Category Archives: Listings

Austin Condominiums and Pets

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Autumn

I moved to Austin, Texas with a cat and two dogs that weighed 160 pounds combined. So, when I talk about pet restrictions, it is something I relate to as I went through the process of first finding a place to rent and then ultimately purchasing a condominium home in Austin. Pets are companions, protectors and in some households, like children. They give unconditional love and loyalty. Once we have a pet in our life, it’s hard to picture our lives without one. A pet means a long term commitment, sometimes a decade or even two, so you need to be mindful of your future home when choosing one.

Moving to Austin with Pets

I had a client moving to Austin who had a pit bull and wanted to rent a home. Pit bulls are on most aggressive breeds lists, which include those for insurance companies. That means home owners with a pit bull, german shepard or doberman pinscher (to name a few) will pay higher insurance premiums because there are certain breeds whose temperment and strength have a higher incident of attacks.

Austin Condominiums

Understand, I’m not a hater. I have met plenty of pit bulls who wouldn’t even consider biting me, and I have owned a yorkshire terrier or two who has. Since, the odds are higher with certain breeds and will cause higher premiums, your housing options will be lower. Having an aggressive breed or even an exotic animal will limit your options for renting a home in Austin and certainly buying a condominium. Austin condominiums generally have pet restrictions which can include limiting the number of pets, type of pet and even weight. I even know of a condominium community that will let you have a dog, if you are an owner, but not if you are a tenant. I am certain part of this has to do with insurance as well. In a condominium community, rules and bylaws try to ensure a peaceful environment for those living in close proximity.

Your Pet may Outlive your Current Home

Many of you will own a pet longer than you will stay in your current residence. Asking about restrictions on a new home upfront will eliminate potential disappointment for you and your pets.

Vacation is Over

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I went to the East Coast to visit some family and friends.  Though I was only 20 minutes from the hustle and bustle of New York City, the area I grew up in still has many unemployed and houses are certainly not selling the way they are here.  Let’s be grateful and thankful that overall Austin has a strong stable economy. 

Last week was a big vacation and shopping week as people started to prepare for the new school year.  I do have a new listing in Sendera at 9432 Collazo Way, which is in South Austin and very close to the new Alamo Drafthouse on Slaughter.  I’ve also been working in Austin’s popular Central zip code 78704 lately for a condo buyer and an investor seeking a duplex.  For a change of pace, I sold a house in Buda to a repeat client and her husband in the community of Leisurewoods.  We looked at homes for about 2 years before we found the right house.

Austin Vacation Home Rentals

Last week, the City of Austin finally adopted an ordinance to put some controls in place regarding Austin vacation home rentals.  Vacation home rentals are very popular in areas of Austin like Barton Hills and Travis Heights because of the close proximity to local Austin attractions like Downtown, South Congress Ave and Zilker Park.  Vacation home rentals are the ideal alternative to staying in a hotel because they provide an added level of warmth and comfort and are often closer to an Austin attraction.  As the popularity of vacation home rentals increase, so do the problems associated with it simply by the fast overturn of the tenants renting these properties.  Noisy vacationers have become cumbersome for certain communites in Austin, so having an ordinance will allow the City to control the inventory of properties and impose a tax on them as well.

Austin Short Term Rental Rules

  • All short-term rental properties are required to be registered with the City of Austin.
  • Upon registration, all STRs must demonstrate certificate of occupancy or proof of inspection.
  • No more than 3% of single-family residences may be used as a non-owner occupied STR in a census track.
  • A packet containing viable community information must be shared with the tenant.
  • Short-term leases pertaining to home sales/closing terms (leasebacks) will not be affected by this ordinance.

Austin Investment Homes

The market is hot right now for Austin investment properites. Leases prices are in some areas 20% or more than last year. Purchasing an investment property whether single or multi-family property will typically have a slightly higher interest rate and a larger downpayment. With Austin inventory down, rents have increased making this a strong market for investors.

9432 Collazo Way Sendera

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9432 Collazo Way, Austin Texas 78749

9432 Collazo Way is a single story home for sale located South Austin, in the neighborhood of Sendera. Features white brick on 3-sides set large lot with trees providing shade in front and back yard including oak and a pear tree. Nice floorplan with master facing backyard and set separate from three secondary bedrooms.

Large living area painted and carpet in secondary bedrooms replaced 7 months ago. Sprawling Travertine Tile in main living areas and common bath. Master bedroom is tiled and features double vanity in master bathroom Fireplace in living room. Vaulted ceilings. Covered patio with large fenced backyard. Bowie High School area. Easy access to major raodways with retail nearby.

9432 Collazo Way features 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths, dining area off kitchen with open floor plan into living area. Per the tax records, 9432 Collazo Way offers 1,560 square feet of living space, an attached 2-car garage on a .26 acre lot.

Directions to From Mopac South, L on Slaughter, L on Bemner, L on Collazo, 9432 Collazo Way is on the Left hand side.

Austin 78704 Condos

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I have been showing many condos lately in and around Austin’s popular 78704 zip code.  78704 condos offer the benefit of living 2 miles or less from downtown Austin, without paying downtown real estate market price tag.  Home of the SoCo, SoLa, and SoFi districts, 78704 provides a variety of unique urban conveniences filled with boutiques, restaurants and entertainment venues.  Outdoor lovers enjoy Austin’s largest playground Zilker Park right in their backyard, along with additional parks that provide plenty of hiking, biking and other recreational opportunities. 

Austin 78704 Condos

Austin’s 78704 Condominiums come in a variety of price points which suit the needs of people who seek the convenience of an urban lifestyle.  Commuters find access to I-35, Mopac and Ben White very easy.  St. Edwards University is also in 78704, so students and parents often find it more cost effective to buy a little condo than live on campus.  78704 Condos come in all sizes, in as little as about 400 square feet.  The smaller condos often make for an affordable apartment alternative. 

One thing to be mindful of with condos is that they need to be FHA approved in order to be an option for buyers seeking an FHA loan.  FHA tends to only grant loans to condos and houses in good condition that meet certain building guidelines.  FHA loans are popular because they require less money down than a conventional loan, so they are often the only option for buyers with little to put down.  Non FHA approved condos can be an advantage for buyers who have enough funds to go the conventional loan route.   There is less of a buyer pool when a house and more often a condo is not FHA approved, because not all buyers can qualify. 

Search for an Austin 78704 Condo

View 78704 condos here.

I have many pages written for specific communities, with more to come. I can also set up a custom search if you have specific criteria.

The Heat is On

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It’s hot out there and I’m not just talking about the weather.  Consistently low interest rates coupled with increases in rent payments have led more buyers to enter the Austin housing market. The main factor that limits a tenant from being a homeowner is the down payment.   There is not always a big difference between a monthly rent payment and a mortgage payment.   So, with some money in their pocket,  I am seeing more and more first time home buyers enter the Austin real estate market who were happy to be tenants 2 years ago.

Austin Real Estate Market

Low interest rates have given people buying power and motivation to be homeowners.  The influx of first time home buyers purchasing lower priced homes has led to very low inventory.   It is the low inventory that has driven Austin home sales into a seller’s market and as a result of that – prices have increased in all price points.

Austin Real Estate Home Seach
Buyers and Sellers need to tread very carefully over the next two months as market data catches up with the shift into a seller’s market.  Multiple offers are being driven by lack of inventory.  Lack of inventory is leading buyers to offer more than list price.  List price and even over list price is leading properties to not appraise because appraisals are based on sold comparables and sales history have not caught to today’s prices.  This will settle out in a couple of months, as the sales history starts to reflect today’s market.  If the house does not appraise though, a buyer is not going to get a loan.

Buying an Austin Home

Buyers are not looking at things with the same set of eyes they were years ago.  Buyers are now recessionistas.  They understand this may not be the market for a deal, but they do care.  That means seller’s still need to show pride of ownership.  The house should still be spotless, the yard should still be mowed and all systems should still be maintained.  Sellers who do not show their homes in the best possible light, will find their house needs to be priced at a deal or it may not sell at all, just like any market.  Buyers don’t mind paying what a house is worth to them, but it needs to be worth it.

Supply and Demand

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We are officially in a Seller’s market.  Typical time on the market is less than 90 days (3 months).  Prices are inching up because the demand for housing is rising in the area and the available inventory is down considerably from last year.

Search for an Austin Home
Apartment hunters are even finding it harder to find a place to rent.  Leases are typically annual whether it is an apartment, duplex or house, so expect rent to increase when it is time to re-lease.  Tenants need to always consider this when they are thinking about transitioning into becoming ‘buyers’.  With a mortgage, your monthly payment is fixed for the life of the loan.  Sure taxes go up, but you generally have an idea what you are paying.  The one thing that inhibits a tenant from becoming a buyer…is the down payment and closing costs. Closing costs can be negotiated a bit with the seller, but you do need some money to put down.

Austin Luxury Home Search
Austin was recently names the top city in the U.S. for job creation and people are moving here (1,500 per day to Texas).  If you are thinking about putting your home on the market now is the time.

Moving to Austin

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Moving to Austin? I have selected randam subdivisions in the greater Austin area and listed some current real estate market data. Average Days on Market below 3 months are considered Seller’s markets, because homes are moving quickly. Neighborhoods with homes on the market between 3 and 6 months are considered neutral. As you can see, the Austin Real Estate market is very strong. Buyers are moving to Austin and with interest rates still low…buyers are moving within Austin.

Moving to Austin?
The data below is specific to single family homes. If there is an area you want me to spotlight -please let me know.

Tarry Town (Central Austin)
Number of Active Houses on the Market: 16
Average Days on Market: 80
Median List Price: $ 797,000

Legend Oaks (Southwest Austin)
Number of Active Houses on the Market: 8
Average Days on Market: 52
Median List Price: $ 291,725

Plum Creek (Kyle)
Number of Active Houses on the Market: 37
Average Days on Market: 41
Median List Price: $ 171,827

Great Hills (Northwest Austin)
Number of Active Houses on the Market: 25
Average Days on Market: 51
Median List Price: $ 495,126

Pemberton Heights (Central Austin)
Number of Active Houses on the Market: 6
Average Days on Market: 120
Median List Price: $ 1,687,500

Circle C Ranch (Southwest Austin)
Number of Active Houses on the Market: 22
Average Days on Market: 43
Median List Price: $ 352,400

Downtown Condos (Central Austin)
Number of Active Houses on the Market: 102
Average Days on Market: 82
Median List Price: $ 455,500

Travis Heights (Central Austin)
Number of Active Houses on the Market: 12
Average Days on Market: 64
Median List Price: $ 694,700