Changes to How Contracts and Representation Work
Hi everyone, maybe some of you have heard about some of the changes to how contracts and representation work across the nation. Here’s a brief catchup if you’re out of the loop: I won’t have all the answers because it’s still so new, but I did actually sit in on a seminar last week listening to expe
Reversal in Travis County Population Trends
Travis County has been a consistent hot spot for people moving to the Austin area, but for the first time in two decades, the number of people leaving the county is greater than the number moving in. It’s a prime example of how, sometimes, what goes up, must come down. Nevertheless, while this pheno
Is Austin Losing its Appeal?
In the recent years, especially since the pandemic, Austin has been the go-to place for companies, start-ups, and investors. The population has had a huge influx due to Austin’s appeal in affordability and job opportunities. But has the allure worn off? Read here to learn more about if Austin has lo
The Smiths in 2023
Being something of photographers in a past life, Hillary and I had already seen a thousand pictures of the TA Moulton Barn that sits in front of the Grand Tetons. As we were accompanying my mother on a bucket list trip up to Glacier National Park a couple months ago, I realized we’d be passing right
Austin Ranked Among Worst Cities for Traffic
How does Austin traffic compare to other U.S. cities? According to this article, on average, Austin drivers lost 53 hours of commute time due to traffic delays in 2022. A breakdown of these traffic stats and where Austin ranks nationally among the worst traffic cities can be found here.
Is Austin America’s Boomtown?
Although it may seem like Austin is THE boomtown, it’s actually something that’s going around all over Texas. It’s true, we do dominate in the regional IT industry, and create more white collar high-paying jobs than our Texas rivals, but in aggregate the DFW area definitely gets more total migration
Austin’s Role in the Introduction of Central A/C
There’s no doubt that the heat we experience here in Texas makes central A/C a household necessity. It’s something we’ve become accustomed to, but maybe never gave much thought to how it got its start. Interestingly enough, an Austin neighborhood played an early role in this invention eventually bec
Can Austin Compare to Silicon Valley?
Perhaps we sound only like Austin cheerleaders sometimes, but I do like to always include the other side of the story. I often say “second to Silicon Valley, Austin is THE place to be for IT…” The reality, though, is that we’re probably still a pretty distant number two. We do offer lots of advantag
America’s Best Taco Cities
Tacos are, of course, a staple here in Austin. But how does Austin rank when searching for the best cities in the US for tacos? That ranking and even more taco data can be found here.
Austin Market Facing Pandemic Correction
So where are we now? What goes up must come down? We were among the leaders of home appreciation during the pandemic era, and now we’re one of the areas with the biggest correction happening. As a smaller city, smaller changes in migration and investor participation make a bigger difference in our m
The Smiths in 2022
With an eye injury, a month as a pirate, and three surgeries to follow, 2022 took off from a bit of a low point. Not having to wear a mask anymore–definite high point. Real estate was also surging and was keeping us busy. The Austin market is a roller coaster, though, now down about 20% from the pea
State of the Market
Since we’ve taken a short blog sabbatical, the entire real estate world has changed. Although the evening news will sometimes say trite things like “Finally an opportunity for homebuyers…” everyone trying to buy knows the truth. Buyers have all lost 20-30% of their purchasing power from interest rat
UpNest Top Agent
We’re excited to share that our agent, Jeremy Smith, has earned UpNest’s Top Winning Agent Badge! This recognition further displays an agent’s credibility and expertise working with home sellers and buyers.
Jeremy Smith – Awards and Accolades
In real estate, it’s an awkward position to have to promote one’s awards and accolades, but in a competitive market where people want to only work with the most experienced, competent, and high performing agents, it becomes necessary to present our job resume. It’s just a part of applying for the jo
Austin Price and Inventory Trends
There’s a lot of economic uncertainty in the air, what with souring inflation, the fed about to raise rates, stock and crypto market turmoil, etc. I’m frequently asked the question as to whether their investment (their home purchase) will be safe. I know I’m biased, but I have to be honest and say “
What a Year, and What’s to Come – December Newsletter
Samsung To Build $17 Billion Chip Plant in Taylor This investment is going to give the northeast side of the metro a real boost… Read More Rising Prices Driving Some Families Away From Austin As housing costs in Austin rise, some residents may be looking to leave Austin… Learn More Austin Suburb Exp
The Smiths in 2021
Although we’re in covid round two year, we’ve still found lots of ways to make the most of it. We’ve been able to make our yearly trips to Enchanted Rock as well as other novelties like Natural Bridge Caverns, Dinosaur Park, Austin’s Revel, the Texas Capital, Washington DC and more. I know not all o
5 Year Trend Analysis
Below, you can find a comprehensive analysis of the market trends from 2017 to 2021. Also included in this analysis, is the historical average months of inventory.
Are Austin Homes Overvalued?
According to this article, the answer is yes. It’s suggested that the Austin housing market is overvalued and that, instead of buying a new home, potential buyers should invest or rent for the time being. Let’s look at what they’re actually saying, though. They didn’t tell us anything we didn’t know
June Newsletter
Although Austin is FINALLY beginning to show some signs of cooling, this doesn’t mean that Austin won’t continue to lead the pack nationally for quite some time, nor does it even mean that sales prices will slow down yet. Sold prices are lagging indicators that only tell us about what happened a mon
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