Index jumps by 3.2% in July, beating estimates and marking its longest streak on monthly increases on record. We’re hearing more and more good news lately, and it’s backed up by hard numbers.  When our real estate market has recovered before, particularly in Austin, it recovers quickly and suddenly.  Will we see this recovery soon?  [...]

As reported by Forbes: First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit In order to pass the $787 Federal Stimulus Plan, the proposed $15,000 first- time home buyer tax credit was rolled back to $8,000. While that might not entice you to buy a home, Congress did adjust the terms such that the $8,000 loan doesn’t have to [...]

Frugal tips for the busy person Does your checking account pay you interest?  If not, take a lunch break and open a free interest-bearing checking account.  Nearly every bank is offering one. Use banking software like Quicken or Microsoft Money to keep track of your expenses and scheduled payments (explained soon!) and have it installed [...]

On the Austin Real Estate Headlines Page, I have bee keeping careful watch of how Austin ranks in news stories, polls, and websites. This is really just for fun and based on subjective opinions, but it is very interesting to look at. Plus, those of us who live in Austin know it is deserving of [...]

When times are tough, it’s time to think outside of the box. The same is true for investing. While it is difficult (if not impossible) to find a lucrative rental property in central Austin right now, and the idea of cashing out of an investment may seem like a poor idea until sales pick back [...]

Austin has been making national headlines lately, and good ones at that. While we hear that the real estate market nation-wide is in a slump, we also keep hearing that Austin’s economy is still strong (even if it is no longer booming). It should be no surprise, then that Austin topped Forbe’s list for big [...]