Buyers familiar with the current Austin Sellers’ Market might think that buying a new home at Mueller might be the answer. I met some folks in that boat last night at a party, and I had to break it to them that this wasn’t going to be an easy process.
In my defense, it was past my bedtime, so I wasn’t particularly lucid or clear. In fact, I told them that buying any home at Mueller is hard, and that there are waiting lists, limited inventory and bidding wars before inelegantly exiting stage left to the cheese and crackers.
Can I buy a new house in Section 6 – the latest phase of Mueller development at the old airport? No is the short answer if you’re looking for a new detached yard home. The longer answer is that you can buy a new Streetman Courtyard Row Home (starting between $420,000 and $440,000). The McKinney floor plan is one example of the homes available. You can also buy town homes and condos in the income qualified Mueller Affordable Program. Or you can buy a Shop House. Call +1 (512) 829-1351if you want more info on any of these.
Can I buy a new house in the future phases, and when will they be ready? Again, the answer for 2013 and 2014 may well be, “No.” if it’s a single family detached home under $700,000 that you’re looking for. I expect that most of the homes coming later this year or next year will be attached homes. It’s dangerous to speculate too much about what’s coming, but I expect more larger single family homes as the development moves to the other side of Berkman Drive.
What about the resale market in Mueller? It’s a nose-bleed extreme sellers’ market here. Last year Sherlock Homes Austin put together 62% of our Mueller home sales without using the Multiple Listing System – still attracting multiple offers in every single case. Things are still moving with the same dizzying speed in 2013.
Why all the doom and gloom – surely this is supposed to be an upbeat optimistic blog? I normally like to wax lyrical about the amazing life here and the opportunities in the neighborhood, but I have to pepper that with a dose of harsh reality. Well it’s certainly good news if you’re a potential seller or builder, but in reality most people find my blog as they’re looking to buy a Mueller Austin home for sale. Yes, we can do it, but you need to have patience and flexibility. In my opinion it’s better to go in with realistic expectations. Sometimes we find that people love the neighborhood but need to move sooner rather than later, and can’t sit in a holding pattern above the old airport waiting to land. We help those people find other homes in other areas – from Circle C to Great Hills to SoCo.
So what’s the take away for would-be Mueller home buyers? Get a commitment with a Mueller real estate agent and get all your ducks in a row and be informed on the market and ready to move. Call me on +1 (512) 829-1351 to get the ball rolling.