EAST SIDE is BOOMING (Austin: rentals, condos, mortgage) - Texas (TX) - Page 3 - City-Data Forum

philopower · 02-08-2013, 01:44 PM

I drove by Mueller last weekend for the first time and was extremely impressed. Such a beautiful development.

MovingOut2012 · 02-10-2013, 02:10 PM

Just wanted to add my two cents on the Mueller development.

We are new transplants in the Austin area and looking around for a place to live that is close to the city center and within our budget. We are now renting in the 78704 area but are definitely priced out of that neighborhood (such ridiculous prices for houses that are falling apart). I think the Eastside would be the answer to our desire to live within the city and have a short commute to work. Austin's traffic is just too much to bear during rush hours.

Mueller is indeed a beautiful development and if everything goes as planned, would be a beautiful place to live and be within a mile to the downtown area.
But the prices of the houses are so expensive. You either have to make a ton of money, or make very little to qualify for the affordable homes. The cheapest house (a row house) was about $350,000 for 1300 square feet. Now, if the plan was to make the area a place with diversified incomes, what happened to the people who fall in the middle? For the affordable homes that was about $180,000 on average (same row house) your combined income should be no more than $46,000 for a family of 2.

I guess we have to look in other areas of the eastside.

montopoliskid41 · 02-11-2013, 07:37 PM

Crime is every where's. I lived in the Eastside for over 30 years and never got burglarized. When the people in your neighborhood get to know you, they will watch out for you. Back then we didn't have cameras/security systems etc. we had each other and we used to worry about the outsiders coming in.

Welcome to Texas

verybadgnome · 02-11-2013, 09:22 PM

It's hard to believe what some of the homes are renting for near me. One SFH is listed for $2/sq ft and another is asking $2.50/sq ft. Those used to be parkside/lakeside prices. I'd like to know if they are actually renting for those prices or are they merely dream prices from overly enthusiastic owners who will negotiate in the end.

Komeht · 02-11-2013, 11:07 PM

This has potential to be the tastiest trainwreck in Austin. Think I'll have to wonder by when he opens!

John Mueller re-emerges on the scene with John Mueller Meat Co., butcher shop included - 2013-Feb-05 - CultureMap Austin

Komeht · 02-12-2013, 07:31 AM

So responding to OPs point...as a life long Austinite I can say without a doubt is is extremely pleasing and constantly astounding to see the transformation of the East Side. Time was not too long most of us would be willing to wonder down to the East Side for breakfast tacos at Joes and little else. East 6th was definitely NOT a place one would go on a Friday night unless one was looking for trouble.

The transformation of East 1st (a one way thourgoufare) into the charming two way Caesar Chavez with all the little shops and restaurants has been extremely gratifying. South Austin is seriously threatened from losing its crown on live Music to the East Side, even East 11th St. ince a home to some of the most illciti commerce in Austin is now home to its highest art - the worlds best BBQ - not to mention all Hillside Pharmacy, etc. Then there's the stretch of Manor between Campus and Airport that is seeing its on renaissance lot by lot. Through in Mueller (from a busy airport affecting the entire east side - on its way to becoming a new urban gem), which as it develops and grows over the next 5-10 years will be a huge magnate to the north central east side, and the effect it is having on surrounding neighborhoods like Windsor Park, its pretty astounding. It's easy to see how even pockets like Govalle are becoming better and better each day.

And yeah, I mean, no news right, it's all been happening for 10-15 years now. But still, the breadth and scope of it is pretty remarkable. It's pretty clear that 183 has become the new dividing line and everything west of 183 and south of 290 will in the not too distant future be transformed.

Sure there has been a tremendous run up in land values and I know realtors always mention schools as being a limiting factor, but I just don't see how anyone today wanting to live somewhat centrally would not consider at least consider the East Side, when a decade or two ago only the truly adventurous would even consider such a prospect.

tildahat · 02-12-2013, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MovingOut2012

Just wanted to add my two cents on the Mueller development.

Mueller is indeed a beautiful development and if everything goes as planned, would be a beautiful place to live and be within a mile to the downtown area.
But the prices of the houses are so expensive. You either have to make a ton of money, or make very little to qualify for the affordable homes. The cheapest house (a row house) was about $350,000 for 1300 square feet. Now, if the plan was to make the area a place with diversified incomes, what happened to the people who fall in the middle? For the affordable homes that was about $180,000 on average (same row house) your combined income should be no more than $46,000 for a family of 2.

I guess we have to look in other areas of the eastside.

This is "The Gap" that many have complained about. It includes the bulk of Austin families, and is especially frustrating because those families are *subsidizing* Catellus and Mueller, and were promised places there. I really think Catellus needs to be forced to repay the citizens of Austin part of the subsidies.

["Promised" in the aggregate - no doubt market housing in the $175-225k range would have led to a lottery system....]

Komeht · 02-12-2013, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tildahat

This is "The Gap" that many have complained about. It includes the bulk of Austin families, and is especially frustrating because those families are *subsidizing* Catellus and Mueller, and were promised places there. I really think Catellus needs to be forced to repay the citizens of Austin part of the subsidies.

Can you explain the subsidies Catellus is getting and the deal that Austin gets in return? Isn't Catellus purchasing land from the city in small blocks as Mueller is developed? Is not undeveloped land owned by the city being transferred to home owners who pay ad valorem taxes on the property (at a much higher rate than surrounding neighborhoods)? Is that not a good deal for tax payers?

Is Mueller not living up to it's charter with the city? Have they not provided that 25% of the units in Mueller are "affordable" as defined in its agreement with the city?

Was a home promised to everyone at Mueller? Can you site the documents that provide for this?

Look, I know it's frustrating that home prices in central Austin are out of reach for many. I think this is terrible and the city should revamp it's land use development codes to allow development centrally and provide many more options for people who want to live centrally. But it's a bit unfair and unrealistic to expect Catellus to carry the weight of the entire city's failure to develop rationally.

sheaday · 02-12-2013, 12:56 PM

I would love to see some stats on how many homes are currently under the affordable homes program today and what the selling price was.

"The Mueller Affordable Homes Program includes 25% (approximately 1,425 at completion) of the total for-sale and for-rent residences throughout the community. Each phase of new construction of for-sale or for-rent homes may have more or less than 25% of those homes in the Affordable Homes Program, as long as the community in whole reaches 25%."

They could very well wait until the end of the project years from now before building up to the 25% total.
And now that I've re-read their website, their wording is tricky. The 25% includes RENTALS not just for sale homes.

If we really want to provide more affordable housing in central Austin, making it all rentals won't be the solution.

ImOnFiya · 02-12-2013, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheaday

I would love to see some stats on how many homes are currently under the affordable homes program today and what the selling price was.

"The Mueller Affordable Homes Program includes 25% (approximately 1,425 at completion) of the total for-sale and for-rent residences throughout the community. Each phase of new construction of for-sale or for-rent homes may have more or less than 25% of those homes in the Affordable Homes Program, as long as the community in whole reaches 25%."

They could very well wait until the end of the project years from now before building up to the 25% total.

The old eastside minority and affordable housing activists would love to see those numbers too!

Castellus hasn't and won't provide those statistics to the public, as according to even modest population statistics, Mueller is about 85% white. With homes being advertised from $250 (townhomes) up to $1 million with exclusive homes, the numbers of people in the affordable housing program and the numbers of minorities period is most-likely abysmal.

On another issue, if only more Austin democrats voted in the November 2012 elections! Our numbers were down over 2008 and we lost on the affordable housing bonds by 2-3 points! Voting numbers in west and southwest Austin were up due to the popularity of 10-1 in Republican households.