Texas Realty Blog

Austin TX Real Estate Still A Sound Investment

Amid rumblings of a national recession and general real estate "slump," many experts still believe that investing in Austin TX real estate is a safe, stable investment.  According to the Austin American-Statesman, however, this could mean more difficult times for builders as new home buyers expect better deals because of the plummeting market.

What Affordable Housing Problem?!

With all the talk in Central Texas lately about creating more affordable housing, I thought it might be fun to take a look at one property in particular that will surely give the average sales price around Austin a noticeable bump up once it sells (if it sells, that is!).

Listed at $16.9 million, the Miller Ranch in Blanco County – about eight miles outside Johnson City - is the most expensive property for sale in all of Central Texas.  The ranch is in select company - according to the Austin Board of Realtors, it is also one of only eight properties listed over $10M in Central Texas. 

Modular Homes – A Greener Alternative to Traditional Construction

The modular homes built by Discovery Custom Homes have won award after award for their unique design and innovative construction.  Modular homes are less expensive than traditionally built homes, can be constructed more quickly, and are more customizable than your average home.  But did you know they also offer advantages for the environment?

San Antonio and Houston Named Solar America Cities

Last year, Austin was named one of a handful of Solar America Cities.  More of Texas will soon be relying on the power of the sun, as San Antonio and Houston were just named among twelve new Solar America Cities for 2008.

Through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar America Cities partnership, San Antonio and Houston will be working to accelerate the adoption of solar energy technologies for a cleaner, more secure energy future.  The cities’ solar partnerships (non-profit agencies, universities, solar companies, etc.) have committed to developing a sustainable solar infrastructure that removes barriers and encourages the adoption of solar energy by its residents and businesses, and increases the number of solar installations in the city. San Antonio and Houston will follow in Austin’s footsteps by taking a comprehensive, city-wide approach that lays the foundation for a viable solar market and provides a model for other cities to follow.

Why Central Austin Lot Values Could Decrease by 50% Tomorrow

If you own or recently purchased a lot in Austin with the intent to build more than one unit or a duplex, throw your current plans away.

A crucial City Planning Commission vote tomorrow could drop some Central Austin land values by at least 50%.

For background, the Austin City Planning Commission reviewed changes to city design standards through a task force. The Residential Development Standards Task Force first met December 2007 and briefed Austin City Council in February.

Most guidelines are well-received, but one in particular may negatively impact Austin duplexes and infill lots, especially in East and Central Austin.

Read the rest of this article at Austin Real Estate Today.

Tech Roundup: Top 8 Mobile Tools for Real Estate and Business Use

By DeeinAustin™

I receive questions each week from real estate agents, small business owners and other professionals about mobile marketing tools and where they can find more information.

Mobile software is used on mobile devices such as the iPhone, BlackBerry, PDAs, and/or other cell phones and handheld devices. Some are specifically for real estate while others have more general applications.

This article lists the the top mobile real estate or business tools that stand out in today's marketplace.

Top Mobile Real Estate Tools for Home Buyers

Home buyers typically want to search for listings information from their phone. Besides listing information, some mobile sites and software provides also provide local real estate information and chat. A few top home buyer tools:

Austin Real Estate Today Launching Next Week

By DeeinAustin™

Quick reminder today about some great news! TexasRealtyBlog will be moving to our new site, Austin Real Estate Today BETA, next week.

The site is currently up for testing, with changes being made each day. BETA will be a soft launch, importing our past 500+ posts.

The longterm vision for Austin Real Estate Today will be realized in subsequent phases. The goal is to work with you and other audience members to create an interactive online community for hot issues, builder alerts, market updates, and discussion around key topics affecting Austin real estate.

We're Looking for Austin Real Estate Today Sponsors and Partners

Gotcha Guide™: Green-ify Your Home Service Contract

NOTE: This article is part of the forthcoming book, the Gotcha Guide™ to Buying or Investing in Real Estate. by DeeinAustin™

I was elated to see the Home Warranty of America (HWA) announcement of their GreenPlus Program earlier this year.

GreenPlus is an upgrade to HWA's 13-month contract, which covers appliance and mechanical systems. GreenPlus makes Energy Star exchanges, replaces your water heater with a tankless version, and upgrades your heating system to 90% efficiency upon disrepair.

This is especially useful in Green cities like in Austin, where our mayor is preparing to roll out a Climate Protection Plan, requiring all Austin home owners to make green upgrades before they can sell their home.

The Dark Downside of Home Service Contracts

Spotlight: Park Place Village Homeless RV Park in East Austin Creates Criticism, Praise

By DeeinAustin™

Today's spotlight is on controversial Park Place Village, a 10-acre gated RV site for 150-175 "chronically homeless" individuals.

The 99-year ground lease for the city-owned land in East Austin was approved by council to help fight homelessness.

Opposing East Austin residents faced an uphill battle at this week's city council meeting. Reporters said hundreds of homeless Austinites and their supporters packed council chambers to ensure approval for the 3-year project. Park Place Village residents would rent the RVs and cottages for $100 to $375 a month, including electricity, water and TV services.

Three Major Reasons Why East Austin Opposed Park Place Village

Is Affordable Austin Real Estate Just a Pipe Dream?

By DeeinAustin™

Austin is consistently one of America's top places to live, causing demand for housing to remain steady in most areas of the city.

As the Greater Austin metro area grows, we face rising home prices. Austin and other Texas cities are among the few in the nation to continue to appreciate while we face a recession.

We face tough questions every day. Their answer will affect our children and future generations.

Top Housing Issues in Austin

1. How can we create walkable, sustainable communities as the population increases?

2. How far should we take density if we want to remain livable?

3. How can we keep our city affordable, not just for low income wage earners, but for the working class, students, artists, musicians and young professionals.

What is affordable Austin real estate? An "affordable" home in Austin is about $160-180k with payments around $1300 to $1500 per month. This can get you a 3 bed, 2 bath, 1200-1700 square-foot home with a 2-car garage.