (LTISD) released its new demographic update. The update basically shows current student populations and shows projections for the future. This study really backs up my post of a few days ago about growth in
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I have a listing for a wonderful view lot in the Lakeway, TX subdivision of Bella Montagna. The subdivision is an exclusive, gated subdivision with over 80 lots that are all at least one acre. Most have very nice Hill Country views and distant Lake Travis
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The Week in Review: Dec. 10 – Dec. 16, 2006 (compared to the same week in 2005) New listings down 3.26%. Pendings up 13.98% Solds up 36.45%. As for Average Prices: Dec. 10 – Dec. 16, 2006 (compared to the same week in 2005) "New Listings"
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First, just to clarify, the title of this post refers to two different things. The first is a type of concrete developed by researchers at the University of Michigan called Engineered Composit Concrete (ECC). This is fiber reinforced concrete that is
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Western Travis and northern Hays Counties are exploding with growth. Some of the growth in terms of numbers of people is due to the fact that this is prime Central Texas Hill Country real estate. People used to purchase acreage, build a home and enjoy
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According to RealEstateJournal.com the number of first-time home buyers is down by 4% this year compared to the previous three years. I don't know the trend in the Austin area, but if it is the same here as in the rest of the country, part of the
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North central Austin is seeing a huge expansion in terms of retail space. The Domain is a 700,000 square foot retail center at Braker and MOPAC. The 700,000 is just the start. Two other developments, the Shops at Arbor Walk and Domain Crossing, will be
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There is good news out for some home buyers. Starting next year, people with less than a $100,000 income will be able to write off their Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) payments. PMI is required when people who purchase homes don't put 25% or more
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The statistics for November show some interesting things for various MLS Areas in the Austin MLS coverage area. In order to better understand this you will need an Austin MLS map . Open that link and see what happened to property values in November, 2006.
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The Week in Review: Dec. 3 – Dec. 9, 2006 (compared to the same week in 2005) New listings down 10.36%. Pendings up 36.79% Solds up 22.45%. As for Average Prices: Dec. 3 – Dec. 9, 2006 (compared to the same week in 2005) "New Listings"
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I have posted before about the Hill Country Galleria mall being built in Bee Cave , but not about what stores will be in it. That is because the developers have been reluctant to announce anything until now. The first business to open will most likely
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Lake Travis has taken on a different apperance this year. As the rains haven't come, the lake has dropped to its lowest point since 1964. At close to 644 feet above sea level, Lake Travis is about 37 feet below its full level. I have lived in the
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I read in the newspaper that Toll Brothers earnings during the fourth quarter dropped 44%. No surprise considering the way some markets have tanked. What is interesting is the Ridge at Alta Vista in Lakeway. Toll Brothers developed this area and their
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Did you ever stop and wonder where the most expensive real estate is? I read about it today. NASA is planning to build a premanent base on the moon. OK, so it's not on the earth, but you must admit that this will probably be the most expensive real
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I read a funny, as in why-didn't-they-think-of-that-earlier, thing today. It seems that the people who developed the new toll roads. It seems that nobody remembered that they had to create a way for emergency vehicles like unmarked police cars, to
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The Shady Grove RV Park on Barton Springs Road has been an Austin fixture since the 1940s. It is currently home to abour 40 residents. The RV park is home to some huge pecan trees that have been there a very long time. By the RV park are some of Austin's
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