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Market News and Trends

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Market Growth Continues

Ultimately, all market cycles turn, and this one will too, but job and population growth remain strong in the Austin area, supporting continuing strength in residential real estate.  We might be seeing some resistance, though. Continue reading →

Market Dashboard – 1H 2018 in review

Monthly prices have been consistently exceeding (and lifting) the long-term trend for all of 2 1/2 years now.  If there is risk in our market that may be it, but if buyers begin to resist then sellers will adjust.  Our very long market boom has been and remains driven by job creation and resulting population growth, but a functioning market will balance itself over time.  Continue reading →

Confirmation?

Jim Gaines, chief economist at the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, said the June sales dip is not an indication that the Austin-area housing market is cooling off. Continue reading →

Market Shift?

I have heard recent comments from a few real estate agents that the market seems slower this year.  I have “felt” something different in recent weeks myself, but I trust data so I decided to check on that from 30,000 feet … Continue reading →

What’s the real impact of low lake levels?

Water is a precious resource in many ways, and managing that resource for the long term is vital. We can and must do better! Continue reading →

Hays County tax appraisals rise

After five years of strong demand, limited supply, and rising sale prices in Austin-area residential real estate, it’s no surprise that the taxable values of homes are also rising.  Here’s a summary from Hays County: Hays County home values rise nearly 9% For comparison, these are similar recent reports about Travis and Williamson counties: It’s … Continue reading →

How Was Austin-Area Real Estate in 1Q 2018?

I commented in a couple of posts late last year that things seemed somewhat calmer in the residential real estate market than they had been earlier in 2017 and for the previous few years.  I was uncertain whether we were seeing a genuinely slower market, or just a return to something like “normal” seasonality.  With … Continue reading →

Williamson County Tax Appraisals Are Out

Williamson Central Appraisal District reports that the average increase in taxable value from 2017 to 2018 was 6%. Continue reading →

Off to a fast start …

We are likely to see more listing activity in the coming weeks and months but the key, as always, is local job creation and population growth.  If those continue as they are now, then demand may continue to outpace supply. Continue reading →

It’s Tax Appraisal Season!

If you have followed my Market Dashboard and comments about supply-and-demand issues in the Austin area, you shouldn’t be surprised that tax values are up. Continue reading →

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