Courtesy StuSeeger

Hippie Hollow Homes, one of Austin’s hottest real estate firms at the minute, has just released a report that details one of the most optimistic outlooks of any real estate market we’ve seen in years. And this is not some kind of egotistic, self-promoting report typical of so many realtors who put out a press release now and then in the hope of getting some traffic to their sites. On the contrary, Hippie Hollow Homes, despite its ever-so-slightly offbeat name, is actually one of the major players on the Austin real estate scene, having been involved in more than 1,200 transactions since commencing operations in 2004.

So why are we getting so excited about Austin? Simply because the city’s market is positively booming right now, says Hippie Hollow Homes President Shenoah Grove. And what’s more, the stats absolutely back up those claims, highlighting Austin as one of the best performing markets in the country at the moment. Austin is blazing a trial for others to follow – there is simply no better to place to be trying to sell a home right now.

Hippie Hollow Homes report comes in infographic form, but Grove’s comments summarize the findings as well as anyone could do:

“How good is the Austin market right now?” asks Grove.

“There are 1,531 single-family homes for sale within Austin as of 01/15/13, averaging 107 days on the market. When a market averages under 180 days, it is said to be a ‘sellers’ market, so 107 days on the market means that the Austin real estate market is flourishing.”

A few facts from the report demonstrate that this is much more than just misplaced optimism. According to Hippie Hollow Homes, December marked the 19^th consecutive month of increased home sales, with exactly 1,828 single-family homes changing hands, a 17% increase on December 2011. Median home prices were tallied at $210,000 – 11% higher than on year ago. Meanwhile, the average number of days in which a property waits to be sold fell to just 71 in December. This stat above all else is the real kicker – proof positive that Austin is absolutely flying right now.

More than likely there’ll be good news to come to, with another 1,519 pending home sales waiting to be finalized, out of a total of 5,129 active single-family home listings – 22% less than December 2011, by the way. Inventory has also fallen noticeably, with Austin having just 2.7 month’s supply, a whole 1.4 months less than the same month one year ago.

To discuss the state of Austin’s real estate market and its prospects for the year ahead, Mrs Grove has announced she will make a “Real Estate State of the Union” address via Austin’s Real Estate Networking Club next month, on February 21.

“Just because the market in Austin has shown great improvement over the past year doesn’t mean that everyone is in a good position to sell their house quickly,” warns Grove.

“If you have little, no, or even negative equity, you can still sell your home fast in Austin, Texas. But you may require the assistance of an experienced real estate professional to do so.”

With over 150 different neighborhoods, a vibrant downtown area, and thousands of property listings currently on the market, choosing the right real estate company in Austin, Texas is a very important decision for anyone looking to buy or sell a home.

Now more than ever, today’s home buyers and sellers need a realty company that knows the local market and can effectively meet all your housing needs and financial goals all at the same time. But with so many real estate professionals serving the Austin region, how can one possibly know which agent or real estate company is right for them? Well, the answer to that question may just lie at a small real estate office located in West Oak Hill just off Highway 71.

Owned and operated by Stacy and Derek McFarland, BroadHead Real Estate Solutions, LLC is a cutting edge real estate company committed to providing the best service to an expansive and diverse group of clients. Originally from Odessa, Texas and holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Texas State University in San Marcos, Stacy has now worked closely with her husband Derek for nearly a decade; so there isn’t much this couple hasn’t seen when it comes to real estate transactions around Austin and the surrounding region.

In addition to her passion for working with buyers and sellers, Stacy is also a certified HUD Listing Broker for the Greater Austin Area and specializes in urban development projects and facilitating loan approval to low- and mid-level income home buyers. It’s because of Stacy’s HUD credentials that also make her an expert in the Austin short sale and distressed property market. Unfortunately, short sales are still a large part of today’s real estate market around the country, so teaming up with a real estate agent with knowledge and expertise in dealing with such complicated and complex real estate transactions is vital to the success of purchasing an Austin, Texas short sale.

Broadhead Real Estate Solutions doesn’t just serve home buyers and sellers, however. Property management is also a large part of what the McFarland team can offer their customers. Whether it’s heading a Homeowner Association or maintaining the day-to-day operations of a single client’s portfolio, Broadhead will ensure your properties provide a safe, secure, and care-free living environment for tenants and homeowners alike.

For more information on Broadhead Real Estate Solutions, LLC in Austin, Texas, check out www.broadheadsolutions.com or follow Broadhead on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Yelp.

Joe Heath is a graduate of Indiana University and also holds a Graduate Certificate in Real Estate Development from Drexel University. After working as a Market Research Associate and writing published Market Snapshots for Hanley Wood Market Intelligence, Joe now works as a Web Marketing/SEO Specialist and is a managing partner at Real Estate Web Creation, LLC.

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Austin Highrise Luxury Condo via Highrises dot com

The basic sentiment is as such: local residents move from rental properties to home ownership when there is a thriving job market. Also, more residents are likely to move into the area to take advantage of the new or improved employment opportunities. Thus, the combination of these two actions, cause a reaction from home prices to rise, demand vs. supply 101.

Other indicators of a rebounding market can be (but are not limited to) areas with little to no price declines in recent years or a region with fewer foreclosures. The scene has now been set, here are four markets worth watching for a rebound in 2011:

1. Austin, Texas – Trulia labels Austin as a thriving real estate market in 2011, based upon its bustling high-tech job growth in the city. According to the website, from 2000-2010, job growth rose by 14 percent, and net migration was 51 percent.
2. Madison, Wisconsin – Madison made the “Top Ten Real Estate Markets For 2011” list on both Trulia and Zillow. According to Zillow’s website, home prices appreciated in Madison rose by nearly 1 percent from the third quarter to the fourth quarter of 2010. Trulia says that Madison has flourishing job market in technology and life sciences that predicts will continue to grow in 2011.
3. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – According to one of the respected real estate research providers Clear Capital, only 15 of the 50 largest real estate markets are expected to have a rebound in home prices in 2011. Pittsburgh is one of those 15, with a predicted rise of .8 percent. As we mentioned last month, Pittsburgh made a list of markets that Zillow expects to thrive in 2011. Home prices in Pittsburgh rose 1.2 percent when comparing December 2009 to December 2010, and rose 1.1 percent from third to fourth quarter in 2010.
4. San Antonio, Texas – Trulia reports that job growth in the city is in large part to military and manufacturing sectors set it up well for a prosperous 2011. From 2000-2010, job growth rose 11.4 percent and net migration during the same time period was 102 percent in San Antonio. Highlighting the reasons for San Antonio’s bounce back, is that according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), 69 percent of families can afford to purchase a home in San Antonio.

The job market is the single most influencing variable where rebounding real estate markets are concerned. So, if you find a city with a good job market situation, real estate investments there should, for the most part, be solid. If you think about it, this is only common sense.

View from the Alteza Luxury Condos San Antonio - courtesy their site