Affordable Housing Comes to Austin

5 New Affordable Housing Developments in Austin

One of the downsides of Austin’s hot housing market is that it can be difficult for families in lower income brackets to find a house. Fortunately, there are several new affordable housing developments expected to open within the next two years. Here are five new developments to watch for.

Cardinal Point
Cardinal Point is slated to open in 2017 in the Four Points community of west Austin. It will feature 140 units and will be a great place for families, as it is located in the highly-rated Leander Independent School District. Families living at the property will have access to free education, financial stability and health programs right where they live. There will also be a Community Learning Center with after-school and summer learning programs, ESL classes, and fitness classes like Zumba and yoga. 11011 1/2 Four Points Drive, Austin. For more information, contact Foundation Communities at 512-447-2026.

Monarch at Lakeline Station Apartments –
Lakeline Station is scheduled to open in late 2016. It is located in northwest Austin and will feature 141 units. It is expected to open in December 2016. The apartments will be conveniently located near Capital Metro’s Lakeline station. The developer of the project is MGroup Holdings Inc., based in Houston. 9800 block Lake Creek Parkway, Austin. For more information, contact MGroup Holdings at (262) 439-4200.

Windy Ridge
Realtex, in partnership with Generation Housing Development, broke ground in October 2014 on Windy Ridge Apartments. The property features 120 units with one- through three-bedroom options. Also in Leander ISD, amenities include a clubhouse, pool, dog park, covered parking and energy-efficient appliances. 10910 Ranch Road 620 N., Austin. For more information, contact Realtex at 512-306-9206.

Tuckaway Apartments
This $43 million development will be built on a 17.5-acre site in Cedar Park. Tuckaway Apartments will feature a number of amenities including a swimming pool, splash pad, fitness center, business center, dog park, two playgrounds and masonry exteriors. While the site’s current zoning allows for 20 units per acre, or 340 units, Tuckaway would have only 256 units, which would allow for a two-acre public park, more green space and a buffer along Bagdad Road. It is also located in Leander ISD. 1740 Bagdad Rd., Cedar Park. For more information, contact Pedcor Investments at 317.587.0320. 

Aldrich 51
Located in the heart of Austin, Aldrich 51 will be located in the highly desirable Mueller community, a mixed-use community featuring shopping, restaurants and walking trails. Of the development’s 240 units, 85 percent will go to those in need in the community. Working adults can choose from a studio, one, two, and three bedroom unit. The only qualification is that the families earn 30 to 60 percent of the median family incomes in Austin, a range between $32,000 and $41,250 for a family of four. Aldrich 51 is projected to open in June 2017. Units will range from $620 to $1,200 per month. Located at 2604 Aldrich Street, Austin. For more information, contact DMA Companies at 512-328-3232.

Article Courtesy of Austin Relocating Guide

Tips for your Property Tax Appraisal Hearing

18 Tips on How to Avoid Losing Your Tax Appraisal Hearing

• Do not get into a shouting match. 
• Forget about tax rates. The tax rate is not decided by the appraiser and has no place in either the Informal Meeting or the Formal Meeting. 
•  Do not talk about your inability to pay taxes. Not being able to afford paying taxes is immaterial. 
•  Do not assume that the purchase price reflects true value unless the home was acquired within six months before or after January 1^st of the appraisal year. Some appraisal districts use a time adjusted value. 
•  Do not compare your property to properties that are located outside of the CAD determined neighborhood or homogeneous subdivision. Find out your neighborhood boundaries before the hearing, not after! 
•  Do not show front-view photographs of your neighbors’ properties without showing a front view of your property. 
•  Crime and noise influences on your property values are difficult to establish unless you can show that you and your neighbors are unduly and repeatedly threatened. If actual sales have been affected, this makes for a stronger argument. 
•  Do not rest your argument entirely on minor settlement cracks in the walls, floors, and ceiling. Many homes in the Austin area are subject to minor stress cracks and settling. Should you consider the situation serious obtain a construction bid to correct the issue and provide that. 
•  Leaking roofs are considered by some CADs and ARB panels to be due to the lack of normal maintenance often reimbursable by insurance but in any event not due an adjustment. 
•  Do not volunteer information about improvements you have made to your property. Obviously if asked, reply in the simplest terms possible. The CAD may be aware of remodeling from reviews of building permits, drive by or aerial photography. 
•  Do not forget you have the right to cross examine the appraiser during the Formal Hearing. 
•  Use your special knowledge of the detrimental aspects of your neighborhood and property. 
•  If the appraiser is not comparing reasonably comparable properties be sure to not this out to the appraiser during an Informal Meeting or the Hearing Panel at the Formal Hearing. 
•  First impressions count so we suggest that you dress professionally. 
•  Avoid sexist or discriminatory remarks. 
•  Make eye contact during your presentation. 
•  Provide handouts and photos to each panel member therefore four copies. 
• Work diligently to make your presentations uncomplicated and simple.*

*Article Courtesy of Gordon Gorychka