The Austin Housing Market sat frozen with much of Central Texas last week, as the city sat with no power, no water, and no clear end in sight. If you’ve never heard my accent before, you may not be aware that I am originally from the Northeast coast. Growing up on the border of New York and New Jersey, I am used to snow. I am used to several feet of snow, having to wait for a plow to come through my street and then through my driveway just to be able to go to work. Yes, we drive in the snow on the east coast, it happens too frequently not to. There is a difference between driving in snow and ice though, and certainly a difference in having a 4WD vehicle. Continue reading
Category Archives: Events
A holiday season like never before
Like most of the world, Austin is preparing to celebrate the holidays like never before. For some, that means drive-thru events and virtual get-togethers. For others, it is beginning to look a lot like an early Christmas as trees are already coming out of storage and being decorated, It’s “Festivus for the rest of us”, as the late great Jerry Stiller gifted us in that memorable Seinfeld episode. That grievance pole is certainly coming out this year for sure, as everyone has a bone to pick with the year 2020. Continue reading
Spring Events in Austin Texas
Austin Texas: always a constant source of entertainment, education and a platform for just about anything, but spring time certainly kicks things up a notch.
March Highlights in Austin
The City becomes a global showcase for technology, music, film and even kites. Honorable mentions include President Obama’s keynote, his trip to Torchy’s Tacos, the First Lady’s visit and a record high of 92 degrees. Highlights for the month include the South by Southwest (R) film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences, the Zilker Park Kite Festival, Rodeo Austin and St. Patrick’s Day at Fado. Last years SXSW (R) festival alone generated a total economic impact of $317.2 million. It is the single most profitable event for the City’s hospitality industry.
Attention Getting Austin hits 2 Million Residents
It was also spring break in Central Texas, so if you left town – you missed the traffic as well as the tie fighter. Austin’s consistent global spotlight reflects the booming real estate market. Plenty of people come for a visit for work or vacation and then don’t want to leave. The U.S. Census Bureau just reported growth in the Austin-Round Rock metro area from 1,943,465 in July 2014 to 2,000,860 in July 2015.
For every event I mentioned, there were 2 that I didn’t. Let’s just say adults and children alike were a little sleepy last week from springing ahead along with being back to the daily grind.
Halloween Treats in Austin 2015
Photo courtesy of elissamariecreative.com
Zombies, Stormtroopers and Minions unite! Halloween in Austin is always a big day for kiddos and the young at heart. This year it is going to be huge. Not only is Halloween on a Saturday, but Comic Con in Austin will also be taking place as well. Drivers need to be extra careful of bands of pedestrians like a zombie horde in The Walking Dead.
Trick-or-Treating in Austin
If you watch The Walking Dead, a band of survivors are currently living in the Alexandria Safe Zone, which is an ideal representation of a community for trick-or-treating. The homes are situated on a low-traffic street and set within close proximity to one another, not unlike Austin neighborhoods such as Circle C, Legend Oaks, Cherry Creek, Barton Hills, Crestview, Tarrytown and Plum Creek in Kyle. Halloween is all about time management. Kids look for the most houses they can visit in the least amount of time.
Austin Events
In addition to candy collecting, night owls will be enjoying an evening parade in East Austin and the annual Zombie Ball downtown.
If you are: a pedestrian — stay safe, a driver — stay alert or home living in a zombie prone community — have candy.
Austin is for Lovers
Fall is one of the most diverse seasons in Austin for entertainment. Lovers of art, music, books, food, beer and even fast cars will find an event happening now and in the weeks to come.
Austin Events
Here is a list of some October/November Austin events.
For a complete list, go to: http://www.austintexas.org/visit/events/october-november/
Austin City Limits Music Festival
10/2/15 – 10/4/15 and 10/9/15 to 10/11/15
www.aclfestival.com
Texas Book Festival
10/17/15-10/18/15
www.texasbookfestival.org
Oktoberfest
10/17/15
www.germantexans.org/festivals
Formula 1 Grand Prix
10/23-10/25/15
www.circuitoftheamericas.com/f1
Austin Film Festival
10/29-11/5/2015
www.austinfilmfestival.com
Wizard World Comic Con
10/30-10/31/15
www.wizardworld.com/home-austin.html
Texas Monthly BBQ Festival
11/1/15
www.texasmonthly.com/bbqfestival
Fun Fun Fun Fest
11/6-11/8/15
www.funfunfunfest.com
Wurstfest
11/6-11/15/15
www.wurstfest.com
U.S. Vintage Racing National Championships
11/7-11/8/15
www.circuitoftheamericas.com/vintage
Ironman 70.3 Austin
11/8/15
www.ironman.com
East Austin Studio Tour
11/14-11/15/15, 11/21-11/22/15
http://east.bigmedium.org/
Turkey Trot
11/26/15
www.thundercloud.com/turkey-trot
Downtown Austin Market Data
Want to live in the heart of it all?
Here is today’s median data for active and pending single-family houses within 1 mile of downtown Austin:
Median List Price: $953,116
Median Size: 3 bedrooms / 3 baths at 2,459 square feet
Median Year Built: 1941
Median data for active and pending condos within downtown Austin:
Median List Price: $416,000
Median Size: 1 bedrooms / 1 baths at 852 square feet
Median Year Built: 2008
Austin City Limits Music Festival Real Estate Recap
The Austin City Limits Music Festival has come and gone for 2014 leaving a large boost for Austin’s economy in its wake. Headliners including Outcast, Eminem and Pearl Jam contributed to both 3-day weekends selling out to roughly 75,000 visitors per day. The estimated total in revenue was $175 million for Austin in 2013.
Much of the economic contribution is from out of town guests visiting and staying in Austin for the festival. Roughly sixty-six percent of ACL festival attendees are from out of town and spend an average of nearly $900 per day on food, lodging and retail.
For attendees curious to know what homes are worth near the Austin City Limits Music Festival, below lists up-to-date market data specific to real estate for sale located within 1 mile of Zilker Park:
Austin Condominiums for Sale near Zilker Park:
- Current Number of Active Homes: 23
- Total Number of Pending and Active homes: 31
- Average List Price: $487,884
Austin Single Family Houses for Sale near Zilker Park:
- Current Number of Active Homes: 14
- Total Number of Pending and Active homes: 25
- Average List Price: $1,465,393
Other Zilker Park events include the Zilker Kite Festival, Blues on the Green and the Zilker Trail of Lights lending it to be a source of consistent entertainment year round. Homes located near Zilker Park are considered prime real estate and are consistently low in supply and high in demand.
Austin Film Festival 2013
There will be 130 films, 75 shorts and 55 features screened in 8 theaters around Austin including the Paramount, Galaxy Highland 10, Alamo Drafthouse Village, Texas Spirit Theatre, Rollins Theatre, State Theatre, IMAX Theatre and the Hideout.
Homes for Sale Near Movie Theaters in Austin
Here are Average List Prices of homes located less than 1 mile from these neighborhood theaters:
- Paramount (Downtown) Average List Price: $663,759 based on 43 active home
- Alamo Drafthouse Villlage Average List Price $295,478 based on 12 active homes
- Galaxy Highland 10 Average List Price $328,694 based on 7 active homes