Spec new construction in Austin

Spec new construction in Austin

Developer · Garland, TX · Member since 2008 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes

We just sold a home in Austin that we started building in April. Here are some pictures. I'll post some details in following posts.

One of 4 decks

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Specialist · Westlake Village, CA · Member since 2010 · 1k+ posts · 781 votes
12y

Beautiful project. Thank you very much for increasing my property values In that area. Keep it up!

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  • J ScottPro Member
    Moderator
    Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 17k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    12y
    Originally posted by @Jon Klaus:
    Here's a duplex I've got in process nearby:

    It's nearly 4000SF on a higher end street one mile from the state capital building. It's my biggest ($ wise) project so far.

    Awesome, congrats Jon!

    What's your exit strategy on this one? Are you planning to hold/rent? Or will you be selling to an investor or OO? If selling, do you have a buyer lined up yet?

    Also, just curious how you did the math to determine what it would be worth when completed? Did you assume an OO and use comps? Or did you use the typical landlord criteria in the area? If you comped using income method, what kind of premium did you assign for it being new construction?

    I've often thought about building investment properties, but for 2-4 unit properties, the numbers have never worked out on paper in my areas (at least not based on how I was analyzing them).

  • Developer · Garland, TX · Member since 2008 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    12y
    Originally posted by @J Scott:

    Awesome, congrats Jon!

    What's your exit strategy on this one? Are you planning to hold/rent? Or will you be selling to an investor or OO? If selling, do you have a buyer lined up yet?

    Also, just curious how you did the math to determine what it would be worth when completed? Did you assume an OO and use comps? Or did you use the typical landlord criteria in the area? If you comped using income method, what kind of premium did you assign for it being new construction?

    I've often thought about building investment properties, but for 2-4 unit properties, the numbers have never worked out on paper in my areas (at least not based on how I was analyzing them).

    Thank you, J. We plan to create a condo regime and sell the two units separately to owner occupants. We don't have buyers lined up, but plan to list as soon as it is complete. Targeting March, 2014.

    We base completion value on comps. Fortunately, there is enough infill new construction in the area to be pretty close on our estimates. There are even new duplex condo comps. We know the other builders, their finishes, and quality. We watch every new build to see what they list/sell for.

    For our construction loan we got an as built appraisal. This one came in at $950k, or $475k per side.

    We did not use the income method (nor our appraiser). I'm not considering building income properties right now. The returns just don't compare to spec builds in my farm area.

  • Developer · Garland, TX · Member since 2008 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    12y
    Originally posted by @Azeez K.:
    @Jon Klaus - Kudos. Looks awesome. Big Fan

    How is the market in Austin. It's one of those college towns that I want to invest in especially MF side and target student profile.

    Anyways the house looks fantastic. Wish you all the best and success in the years to come.

    Thanks for sharing the pictures

    Thank you, Azeez. The Austin market has been hot for two years, especially near downtown and the University of Texas. The city has grown beyond college town, and has a diversified economy, with an emphasis on technology, which is booming locally. Good quality job growth.

    Have you seen this thread? Austin is Hot

  • Investor · Round Rock, TX · Member since 2010 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    12y

    Austin is now the 11th largest city in the country. It is far from a college town any more.

  • J ScottPro Member
    Moderator
    Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 17k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    12y
    Originally posted by @Jon Klaus:
    We plan to create a condo regime and sell the two units separately to owner occupants.

    Very cool. This is probably a topic for another thread, but very curious about the process of creating any necessary rules/by-laws for how the condos are managed, shared areas are maintained, etc. I'm not familiar with this aspect of condos, but I imagine you'd have to bring in some attorneys who specialize in that stuff?

  • Developer · Garland, TX · Member since 2008 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    12y
    Originally posted by @J Scott:
    Originally posted by @Jon Klaus:
    We plan to create a condo regime and sell the two units separately to owner occupants.

    Very cool. This is probably a topic for another thread, but very curious about the process of creating any necessary rules/by-laws for how the condos are managed, shared areas are maintained, etc. I'm not familiar with this aspect of condos, but I imagine you'd have to bring in some attorneys who specialize in that stuff?

    We are working through the process on two properties now for the first time, so I am learning. I've got an attorney who has done many condo regimes and is charging us about $2k per duplex. You can pre-decide the many options, or let the new home buyers work through some of it, since they are the ones who will have to live with the association. After I get all the way through, I can post about it.

    @Bryan Hancock do you want to weigh in on condo regimes?

  • Accountant · Denver, CO · Member since 2012 · 154 posts · 61 votes
    12y

  • Accountant · Denver, CO · Member since 2012 · 154 posts · 61 votes
    12y
    November Market Stats for Austin for Anyone interested, definitely past the college town stage.

    Austin Board of REALTORS® releases real estate statistics for November 2013

    AUSTIN, Texas–Dec. 19, 2013 –

    According to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) report released today by the Austin Board of REALTORS® (ABoR), the volume of home sales continues to rise as November became the 30th straight month of sales volume increases and the most home sales in November since 2006.

    According to the report, 1,899 single-family homes were sold in the Austin area, which is 14 percent more than November 2012. The median price for Austin-area homes was $219,530, which is 10 percent more than the same month in 2012.

    Cathy Coneway, 2013 President of the Austin Board of REALTORS­®, explained, “With strong activity across all segments of the market, the Austin-area housing market has been full steam ahead through the holidays and the rest of the year, Our city’s population and job growth show no signs of slowing down, so 2014 will likely be another competitive year for Austin real estate.”

    In November 2013, inventory remained at a historically low level of 2.3 months, which is more than half of a month less than November 2012. Additionally, homes spent an average of 51 days on the market, which is a decrease of 16 days from one year prior.

    The total dollar volume of single-family properties sold was $555,757,542 or 24 percent higher than the same month last year. The market also featured the same amount of new listings, 11 percent fewer active listings and two percent more pending sales in November 2013 compared to the prior year.

    November 2013 Statistics

    • 1,899 – Single-family homes sold, 14 percent more than November 2012.

    • $219,530 – Median price for single-family homes, 10 percent more than November 2012.

    • 51 – Average number of days single-family homes spent on the market, 16 days fewer than November 2012.

    • 1,967 – New single-family home listings on the market, statistically unchanged from November 2012.

    • 5,119 – Active single-family home listings on the market, 11 percent fewer than November 2012.

    • 1,756 – Pending sales for single-family homes, two percent more than November 2012.

    • 2.3 – Months of inventory* of single-family homes, more than half of a month less than November 2012.

    • $555,757,542 – Total dollar volume of single-family properties sold, 24 percent more than November 2012.

    The following sections describe trends in other sectors of the Austin real estate market.

    Townhouses & Condominiums

    The number of townhouses and condominiums (condos) purchased in the Austin area in November 2013 was 223, which is 35 percent more than November 2012. In the same time period, the median price for condos was $195,200, which is eight percent more than the same month of the prior year. When compared to November 2012, these properties spent an average of 55 days on the market, or 38 percent less time.

    Leasing

    In November 2013, a total of 1,162 properties were leased in Austin, which is six percent more than November 2012. The median price for Austin-area leases was $1,390, which is seven percent more than the same month of the prior year.

  • Investor · Round Rock, TX · Member since 2010 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    12y

    The condo regime documents are fairly straight forward. You just need to try to reduce the fees to a minimum to help with marketing on the exists AND make sure that everything is broken out properly so the buyer's ratios don't get goofed up. A good attorney can help with this. Most of this stuff is pretty boilerplate and you just need to feed them the information they request if they know what they're doing.

    So yeah....JScott is correct. You just need the RIGHT attorney to help with this stuff. We use folks that specialize in this stuff and have done it a bunch of times.

  • Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2013 · 452 posts · 309 votes
    12y

    @Jon Klaus

    Great job on this project! I absolutely love it.

    I just ordered Acacia for one of my current projects and am curious, did you get any feedback from other potential buyers on the floor?

    Lynn

  • Developer · Garland, TX · Member since 2008 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    12y
    Originally posted by @Lynn Currie:
    @Jon Klaus

    Great job on this project! I absolutely love it.

    I just ordered Acacia for one of my current projects and am curious, did you get any feedback from other potential buyers on the floor?

    Lynn

    Thanks so much, Lynn. Since we got it under contract before we completed it, we never listed it. Therefore very few prospective buyers got to see the completed interior. The feedback we did get, from other builders and a few agents, was very positive. I plan to use Acacia again.

  • Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2013 · 452 posts · 309 votes
    12y

    Thanks for the feedback, Jon!

  • Investor · New Orleans, LA · Member since 2013 · 19 posts · 0 votes
    12y

    Congrats, @Jon Klaus

  • Baton Rouge, LA · Member since 2012 · 3 posts · 0 votes
    12y

    Hey @Jon Klaus

    What do you call the rectangle wood feature that the lights are hanging from over the sink?

    Thanks for all of the insight you provide.

  • Investor · Arlington, VA · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 491 votes
    11y

    My goodness!  I want one!  Wait, no I don't; I'm now an <intelligent> R.E. investor who has self discipline and can delay gratification.   Breathe...

    Thanks for posting, the property looks glorious!

  • Karen MargraveBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    11y

    @Jon Klaus

     Did you ever post the info on the stair system? 

  • Solo 401k Expert · Anaheim Hills, CA · Member since 2012 · 18k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    11y

    Beautiful job!

  • Realtor · Round Rock, TX · Member since 2015 · 6 posts · 2 votes
    10y
    Wow! This is what REI is all about! I love the fact that your took the first offer instead of holding it for another deal. I would have done the same. Congrats my friend!
  • Mission, TX · Member since 2012 · 2 posts · 0 votes
    10y

    how do you got the financing 

  • Developer · Garland, TX · Member since 2008 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    10y

    Paid cash for lot/old house with two other investors, and borrowed the construction money from a local bank.  

  • Karoline KaonPro Member
    Investor · Queens, NY · Member since 2016 · 63 posts · 22 votes
    9y

    @Jon Klaus I am listening to the BP podcast show 46! Wow, this home looks amazing!!

  • Developer · Garland, TX · Member since 2008 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    9y

    Thanks @Karoline Kaon!

    We are finishing up 3 more spec homes right now in East Austin.  Bought a tear down on a corner 3 years ago.  Gave the house to my first Austin spec partner and he moved it to another lot and rehabbed it. Then we subdivided the lot into two, and are a few weeks away from finishing the three new homes.  One is pre-sold. Two are on the same legal lot and will have a condo association with just two members.  

  • Member since 2018 · 34 posts · 66 votes
    7y

    looks stunning @Jon Klaus. Quick question, what did you use in the kitchen flooring? I'm in portugal, wanted to use laminate on my rehab because it's a kitchen/living room, but the contractor told me it was dumb as it was not water proof and i'd have to change it in a short period of time

  • Chris BlackburnPro Member
    Developer · Salem, OR · Member since 2014 · 193 posts · 110 votes
    6y

    @Jon Klaus    Jon,  that modern you put together (7 years ago?) is still looking great.  Have you done any more modern projects?  Looking around for some examples put together by someone who is trying to sell them and make a few $$.  Architects are good as spending the developers/builders $.   Would love to see your latest examples.  (I will check through your posts)  We are currently putting together a portfolio of panelized versions.  Also- you said 7 years ago that the cost was $130 a foot,  where do think the same numbers would be today?

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