The Leander Independent School District has hired Niki Prindle as the new principal at River Place Elementary School. She has been an assistant principal within the district since 2005 (at both Naumann and Westside Elementary schools). She holds a bachelor's from Austin College and a master's degree from TCU. If I learn of any meet-and-greet events, I will post them here. Here is the list of homes currently available within the boundaries of River Place Elementary. There is still plenty of time to move into one … [Read more...]
Archives for June 2010
May 2010 Housing Stats
The May housing statistics were released today (the national numbers are provided by the National Association of Realtors while the Texas numbers are from The Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University). Nationally, the number of homes sold compared to April 2010 declined 2.2%. On a year-over-year basis, the number of homes sold in May 2010 increased by 19.2% over May 2009. The year-over-year increase owes credit to the buyer tax credits that ended in April, but houses under contract have until June 30 to … [Read more...]
Tax Credit Closing Deadline May Be Extended
Yesterday the United States Senate voted to extend the deadline until September 30 to close on a home for which the buyer is eligible for the tax credits that recently expired. Though the houses had to be under contract by April 30, the deadline to close is currently June 30. However, there are many buyers who are in jeopardy of not closing on time. First, home builders are racing to complete as many homes as they can, but they won't finish them all. Second, mortgage delays may cause up to 180,000 buyers to miss … [Read more...]
As Expected, Foreclosed Houses Sell Better
The conventional wisdom is that foreclosed houses sell better than the rest of the market. Does that hold true in Austin? Yes, it certainly does. I decided to find out exactly how by taking a look at the MLS data (from the Austin Board of Realtors/ACTRIS). I examined sold properties from January 1, 2010 to May 31, 2010 as well as properties that are currently active and pending. Throughout the MLS, 13.64% of the 8,629 properties that sold were foreclosures. The foreclosures took an average of 41 days to sell … [Read more...]
Neighborhood Home Sale Prices for May
I've just updated the Neighborhood Home Sale Data for May. If you would like to view information on sold homes, this is the place to do so. Addresses, sold prices, bedrooms, bathrooms, size, and more are available free of charge. Summary data is available, too. I currently track over 85 neighborhoods in Austin and Cedar Park with more being added each month. To take a look at the information, visit www.RealEstateInAustin.com/Neighborhood-Sales-Data. … [Read more...]
HGTV Is Looking for First Time Home Buyers in Austin
Are you addicted to HGTV? Are you looking to buy your first home? Do you want your chance to be on a reality TV show? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might want to consider applying to be on HGTV's My First Place. This popular show focuses on "the trials and tribulations of looking for, bidding on, and buying your first place—whether it’s a single-family house, townhouse or condo" (apparently they don't want to focus on the good parts?). The cameras will follow you for at least 10 shoot days … [Read more...]
Texas 4000 – Biking from Austin to Alaska for Cancer Research
The Texas 4000 kicks off this Saturday, June 5th. This annual bike ride is the world's longest charity bike ride with the proceeds going to fund cancer research. There will be 50 University of Texas students making the 70-day journey this year. You can help send the riders off by biking with them for 25, 51, or 71 miles on the first leg of their trip - the ATLAS Ride. For more information on this great cause, or to donate, visit the Texas 4000 website at www.Texas4000.org. If you are looking for a summer home in … [Read more...]