THE AUSTIN READING ROOM
Search Austin real estate advice and local reporting. Keep useful historical context separate from the source checks you need for your next move.
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FEMA records show 324 flood insurance claims in ZIP 78744 in 2013. Federal policies there fell from 483 to 187 since. What that means if you're buying.
Two site-plan applications for the same 10-acre tract at 4867½ E. Yager Lane, filed Oct. 5 and Oct. 12, have no case numbers yet. What the records show.
From Jan. 1 to Oct. 16, the City of Austin issued 360 house demolition permits, 10% fewer than in 2025. What the records show and what must happen before a house comes down.
Since Oct. 1, Austin providers with 50+ dwellings must give renters a written, itemized fee list before they apply. What the ordinance says and how to read it.
227,024 Travis County workers worked from home in 2020-24, 30.2% of the total. How that, and commute length, varies across five Austin-area counties.
Lenders closed 12,672 home-purchase loans in Travis County in 2025, down from 24,205 in 2020. One in five was FHA or VA. What the filings say about financing a purchase.
Five taxing units set 2026 rates for an Austin address: $2.121 per $100 combined, up 3.6%. What each line did, and why a median county bill still fell.
Austin issued 825 residential foundation repair permits from Jan. 1 to Oct. 9, 2026, against 557 a year earlier. Where they cluster and what to ask a seller.
A 2023 site plan at 12201 Heatherly Dr. sought a one-year extension on Sept. 29, and its 30 building permits list an Oct. 16 expiry. How to read both.
The City of Austin issued 909 house addition and alteration permits from Jan. 1 to Sept. 27, 2026, down from 972 in 2023. What the records show, and what to ask.
Census data puts the typical Travis County tract at $1,769 a month in gross rent for 2020-2024, up from $1,319 five years earlier. What that figure counts.
CapMetro's new weekday Red Line schedule drops two morning trains and moves the last northbound train to 7:42 p.m. What it means if you live on the line.
Across 155 MUDs in Travis, Williamson and Hays counties, the 2025 district tax ran from $0.0531 to $1.05 per $100. Here is what to read before you sign.
Freddie Mac's 30-year rate hit 7.28% on Oct. 1, the highest since Nov. 2023. Austin prices are flat, so the whole squeeze lands on the monthly payment.
Sixty of 729 Hyde Park parcels touch FEMA's high-risk zone. The city's drainage fix for the area costs over $100 million and is not in the Nov. 3 bond.
A 7-acre rezoning at Tillery and Govalle is one of four requests under Austin's new density bonus. What the ordinance requires and what protects neighbors.
The City of Austin issued 1,205 new single-family house permits from Aug. 3 to Sept. 27. Where they landed, how 2026 compares, and what a permit does not tell you.
HUD's FY2027 fair market rent for an Austin two-bedroom is $1,817, down from $1,949 in 2025. What that number is, and is not, for anyone renting here.
Austin's city tax rate rose to 57.99 cents per $100. Here is how the bill, the January 31 deadline and a mid-year closing fit together, with the math shown.
Find an Austin rental that works for your pets and everyone moving with you. Compare written pet policies, occupancy, full costs, yards, and short-stay rules.
Simplify your move in Austin with professional packing services that save time, reduce stress, and protect your belongings.
Explore top cleaning apps that streamline rental management, automate tasks, and enhance guest satisfaction for short-term property owners.
Austin grapples with rapid high-rise development and the preservation of its historic neighborhoods, balancing growth with cultural identity.
Explore Austin's top real estate networking events designed for professionals to connect, learn, and thrive in the city's booming market.