fbpx

Category: Homeowner Tips

Categories
Homeowner Tips Kyle Texas

Is now a good time to buy a new home in Central Texas?

It’s no secret that the Texas Hill Country has been a booming real estate scene for several years now. The growth in Austin has created a ripple effect and the outlying suburbs have also seen monumental growth with Hays County growing 53% in just the last decade. 

 

For a long time, this area was heavily a seller’s market, but industry experts are predicting a shift over the course of the next 12 months, bringing a bit more balance to the selling/buying equation. 

 

According to real estate platform Knock, the seller’s market hit its peak in April of 2022 and has been cooling off ever since. The real estate market is still hot, but buyers now have a better seat at the table, explained Knock CEO Sean Black. That’s why you no longer hear about bidding wars mere hours after a property goes on the market. “Sellers are more willing to take offers from buyers that are not asking or above,” said Black.

 

As of January 2023, the median home price in Hays County is $427,665, up 7% from last year, but still cheaper than the median home price in Austin. 

So to answer the question, is now a good time to buy a new home in Central Texas? 

Yes! And here are a few reasons why.

 

Big City Action, Small City Appeal

 

Kyle’s population is just over 51,000. This makes it a small city in the shadow of the much larger Texas capital. This isn’t a bad thing, however, on the contrary, it’s actually pretty appealing. Kyle residents don’t have to deal with the everyday traffic that comes with living in Austin, yet they’re only a half-hour’s drive if they want to head into the city for a concert or sporting event. With easy access to a major airport and the appeal of living in a smaller city, Kyle offers the best of both worlds. 

 

Jobs, Jobs, and More Jobs

 

While national news may stoke recession worries, Texans are sitting in a good spot. In fact, economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas say that the state’s strong economy puts it in a good position to weather any economic troubles. The Lone Star state led the U.S. in job growth in 2023 and Central Texas was a huge part of that. Kyle sits in an ideal location for employees who commute into Austin, and its own economy is rapidly growing in the areas of manufacturing, logistics, and business services. 

 

Affordability

 

Texas not only enjoys a strong economy but an affordability that provides a comfortable lifestyle few other states can match. Housing expenses in Kyle are lower than the national average and lower than in many other parts of Central Texas. It’s this affordability factor that contributes to the appeal of Kyle and Hays County. 

If you’re currently on the hunt for a new home in Central Texas, then you owe it to yourself to look into the available homes at Crosswinds. This master-planned community currently has a variety of homes available and ready for quick move-in. Now isn’t just a good time to buy in Central Texas, it may be the best time. Contact the Crosswinds team to get started. 

Categories
Design Homeowner Tips

Prepping Your Home for Fall

Pumpkin spice products are on the coffee house menus, Halloween decorations are on store shelves, and the kids are back in school. Summer is officially in the rearview mirror and autumn is in the air. 

 

From getting your home and yard in shipshape to keeping the kids busy and active on those perfect fall weather weekends, here’s a rundown of how to prep for the season. 

 

September:

 

Organize the garage: Okay, so cleaning out the garage isn’t exactly a fun way to start the season. There’s a good chance, though, that with so much happening over the summer months it could use a little sprucing up. 

 

Youth sports: Fall youth sports leagues such as soccer, football, and hockey often have their first practices and games in September. The City of Kyle’s youth sports page has a full list of sports available through the parks and recreation department to help your kiddos stay active and have some fun on those crisp fall evenings. 

 

Scout out fall decorating trends: There’s more to fall decorating than throwing a couple of pumpkins on the porch and calling it a day (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Warm earthy tones, woven baskets, and textured fabrics and textiles are on-trend fall designs to watch for in 2022. Hit your local thrift shop or favorite home goods store now to start sprucing up your space for the season!

 

October: 

 

Dig in the dirt: More specifically, now’s an ideal time to plant bulbs for spring flowers such as tulips. October is also an ideal time to fertilize and reseed patchy areas of your lawn or put a new shrub in the ground, plus, as the mornings and evenings start to cool down, spending time outside is a must!

 

Reverse your ceiling fan: Has your ceiling fan been on non-stop since July? Well, turn it off for a minute and reverse it. By setting your ceiling fan to spin clockwise in the cooler months (rather than counter-clockwise in summer) it will move warmer air trapped at the top of the room downward. 

 

Check windows for leaks: Most parts of the United States get more rain in the winter months than they do in the summer – Texas included. Now is the ideal time to check for any leaks in your windows and doors to keep heat in and rain and drafty weather out. 

 

November

 

Check your smoke detector battery: Checking your smoke detector battery is one of those things you know you should do, it’s just remembering to do so that is the tricky part. That’s why it’s recommended that when you set your clock back with the end of daylight savings (November 6th!) you also check your smoke detector’s battery. 

 

Clean the gutters: Cleaning the gutters of leaves and other debris that has built up over summer and fall will help prevent problems like rot along your roofline. 

 

Dig your winter clothes out of storage: Sure, the Texas heat hasn’t sent its goodbyes quite yet, but it’s now probably safe to put away the board shorts and tank tops and break out the scarves and sweaters—if not for cooler temps, at least for the sentiment. 

 

There’s a lot to love about fall in Kyle and it’s one of the best times to move to Crosswinds. Our community is past the earliest stages of development with established neighborhoods, infrastructure, and residents, yet we are still evolving to include new amenities and new homes to welcome you to the neighborhood.

 

If you’d like to learn more about finding a new home here this fall, contact our team to learn more about our available homes, exceptional schools, and  

Categories
Homeowner Tips Lifestyle

How to Get to Know your Neighbors

Neighbors in Kyle, TX

Becoming friends with your neighbors is one of the best things about living in a master-planned community. Great neighbors can keep an eye on your home and surroundings, they can lend a helping hand, and they can make community events so much more fun!

Whether you’ve never met the family next door, or you spend time with your neighbors daily, here are some tips to help you get connected to the people around your community!

  1. Connect with Your Neighborhood Online

It sounds like meeting neighbors online defeats the purpose, but it can be a powerful way to meet and cultivate your relationships with people in your community. Some neighborhoods meet on NextDoor or establish a private Facebook group where they can report problems, ask questions, notify items delivered to the wrong house, and lost pets. Many people also use it to ask for local vendor recommendations. 

Many master-planned communities also have a homeowner’s association (HOA). Sometimes they have a website, an email newsletter, or both. Depending on your community, a HOA often plans community resident events which is a great way to meet others in your community. Talk to your HOA to find out what resources they offer!

  1. Create a Social Committee

Some HOAs have a lifestyle director or a committee to oversee neighbor parties and gatherings. Neighborhoods may hold a variety of events that target different groups such as families, women only, kids, or adults only. If your neighborhood doesn’t have an organization that coordinates planning events, consider taking charge and creating one, or move to a community that already has lifestyle programming in place. Having resident events often leads to great friends, which would be a wonderful way to improve the quality of life for you and your family. 

  1. Provide a Neighborhood Directory

Before creating and distributing a neighborhood directory, send a survey to your residents. Give them the opportunity to share information for the direction and to give you permission for publishing their information. If you have a private Facebook page, you can upload the directory to the page for neighbors to access. Be sure to email it as not everyone may be active on Facebook or whatever social network you use.

As you collect information for the directory, add an item about babysitters, or similar services. Parents of young kids will appreciate having access to qualified babysitters right in their neighborhood. Add a question about pets’ names and descriptions as well as the names and ages of kids (if permitted to publish). If a pet without an ID tag ever gets lost, the neighbors can refer to the directory to see if they can identify the owner.

A good directory sorts the entries in two ways: alphabetically and by street address. This comes in handy because you may not know their name, but you know where they live. 

You may not be able to choose your neighbors, but you have many choices when it comes to where to live and what type of community you want to raise your family in. And you never know—your new neighbors could be your child’s best friends for life.

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move to a community with year-round lifestyle events for residents? Meet the Kyle home builders or contact our Crosswinds team.

Categories
Homeowner Tips

What to look for when buying a new house

What to Look for When Buying a New House

When you’re shopping for a new house, it can be easy to fall down the rabbit hole as you search house after house and study floor plan after floor plan. There are so many things to consider, such as location, school zones, community amenities, and home builders.

Before you even look at houses and floor plans, a good place to start is with how much home you can afford. This can help you narrow down your search and determine your priorities. 

You can work with a real estate agent to help you determine how much you can afford to pay for a home, or try a home affordability calculator that can help you estimate your monthly payments. Be sure you leave plenty of breathing room for property taxes, homeowner association (HOA) fees, and unexpected expenses. It’s also a good move to get pre-approved for a loan up to a specific amount. The lender will look at your income, debts, and credit history.

Once you have a number in mind, then you can work through these tips.

1. Determine the Top Features You Want in a Neighborhood

To help you figure out the general location, start with what you’d like in a neighborhood. Do you want to live in a walkable neighborhood? What about safety? Do you want to be in a preferred school district or near specific schools?

Does anyone regularly commute to work or extracurriculars? That could be a factor in location. What about proximity to grocery stores, services, other retailers, and leisure activities?

2. Prioritize Your Top Home Features

Every homebuyer has their own priorities for what they want in a home. Some want a giant backyard while others would rather have a front porch. You can change a lot of things about a home, but one thing you can’t change is the amount of land. 

Another thing to think about is how many bedrooms and bathrooms you need—especially if you have children or expect frequent guests. Does someone work from home? They may want a floor plan with a home office. Do you often entertain big groups? Some floor plans are more conducive to large gatherings than others. What about smart home capabilities? This could play a factor in your decision. 

To avoid spending more than you want, create a list of “must-haves” and “nice to haves” to help you with your decisions. 

3. Plan for the Future

If you may want to have children in the future, consider a home with room to grow. While a two-bedroom may be all you need now, you may not want to move when you have children. Or perhaps, a parent or other relative will be living with you. If you’re thinking about adding a furry family member, a front and backyard may be a top priority. 

  1. Think about Maintenance and Upkeep

The newer the home, the less maintenance you will have. When you’re the first owner of a new home, you don’t have to consider the home’s maintenance history, as everything is in tip-top shape. But an older home will most likely need regular repairs and updates. Yards and flower beds also need regular upkeep. Consider if you want a smaller yard that just needs to be mowed every once in a while, or if you’d rather get to enjoy seasonal flower gardens and greenery, with a bit more upkeep?

Remember, you can update and change a lot of things both on the exterior and in the interior of a home, but the costs of changes can add up quickly. It’s easy to change the paint color, but not so easy to change the floor plan. 

Looking for a new home in Kyle? Crosswinds is a new master-planned community offering family-friendly amenities with beautiful homes from the area’s top builders. Meet the Kyle home builders or contact our Crosswinds team to start the journey to finding your dream home.

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Categories
Homeowner Tips Lifestyle

Should Seniors Buy a Newly Constructed Home or an Older Home?

Should seniors buy a new home?

The average retirement age is 62 according to an article from Experian quoting a Gallup 2021 survey. It’s a great age as seniors are vibrant and can still enjoy many activities. It’s also an exciting time because many decide to downsize their home as they may not need as much space.

But the question they’re asking themselves is whether to buy a newly constructed home or an older home? The benefits of a new home outweigh an older home. This is the time to enjoy life. While the benefits are many, here are the top four benefits of buying a new home.

  1. Customize Your Home Your Way

If the home hasn’t been built, you can work with the home builder to make changes to fit your preferences. If the home is being built, you can have a say in the materials, colors, and flooring. The more involved you are in making decisions to personalize your home, the fewer changes you’ll want to make. 

A used home may have a great floor plan, but some of the rooms have kitchen counters, colors, and flooring that may not be to your liking. This will add to the cost of the home.

  1. Ensure the Home Is Accessible

Many homes come with stairs including single-story homes. They may have steps on the porch or in the back of the house. It’s possible there may be steps from the garage to the house. You use your home every day and one or two steps can become a problem. 

If you have family members who use a wheelchair, you can make sure the home is built with wide doorways and low countertops. Very few older homes considered this in the design. Some may have a low ceiling and shower entry, which is a problem for taller people. 

  1. Enjoy Minimal Maintenance

An older home will have wear and tear that leads to problems. Appliances only last for so long. The water heater may be nearing the end of its life. If something happens, it will cost time and money to replace it. The same goes for the air conditioning and heating system. When you buy new, you won’t have to worry about problems for years.

  1. Benefit from Energy Efficient Features

Older homes have outdated features that may cause the heating and air conditioning system to be inefficient. This drives up energy costs. Newer thermostats allow you to program the heater or air conditioner to kick on or off at set times. 

The house can contain energy-efficient appliances to use less electricity. LED lighting lasts longer and uses less energy than older lights. All these steps will help keep your energy bill down. 

Seniors have worked hard and should relish every minute of their retirement. Buying a new home will make that possible.

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Meet the Kyle home builders or contact our Crosswinds team. 

Categories
Homeowner Tips

What Are the Benefits of Owning a Home?

The thought of owning your own home is exciting. Owning a home is a big investment and it can be challenging to decide whether it’s right for you. Here are the top four reasons to own a home instead of rent.

  1. Pay the Same Amount Every Month

When you rent, the price can go up every year or as you renew your lease agreement. With a home mortgage, you’ll pay the same rate every month. You’ll know exactly how much you need and it’ll make it easier to create a predictable monthly budget.

The only potential change is the property taxes. But they rarely change much from year to year. Some buyers have found they pay less for their monthly mortgage than they do for rent plus utilities.

  1. Build Equity

In real estate, equity is the estimated market value of a home that subtracts the amount of mortgage left to pay and any other liens against the property. The longer you live in your home, the more you’ll be able to pay the principal balance of any liens. Often, the equity grows as the balance of any liens against the property shrinks while the value of the property increases.

  1. Gain Tax Benefits

There are many tax benefits to buying a home. You’ll be able to deduct interest on your mortgage. Any interest you pay as part of the closing costs will be deductible. This information is usually found on the settlement sheet. Just before tax time rolls around, your lender will send you IRS Form 1098. It’ll show the money you’ve paid in interest on your loan for the year.

You’ll also deduct private mortgage insurance (PMI) if you have it. Property taxes are also deducted. This alone saves you thousands of dollars. First-time buyers may have additional deductions, so ask about that. And finally, if anyone works from home, you can deduct the home office space.

  1. Make Changes to Your Home

You get to choose the floor plan that fits what you have in mind. You’ll have the ability to change the colors of any room at any time. When you own your own home, you can make any changes you want. You’re not beholden to the landlord’s requirements. If you buy your home before it’s built, you can ensure that the design is the way you want it.

Owning a home offers so many more benefits besides these four reasons. It can also build your credit score and it’s one of the best investments you can make with a good chance of a huge return on investment. And home is more than just a place to hang your hat and get a good night’s sleep. It’ll be a place where you’ll make many memories.

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Explore the new home builders in Kyle or contact our Crosswinds team.

Categories
Homebuilder Homeowner Tips Lifestyle

How to Buy and Sell a Home at the Same Time

It can be stressful to buy and sell a home at the same time. You fear that you’ll sell your home faster than you can find one.

Or worse, you end up with two mortgages as you found your new home faster than expected. If homeowners could do what they want, it’d be to move in their new home and then sell their old home after they’ve gotten settled. But it still presents the problem of being stuck with two mortgages. Here’s what you can do to ease the anxiety of buying and selling a home.

Study the Market

Before moving forward with hunting for a new home and putting yours on the market, understand the housing market in the areas where you’re buying and selling. Better yet, talk to your real estate agent. They can tell you whether the market leans in the favor of buyers or sellers.

A seller’s market means you’re more likely to sell your home quickly while it may be a struggle to find a new place to live. You may have to expand your search for a new home.

A buyer’s market means your current home will have an uphill battle. Often, it requires making updates to your home to stand out from the other homes. Or, you’ll have to set a price that’s reasonable. Buyers won’t look at the home if it’s being listed for too high.

If you sell first, then you’ll have to find a temporary place to live while looking for your next home. You won’t have the stress of a down payment. And if you buy first, you’ll have two mortgages and it can make it harder to qualify for a new mortgage since you still have responsibility for your old home.

Explore Financial Options

It’s easy to know that if you sell first, you’ll be prepared for the additional costs of renting between homes. To help ease the pressure of finding a new home quickly, ask your real estate agent about doing a rent-back agreement.

For those opting to buy first, ask your realtor about contract contingency and a bridge loan. There are advantages and advantages of both options.

If nothing else, be prepared for the worse outcomes. When you accept them, it’ll be easier to manage. For example, if you accept that you may have two mortgages for a few months, then you can plan for that. You may have to put off selling while you put some money away to handle two mortgages. At least, you’ll be prepared for it instead of being surprised by it.

It’s easy to feel pressured into making fast decisions. Don’t. It’s important you take your time and find the right home. It’s good you’re thinking about these things and planning. That will take out some of the pain in buying and selling a new home at the same time.

To stay on top of great resources from Kyle and nearby, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Looking to move? Meet the Kyle home builders or contact our Crosswinds team.

 

Sign up for our Newsletter