Thursday, August 27, 2015

Austin Housing Market Healthiest in America

The Healthy Austin Market

Austin's housing market is the healthiest among large cities, according to a study from WalletHub. 
Austin was ranked No. 1 out of 62 U.S. cities with more than 300,000 residents, the report found.
For the overall study, analysts compared 300 cities nationwide in several size categories across 14 metrics, including foreclosure rate, median home price, vacancy rates, population growth and unemployment rates to determine their "health." Seven other Texas cities were on the list of large cities analyzed:
  • No. 10: Fort Worth
  • No. 14: San Antonio
  • No. 15: Corpus Christi
  • No. 17: Arlington
  • No. 24: Dallas
  • No. 26: El Paso
  • No. 55: Houston
Also in Texas, Plano and Frisco near Dallas were named the healthiest midsize and small city markets, respectively. Frisco claimed the No. 1 spot overall, with Allen, Texas, at No. 2 and Plano at No. 4. Allen also ranked No. 2 on the small cities list.

Austin's home market is undoubtedly strong. It was recently announced that Austin home sales have hit an all time high.  However, a handful of reputable sources on the national level have recently deemed Austin homes to be significantly overvalued. 

Courtesy of www.bixjournals.com

Monday, August 24, 2015

Thinking of Renting? Think again

Thinking of Renting? Think again






We know rents are high, but now we know for sure that they're higher than paying a mortgage. Like, a lot higher.


Zillow's newest affordability report reveals that rents hit their least affordable point in the second quarter of 2015, when U.S. renters were shelling out 30.2 percent of their monthly income for that temporary roof over their heads. Fifteen years ago, it was only around 24.4 percent.
In contrast, mortgages are costing homebuyers only 15.1 percent of their monthly income. Before the housing bubble burst in the late 2000s, buyers could expect to budget about 21 percent for their mortgage.

In high-demand cities such as Los Angeles, San Jose, Miami and San Francisco, the rents are predictably nuts: up to 40 percent of monthly income. With Austin having one of the healthiest housing markets in the country, it sure seems like an excellent time to live in the Lone Star State.

Courtesy of CultureMap Austin, 2015

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

June 2015

 
 
Austin-area home sales top 3,000, $1 billion in volume in June 2015, prices remain high;
Mid-year results show 2015 on pace to exceed historical sales volume in 2014

Austin Board of REALTORS® releases real estate statistics for June 2015 and mid-year 2015

AUSTIN, Texas – July 21, 2015 – According to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) report released today by the Austin Board of REALTORS® (ABoR), Austin-area home sales topped 3,000 sales for the first time since July 2013, increasing five percent year-over-year to 3,051 sales for the month of June. Mid-year statistics show that Austin-area home sales increased an average of four percent year-over-year to 13,917, putting 2015 on pace to potentially exceed 2014’s historical high in sales volume.

In June 2015, total dollar volume reached $1,018,625,166 and increased by eight percent compared to June 2014. Additionally, the total dollar volume of single-family properties sold in the first half of 2015 was $4,617,178,959, a year-over-year increase of 12 percent.

Barb Cooper, 2015 President of the Austin Board of REALTORS¬®, explained, “June’s increased home sales, combined with total dollar volume exceeding $1 billion for the first time ever, shows the amazing equity Austin homeowners have in the market and the powerful impact of real estate in Central Texas. However, this increase heightens the need to replenish and expand housing stock to help achieve sustainable growth.”

According to the report, the median price for Austin-area single-family homes increased eight percent year-over-year to $272,250 in June 2015, while average price increased two percent to $333,866 during the same time frame. Keeping with the upward trend over the last several months, less than three in 10 single-family homes sold in the Austin area were priced below $200,000.

Price increases are similar for the first half of 2015, with median price increasing 10 percent to $263,000 and average price increasing eight percent to $331,765. At the same time, homes spent an average of 50 days on the market, three more days than the same time last year.

“If this growth continues, 2015 could become another historical year for Austin-area home sales. Both homebuyers and sellers can expect a strong, competitive market for the rest of the summer selling season,” said Cooper.

June 2015 Statistics
  • 3,051 – Single-family homes sold, five percent more than June 2014.

  • $272,250 – Median price for single-family homes, eight percent more than June 2014.

  • $333,866 – Average price for single-family homes, two percent more than June 2014.

  • 42 – Average number of days single-family homes spent on the market, three days more than June 2014.

  • 3,812 – New single-family home listings on the market, three percent more than June 2014.

  • 6,701 – Active single-family home listings on the market, four percent more than June 2014.

  • 3,023 – Pending sales for single-family homes, eight percent more than June 2014.

  • 2.8 – Months of inventory* of single-family homes, unchanged compared to June 2014.

  • $1,018,625,166 – Total dollar volume of single-family properties sold, eight percent more than June 2014.

2015 Mid-Year Statistics

  • 13,917 – Single-family homes sold, four percent more than the first half of 2014.

  • $263,000 – Median price for single-family homes, 10 percent more than the first half of 2014.

  • $331,765 – Average price for single-family homes, eight percent more than the first half of 2014.

  • 50 – Average number of days single-family homes spent on the market, three days more than the first half of 2014.

  • 19,865 – New single-family home listings on the market, three percent more than the first half of 2014.

  • 5,727 – Active single-family home listings on the market, eight percent more than the first half of 2014.

  • 15,984 – Pending sales for single-family homes, five percent more than the first half of 2014.

  • $4,617,178,959 – Total dollar volume of single-family properties sold, 12 percent more than the first half of 2014.
The following sections describe trends in other sectors of the Austin-area real estate market.

Townhouses & Condominiums

The volume of townhouses and condominiums (condos) purchased in the Austin area in June 2015 was 331, a 12 percent increase from June 2014. The median price for condos was $234,500, which is eleven percent more than the same month of the prior year. When compared to June 2014, these properties spent 8 more days on the market, or an average of 39 days.

For the first half of 2015, 1,510 Austin condos were sold, which is seven percent less than this time last year, while the median price was $226,250, or six percent more than the first half of 2014. Condos spent an average of 43 days on the market, one day fewer than the first half of 2014.

Leasing

In June 2015, a total of 1,861 properties were leased in Austin, which is fourteen percent more than June 2014. The median price for Austin-area home leases was $1,600, seven percent higher than in June 2014. In the first half of 2015, a total of 8,525 properties were leased in Austin, which is eight percent more than 2014, and the median lease price was $1,520, a five percent increase from the first half of 2014.


* The inventory of homes for a market can be measured in months, which is defined as the number of active listings divided by the average sales per month of the prior 12 months. The Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University cites that 6.5 months of inventory represents a market in which supply and demand for homes is balanced.