Austin appeals to outsiders for our low cost of living, job opportunities, and culture! Besides keeping Austin weird with our unique events like ACL and Eeyore's birthday party or maintaining our status as the live music capital of the world, we’re known for art in Austin too! We have several art galleries and museums to offer locals. So many that we’re separating them by location! Central...

Mortgage rates have dropped to historic lows in the past year, causing many to refinance their mortgage. Refinancing your mortgage can help you save money. One report estimated the average savings to be $300 per month after refinancing. But there are some upfront costs you should know about before refinancing your mortgage. The First Cost of Refinancing: Closing Costs Closing costs are 2-5% of the...

Downtown Austin is home to the hottest neighborhoods in Austin, like Zilker, West University, Travis Heights, Central East Austin, and Bouldin Creek. We’re going to break down the homes, schools, and activities in the neighborhood.  Downtown Austin Homes Properties sold in the area range from single-family homes to condos and townhomes. The average listing price for a home in Downtown Austin...

The pandemic and stay-at-home orders caused many people to move, whether it’s a new job or wanting a lower cost of living as everyone continues to work remotely. The report from the “Emerging Trends in Real Estate® 2022” reports that “almost two-thirds of real estate professionals believe that fewer than 75% of workers will come to the office at least three days a week in 2022.” And a recent...

We’ve all heard of a mortgage, but what about a reverse mortgage? A reverse mortgage is a type of loan that allows you to cash out your home’s equity while you still live in your home. Instead of paying the lender your monthly mortgage, the lender pays you. You don’t have to pay back the money until you move out, sell the house, or pass away. Here is more information about how it works, and why you...

Research done by Point2 helped them find the most dynamic, robust, and sustainable college cities. The cities in the study are also best for life after college. The study looked at the 100 most successful universities in 86 cities across the U.S.. Then they ranked them based on 15 ranking factors across four dimensions. The four dimensions are human capital, housing, economic activity, and earning power...

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the U.S. population growth rate was the lowest since the Great Depression. This can be linked to the Great Recession in 2008 and the Covid-19 pandemic this year since it slowed immigration. But it didn’t affect Austin!  24/7 Wall St reviewed the population data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Population and Housing Estimates Program to find the fastest growing...

A new booze law passed this summer. The new Texas alcohol sales law allows Texans to buy beer and wine at 10 a.m. on Sundays from their local grocery or convenience stores. In May, Governor Abbott signed in HB 1518, but it didn’t go into effect until September 1st. The new law covers the sale of alcohol at hotels and also expanding alcohol sales on Sundays.  Texas Alcohol Sales History This is...

Austin is one of the best places to live, but don’t take our word for it! Check out the "Best of" awards our wonderful city has won over the past couple of years.  Best of 2021 #5 in Best Places to Live by U.S. News & World Report#29 in Best Places to Retire by U.S. News & World Report#1 in Best Places to Live in Texas by U.S. News & World Report #13 in Fastest Growing Places by...

Earlier this year, LendingTree published its findings on the most popular cities for millennial homebuyers. They found these ten cities by analyzing the mortgage requests made on their platform across the nation’s 50 largest metros from January 1st to December 15th, 2020. They define millennials homeowners as individuals born between 1981 and 1996.  Top 3 Best and Worst Metros for Millennial...