Mortgage crisis and land value (Austin, New Braunfels: station, cheap, small town)

[TexasHorseLady]

We are looking for a peaceful, nature orriented life with community involvment, good music, and new friends.

Define "good music" - we've got all different kinds!

Have you checked out Dripping Springs? Driftwood?

Georgetown is a possibility if you live just a little bit outside of town (Weir, Walburg, etc.).

There are other areas, as well, that might fit the bill.

And, I agree with Steve, that mortgage thing is intriguing.

[achtungpv]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

That's really interesting. I'd like to hear more. Can you call them to inquire and report back what they say is the reason for such an offer? They're basically inviting you to refinance. Which mortgage company?

Steve

No refinancing. The letter states that it is not an offer to refinance with them. They want you to refinance with another lender.

I'll PM you the lender name.

[austifornian]

I would take everything you read here with a grain of salt. Not that the information is not accurate but it can be highly skewed to individual point of view. A couple of strong posts from Wimberley residents might make it sound like the whole town is picking up pitchforks and torches to chase down outsiders when it is really only a couple of individuals with a strong point of view. Do you live in Austin now? If so, I would suggest you just start spending the weekend down there on a regular basis, exploring the back roads, going to the Saturday market, checking out the shops and community. Do this for 5 weekends in a row and you will have a good feeling for what is going on there both property wise and community wise.

[TexasHorseLady]

By all means, check out First Saturday Market Days! We love it and will sometimes drive all the way down from Jarrell to attend.

[gregandvicky]

I am also in Bastrop County in Lost Pines and have found what you say to be right.

Originally Posted by johnrex62

I just got my new tax valuation from the Bastrop County appraisal district (I live near Webberville and Cedar Creek was also considered to be comparable for the sales data) and had an appraisal done for a refinance covering the same time period last month. Both appraisers indicated a very stable valuation for the property overall. The tax office allocated more of the value to land this year than they have prior years, but still left the overall value at approximately the same amount.

The refi appraiser stated that resale values of both improved and unimproved properies my my area are stable and expectations are that they will be only slightly impacted by mortgage conditions be experienced in the region.

[jimmyjack]

Originally Posted by G Grasshopper

I have been keeping track of property around Wimberley; it just seems like more and more is available. I am wondering if it is just slow to sell right now, or if people are unloading property they had anticipated building on, but can't afford to keep right now.

It might just be that after the novelty wore off they woke up one day and thought what the heck are we doin' in Wimberley.

[HappyTexan]

Same thing seems to be happening in the outskirts of Taylor.

[G Grasshopper]

Wimberley is looking less and less attractive to me. We wanted to be close in so that we could be part of the community (ride our bikes to events, etc.) But what's the use of that if the attitude keeps your at arms length? So I'm thinking more and more about Driftwood and Dripping Springs. At least those areas seem to have a lot of new people, and one would hope that some sense of community is developing. We always seem a bit torn between wanting a country life and wanting to be arounds friends and community. Might be best to stop looking for places for sale and rent for a while, just to get a better feel for places.

("Define "good music" - we've got all different kinds!" TexasHorseLady)

Well, we like a lot of kinds, but appreciate good musicianship in any genre. Blues, folk-rock, classical, classic rock, and some country, we enjoy it all. We also enjoy out door activities, and I am a naturalist by trade (take children on field science hikes and such); we have lots of interests, and hope to find friendly Texans who enjoy the same.

It would be great if we could figure out how to time our purchase of property to get it at a low point, but who can predict that? Even economists don't seem to have any idea what will happen next with this "recession" and whatever goes with it.

[TexasHorseLady]

Have you considered Kerrville?

And renting can be a good way, if you're not sure about where you want to be, to get a feel for a community.

It would be great if we could figure out how to time our purchase of property to get it at a low point, but who can predict that?

If you could really figure out a way to do that accurately, you could probably end up wealthy enough that you could live anywhere you wanted to!

[achtungpv]

Originally Posted by G Grasshopper

We always seem a bit torn between wanting a country life and wanting to be arounds friends and community.

We struggled with that and I recently came to a realization that you may own a house in the country but if you are in Austin for work, friends, recreation, shopping, etc., you are not living in the country. You are living in Austin but sleeping in the country. We're only 15 miles from downtown but I think our next address will be a central Austin neighborhood.