| RECON for July 19, 2019 | RECON for July 19, 2019 | Bryan Pope | Pope
| 2019-07-19T05:00:00Z | 2019-07-19T05:00:00Z |
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| According to the National Association of Realtors, U.S. home sales to foreign investors dropped in 2019 for the second year in a row. However, Texas is still a top destination for overseas buyers, accounting for 10 percent of the total $77.9 billion in nationwide purchases. Keep reading today's RECON for more. (Photo from Center files.) |
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CBRE: Austin sixth nationally in tech talent |
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LOS ANGELES (CBRE) – Austin has again ranked in the top ten on CBRE's Tech Talent Scorecard.
Ranking sixth overall, the Texas Capital has a tech talent labor pool of 72,360, up 12.6 percent from 2013. That is approximately 7 percent of its overall labor force, almost double the tech talent labor concentration level of New York.
About 25.86 million sf of new office space is planned or proposed in the Austin area. The rent-to-tech wage ratio is still relatively low at 16.1 percent. For comparison, other top markets like Manhattan or the San Francisco Bay area have rent-to-tech wage ratios of 43.6 percent and 26.4 percent, respectively.
Just over half of urban residents over the age of 25 have at least a bachelor’s degrees, higher than the national average of 31.3 percent.
Austin continues to see a very high quality of labor in the tech sector with a moderate labor cost making the metro an attractive market for tech firms.
The city is poised to become one of the largest tech growth markets in the next five to ten years.
Ranking 11th overall, Dallas-Fort Worth has the fifth-largest tech talent market in North America with nearly 170,000 tech workers. The metro produces the eighth-most tech graduates, adding 6,500 in 2017, more than double the graduates five years before.
With an increase of nearly 15 percent, DFW is the top 20-something population growth market.
With a rent-to-tech wage ratio at 13.9 percent, the Metroplex is the most rent-friendly large tech talent labor pool market.
"Both Austin and Dallas have a comparative advantage against other metros since they can produce a steady supply of tech graduates from schools like the University of Texas," commented Real Estate Center Research Economist Dr. Luis Torres. "The cities also have relatively low costs of living compared with other top tech metros. This puts less pressure on wage demands by employees."
The top five metros overall are San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Washington, and New York. Houston ranked 34th.
The scoring is part of CBRE's seventh-annual Scoring Tech Talent Report, which ranks 50 U.S. and Canadian markets according to their ability to attract and grow tech talent.
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Foreign interest in U.S., Texas homes waning |
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WASHINGTON (National Association of Realtors) – U.S. home sales to foreign investors dropped in 2019 for the second year in a row, according to the National Association of Realtors' (NAR) Profile of International Transactions in U.S. Residential Real Estate report.
Foreign interest in Texas also dropped from April 2018 to March 2019. Purchases in the Lone Star State fell from more than $18 billion in 2017 to around $8 billion this year.
Despite the drop, Texas is still a top destination for foreign buyers, accounting for 10 percent of the total $77.9 billion in nationwide purchases.
Only California and Florida had more sales to offshore buyers than Texas.
In Texas, the largest number of international home buys were by Indian and Mexican buyers.
National home sales volume to foreign buyers fell almost 50 percent from the high point of $150 billion in 2017.
Nonresident foreign buyers accounted for $33.2 billion of U.S. existing-home sales, a 37 percent decline from the prior level of $53 billion. Resident foreign buyers purchased $44.7 billion of residential property, a 34 percent drop.
Foreign buyers were able to buy 183,100 properties at a median price of $280,600. Over 40 percent of the deals were all cash.
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| Well into the ninth year of the business cycle expansion, Texas' economic activity remained healthy in May 2019. Texas home sales corrected after reaching a record high in April, but the housing market stayed strong with a positive future outlook amid decreasing interest rates and a resurgence in single-family permit issuance. Our latest Outlook for the Texas Economy report has more. |
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Texas unemployment breaks all-time low record . . . again |
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AUSTIN (Texas Workforce Commission) – After shattering the all-time low in May, Texas' unemployment rate hit 3.4 percent in June 2019. That's the lowest it has been since the Texas Workforce Commission began tracking the data in 1976.
Last month marked the 110th consecutive month of annual nonfarm employment growth as 45,000 seasonally adjusted positions were created.
Texas employers have added 315,600 jobs over the year.
The Texas metro with the lowest nonseasonally adjusted unemployment rate was Midland at 2.1 percent. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission had the highest at 6.2 percent.
The mining and logging industry saw the most seasonally adjusted growth in employment from June 2018 to June 2019, growing 6.3 percent. The information industry was the only sector with a drop in employment, falling 0.9 percent.
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Looking for more real estate news? Our NewsTalk Texas feed has all the latest headlines. Here's a sample:
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Too blessed to be stressed: Plano sixth-most relaxed city |
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WASHINGTON (WalletHub) – Plano is the sixth-least stressed city in the nation, according to a study by WalletHub.
The city is fifth in least financial stress and seventh in least health and safety stress. It is also 25th and 50th on the lowest family and work stress, respectively.
El Paso and Corpus Christi tied with Charleston, W.Va., and Huntington, W.Va. in highest percent of adults in fair or poor health.
Corpus Christi is also tied for third with Cheyenne, Wyo. in highest average weekly work hours.
Brownsville has the fifth-highest poverty rate.
Houston is the 32nd most-stressed city in the ranking, the highest in Texas.
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80-acre senior living community coming to McKinney |
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McKINNEY (Dallas Business Journal) – Work will start next year on The Touchmark at Emerald Lake, an 80-acre senior-living community.
The development will have 390 homes for retirees 55 and older. It will offer restaurants, lakeside pavilion, lawn, and private courtyards.
There will also be a fitness and health club open to membership for people over 50.
The facility will generate $25 million in local economic impact and about 350 jobs.
Kimley-Horn, Three Living Architecture, and Talley Associates worked on the master plan and landscape design.
The two-phase venture will deliver in 2022.
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 Market Research is your gateway to data on all 25 Texas metropolitan statistical areas, from Abilene to Wichita Falls. Whether you're looking for information on an area's demographics, top employers, or housing and commercial markets, chances are you'll find it here.
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i3 breaks ground on Telge Crossing |
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CYPRESS (Houston Business Journal) – i3 Interests has broken ground on Telge Crossing, a 24-acre mixed-use project at the southwest corner of Telge and Jarvis Roads.
The project will include 15,000 sf of retail, 12,000 sf of medical office space, several pad sites, and a 303-unit Class A multifamily community.
Edge Realty is handling retail leasing, and Transwestern will lease the medical office building.
Arch-Con Corp. is the general contractor for the retail and medical office components, and Identity Architects is handling design.
Domain Builders is handling the multifamily component, with W Partnership providing design services.
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130K-sf office campus coming to Flower Mound |
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FLOWER MOUND (Dallas Morning News) – Staubach Capital and Realty Capital are teaming up to build an office campus near the intersection of FM 2499 and Lakeside Pkwy.
The Lakeside International Office Center will have two buildings totaling 130,000 sf.
The larger of the pair will be four stories with 120,000 sf of space, 30,000 of which IntelliCentrics has leased.
The new campus will be linked with pedestrian trails to the nearby Shops at Lakeside restaurant and retail district.
The town has provided financial incentives.
Staubach Capital provided the equity funding, and First United Bank is the construction lender.
JLL is leasing the building, which is set to open in third quarter 2020.
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| If not, click here to head to our website, where you can fill out this simple form for free. Once you do, the biggest headlines in Texas real estate will come straight to your inbox twice a week. Oh, and did we mention it's free? |
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AEW acquires 235K-sf Lanark Distribution Center |
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SAN ANTONIO (San Antonio Business Journal) – AEW Capital Management LP has bought the two-building, 235,000-sf Lanark Distribution Center from TA Realty.
The property's front building at 610 Lanark Dr. is 147,376 sf and less than 26 percent leased, according to LoopNet.
The 88,044-sf back building was built in 1982 and is almost 90 percent leased.
The property is being leased by Stream Realty Partners.
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Irving's MacArthur Place Apartments sold |
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IRVING (REBusiness Online) – MacArthur Place Apartments, a 548-unit multifamily community at 2414 N. MacArthur Blvd., has been sold.
Built in 1964 and renovated in 2002, the property offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom units and amenities such as two pools, a sports court, and onsite laundry facilities.
NorthMarq brokered the deal.
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| https://www.recenter.tamu.edu/news/recon/?Item=292 |
| RECON for July 16, 2019 | RECON for July 16, 2019 | Bryan Pope | Pope
| 2019-07-16T05:00:00Z | 2019-07-16T05:00:00Z |
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| The $895 million Texas Capitol Complex in downtown Austin will consolidate state agencies in the area into 1.5 million sf north of the capitol. Details in today's RECON. (Rendering from the Texas Facilities Commission's website.) |
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Austin second-best large city to live in, reports WalletHub |
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WASHINGTON (WalletHub) – The Texas capital is the second-best large city in which to live, according to WalletHub's comparison of the 62 largest U.S. cities. Austin lost the top spot to Virginia Beach, Va., by a narrow margin.
WalletHub, a personal finance website, based its rankings on indicators such as quality of public schools, job opportunities, and property taxes.
Austin ranked third in "economy," eighth in "education and health," 17th in "quality of life," and 30th in "affordability." It was in a six-way tie for first in "highest income growth."
Other Texas cities ranking among the top 50 were Arlington (25th), Fort Worth (30th), San Antonio (31st), El Paso (32nd), Corpus Christi (43rd), Houston (45th), and Dallas (47th).
Speaking of El Paso, the city ranked third in "lowest crime rate."
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| Population growth has pushed housing development into more flood-prone areas of the state. New products and methods can help residents in these areas protect their homes against floodwaters and minimize damage caused by hurricanes and other severe weather events. |
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$895M complex to consolidate Austin-area state agencies |
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AUSTIN (Strategic Partnerships) – A new downtown development currently in the works will consolidate area state agencies into 1.5 million sf north of the capitol.
The first phase of the $895 million Texas Capitol Complex started in 2018. That phase consists of two new office buildings—a 416,000-sf building at 1601 Congress Ave. and a 603,000-sf building at 1801 Congress Ave.—and five levels of underground parking.
Phase one will begin occupancy in 2021 with completion in May 2022.
Phase two includes buildings on 15th St. and Lavaca St., bringing an additional 525,000 sf of office space and 2,550 parking spaces to the Capitol Complex. This phase will begin in late 2022 and wrap up in July 2025.
Phase Three will add two more state office buildings to the complex.
Once the project is finished, the state will be able to retire all remaining area leases at an estimated annual savings of $7.5 million.
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McAllen industrial market vacancy hits record low |
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McALLEN (CBRE) – Second quarter 2019 net absorption softened compared with first quarter 2019, but remained positive registering almost 103,000 sf of net absorption and 233,000 sf of gross absorption.
Quarter-over-quarter, the marketwide vacancy rate dipped by 14 basis points and fell from 3.5 percent in 2Q2018 to 1.6 percent, setting a new record low.
Additionally, quarter-over-quarter, marketwide asking rates grew by $0.24 per sf.
During this same time, Class A rents increased by $0.29 per sf and Class B by $0.32 per sf, marking a new record high for both product classes as well as the marketwide rate.
The second quarter closed with users seeking over 1.3 million sf of space. This is 350,000 sf more than total available sf and three times more than total vacant sf in the market.
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One and Three Riverway wrap up renovations |
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HOUSTON (REBusiness) — Endurance Builders has completed renovations of One and Three Riverway, two office buildings totaling 880,000 sf.
Ziegler Cooper Architects handled the design of the renovation. Upgraded amenities include a coffee bar, tenant lounge, fitness center, and conference centers.
CBRE handles leasing of the buildings, and Unilev Management Corp. manages them.
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| Did you know you can get notified every time one of our new economic reports is released? Check out our email notification feature to get the latest economic data sent directly to your email inbox for free. |
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EastGroup Properties to develop 369K-sf industrial park |
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SAN ANTONIO (San Antonio Business Journal) – Industrial developer EastGroup Properties is planning its latest industrial park.
Ridgeview 35, which will consist of four buildings totaling 369,000 sf, will be across from Brooke Army Medical Center between I-35 and Loop 410 along Binz-Engleman Rd.
Phase one of the project will consist of two buildings totaling 226,000 sf, which will break ground this quarter.
Building one will be a front-load warehouse distribution building totaling 136,700 sf with room for two tenants.
Building two will be a rear-load light distribution building totaling 89,300 sf and could accommodate up to four tenants. Both buildings will have I-35 frontage and visibility.
The two buildings are expected to break ground in September and wrap up construction by May 2020.
The phase-one development team includes architect Pross Design Group out of Dallas, civil engineer Pape-Dawson Engineers Inc., general contractor R.C. Page Construction, and the project's listing broker, Cavender & Hill Properties.
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NitNeil loads up on 678-unit Round Rock self-storage |
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ROUND ROCK (REBusiness) – NitNeil Partners has purchased a 678-unit self-storage facility at the corner of University Blvd. and N.A.W. Grimes Blvd.
Built in 2017, the multistory property spans approximately 78,000 rentable sf of climate-controlled space.
Life Storage manages the property, which is NitNeil’s second in metro Austin, including one under construction within an East Austin opportunity zone.
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| https://www.recenter.tamu.edu/news/recon/?Item=291 |
| RECON for July 12, 2019 | RECON for July 12, 2019 | | | 2019-07-12T05:00:00Z | 2019-07-12T05:00:00Z |
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| According to RCLCO Real Estate Advisors' mid-year rankings, 13 Texas master-planned communities are among the 50 top-selling developments. Which Texas communities made the list? Keep reading today's RECON to find out. (Photo from Center files.) |
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Millionaire, demi-billionaire growth boosts Texas real estate |
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BRENHAM (Coldwell Banker Properties Unlimited) – An unprecedented increase in millionaires and demi-billionaires in the United States has given rise to the purchase of new properties in Texas.
"There has been an uptick in the numbers of listings and sales of multimillion-dollar properties because of the increase in the wealthy migrating to our area," said Kelli Brennan, vice president of Coldwell Banker Properties Unlimited. "Many millionaires and demi-billionaires in the market are buying their second or third homes, and Texas is one of their desired destinations."
Nationwide, there are now 32 million millionaires, defined as those with a net worth of $1 million or greater, and there are approximately 2,000 demi-billionaires (those with more than $500 million in assets), which is a sharp increase since the 1980s.
Two of the top 15 locations in the U.S. for the ultra wealthy are Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land.
For more on the high-end home market in Texas, read "Livin' Large: Texas' Robust Luxury Home Market," by Center Senior Data Analyst Joshua Roberson.
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As the U.S. economy achieves the longest expansion recorded in the nation’s history, recession fears are rising, and we’re once again trying to solve the mystery of the murdered economic expansion. Who are the suspects? Real Estate Center Research Economist Dr. Luis Torres says more in our latest Mixed-Use blog post.
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13 Texas master-planned communities among top-selling nationwide |
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LOS ANGELES (RCLCO Real Estate Advisors) – For the first half of 2019, 13 Texas communities landed on RCLCO Real Estate Advisors' list of the top 50 master-planned communities, representing 21 percent of sales nationwide.
Nine of those communities are in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land area, with three in Austin-Round Rock and one in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Sonwest's Sonterra project in Jarrell sold 455 new homes so far this year, ranking first in Texas and ninth overall.
Other Texas master-planned communities in the top 50 are:
- No. 11 Howard Hughes Corp.'s Bridgeland in Cypress, 351 sales;
- No. 17 Land Tejas/Johnson Development's Harmony in Spring, 289 sales;
- No. 18 Johnson/Toll Brothers' Sienna in Missouri City, 281 sales;
- No. 21 Johnson's Cross Creek Ranch in Fulshear, 262 sales;
- No. 22 Land Tejas' Balmoral in Houston, 261 sales;
- No. 27 Scarborough Lane's Sunfield in Buda, 245 sales;
- No. 33 Caldwell Communities' Towne Lake in Cypress, 223 sales;
- No. 35 AIRIA Development's Aliana in Fort Bend County, 220 sales;
- No. 40 Johnson's Woodforest in Montgomery, 206 sales;
- No. 42 Hillwood Communities' Harvest in Argyle, 205 sales;
- No. 47 Mariner Real Estate Development's Santa Rita Ranch in Liberty Hill, 192 sales; and
- No. 50 Johnson's Harvest Green in Richmond, 187 sales
The highest-selling master-planned community nationally is The Villages, developed by a company of the same name in The Villages, Fla., with an estimated 1,000 sales.
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| With hurricane season in full swing, storm and flood protections are on the minds of many Texans in flood-prone areas. However, many properties outside of floodplains are damaged by rising waters every year. How can you protect yourself? Real Estate Center Research Economist Dr. Harold Hunt shares his insights on this week's Red Zone podcast. |
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Austin's 'Jenga' tower wraps up construction |
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AUSTIN (REBusiness Online) – CIM Group and Aspen Heights Partners have completed construction of The Independent, a 58-story residential tower at the corner of W. Third St. and West Ave.
Situated on 1.7 acres overlooking Shoal Creek, the 363-unit condominium rises 685 feet, making it the tallest tower in Austin.
Locally known as the "Jenga" building, The Independent houses one- to four-bedroom units and penthouses, and all residences feature ten-ft ceilings and private patios or balconies.
Amenities include a pool, fitness center, resident clubhouse, spa, theater, business center, dog park, and children’s play area.
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 Business news outlets are speculating about blockchain's impact on commercial real estate transactions. For the Real Estate Center's perspective, read our latest report, "Blockchain and Real Estate," by Center Research Economist Dr. Luis Torres and Communications Intern Kyle Brann.
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Rad! Houston professional-level bike park opens |
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HOUSTON (Houston Business Journal) – After nearly four years of construction, the North Houston Bike Park is set to open next month as it prepares to host the 2020 UCI BMX World Championships.
The 20-acre, $26 million park is at the intersection of I-45 and Kuykendahl Rd.
Once open, the park will seat up to 3,500 and feature an array of BMX-approved race tracks, freestyle amenities, street courses, and a community events center.
The course is expected to draw cyclists from across the country, as well as from abroad, who are looking for a world-class place to train for the X-Games and other competitions.
OJB Landscape Architecture was hired by the Greater Greenspoint Redevelopment Authority to design the park alongside Endrestudio.
Walter P. Moore served as civil engineer, with additional engineering consultation by Wylie Consulting Engineers.
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Looking for more real estate news? Our NewsTalk Texas feed has all the latest headlines. Here's a sample:
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Work starts on age-restricted community in Pearland |
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PEARLAND (REBusiness Online) – California-based Drever Capital Management has broken ground on Larkspur at Shadow Creek, a 257-unit 55-and-older multifamily community.
The 12-acre property will have a 215-unit primary apartment building with 18,000 sf of amenity space plus 42 private cottages.
The first units will come online in the second half of 2020.
Drever recently completed the 243-unit Larkspur at Twin Creeks in Allen and is planning another age-restricted community in New Braunfels.
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169K-sf industrial portfolio sold in DFW |
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DALLAS-FORT WORTH (REBusiness Online) – Locally based MoxieBridge has acquired a 168,600-sf North Texas industrial portfolio.
The portfolio, which was fully leased at the time of sale, spans seven buildings built between 2006 and 2009. in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Grand Prairie.
Combined, the properties offer 560 trailer parking spaces and 34 tenant suites.
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Austin investor goes Hogg hunting |
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HOUSTON (Realty News Report) – Austin-based Kline Properties has acquired the Hogg Palace Lofts, an eight-story mixed-use property at 401 Louisiana St.
Constructed in 1921, the 80,343-sf building, designated a historical site by the Texas Historical Commission, was converted into lofts in 1995 by seller Randall Davis Co.
It features 79 units ranging from 670 to 1,811 sf. It also has 14,212 sf of retail and office space on the first and eight floors.
JLL brokered the deal.
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Parking garage planned near Lubbock's Citizens Tower |
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LUBBOCK (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal) – The city council is building a three-story, $6.7 million parking garage south of Citizens Tower.
The under-construction tower at 1208 14th St. will be the new home for city officials. With police headquarters and municipal court also moving to the area, more parking spots were necessary.
The garage will have more than 400 parking spaces
A two-story garage was demolished on the site. Completion is expected by the end of 2020.
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| If not, click here to head to our website, where you can fill out this simple form for free. Once you do, the biggest headlines in Texas real estate will come straight to your inbox twice a week. Oh, and did we mention it's free? |
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Wood Partners building 304 units on W. Alabama |
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HOUSTON (Multi-Housing News) – Wood Partners has broken ground on Alta West Alabama, a 304-unit luxury community at 3623 W. Alabama St.
Floor plans will range from one- to three-bedroom units with open-concept designs, high-end finishes, and full-size washers and dryers.
Amenities will include a pool, courtyard with an outdoor kitchen, clubroom, gaming lounge, and sky lounge with pool tables.
The project is slated to open in third quarter 2020, adding to the company’s existing portfolio of 16 properties in Texas.
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The Brandt in Las Colinas sold |
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IRVING (REBusiness Online) – Western Wealth Capital has purchased The Brandt, a 504-unit multifamily community at 3950 N. Story Rd. in Las Colinas.
The property offers one- and two-bedroom floor plans ranging from 632 to 1,045 sf.
Amenities include three pools, a fitness center, dog park, and clubhouse.
Berkadia arranged a $48 million acquisition loan through Freddie Mac on behalf of the borrower, who will upgrade unit interiors.
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| https://www.recenter.tamu.edu/news/recon/?Item=290 |
| RECON for July 9, 2019 | RECON for July 9, 2019 | Bryan Pope | Pope
| 2019-07-09T05:00:00Z | 2019-07-09T05:00:00Z |
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| With summer storms brewing in the Gulf, flooding and emergency preparedness are on the minds of many coastal residents. Homeowners in some parts of Texas have been hit by floods each of the past few years, prompting builders and engineers to find innovative ways to help. Read "Ahead of the Storm: New Ideas in Flood Protection," to learn more. (Photo from Center files.) |
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Texas best state to start a business |
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WASHINGTON (WalletHub) – Texas is 2019's best state in which to start a business, according to WalletHub.
The Lone Star State was first in business environment and 11th in access to resources. It also ranked:
- fourth in longest average length of work week in hours;
- fourth in average growth in number of small businesses;
- fifth in highest total spending on incentives as a percentage of gross domestic product;
- 13th in industry variety;
- 20th in cost of living; and
- 30th in labor costs.
"Texas offers a business-friendly environment characterized by low taxes (e.g., no state income tax) and less burdensome regulation that favors a market economy that has created lower costs for doing business," commented Real Estate Center Research Economist Dr. Luis Torres. "In addition, this lower-cost environment has helped keep housing comparatively affordable."
Utah, Georgia, North Dakota, and Oklahoma rounded out the top five rankings. Rhode Island ranked 50th.
For more, check out the Real Estate Center's Texas economy page on its website.
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 Registration for the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) Legal Update 1 and 2 Instructor Training course is now open. Instructors must be approved by TREC before attending instructor training, and registration requires a TREC instructor license number. Early-bird pricing ends September 30, and courses begin in October. Sessions are offered in Fort Worth, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston.
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Sweet Victory for Hillwood, USAA |
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DALLAS (Dallas Morning News) – Hillwood Urban and USAA Real Estate are developing the first new Victory Park office project in more than a decade.
Work is underway on the 15-story, 365,000-sf Victory Commons building on Victory Ave.
It is across the street from the American Airlines Center, a DART commuter rail station, and a new one-acre park.
Locally based BOKA Powell designed the brick-and-glass high-rise. It will have a rooftop terrace and views of downtown.
Construction will finish in fall 2021.
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First-time homebuyers moving to McKinney |
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WASHINGTON (WalletHub) – McKinney is the ninth-best city for first-time homebuyers, according to a WalletHub study.
The Collin County city ranks first in real estate market hotness, 45th in quality of life, and 160th in affordability.
Frisco ranks 13th overall on the list, landing 19th in market hotness, 48th in quality of life, and 142nd in affordability.
Laredo ranks first in lowest cost of living. Corpus Christi has the fourth-highest total home-energy cost.
The top five best cities for first-time homebuyers are:
- Tampa, Fla.;
- Overland Park, Kan.;
- Thornton, Colo.;
- Grand Rapids, Mich.; and
- Boise, Idaho.
Berkeley, Calif.; Detroit; and Santa Barbara, Calif. are the three-worst cities on the rankings.
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 Hungry for more Texas real estate news? Then feast your eyes on NewsTalk Texas, our online news database. Here are a few of the stories you'll find there this week:
NewsTalk Texas is updated each weekday, throughout the day.
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GenCap begins construction on 350 Atascocita units |
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ATASCOCITA (REBusiness Online) – GenCap Partners Inc. has begun construction on The Sarah at Lake Houston, a 350-unit multifamily project at 17810 W. Lake Houston Pkwy.
The 17-acre community will offer one-, two-, and three-bedroom units ranging from 560 to 1,616 sf.
Units will have nine-ft ceilings, wood-style flooring, quartz countertops with tile backsplashes, custom cabinets, and stainless steel appliances.
Amenities will include a club area, private party room, fitness center, pool with a sundeck and cabanas, onsite spa, and pet park.
Completion is slated for second quarter 2020.
JHP Architects is designing the project, and Oden Hughes Taylor Construction is the general contractor. Amegy Bank provided construction financing.
JLL and Vickery & Associates represented GenCap Partners in the land acquisition.
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 The Real Estate Center's Texas Quarterly Commercial Report looks at past, present, and future commercial real estate activity in the state's four major metropolitan areas. It covers the office, retail, and warehouse sectors. Read and download the report for free, and subscribe to know when the next issue is published.
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NRG consolidating in Waller Industrial Park |
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WALLER (Archway Properties) – NRG Manufacturing, Inc. will consolidate its manufacturing, testing, and regional office at Waller Industrial Park.
As part of the relocation, NRG and developer Archway Properties are renovating an existing 144,500-sf facility on 14.6 acres.
Additionally, Archway is building a state-of-the-art component manufacturing and separate test facility totaling 94,400 sf on the adjacent 16 acres.
Construction is underway and will wrap up in November 2019.
The development team includes ARCO Design/Build Southwest, Method Architecture, and Archway Advisors.
Archway Advisors represented the landlord in the lease transaction.
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| Did you know you can get notified every time one of our new economic reports is released? Check out our email notification feature to get the latest economic data sent directly to your email inbox for free. |
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First multifamily near McKinney Falls breaks ground |
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AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal) – Daniel Corp. has begun construction on a 264-unit luxury apartment community on 20 acres along E. William Cannon Dr. near McKinney Falls State Park.
The property at 7106 Janes Ranch Rd. will have one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. Units will have granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and high ceilings.
Community amenities will include a clubhouse, pool, fitness center, outdoor fireplace, green space, and a private wooded trail.
The project will be one of the first multifamily communities in the immediate vicinity of McKinney Falls, an area that has seen tremendous growth in single-family homes.
Daniel is developing the community with CNL Financial Group Inc. Rampart Construction Company is the general contractor and Group4 Designs is the architect.
Completion is slated for late 2020.
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 The Real Estate Center's Texas Home Price Index measures price appreciation changes for residential single-family homes. It provides data for eight different Texas metros across three different price ranges.
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Hyde Park sold, getting upgrades |
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AUSTIN (REBusiness Online) – Hyde Park at Wells Branch, a 29.3-acre, 576-unit multifamily property at 2801 Wells Branch Pkwy., has been sold.
Built in 1999, the property offers two pools, outdoor grilling areas, a fitness center, and a dog park.
The new ownership will implement a capital improvements program that will upgrade cabinets, lighting, plumbing, and amenity spaces.
Hunt Real Estate Capital provided a $55.2 million Freddie Mac acquisition loan for the buyer.
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315-unit senior-living community coming to Georgetown |
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GEORGETOWN (REBusiness Online) – A partnership between MedCore Partners, The National Realty Group, and Watermark Retirement Facilities will develop a 225-unit housing community for seniors.
The 13.2-acre property will have 125 independent-living, 80 assisted-living, and 20 memory-care units.
A second phase will add 90 independent-living residences to the project, bringing the total unit count to 315.
Construction will begin in January 2020 and wrap up in summer 2021.
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| https://www.recenter.tamu.edu/news/recon/?Item=289 |
| RECON for July 5, 2019 | RECON for July 5, 2019 | Bryan Pope | Pope
| 2019-07-05T05:00:00Z | 2019-07-05T05:00:00Z |
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| Continued job and population growth, a growing e-commerce enterprise, and heightened activity in the Port of Houston are driving demand for industrial space across the Houston metro. A record-breaking 20.5 million sf was under construction in second quarter 2019, according to a CBRE report. The details are in today's RECON. (Photo from Center files.) |
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Average Texan pays $295 in monthly energy costs |
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WASHINGTON (WalletHub) – The average Texan pays $295 per month for energy, the 19th-lowest cost in the nation, according to WalletHub.
The Lone Star State had the 11th-highest cost for electricity at $140. It was 28th in motor fuel ($134) and 39th in natural gas ($20).
Texans on average pay nothing each month for home heating-oil.
Connecticut residents pay the most for their energy at $373. People in the District of Columbia have the lowest cost at $204.
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Record-breaking 20.5M sf of industrial space underway in Houston |
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HOUSTON (CBRE) – A record-breaking 20.5 million sf of industrial space was under construction in the Houston area in second quarter 2019, according to a CBRE report.
During the same period, 11.2 million sf of new industrial space broke ground, bringing the year-to-date starts total up to 13.6 million sf.
Industrial absorption climbed out of negative territory this quarter with a strong 2.9 million sf of industrial space absorbed in 2Q2019.
Vacancy jumped ten basis points to 5.5 percent.
Continued job and population growth, a growing e-commerce enterprise, and heightened activity in the Port of Houston are driving demand for industrial space across the metro.
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American Landmark acquires four DFW apartments |
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DALLAS-FORT WORTH (REBusiness Online) – Tampa, Fla.-based American Landmark Apartments has acquired four communities totaling 1,616 units across the Metroplex.
The properties are the:
- 490-unit Meadows at Bedford at 1400 Sierra Springs Dr. in Bedford;
- 440-unit Remington Hill Apartments at 5701 Overton Ridge Blvd. in Fort Worth;
- 226-unit Rock Ridge Apartments at 305 Ranch Dr. in Arlington; and
- 460-unit Summer Villas at 17717 Preston Rd. in Dallas.
Other than Rock Ridge, which was built in 2003, all the properties were built in the 1980s and were between 91 and 96 percent occupied at the time of sale.
The five-property, $246.7 million portfolio also included a 232-unit asset near Nashville, Tenn.
American Landmark will invest about $18 million in upgrading the properties.
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Looking for more real estate news? Our NewsTalk Texas feed has all the latest headlines. Here's a sample:
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Demolition begins on San Jacinto Mall |
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BAYTOWN (Connect Media) – Fidelis Real Estate Partners has begun demolition work on the main structure of the San Jacinto Mall.
The open-air project, called San Jacinto Marketplace, will have 1.1 million sf of retail space, 80,000 sf of office space, 20 restaurants, and a festival and concert venue.
Tenants will include JCPenney, Premier Cinema, and Macy's.
The first phase of the development at I-10 E. and Garth Rd. will open in late 2020.
The former Ward's and Bealls buildings have already been demolished.
Fidelis purchased the property in 2015. When it opened in 1981, it was the single-largest property and sales taxpayer for the city.
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193K-sf industrial pair sold |
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DALLAS (Marcus & Millichap) – Two area industrial properties totaling 192,797 sf have been sold.
Stericycle Inc. at 945 W. Pleasant Run Rd. totals 126,490 sf. Marcus & Millichap brokered the 1031 exchange.
NAI partnered with Marcus & Millichap on the sale of 4343-4345 Sigma Dr., a 66,307-sf building pair.
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| If not, click here to head to our website, where you can fill out this simple form for free. Once you do, the biggest headlines in Texas real estate will come straight to your inbox twice a week. Oh, and did we mention it's free? |
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Strode sells Southlake retail |
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SOUTHLAKE (Connect Media) – Strode Property Co. has sold Kimball Oaks, a 126,654-sf retail center, to a private exchange buyer.
The 15-acre property at 2231 E. Southlake Blvd. opened in 2014. At the time of sale, it was 97 percent occupied.
Anchor tenants included PGA Tour Superstore, Marshall's, Tuesday Morning, and Bassett Furniture.
Disney Investment Group represented the seller and procured the buyer.
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JV picks up affordable Austin housing |
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AUSTIN (REBusiness Online) – A joint venture between the Community Development Trust, the Housing Authority of the City of Austin, and the Austin Affordable Housing Corp. has purchased The Bridge at Asher Apartments.
Built in 2003, the 452-unit affordable housing community sold for $70 million.
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| https://www.recenter.tamu.edu/news/recon/?Item=288 |
