All Forum Posts by: Peter Vargas

Central Texas, Austin and the entire metropolitan area offers an enormous assortment of housing options, from traditional single-family homes to condominiums, townhomes, multi-family buildings, duplexes, apartments and thousands of rentals. Virtually all of the suburban communities are easily accessed from the city by the CapMetro bus system and Metrorail train, easing the commute to downtown Austin and other large suburbs like The Domain, North Lamar, South Park Meadows and the University of Texas (UT Austin). Throughout the area, you can find a mix of downtown-style living in the larger suburbs like Leander, or suburban living in communities like The Hills, Round Rock, Bee Caves, Georgetown or Spicewood Springs. The region has a mix of older suburbs with quaint downtowns and leafy streets populated with Tudor, Cape Cod and Traditional homes, such as Hyde Park or Shady Hollow. You can also find newer suburbs with planned communities that feature Contemporary and Modern homes in The Domain, Cedar Park, Hancock and Buda. Throughout the area, many residents love the lively music and arts scene, robust food culture and eclectic vibe, where diversity is celebrated.

Hello, my name is Peter Vargas and I am a new member at Bigger Pockets. I am a bilingual Certified Military Residential Specialist with a demonstrated history of working in the real estate industry since 2005. I cater to real estate investors and I am an active member of the National Association of Realtors, Texas Association of Realtors, and Austin Board of Realtors. My goal as a realtor is to provide the information and advice needed to make an informed decision. I am fluent in English and Spanish to better serve my client’s real estate needs.

Rule number one.- Location location location, find areas with high growth potential think up-and-coming neighborhoods great schools and easy access to transport the best deals are in areas with future potential.

Rule number two.- Do your homework analyze the market crunch the numbers and understand the risks know your cap rates cash flow and exit strategy.

Rule number three.- Think long-term don’t chase quick deals,

 real estate is a marathon not a sprint focus on building wealth overtime with strategic investment.

Rule number four.- Network network network, surround yourself with the right people build relationships with other investors agents and contractors your network is your network. Call or text Shepherd Real Estate Network for investment properties in Austin Texas.

The median price of a home across Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos was approximately $425,000 for a single family detached home in Q4 2024, which was down by 6.6 percent from August, 2024. The good news, however, is that there is a little more housing inventory on the market, with approximately 5.9 months on the market, consisting of more than 12,000 active listings, 20 percent of which are pending sales. Unlock MLS reports that most homes sell in about 79 days, which is about 10 days more than 2023's piping hot market. While it remains a competitive market and many homes receive multiple offers and sell above their list price, there is opportunity for buyers as interest rates decline. In fact, the close to list price, which compares the actual price buyers pay to the price sellers set for their property, was 92.8 percent, almost 8 percent below the full list price.

Austin's housing market continued to shift in May, with prices holding steady at $449K and inventory reaching nearly 15,000 active listings. Homes sold more quickly than last month, averaging 57 days on the market, 19 days faster than April. Pending sales were up 16.1% from April 2024, showing that buyers are still active. With more choices and stable pricing, the market is moving at a healthier pace for both buyers and sellers. As Compass CEO Robert Reffkin recently told CNBC, “It's a better time to be a buyer than it was last year. You can't buy what's not for sale, and there's a lot more for sale," Reffkin said.

Let’s look at May’s numbers:

• Available Homes Increase — May saw 14,673 active listings, a 17.4% increase year-over-year and a 10% jump from April.
• Prices Hold Steady — The median home price was $449K, down 1.6% from May 2024 and unchanged from last month.
• Market Pace Picks Up — Homes spent an average of 57 days on the market, 19 days less than April and only 9 days more than last year.
• Buyer Interest Surges — Pending sales climbed 16.1% year-over-year, suggesting that many are ready to act even as closed sales slipped 3.8%.
• Supply Remains Solid — Months of inventory dipped slightly to 5.0, up 1.0 month from last year and down less than 1 month from April.
• Market Snapshot — Over 14,000 homes are on the market, selling for an average of 94.6% of the original list price; listings achieved 98.1% of their original list price and sold 17 days faster than the MLS average.

The local market in Austin continues to find its footing in April 2025. There were 13,351 homes actively listed, nearly 20% more than this time last year and a solid jump from March. The median sales price held steady at $450,000, showing just a small increase from last month and a 3.2% dip from last year. Homes are sitting on the market for an average of 76 days, two days shorter than in March. While the number of closings dropped, pending sales ticked up slightly, suggesting buyers are still out there! They’re just moving more carefully.