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General economic uncertainty aside, I believe that buyers who stay on the sidelines over the next six to twelve months — especially in the Austin area — will find that they missed the best opportunity to become homeowners we have seen in many years.
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Let’s say the rates bounced “all the way” up to 6%. What would that mean to the average homebuyer? To answer that, consider buying a $200,000 home (near the median in Austin), with a 3.5% down payment on a 30-year fixed rate FHA loan. Here’s what happens to the monthly payment (principal and interest only) as rates go up. Continue reading
Politics aside, I don’t see any practical reason that interest rates should spike next week based on what happens in the debt ceiling debate. I certainly believe we will have higher rates over the next year or two, but that will have almost nothing to do with all the noise coming from Washington now. Continue reading
Austin and Washington, DC continue to buck the trend, gaining value year-over-year. As I pointed out in my last post, the magnitude of the gain in Austin remains impressive, even compared to Washington, DC. Continue reading
What’s going on with rules affecting mortgage lending is horribly misguided …. “AARRGGGHHHHHH!”
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Virtually all economic indicators call for optimism for Austin’s economy and housing sector. However, uncertainty in the U.S. economy generally, and in the real estate business in many key metros, call for caution. Personally, I remain bullish but I am eager to see actual results in May and June 2011 before saying confidently that we have entered a sustainable new growth cycle. Continue reading
A new high ranking for Texas as a business destination, and new announcements from California companies coming here … Continue reading
Equally impressive is that 4 of the Top 5 cities in that ranking are in Texas! Continue reading
Best city to live in, second best for finding a job, one of the top “moved to” cities, among the top job-generating cities, top 10 for quality of life, and on and on. There are a lot of great places in this country but Central Texas has a lot going for it. Continue reading
“Central Texas is not in the same boat as many other parts of the country. While home sales remain at a slow pace, prices have not dropped, and many economists say an upturn is in the making for 2012 as the region continues to add jobs.” The prevalence of distressed home sales (short sales and foreclosures) in other markets has had much to do with their declining home values and continuing market malaise. Continue reading
Bill Morris on Austin Real Estate 