Real estate blog entries tagged with austin homes by Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653) (Austin Texas Homes, LLC)

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austin homes: North Austin Home for Sale - 1104 Neans - $189,900 - 09/21/09 03:17 PM

Today, I listed a home again that I sold about a year and a half ago in north Austin. Located at 1104 Neans (near Lamar and Braker), this home has some terrific features and a lot of space for the money.
3 Bedrooms AND office/study 2.5 Baths 2443 square feet per tax records One secondary bedroom has its own 1/2 bathroom Recently refinished wood floors (August '09) in front living, study, hallway, and both secondary bedrooms Slate flooring in other hallway and huge family room Giant kitchen with tons of storage, stainless appliances, pot rack open to large breakfast room Breakfast room … (9 comments)

austin homes: "Best Cities in America for Couples" - Apparently, Texas is a great place to be! - 06/05/09 04:28 PM

Forbes.com released its list of the best cities for couples in the U.S., and I wasn't surprised to see Texas placing really well on the list, with the top two spots going to Dallas and Houston, respectively. Austin placed #5 on the list, and San Antonio placed 7th.

There are always a lot of lists like this floating around, like the most affordable places to live, or the "fittest cities", and so on. This particular list struck me as interesting, partially because of the criteria they used to put it together:
Marriage rates per 1,000 people Divorce rates per 1,000 … (14 comments)

austin homes: Austin Named "America's Best Bargain City" by Forbes.com - 05/20/09 02:28 PM

Austin has been honored on yet another national list this week, having been named the #1 city on Forbes' latest list of "Best Bargain Cities".
I took a close look at the data they used in calculating the top rankings. As always, they analyzed the 50 largest U.S. metro statistical areas for the study. Here are the primary data points used:
Average salary for workers with a bachelor's degree or higher (from PayScale.com) Annual unemployment statistics (Bureau of Labor Statistics) Cost of living (Moody's Economy.com) Housing Opportunity Index (from NAHB & Wells Fargo) - measures affordability at median income Not surprisingly, … (28 comments)

austin homes: Austin was the Second-Fastest Growing City in the U.S. for 2007-2008 - 04/15/09 06:49 AM

According to a U.S. Census Bureau report that was released in March, Austin is the second fastest growing metropolitan area in the United States, ranking behind only Raleigh, NC in terms of percentage growth.
Austin grew by 3.8% during the period from mid-2007 to mid-2008, hitting a population of around 1.7 million. This seems amazing to me, since I remember the metro area was under 1 million when I started as a real estate agent in early 1997.
The metro area includes Round Rock, which also serves as the international headquarters for Dell Computer. That fact alone has transformed Round Rock … (10 comments)

austin homes: Austin could experience short-term housing shortage and higher prices! - 03/09/09 07:43 AM

Angelos Angelou is one of the foremost economists in central Texas, and he is predicting that the Austin area could end up with a housing shortage over the next couple of years. Builders slowed down their production levels so much that they may have overcorrected, and this could lead to higher prices in the short-term.
According to an article in the Community Impact paper that came out on Friday, housing starts dropped by about 2/3 over the past couple of years, from 18,000 to around 6.000 anticipated for 2009. Couple that with an estimated 42,000 people moving into the area, and … (9 comments)

austin homes: Southwest Austin Brand-New Home for Sale - 3304 Azalea Blossom - Brodie Springs - $631,633 - 02/27/09 12:56 PM

We recently listed another property built by Grand Haven Homes in the Brodie Springs subdivision. This property has a LOT of space, and is conveniently located near the intersection of Brodie and Slaughter Lane.
FEATURES: 5 Bedrooms, 4.5 Bathrooms 5600 s.f. per builder 3 Living areas, 2 dining 2-story home 0.36 acre lot (15,681 s.f.) 2-car side-entry garage Stone and stucco exterior Granite counters Awesome gourmet kitchen Jetted tub in master bathroom Built in 2008 - ready for immediate move-in! Fabulously upgraded

If you are looking to move to Austin sometime soon (or even … (6 comments)

austin homes: Austin is Included on Yahoo's "10 Great Cities for Salary Growth" List - 01/28/09 02:30 PM

According to Yahoo's HotJobs, Austin is one of the top cities in the country where you could expect a salary increase in 2009! The article states that the most recent salary increase figures available are from 2007, but these figures are strongly indicative of places where workers can expect increases in 2009 and beyond. For the most recent statistics, Austin posted a 7.7% increase, which was the 6th best in the country.
Here's what they had to say about Austin:
"Building off of an already robust government labor sector, the University of Texas at Austin is a huge source of innovation. … (12 comments)

austin homes: Austin Home Buying - A Few Tips to Consider when Checking Neighborhoods - 10/19/08 04:06 PM

I had to run some errands earlier this evening and I went by to see a friend of mine briefly. He lives in a neighborhood that inspired this post, truth be known. When you are looking to buy a home, there are a few items which may not come to mind immediately, so I thought a short list of reminders might be helpful:
STREET LIGHTS Does the area where you are purchasing have streetlights at all? How many? Are there any near the home you are specifically considering? My friend's house is in a neighborhood with ZERO streetlights, which makes evening … (3 comments)

austin homes: Austin, Texas Named #1 on List of Cities with "Best Bang for the Buck" in the U.S. - 10/16/08 09:05 AM

According to an article released on Forbes.com yesterday, Austin, Texas was named #1 on its list of cities around the U.S. with "Best Bang for the Buck". Not surprisingly, Texas managed to capture three of the top four spots, with San Antonio and Houston placing third and fourth, respectively. Dallas was 7th on the list.
The picture to the right shows one of the least affordable areas of town, frankly, but it's a cool shot, and it gives some idea of the natural beauty that we have here.
So what did they use to determine this list?
Job Growth Projections Inflation … (17 comments)

austin homes: East Austin Named #2 among Hottest Areas to Buy a Home in the U.S. - 10/15/08 02:46 PM

According to Business Week magazine, East Austin is one of the very best possible places to purchase a home in the United States.
This one even managed to surprise me, and I have been selling homes in the Austin area since 1997. In the article they published a couple of weeks ago, Business Week made an interesting point: home prices tend to skyrocket in areas where artists buy and rent first. In other words, when artists flock to an area, it is generally because the prices are affordable (hence the term "starving artist", right?). After they have been there awhile, cool … (10 comments)

austin homes: "How IS the Austin Real Estate Market these days?" - 10/13/08 05:07 PM

I get asked this question quite a bit. It comes from friends, acquaintances, clients, potential buyers, sellers, random strangers (well, maybe those those as much). Everyone wants to know how the market is doing.
Last night, while I was at church, I was speaking to three people who seemed enthralled with my response to the following:
"Jason, how's business for you? Is it pretty tough right now?" First, let me explain that I can't bring myself to use an easy canned response with the current economic climate. When things were truly great, I said so. Now that things are....well, less great, … (27 comments)

austin homes: Don't you think that would be a good idea to include in the MLS remarks? - 10/12/08 09:32 AM

I showed four homes this afternoon in the Round Rock area. Thankfully, the buyers really liked the last one, so they may end up writing an offer very soon. We had just increased the price range about $20,000 in order to open it up a bit so that they would have more choices, since the initial round of properties were...less than desirable.
One of the properties today was pretty exciting at first glance:
Good price Great curb appeal Solid location Then, we started to notice some cracks in the otherwise perfect veneer. In this case, unfortunately, they were literal cracks - drywall … (31 comments)

austin homes: Avery Ranch Home for Sale - NEW LISTING! Just $189,990 - 10/03/08 04:21 PM

One of our agents just listed a home in Avery Ranch West today. This is one of the most popular neighborhoods in the Round Rock/Cedar Park areas. For more information on the community and its awesome golf course, visit: http://averyranch.com/.
This home has some terrific features, including:

Built in 2005 3 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths Greenbelt view Unique plan with Master Suite on first floor! Spacious & Flowing floorplan Limestone Exterior Front Porch Upgraded light fixtures & plumbing fixtures Laminate Wood Floors Covered Back Patio Neutral Colors Convenient Location to Parmer, Toll Roads, Hwy 183 and Retail and Restaraunts Galore!
… (7 comments)

austin homes: First-Time Home Buyers - New Tax Credit Explained - Austin, Texas - 09/27/08 05:24 AM

As you may have heard, on July 30th, 2008 President Bush signed into law the Housing & Economic Recovery Act of 2008 in order to help stimulate the economy. Among other items in the bill, Congress created a new home buyer tax credit. The Housing & Economic Recovery Act of 2008 authorizes a $7,500 tax credit (which is better than a deduction!) for qualified buyers purchasing homes during the period from April 9, 2008 until June 30, 2009.
If you recently closed on a home (i.e. on or after April 9th, 2008), this is also available retroactively for you.
The tax credit … (9 comments)

austin homes: Austin Makes #10 on New List - "Cities Where Buying Makes Sense" - 09/23/08 03:12 PM

In a report that was just released via MSN's Real Estate portal, Austin ranked #10 on the list of "66 Cities Where Buying Makes Sense". Not surprisingly, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and McAllen, Texas also made the top ten!
The study was conducted to determine whether it is a better financial move today to rent a two-bedroom apartment or to purchase a low-priced home. According to the published estimates, if you purchase an affordable home in the Austin-Round Rock area, you will have substantial equity in four years' time.
The article alludes to the fact that home ownership is … (15 comments)

austin homes: Falcon Pointe - Pflugerville Texas - Home Sales Report - Summer 2008 - 09/20/08 07:21 AM

Falcon Pointe is a 700-acre master-planned community in the fast-growing Pflugerville area. As the largest master-planned community in Pflugerville, Falcon Pointe offers homes priced from the $170,000s to $300,000s by leading builders, along with a popular Residents' Club, parks and greenbelt trails. Falcon Pointe is home to three on-site schools, all part of the highly acclaimed Pflugerville Independent School District.
Currently, there are 35 new and resale homes available in the Austin MLS in the Falcon Pointe area, with an average asking price of $257,481. The average square footage for these homes is 2,967, for an average price per square foot of $88.01.
Presently, … (1 comments)

austin homes: Austin Named #4 on Milken Institute's List of "Best Performing Cities" - 09/16/08 06:26 AM

I am happy to report that the Austin/Round Rock metro area ranked #4 in the country on the Milken Institute's new list of the Best Performing Cities in the U.S. This is not really a big surprise to those of us who call Austin home. We appear to have weathered the tough times better than many other markets.
This index rates cities using about 10 variables to determine the top metro areas for creating jobs and sustaining economic growth.
Clearly, this is very good news for those of us who have made a career out of selling Austin real estate. … (7 comments)

austin homes: Austin Texas Luxury Homes - There are lots of options! - 09/13/08 10:05 AM

Whether you are looking for a classic estate in the heart of the city, or a Texas-sized ranch, Austin has it all! The central Texas area has much to offer if you are looking for a luxury property.
Granted, if you are looking for a beachfront bungalow or a mountain cabin, we don't have those here. However, we do have some prime waterfront homes and some pretty big hills to the west of town! This article really just skims the surface. For more information, feel free to call me anytime.
So, what are the most popular homes selling in the $1 … (7 comments)

austin homes: Lake Pflugerville is Getting a New Park and Pavillion - 09/07/08 03:41 PM

By the summer of 2009, Lake Pflugerville is set to receive a number of improvements, to the tune of $800,000. Included in the project will be a park on the north shore, gravel beach, pavilion, two covered and lighted picnic tables, a boat ramp, boat rentals and additional parking.
Yes, that is an actual picture of the lake to the right.
Thankfully for those of us who pay taxes in this area, this money will not be coming from the city itself. Instead, the funds will come from a number of sources, including the LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority), the Pflugerville … (12 comments)

austin homes: Southwest Austin Zip Code is #2 for "Places Where Homes are Selling the Fastest" in the Country! - 09/05/08 04:23 PM

According to a report from Business Week magazine which was released today, Austin real estate has not suffered the same ill effects that have plagued many markets around the U.S. The zip code 78749 placed SECOND (behind Sunnyvale, CA) for the lowest number of days on the market, at 68 days.
The article contains the following statement:
Austin has the University of Texas, plenty of high-tech jobs, and one of the most vibrant rock music scenes in the world. The real estate market is one of the nation's real estate bright spots.
As a 20-year resident of Austin and a 12-year veteran … (9 comments)

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