Austin's urban growth.... (Houston, Dallas, San Antonio: apartment complexes, houses, landscaping)

[useriam]

100k home is a used double wide on a 0.5 acre lot. It's pretty good living. Let's fry something!

[the topper]

Austin will be 10th largest city in the country on 2020 Census: Pop. 1,018,000. San Jose Pop.: 981,000

[ClaraC]

I really think you could do it. Building out - round rock or past Leander, or southeast toward Kyle. 3 bed 1 bath homes, laminate countertops, linoleum flooring or that indoor outdoor kind of carpet, 7 foot ceilings, 10 X 10 bedrooms, kind of boxy without a lot of expensive embellishments, etc, very basic not custom cabinetry. Maybe 1500 square feet. Create a design where the home owner can easily attach a front porch/patio at some point or add another bedroom or bathroom at some point.

I really don't know why there aren't builders in that market.

Instead, there are plans to subsidize housing and make people apply for it and qualify. You just need to build housing small/cheap enough and offer it on the market, first paying customer through the door, and only those who can't afford better would be all that attracted to it.

[CT_ATX]

Originally Posted by ClaraC

I really think you could do it. Building out - round rock or past Leander, or southeast toward Kyle. 3 bed 1 bath homes, laminate countertops, linoleum flooring or that indoor outdoor kind of carpet, 7 foot ceilings, 10 X 10 bedrooms, kind of boxy without a lot of expensive embellishments, etc, very basic not custom cabinetry. Maybe 1500 square feet. Create a design where the home owner can easily attach a front porch/patio at some point or add another bedroom or bathroom at some point.

I really don't know why there aren't builders in that market.

Instead, there are plans to subsidize housing and make people apply for it and qualify. You just need to build housing small/cheap enough and offer it on the market, first paying customer through the door, and only those who can't afford better would be all that attracted to it.

The problem is that you have to pay for land, and that is valued high. There isn't too much point building a cheap house on it because you can only shave so much off the cost.

[cBach]

New low value homes are never built, that is not how it works. Middle value homes can and are built, but development costs mean that homes almost always are mid priced. There is always a market for upper valued homes but they have a longer turnaround time, so it's almost always middle valued homes.

Low value homes come onto the market as some homes are not maintained and become "fix-it-uppers" for a cheaper price and those willing to put in elbow grease can upgrade the home as they have the money. Another way is during downturns many houses are foreclosed and you can get big homes for fire sale prices. However, they usually weren't taken care of either as the owners knew they were going to get repossessed.

The solution is not to build, build, build but for those that cannot afford it here to either move further out or sacrifice size. This is the way it is.

[ClaraC]

Originally Posted by CT_ATX

The problem is that you have to pay for land, and that is valued high. There isn't too much point building a cheap house on it because you can only shave so much off the cost.

Yes, I do realize that you have to pay for land. But I still think that on the outskirts of Austin, you could build a home on minimal property and sell it for 100K at profit. I've been watching the market, and think it could be done. I very nearly bought a house last year in South Austin, that had "good bones" and was actually in a kind of nice neighborhood, fairly good schools, 6+ on the good schools ratings. Potential buyers had to buy it outright without going through the house because there were wolves on the property and the owner was going to be foreclosed. I went by, and yes, there were wolves on the property. But anyway, I should have bought it outright for 29K. The lot alone was worth that. That's the kind of thing I'm talking about. Of course, the property was snatched up for the asking price by the time I went by, despite the wolves.

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

What IS a $100k home, anyway???

Non-existent in the CoA.


In Hayes County....

[Gaylord_Focker]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

My son and his lifelong best friend, in their 40's, say San Antonio reminds them of Austin back when they were growing up.

I liked your post, so don't get me wrong, but this is simply not true. San Antonio is much bigger, and different demographics.

[jonclegg]

Man.. anyone who wants a "Beverly Hills" in Austin, you're missing the point. People move here to get away from that. Kind of the point here is that nobody shows off, nobody acts wealthy, you'll see zero Ferrari's. Yet, there are hundreds of 2m+ dollar homes.

But, to attempt to answer your question. Downtown is very actively building up, when I moved here 17 years ago there was literally one condo in downtown. Now they are constantly building 4 at a time. You can actually live and work there and not need a car, that's a huge change. I would take Austin's nightlife to any big cities, the food / drinks / people are outstanding imo. As far as traditional big city items like sports team / zoo / museums, I really don't know. Maybe one day, or maybe that was something the other citys did 50 or 100 years ago and it's just not a priority anymore, but not sure.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by jonclegg

Man.. anyone who wants a "Beverly Hills" in Austin, you're missing the point. People move here to get away from that. Kind of the point here is that nobody shows off, nobody acts wealthy, you'll see zero Ferrari's. Yet, there are hundreds of 2m+ dollar homes.

But, to attempt to answer your question. Downtown is very actively building up, when I moved here 17 years ago there was literally one condo in downtown. Now they are constantly building 4 at a time. You can actually live and work there and not need a car, that's a huge change. I would take Austin's nightlife to any big cities, the food / drinks / people are outstanding imo. As far as traditional big city items like sports team / zoo / museums, I really don't know. Maybe one day, or maybe that was something the other citys did 50 or 100 years ago and it's just not a priority anymore, but not sure.

not literally 17 years ago there was at least railyard, brown building and towers at townlake