Daniel Francis: MORE listings with LESS competition. Ask me How!

Kyle and Buda have always been considered "sister" cities. Sharing many of the same services and both right next to each other South of Austin Texas along I35, the two cities grew like crazy during the building boom of the early 2000's.

Once considered "breakfast communities", both have grown with big name retail including Cabella's which now attracts outdoors enthusiasts from as far away as Nebraska (and maybe further!)

But the economic downturn hit Central Texas just like everyone else (although probably not as bad). But through it all, Kyle has and remains pretty steady. Buda hasn't been able to weather the storm quite as well, but still holds its values fairly well compared to some other parts of the greater Austin area.

Six months ago, Buda's median home value was $180,550. Today, it sits at $169,120.

Kyle, though stayed exactly the same at $140,000. There's a slight improvement on average days on market as well from 40 to 38. Not a significant change, but further proof that Kyle is holding strong through this economic crises.

Either city still is a great choice if you are moving to Central Texas. With a growing list of services, convenient access to Austin and beyond (with new state highway 130), Kyle/Buda is the sweet spot in Austin, Texas.

No.

Oh, I guess you probably want some proof and maybe even statistics. How about a background to this story? Well, alright. But the news is not good, I warn you.

I started this analysis hoping and looking and searching for that glimmer of hope. There was a time you couldn't NOT make money just by being in the aura of East Austin (yes, I'm aware that's a double negative but it works better that way, trust me). And if you were lucky enough to already live there, ca-CHING! You could walk outside your house and start bashing the siding with a sledgehammer and by the time you tired and went back inside, your property's value went up. It was ridiculous.

People were scrambling to buy condemned, tilting shacks and paying $200,000 just for the lot. Homes that were bought five years ago for $10,000 were now worth $250,000. You couldn't drive down a street without running into construction crews, rehabbers, realtors, and the financial engine behind the boom -- yuppies.

So close to downtown, so convenient, it was the natural push by consumers and city government to revitalize the area and make it hip, happenin and hot!

But, when the market turned, the hotbed of activity came to a screaching halt. Sure, property still sells there, but consumer to consumer, the investors have fled. I know many investors who got foreclosed on because the $400,000 monster they built would not sell.

So are things starting to turn around yet? Should investors head back and start stockpiling property?

Not yet. In the six month span of March to September 09, the median home value of property sold in the area was $225,000. In the last six months, that has dropped to $212,500. The price per square foot has gone from $176.25 to $160.19 and houses are staying on the market longer, and people are accepting significantly less than their list price, more so than six months ago.

Investors are eager for East Austin to get back to the glory days when buying, renovating and selling made the most sense in the East part of town. But they will have to wait a little longer.

Fine dining in the largely blue collar suburb of Kyle may seem a little out of place, but not to big names like Emeril Lagasse!

Located on Center Street in Downtown Kyle, Bordeaux's Restaraunt offers upscale dining and Kyle's only full bar. Executive Chef Larsen Wilkes has put together a delectable menu of prime steak and seafood. My last visit, I enjoyed the Boneless Quail Breast Medallions which are served with a Pinot Noir sauce and asparagus. The food was bursting with rich and tender flavors with satisfying portions. I'm not an expert, but I would say the menu is largely a blend of mondern American fine dining infused into classic French cuisine.

With new modern conviences including the only HEB Plus on the south side of Austin, a new Hospital and Target, and now with classic dining, Kyle has grown up to be more than just another "breakfast community" into a full-scale city of its own with much to offer in the way of jobs, services and night life.

Try Kyle on for size the next time you are looking for property. I think you'll be surprised!

One of my favorite places to frequent in the Greater Austin Area lies just outside Dripping Springs. Newer housing and Hill Country views have brought many new residents to the Dripping Springs area over the last decade, but the Nutty Brown Cafe has been a staple for much longer.

I had the pleasure of visiting the Nutty Brown last Friday night. The Nutty Brown is more than just a restaurant, but it houses an inside bar, an outside bar and two seperate outdoor stages for live music. The night I was there, the smaller stage was occupied by a Beatles cover-band called The Eggmen. They were excellent! Upcoming acts for the large stage include Clint Black and The Charlie Daniels Band.

Its nice to have such a close live music venue, but the real value in the Nutty Brown Cafe is in the quality of its food. I've had several lunches there and its always outstanding. Servicing a blend of comfort food and Tex-Mex, there is something for everyone. I had the grilled pork and it was well-seasoned, juicy and tender. And the Jalepeno hush puppies were just downright habit forming.

If you are exploring house choices with Hill Country Views, I highly recommend you check out Dripping Springs, and when your house-hunting day is coming to an end, visit the Nutty Brown Cafe. You'll be treated to great food and great entertainment and it might just help you decide that Dripping Springs is your Hill Country city of choice.

In the current economic climate, no area in and around the Austin Texas Metro area has had a higher drop in property values than Manor. The good news for investors is that this "bottom-out" makes for excellent long-term buy and hold strategies.

In the 6 months from Sept 2007 to March 2008, the median sales price for homes in Manor was $142,739.00. In the last 6 months, the median sales price in Manor has been $106,000.00. That is over 25% depreciation in two years.

Many parts of the country have exprecienced much higher depreciation rates, but in Texas, particularly in the Austin area, that is very unusual. For local investors, it is opportunity! With massive foreclosures in Manor, properties are readily available, often without too much rehab required for under $80,000.00. These are nice, newer three-bedroom two-bath homes.

Lease pricing, however, has remained relatively stable hovering at about $1,000 for the same home.

With a typical (typical today) investor loan of 25% down and 6% interest, an investor could purchase the home with $20,000 down, and make monthly PITI payments of somewhere in the ballpark of $700/month. Even factoring in $10,000 in repairs, that's an annual ROI of 12%! When you add in the tax benefits, future appreciation (afterall, that 25% loss in two years will bounce back) and Manor is a perfect spot for investors.

Please contact me if you need help in viewing Manor properties or want to find a suitable investor loan product.