Fewer homeowners nationwide were upside down in 3Q ’10 compared to 2Q ’10. That’s good. What it means is less certain. Continue reading
Month-to-month reports of home sales in the Austin area have not been encouraging since the last tax credit program ended in June, but if you look at annualized sales and pricing things aren’t as bleak as they may seem. Continue reading
Foreclosure sales are WAY down in Austin, in more ways than one. Continue reading
As I have discussed extensively, the Texas housing market has behaved very differently throughout this recession and housing crisis than California, Florida, Arizona, and Nevada. Only one of the metro areas in the Case-Shiller 20-city composite is in Texas, while 10 of the index cities were very hard-hit by the housing crisis. Continue reading
The Case-Shiller index of 20 major cities showed a decline of 0.8% from August to September, and 18 of 20 cities experienced declines …. but focusing on a single month-to-month change in average prices can be misleading. Continue reading
In a predictable environment entrepreneurs and businesspeople will gamble their capital and their livelihoods on the chance to build and grow — creating jobs and prosperity for many others along the way. Continue reading
I just posted an article on my website with recommendations for home buyers during this recessionary market period. Most are good, but there are important differences between the Austin/Central Texas real estate market and the hard-hit markets that rightly get so much attention in the national press. Continue reading
If it’s your time to buy or sell, don’t wait for some imaginary sea-change in the Central Texas real estate market. The outlook for home values and mortgage interest rates us UP, and we are not facing a flood of low-priced properties in the coming months. Make your move because it’s right for you, not because of external factors you read or hear about. Continue reading
“Even with several years of price declines, the typical seller who purchased a home eight years ago experienced a median equity gain of $33,000, a 24% increase, while sellers who were in their homes for 11-15 years saw a median gain of 40%.”
Continue reading
Pending home sales were down in September, but the Austin metropolitan area shows signs of strength. Continue reading