There is no short list of things to do during March in Austin, Texas. The weather is beautiful, the slight winter rains have moistened the ground enough for the Bluebonnets and other wild flowers to begin popping up making a drive though the area (in spite of the traffic) picturesque. Simply put, it is a perfect time of the year to be out and about andbusy having fun. 
Go through this list of events, pick your favorites and go have some March joy.
Radiohead with Special Guest Other Lives - March 7, 2012
Frank Erwin Center
Texas Performing Arts presents AngeÌlique Kidjo - March 8, 2012
Bass Concert Hall
http://texasperformingarts.org
Romeo and Juliet - March 8, 2012 (Repeats 3 Times)
The City Theatre, Austin
http://www.citytheatreaustin.org
Star of Texas Fair & Rodeo - March 9-24, 2012
Travis County Expo Center, Austin
http://www.co.travis.tx.us/exposition_center
South by Southwest - March 9-18, 2012
Interactive March 9-13/Film March 9-17/Music March 14-18
Various Locations in Austin
The Austin Symphony: Ray Benson & Asleep at the Wheel - March 9, 2012
Michael & Susan Dell Hall, Austin
Texas Stars vs. Grand Rapids Griffins - March 7, 2012
Cedar Park Center, Cedar Park
http://www.cedarparkcenter.com/
Austin Film Society's Texas Film Hall of Fame 2012 Awards Announcements - March 8, 2012
Austin City Limits Live, Austin
Dr. Dog - March 9, 2012
Stubb's Bar-B-Q and Waller Creek Amphitheatre, Austin
Disneys Imagination Movers - March 9, 2012
Bass Concert Hall, Austin
http://texasperformingarts.org
SxSw LANFest - March 9, 2012 (Repeats 3 Times)
Palmer Events Center, Austin
Young Frankenstein - March 10, 2012
Michael & Susan Dell Hall, Austin
Tech Career Expo @ SXSW - March 10, 2012
Austin Music Hall, Austin
http://www.austinmusichall.com
Music @ the Umlauf: Concerts in the Garden - March 11, 2012
Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum, Austin
For the Record: Tarantino in Concert - March 14, 2012
Long Center for the Performing Arts, Austin
Texas Rock Fest - March 14-17, 2012
Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Mexican American Experience 2012 - March 14, 2012
Mexican American Cultural Center, Austin
Texas Performing Arts presents Batsheva Dance Company - March 20, 2012
Bass Concert Hall
http://texasperformingarts.org
Ballet Austin's Light / The Holocaust & Humanity Project - March 23-25, 2012
Long Center for the Performing Arts, Austin
The Naked And Famous - March 23, 2012
Stubb's Bar-B-Q and Waller Creek Amphitheatre, Austin
Texas Performing Arts presents SpokFrevo Orquestra - March 24, 2012
Bass Concert Hall
http://texasperformingarts.org
Young The Giant - March 24, 2012
Stubb's Bar-B-Q and Waller Creek Amphitheatre, Austin
Austin Restaurant Week Spring - March 25, 2012 to April 4, 2012
New and seasoned hotspots in Austin
http://restaurantweekaustin.com
Saxophone and the Sea with the UTSO - March 26, 2012
Bates Recital Hall, UT Austin Campus, Austin
Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays - March 28-31, 2012
UT Austin Campus, Austin
With the New Year in full swing this February, the Austin market is certainly one of the more prosperous compared to many around the country right now. Just like any real estate market, there are both some positives and some negatives as we approach spring time. Despite this mix, the impact that the current real estate trends in Austin could have on the rest of the year is great.
One thing that everyone seems to talk about in all markets is the mortgage rates and that’s no different here in Austin. Rates moved DOWN slightly last week with a fixed rate 30 year mortgage is at 4.298 APR for the Austin area. Certainly mortgages have been in this sub four level for a number of months now and they don’t look to be rising heavily anytime in the near future. This is a good sign for potential buyers who may have hesitated originally, because in 2012 they will have the time to find the right home knowing that the mortgage rates will still be at these lows.
With the mortgage rates being at all time lows; rent rates have continued to go up throughout the country. Austin, specifically, has also felt a large brunt in the rental community. For example, Austin apartments currently have the largest rent rate in Texas and have gone up over six percent in the last calendar year alone. This is especially important for those potential buyers who are deciding between buying their first home and continuing to rent. With mortgage rates low and rentals high, the numbers are certainly in favor of a good outcome in Austin in 2012.
Early in February, the inventory numbers in Austin have swung into a buyer’s market as well. The key to good inventory is a proper balance, without having too many properties and still having enough to satisfy potential buyer’s needs.
Supply was low in January, but according to Trulia, the listings in the Austin area have increased by almost five percent in just the first half of February alone. Hopefully this signals inventory getting to the proper balance, satisfying both buyers and sellers needs in 2012.
It’s important to remember that in any case, the buying decision will come down to a significant set of factors for the interested parties. Despite this train of thought, there is no question that what’s going on in the real estate market always tends to have an impact on the thoughts of potential buyers.
By beginning 2012 with low mortgage rates in an area such as Austin with a good outlook on job growth, there’s no doubt that the market looks positive heading into the spring time.
Rents are rising in Austin, in fact 9% in January 2012 compared to January 2011. And as job growth continues to accelerate in Austin, the young and the not so young are on the hunt for rentals. 
But not so fast, many who have been leasing in the Downtown Austin area are fleeing the neighborhood as landlords are raising rents as fast as people are moving to town.
I spoke with a “downtown” tenant last week who informed me that she and her husband are on a month to month lease – which is accelerating monthly -- and need to find a more economical lease immediately -- but they want to stay in the central area. Those less expensive, central Austin leases are hard to find and are typically much smaller, with little or no updating and without the perk of a covered, Downtown parking space or a garage.
This squeeze of available leases will loosen here in Austin as there are at least 5 new apartment projects on the build in the near central Austin area; but if what I am hearing is true, apartments aren’t the answer for those fleeing the high rents of Downtown. Apartments will be perfect for the young “new comers” though -- as they want to try the area on before they commit to buying or signing a longer term lease.
And good luck with that long term lease. Landlords have all the cards right now and few will commit to a long term lease with this ON FIRE lease market.
Negotiating the lease amount – forget it! It is what the market says it is -- and the market says up, up and away.
How long with this pricy lease season stick around? Hmm – when renters think the housing market has hit the bottom, or when they can qualify for a mortgage, or when they sell their previous home, or when they are more certain about their job prospects, or when they realize buying offers less stress on the monthly budget.
In Austin, the average rent across the city is $896 or $1.05 per square foot. The average rent for a 2 bedroom is $1,006 and increasing. Obviously as rents increase, more renters are considering purchasing a new or resale home. The bottom line is that rental rates are going up, and many that are renting today could reduce their housing costs and at the same time hopefully upgrade their housing environment.
|
|
Occupancy |
Change from |
Eff. Rent |
Change from |
|
Austin |
93.8% |
up .4% |
$883 |
up 6.2% |
|
Dallas |
91.9% |
up 1.5% |
$814 |
up 6% |
|
Fort Worth |
90.9% |
up 1.6% |
$701 |
up 4.3% |
|
Houston |
88.8% |
up 1.9% |
$768 |
up 3.3% |
|
San Antonio |
90.2% |
down .6% |
$740 |
up 5.3% |
|
Lubbock |
91.8% |
down .2% |
$664 |
up 2.5% |
|
Amarillo |
90.8% |
down .2% |
$615 |
up 5.1% |
|
Abilene |
90.7% |
down 2.5% |
$592 |
up 1.1% |
|
Corpus Christi |
94% |
up 2.5% |
$718 |
up 3.1% |
Austin has the highest rent prices in the State of Texas!
Paramount Theatre
austintheatre.org
2/10
Elysium
elysiumonline.net
2/10
The Long Center
austinsymphony.org/events
Frank Erwin Center
uterwincenter.com/events
2/13
Mary Moody Northern Theatre
http://think.stedwards.edu/theatre/
2/19
Downtown Austin
youraustinmarathon.com
Frank Erwin Center
uterwincenter.com/events
2/24 – 2/26
Texas School for the Deaf
juggling.place.org/jugglefest
2/25
Various Locations
artallianceaustin.org
2/25 – 2/26
North Austin Event Center
thattakesthecake.org
2/28
I am in the business of real estate in the Austin, Westlake, Northwest Hills, South Austin and Lakeway areas. I approach my job with the heart of a teacher, providing experience and confidentiality.
As an experienced Austin Real Estate Professional I can represent, protect and guide you through the process of buying, building, selling or investing. I am a dedicated, hard working and a tech savvy agent who can provide you with every option.
When you are buying or selling property in today's real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. My commitment as your local REALTOR is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.
I am the mother of three daughters and one of thirteen brothers and sisters. I enjoy cooking, entertaining, gardening and Bible study. Each year I produce a Christmas card for my BIG wonderful family.
Each year I produce a Christmas card for my family. This long-standing tradtion, stared by my Mom, has been in place for 53 years. I am working on the 2011 card as we speak. Check out the cards from previous years below. 
Rarely does a week go by without Austin being listed at or near the top of a "best of" list.
With so much positive PR for this city flying around, I thought it would be helpful to wrangle it all together. So here goes.
• The biggie people still like to talk about came from Kiplinger’s Personal Finance in May 2010, which tagged Austin as the No. 1 best city to live in for the next 10 years.
• Just last week, Austin placed third in a "Youngest Cities" ranking, which was based on how youthful residents feel, not their actual age.
• When it comes to social networking, few cities beat Austin's prowess, Men's Health magazine says.
• Austin is the second-best place to find a job right now, according to number crunchers at Ajilon Professional Staffing.
• In November, Austin was deemed to have the second-strongest job market in the country by the Milken Institute (behind only Killeen, Texas).
• That backs up another list in July 2010 that put Austin among the top job-generating cities.
• In May 2010, Austin was listed among the country’s healthiest cities on two other lists.
• A CNN/Money study last year labeled Austin as recession-proof.
• Austin was chosen as one of the eight best places to live and work in the U.S. by Business Review USA.
• Austinites have the ninth-best “quality of life,” according to Portfolio.com study in May 2010.
• Austin (again) ranked No. 4 on a list of the biggest tax procrastinating cities. I'll go out on a limb and put this one in the "positive" category because it illustrates how laid back and cool this city is. We're much too busy this time of year with rodeos, music festivals and perfect weather to be bogged down by tax forms.
Rated By: fe - austin
Comments: Anne is Great! Will always recommend her!!!
Rated By: djb - Austin
Comments: Anne's number one priority is her client. Whether buying or selling, she gets the job done!
Rated By: NLB - Salado
Comments: Anne went way beyond the call of duty to make sure every detail was taken care of. Her customer service was excellent and her knowledge of the real estate business is great. She listened to what I wanted and found the perfect house for me. She is the best!!!!
Rated By: ssv - Austin
Comments: We were extremely pleased with Anne as our realtor. She is very responsive and goes above and beyond in working for you! We were so fortunate to find her! Sharmon Votteler
Rated By: sjw - Washington, DC
Comments: I can't say enough about the super service that Anne provides to her clients. She will go out of her way to give 1000% effort. She is truthful, demonstrates tremendous integrity, and intelligent. When you work with Anne, you should know that she's not about the commission. It's about making sure that the fit is right and that your needs are met. She communicates, she digs into research, and she shares what she knows. We had a trying time in selling our house in a poor market. She stuck with us through thick and thin and when our house sold, it was because of superhuman effort on her part and it was as if she had sold her own home. That's the kind of realtor we all would be blessed to have.
Rated By CML - Houston/Austin
Comments: Anne is a top quality agent. She is reliable, hard working, very creative, and has extensive knowledge of the Central Texas real estate market. Anne has always been professional and thorough from contracting thru the closing of every tranaction she has handled for my company. Without reservation I give her the highest recommendation possible.
"Thank you Anne for the extraordinarily professional and friendly service. You are as experienced as anyone we have encountered in our many real estate transactions from London, Washington DC to Austin, and we feel lucky to have met you. Your fair estimate on our home's value and priceing was far more accurate than others we received. As a consequence, our expectations, objectives and sales strategy were properly aligned. Because you went that extra mile for us, as out of town clients with very limited time, is a mark of your dedication to fully servicing your client's needs, however unusal they may be. We cannot thank you enough for bringing the home's landscaping up to condition, having the home cleaned and decorated, and even handling the sale and charitable collection of remaining personal items! All of this, on top of efficiently, timely and succinctly managing and communicating the transaction's evolution and closing for us, thousands of miles away. Due to your unique marketing efforts and preparation, we were able to sell in the opeing days and choose amongst a rush of various buyers. We recommend you without reservation and look forward to keeping in touch and using you again when we pursue Texas real estate. Thank you for everything!"
Andy & Maria Karsner
Alexandria, Virginia
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