The Austin real estate market is alive and well in both the city and surrounding areas. With interest rates at all time lows, it's a great time to purchase a new or resale home.
There are city, state, and county programs that are available to help the homebuyer achieve their goals of buying a home and obtaining an affordable mortgage with zero down payment and limited cash out of pocket when looking for Austin homes for sale.
These programs are available for new build or resale homes and are not restricted to specific neighborhoods. This allows you to shop for a home in the areas you are interested in living in Austin or surrounding areas.
Austin real estate has numerous quality builders building in neighborhoods in Austin and surrounding communities. Award winning master planned communities with parks, pools, and schools are a popular choice.
There are many established neighborhoods with a myriad of home choices for the Austin real estate buyer.
The Austin real estate market has remained strong and will continue to grow, making the choice of buying a home in Austin or the surrounding communities a wise investment.
Numerous surrounding communities are growing around Austin. Leander to the northwest of Austin has exemplary schools and has the ease of the new 183A toll road, making travel to downtown Austin a mere 25 minutes.
Pflugerville to the northeast of Austin was voted one of the top 100 cities to live in the United States.
No matter what you're looking for, the Austin real estate market and it's surrounding cities have many great options when shopping for a home.
Commute times are minimal to and from Leander, Round Rock, Pflugerville, and many other communities around Austin.
With interest rates at historic lows and an affordable market of homes still available in and around Austin, now is the time to buy that first time home, move up to a larger home, move down if you are empty nesting, or simply just making a move to a different home.
If you are a first time homebuyer OR you haven't owned a home in the last 3 years AND your credit is good, you could qualify for this program. There are income restrictions.
1-2 FAMILY SIZE $75,000 MAX ANNUAL INCOME
3 + FAMILY SIZE $87,000 MAX ANNUAL INCOME
This program is subject to credit approval, so be sure to get pre-approved with a participating mortgage lender before shopping for a home.
You could buy a new or resale home with up to 5% assistance for down payment and closing costs. This would cover your down payment and most of your closing costs.
Negotiations with the seller could assist you even more in the costs associated with buying a home.
Why rent when you can purchase a new home for about the same costs as the deposits and application fees required when renting?
Interest rates are at historic lows making mortgage payments even more affordable.
Being a homeowner provides you a tax advantage each year you own the home making home ownership better than renting.
Call me at 512-626-9559
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Unique Austin Open Air Markets
More and more people are beginning to think locally
when it comes to fresh produce and other goods. Austin
has always been known for its more forward thinking ways. Farmers
markets are fantastic places to support local commerce while also reducing your
carbon footprint and getting the freshest fruits and vegetables possible. Austin holds several open air markets for
residents and visitors every weekend for your convenience.
Great Hills Open Air Market - Where: Arboretum
Shopping Mall, 10000 Research Blvd, Austin. When: Sundays, 10am to 2pm.
Offerings: Local fruits and vegetables, cheeses, pasta, baked goods, handmade
arts and crafts and artwork. Admission is free and there is plenty of parking
available.
Oak Hill Open Air Market - Where:
6300 W Hwy 290, Austin. When: Saturdays, 10am to 6pm. Offerings: Fruits,
vegetables, local crops, jams, honey, bread, desserts, nuts and dried fruit,
raw chocolate, plants, orchids, handmade soap, arts and crafts. Enjoy live
music while you shop. Admission is free. Lots of free parking available.
Sunset Valley Artisan Market -
Where: Toney Burger Center, 3200 Jones Rd, Austin. When: Saturdays, 9am to 1pm.
Offerings: Organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed beef, lamb, chicken, pork
and bison, jewelry, paintings, clothing, bags, woodwork, flowers, cheese, baked
goods, knife sharpening. Admission is free. Plenty of free parking available.
Support local businesses. Visit one of Austin's open air markets over the weekend. You
can stock up on the freshest in organic produce and meats, find unique gifts
for your loved ones and decorate your home with one-of-a-kind art work from
local Austin artisans. Farmers markets help our local economy flourish.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Useful Info For 65 And Over Homeowners
We are officially in ‘Tax Season’. I would like
to point out some valuable and timely information for Real Estate Agents who
have clients that are nearing or over the age of 65 and/or Veterans. I will
review how they can move their exemption to another property.
Over 65 Exemptions:
The client has the following options to pay
their taxes:
1) Take the exemption and pay their taxes
2) Defer and pay when the property sells
3) Pay the taxes on a payment plan
*Always consult the tax office for payment
options.
Benefits to Over 65 and Veterans:
§ If the home owner is selling their property,
they have the option to take their Over 65 or Veterans Exemption with them to
the next property they purchase.
§ The client can also choose take the exemption at
any time of the year
What I as your real estate agent should know:
Know ‘where my client is going’.
§ What are your plans over the next 12 months?
§ Will you be downsizing?
§ Moving out of the state?
§ Moving into a State Funded Assisted Living
Facility?
If my client is Over 65 or a Veteran, these
exemptions can be moved at any time. However, a Homestead Exemption alone can
only be initiated in January at the beginning of a new year.
If my client decides to take their Over 65 or
their Veterans exemption to another property; the proration of the taxes will
be adjusted at closing.
Helpful County resources:
Thursday, March 21, 2013
BETTER ACT QUICK!!! Austin has FLASH SALES...FLASH, THEY'RE GONE!
See a "For Sale" sign in front of the house of your dreams? You'd better act fast — a new report says that Austin has one of the fastest housing markets in the United States.
The data comes from Seattle-based real estate firm Redfin, which has coined the term "Real Estate Flash Sales" for homes that go under contact within only hours of listing. Austin ranks No. 5 on the nationwide list, counting 163 flash sales within the past five months.
Dallas and Houston pulled ahead, at Nos. 4 and 3 in the ranking, with 184 and 188 flash sales during the five-month time period.
Dallas-Fort Worth ranks No. 1 on its list of the Most Affordable Housing Markets of 2013, followed by Houston at No. 2 and Austin at No. 7.
In DFW, where the median household income is $47,418 and the median home price is $249,950, the ratio is 5.27; in Houston, it's 5.43 (considering a $44,761 median income and a $243,000 median home price). Austin's median household income is $48,950, and a median home price is $300,000, yielding a 6.13 ratio.
The data comes from Seattle-based real estate firm Redfin, which has coined the term "Real Estate Flash Sales" for homes that go under contact within only hours of listing. Austin ranks No. 5 on the nationwide list, counting 163 flash sales within the past five months.
Dallas and Houston pulled ahead, at Nos. 4 and 3 in the ranking, with 184 and 188 flash sales during the five-month time period.
Austin ranks No. 5 on the nationwide list, counting 163 flash sales within the past five months."Metropolitan areas in Texas and non-coastal regions are the best places to find a real estate bargain," states a new study. An online real estate broker, compared median home sale prices to median household income to determine that Texas metro areas are the best places to find a real estate bargain.
Dallas-Fort Worth ranks No. 1 on its list of the Most Affordable Housing Markets of 2013, followed by Houston at No. 2 and Austin at No. 7.
In DFW, where the median household income is $47,418 and the median home price is $249,950, the ratio is 5.27; in Houston, it's 5.43 (considering a $44,761 median income and a $243,000 median home price). Austin's median household income is $48,950, and a median home price is $300,000, yielding a 6.13 ratio.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Learn Composting FREE from the City Of Austin...
This spring the City of Austin is hosting a series of free home composting classes to help residents reduce the amount of waste in their homes. In addition to waste reduction, composting creates a nutrient-rich soil like material which is great for cultivating beautiful lawns and gardens.
The classes are part of Austin Resource Recovery‚s Home Composting Rebate program. The program encourages Austinites to attend a free composting class, downsize to a 24 or 32-gallon trash cart and purchase a composting system for their home. Austin Resource Recovery curbside customers who accomplish these three goals are eligible for a rebate of 75 percent off the cost of their new home composting system, up to $75. In addition to the rebate, selecting a smaller size trash cart can help residents save money on their utility bills. The smaller the trash cart, the less it costs.
To sign up to attend a class, visit the class-specific registration links below or austinrecycles.com. Many of the classes will take place at neighborhood library branches to make it easier for Austinites to attend.
The list of scheduled classes is as follows:
March 16
|
2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
|
Recycled Reads Bookstore
| |
March 23
|
9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
|
Sunset Valley Famers
| |
March 27
|
6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
|
City Hall
| |
April 6
|
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
|
Zilker Garden Festival
| |
April 10
|
6 to
7 p.m. |
Triangle Farmers Market
| |
April 13
|
9:30 to
10:30 a.m. |
Downtown Farmers Market
| |
April 22
|
6 to
7 p.m. |
Ruiz Library
| |
April 24
|
6:30 to
7:30 p.m. |
City Hall
| |
May 7
|
6 to 7 p.m.
|
Spicewood Springs Library
| |
May 15
|
6 to 7 p.m.
|
Triangle Farmers Market
| |
May 16
|
6 to 7p.m.
|
Manchaca Road Library
| |
May 25
|
9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
|
Downtown Farmers Market
| |
May 29
|
6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
|
City Hall
|
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Win a Start up company Move to Austin for FREE!
Who out there wouldn't love free money, free groceries, a free apartment for a year in one of the coolest cities in the country and relocation expenses all paid by someone else? Five founders of emerging Internet companies competed in Capital Factory's "Move Your Startup to Austin for Free at SXSW." Capital Factory is an Austin-based company that helps tech startups become entrepreneurs.
So, who won?
Drumroll please...the winner is Meritful, an Ann Arbor, Michigan based company that connects students with potential future employers. Meritful defines itself as "a professional development platform for students and companies," and implores its users to "stand out," and develop a professional network of mentors before they even graduate.
Meritful practices what it preaches by helping equip students with the tools to get noticed by potential employers by providing ways for students to showcase their problem-solving skills, receive feedback and make connections with company decision makers.
The "Trending Now" team was present when the winner was announced, and we caught up with co-founder Azarias Reda, PhD, to talk about how the win will change his life and the future of Meritful.
Launched in the fall of 2012, Meritful is aimed toward students who want to stand out from their peers and get a head-start on connecting with people who are already a part of the job-force. Before developing Merfitul, Reda worked as a data analyst and researcher for LinkedIn. His idea for Meritful really took off when Reda taught at a high school while earning his PhD.
List of some of the spoils for the winner:
So, who won?
Drumroll please...the winner is Meritful, an Ann Arbor, Michigan based company that connects students with potential future employers. Meritful defines itself as "a professional development platform for students and companies," and implores its users to "stand out," and develop a professional network of mentors before they even graduate.
Meritful practices what it preaches by helping equip students with the tools to get noticed by potential employers by providing ways for students to showcase their problem-solving skills, receive feedback and make connections with company decision makers.
The "Trending Now" team was present when the winner was announced, and we caught up with co-founder Azarias Reda, PhD, to talk about how the win will change his life and the future of Meritful.
Launched in the fall of 2012, Meritful is aimed toward students who want to stand out from their peers and get a head-start on connecting with people who are already a part of the job-force. Before developing Merfitul, Reda worked as a data analyst and researcher for LinkedIn. His idea for Meritful really took off when Reda taught at a high school while earning his PhD.
List of some of the spoils for the winner:
- $35,000 convertible note investment from CTAN
- $15,000 for rent from HomeAway
- 6 months of co-working at Capital Factory
- $24,000 of server hosting from Rackspace
- Moving expenses from uShip
- 6 months of a storage unit from Sparefoot
- 6 months of local and organic groceries from Greenling
- 2 badges for SXSW Interactive 2014
- 1 year worth of postal mail scanning from Outbox
- 6 months of Ramen noodles
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
SXSW schedule...It's almost here!!!
There are only 2 1/2 days left before Austin's world-famous South by Southwest begins! This festival starts March 8th and ends on the 17th.
This year's line-up includes a wide array of amazing artists from newly budding Indie bands such as The Away Days to long-standing artists and groups such as Green Day. There will also be speeches by the likes of Stevie Nicks, 50 cent and others.
Check out the official SXSW website.
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