Austin Named #2 on "Healthiest Housing Markets" List for 2009 - Texas Sweeps the Top FIVE Spots!

BuilderOnline.com, which is the website for Builder Magazine, published a list this week of the healthiest housing markets around the country.  Not surprisingly, Austin fared well on the list.  What I DID find surprising was the fact that Texas has the entire top five. 

To compile the list, they analyzed the top 75 real estate markets in the country, ranking them based on population trends and job growth, which are both perennial factors that drive demand for homes.  They also took into account current home prices and the number of building permits.

Houston ranked first, followed by Austin, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Dallas. Raleigh, N.C., Seattle, Indianapolis, Ind., Fayetteville, Ark., and Washington D.C. rounded out the top ten.

The entire article can be seen here:  www.builderonline.com/local-markets/the-healthiest-housing-markets-for-2009.aspx 

Here's what they had to say about Austin:

Nine years ago, during the tech bust, some builders felt that Austin was too crowded and left. The bloom is back on Austin's yellow rose now; it moved up the leader board to become the sixth largest home building market last year. Job creation explains the move. While other markets lost employment, Austin added 17,400 jobs last year, 2.31 percent growth rate. It helps that Austin is home to both a major university, The University of Texas, and the state capital.

Existing homes cost a little bit more in Austin than other Texas markets, roughly $190,900, but that's still below the national average. Also, Austin is one of the few metro areas in the country where median prices actually rose in 2008--1.4 percent through the first three quarters of the year. Amazingly, Austin now generates more home building activity than Chicago, which has six times more people.

If you are considering a move to Austin, Texas, I would love the opportunity to help you find the right home.  Our Austin TX real estate website is www.austintexashomes.com.  You might also be interested in checking out my online relocation package right here:

 Austin Texas Relocation Package